Queer commander-in-chief, recent appointment (9)

I believe the answer is:

eccentric

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'queer' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.

(Other definitions for eccentric that I've seen before include "Bizarre" , "Oddball" , "Unconventionanl or unusual" , "Unconventional or unusual" , "Unconventional, a bit strange" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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