Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack RROLLING OLLING · Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack HISTORY OF HAMEL THE Battle...

The troops of The troops of 1 Bde form 1 Bde form the core of a the core of a 9000-strong 9000-strong force battling force battling it out over the it out over the Shoalwater Shoalwater Bay Training Bay Training Area inArea inEx Hamel 2012Ex Hamel 2012

Edition 1285 July 5, 2012

PREDATOR’S STRIKEHeavy armour rolls across

Shoalwater Bay for 1 Bde’s annual warfighting exercise

SPECIAL LIFTOUT

ROLLING ROLLING INTO INTO BATTLEBATTLE Page 3Page 3

On the move: A Bushmaster for the enemy force heads into the Shoalwater

Bay Training Area for Ex Hamel.

Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack

Heavy armShoalwate

annuual warf

SPE

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Army July 5, 2012NEWS www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews2

The Soldiers’ Newspaper

DirectorDavid Edlington: (02) 6265 4650

EDITORIALEditorJohn Wellfare: (02) 6266 7609Production EditorSharon Palmer: (02) 6266 7612ReportersSgt Andrew Hetherington: (02) 6266 7614Cpl Max Bree: (02) 6266 7608Cpl Nick Wiseman: (02) 6265 4140 LS Paul Berry: (02) 6266 7606Cpl Mark Doran: (02) 6265 1304LAC Bill Solomou: (02) 6265 1355Andrew Stackpool: (02) 6266 7611Michael Brooke: (02) 9359 2494

CONTACT US

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DISCLAIMERArmy is published fortnightly by the Directorate of Defence News. It is printed under contract by Capital Fine Print. The material published is selected for its interest. The views expressed in published articles are not necessarily those of Defence or Army. Every advertisement is subject to Directorate of Defence News approval and the Directorate of Defence News may, at its discre-tion, refuse to accept an advertisement. The directorate accepts no responsibility or liability in relation to any loss due to the failure of an advertisement to appear or if it appears in a form not in accordance with the instructions received by the Directorate of Defence News. The fact that an advertisement is accepted for publica-tion does not mean that the product or service is endorsed by the Department of Defence or Army.

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MEDIBANK Health Solutions will provide a range of health services for ADF personnel from November after winning the $1.3 billion Defence health services contract.

Services covered under the contract include on-base health support, pathology, imaging and radiol-ogy, as well as maintaining the 24-hour ADF national health hotline.

Announcing the contract, Defence Science and Personnel Minister Warren Snowdon said the contract was about ensuring ADF personnel received a high standard of health care.

“The agreement will support Defence’s goal of seamless health care from point of injury to recovery,” he said.

“This contract with Medibank Health Solutions will also assist Defence to gain further efficiencies by streamlining delivery of health services and optimis-ing current services through innovation and technol-ogy.”

Current health services contracts have been extended to November to allow for a smooth transi-tion to the new contract and ensure no disruption of services.

Health care on deployments will continue to be provided by military doctors, nurses and medics.

New provider for on-base health

TAX time is here and the ATO advises Defence members’ personal tax returns may come under closer scrutiny this year.

Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo said the ATO would pay close attention to deductions claimed by plumbers, information technology managers and ADF NCOs.

“We have found people in these groups are at higher risk of making mistakes with their work-related expenses because of the types of deductions they are entitled to claim,” Mr D’Ascenzo said.

“We will write to around 90,000 people employed in these occupations about assistance we can provide.

“This includes new guides developed specifically for these occupations to help people main-tain accurate records throughout the year so that they can get their claims right this tax time.”

The ATO says the most com-mon mistakes made by Defence members are:

� Insufficient documentation to

support car expenses. If you use the ‘cents per km’ method, you must be able to show how you worked out your estimate for work travel by keeping a diary of work-related travel and basing your costs on a regular pattern of travel.

� Incorrectly claiming motor-vehicle expenses on the basis that you are carrying bulky tools and equipment. If your employer provides secure stor-age for your tools or equipment or you transport your tools and equipment to and from work as a matter of convenience, then transport costs are private and a deduction is not allowed.

� Incorrectly claiming home-office, mobile-phone and internet expenses. Claims need to be supported by evidence and you can only claim the work-related portion. This is best achieved by maintaining a diary for four weeks, which must establish the actual work percentage of the computer, phone or internet costs.

� Incorrectly claiming physical fitness expenses. Fitness is considered a private expense and is not generally deduct-able. However, members who are required to maintain a very high level of fitness and derive their income by performing a range of duties designed to keep them physically and men-tally prepared, may be able to make a case. Generally, this would only apply to physical training instructors and Special Forces.

� Claiming for mess fees. You cannot claim a deduction for costs incurred in attending mess functions, even compul-sory ones. However, you can claim a deduction for the part of compulsory mess subscrip-tions that are related to work activities.

The ATO web site has more details on these and other claim types. For more information find the “ADF members” page through the Advanced Topics links at www.ato.gov.au/occupations

Take care with this year’s tax� Tax office will pay close attention to returns from NCOs

Handle with care: The Australian Tax Office will be paying close attention to ADF NCOs this year and is offering advice on deductions for Defence members. Photo by LAC Bill Solomou

Afghanistan inquiries releasedA HIGHER force protection pos-ture would probably not have pre-vented the shooting death of LCpl Andrew Jones at the hands of a rogue Afghan soldier last year, according to an inquiry officer report released on June 29.

The report’s release was announced alongside the finalisa-tion of inquiries into the deaths of commandos Sgt Brett Wood and Sgt Todd Langley, both killed in action in Afghanistan last year.

The inquiry officer into LCpl Jones’ death found he was shot on May 30 last year in a so-called “green-on-blue” incident by a rogue Afghan soldier, Shafied Ullah, who had been recently posted to Patrol Base Mashal.

Releasing the report, VCDF Air-Mshl Mark Binskin said there was no intelligence to suggest Shafied Ullah was a threat or warn of a pos-sible attack.

“The Australian personnel at the base responded in a calm and meas-

ured way in coordinating medical support for LCpl Jones and isolat-ing evidence at the shooting scene,” Air-Mshl Binskin said.

“LCpl Andrew Jones was a pop-ular member of his unit, a dedicated soldier who died tragically while serving his country.”

The inquiries into the deaths of Sgts Wood and Langley commend-ed the efforts of SOTG personnel in both incidents.

Sgt Wood was killed and two other commandos were wounded by an insurgent IED during opera-

tions in southern Afghanistan on May 23 last year.

The inquiry officer noted that the initial treatment the patrol medics provided to Sgt Wood was exceptional, especially considering the medics were also wounded in the explosion.

The inquiry officer into Sgt Langley’s death commended members of the SOTG for their actions in the highly stressful mis-sion during which Sgt Langley was killed by insurgent small-arms fire while coordinating support for a

fellow soldier who was seriously wounded.

Defence Minister Stephen Smith weighed the wishes of the Wood and Langley families and any pub-lic interest in the release of those two inquiry reports and decided not to publicly release them.

All three inquiries recommend-ed that Commissions of Inquiry were not warranted.

The inquiry officer’s report into LCpl Jones’ death is available online at www.defence.gov.au/COI/

LCpl Andrew Jones Sgt Todd Langley Sgt Brett Wood

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Army July 5, 2012 NEWSwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews 3

THE troops of 1 Bde are fight-ing a conventional war across Shoalwater Bay Training Area, having rolled into Exercise Hamel after laying the groundwork with Exercises Predator’s Run and Predator’s Strike.

More than 9000 ADF person-nel are participating in Ex Hamel alongside about 150 US Marines and 25 New Zealand Army medics.

The annual foundation war

fighting exercise runs from June 21 to July 18 and certifies participants for operational deployment.

Elements of 3 Bde have also deployed to Shoalwater Bay to act as enemy.

Exercise director Brig Shane Caughey said Ex Hamel was about ensuring the Army could deliver a “ready, relevant and agile land force”.

“It allows participating forces

to hone their fundamental war fighting skills and allows us to certify a brigade’s progression to the phase of the Force Generation Cycle where troops are ready for future operations if required,” he said.

“While there are set objectives against which forces are tested, the exercise is designed to reflect the complexities and challenges of real warfare and, as such, allows a lot

of freedom on how those set objec-tives are achieved.”

The 1 Bde troops headed to Shoalwater Bay early for their annual Exercises Predator’s Run and Predator’s Strike, which allow the brigade to unleash the full force of its armoured and mechanised capability in a warlike scenario.

Look out for more detailed coverage of Ex Hamel next edition.

The war begins� Ex Hamel 2012 has started with 9000 troops battling it out at Shoalwater Bay

Pushing forward: Two enemy force ASLAVs move into position for the first day of Ex Hamel 2012. Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack

HISTORY OF HAMELTHE Battle of Hamel was a successful attack launched by the Australian Imperial Force and several American units on July 4, 1918, against German positions in and around the town of Hamel in northern France.

The battle was commanded by Lt-Gen John Monash, who employed new combined arms tactics to successfully complete the battle in 93 minutes. Previous battles using conventional tactics lasted for weeks or months with high casualty rates.

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TOWNSVILLE radio hosts CK and Blake faced physical challenges as they experienced life as soldiers and broadcast their popular morning show live from Lavarack Barracks.

The two self-confessed “metrosexu-als” swapped moisturiser and hair gel for cam cream and bush hats as they were put through their paces in the Boys to Men Challenge by the soldiers of B Coy, 2RAR, on June 13.

Without time to relax or admire their new looks, the two radio personalities were sent straight into platoon bayonet training where they were urged to get aggressive and do it like they meant it.

Thinking the physical part was over, they were shocked to be sent on a 2.8km run kitted out in body armour and web-bing before firing Steyrs and pistols at the 25m range.

Cliff “CK” Kern said the experience was great.

“We drive past the barracks all the time and it’s great to get an opportunity to see and show our listeners what goes on here,” he said.

“We got to live every kid’s dream – firing a gun in the Army.”

CK was quickly corrected he was in fact firing a rifle and proceeded to

earn himself the nickname “Hairstyles” because of his manicured mane.

Co-host Blake Pottenden did not miss out in the nickname stakes and was appointed with the title of “Princess” because of his interesting battle cries during bayonet training.

Blake said Lavarack Barracks and those who worked there were an impor-tant part of the local community.

“It’s great to learn so much about the day-to-day activities,” he said.

LCpl Andrew Alce, of 2RAR, was the personalities’ host for the day and said Blake did really well.

“He ran the whole way and didn’t look too bad by the end,” he said.

“CK on the other hand, well, he got there with some help from the vehicle.”

The radio hosts returned to Lavarack Barracks on June 15 to complete their experience and, while broadcasting live, they were visited by members of units in 3 Bde, who gave them an insight into the brigade’s capabilities.

While the boys did not have the hair cuts and a little too much designer stub-ble to be considered for Army life, their week with 3 Bde certainly toughened them up and gave them a new respect for the men and women serving their nation.

Disc jocks shocked into military life

Cpl Max Bree

TWO extra Chinooks have been added to the Army’s chopper fleet with a handover ceremony in Townsville on June 8.

The 1990s-era CH-47D aircraft were acquired from the US Army.

The purchase may prove timely, with engineers currently investi-gating whether a Chinook can be repaired after suffering heavy land-

ing in Afghanistan on June 22 (see page 13 for more details).

Commander of the Cargo Helicopter Management Unit, Lt-Col Tyron De Boer, said the two older Chinooks were purchased as an interim measure before the scheduled arrival of new CH-47F models in 2014 and 2016.

“The whole project from start to initial operational capability was just over 12 months,” he said.

During January, the Chinooks were taken from a US Army base in Germany and loaded onto C-17s for the trip to Australia.

The choppers spent the next few months in heavy maintenance and being upgraded with Australian modifications to be ready for domestic flying.

They will receive addition-al upgrades and be available for deployment around mid-2013.

Two new chooks� Heavy-lift choppers handed over in Townsville

Air power: New heavy-lift Chinooks have been delivered to 5 Avn Regt in Townsville. File photo by Cpl Mark Doran

Soldier stories: Townsville radio hosts Cliff Kern and Blake Pottenden interview a 3/4 Cav Regt trooper at Lavarack Barracks while broadcasting their radio show from the base.

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IT’S time to break out your best com-bat kit concepts – Diggerworks is re-vitalising the Good Ideas Expo concept across Australia in the second half of the year.

Director Col Jason Blain said the expo would identify equipment innova-tions and inventions from soldiers.

“We know there are many good ideas out there and we want to identify those that should be considered by Army and DMO to be progressed further,” he said.

Initial planning is under way with briefs being provided to all brigade head-quarters.

Regional expos will be conducted in Darwin, Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney

All ideas welcome� Good Ideas Expo to tour bases seeking innovations for the soldier combat system

and Adelaide at a time agreed to at the brigade level.

Winners from these events will pro-gress to a final, which will be conducted alongside the Land Warfare Conference in Melbourne in late October.

The successful applicants will pro-vide a 15-minute presentation on their idea to two panels of judges.

Judges will be provided by each bri-gade, and also technical experts from a number of organisations, includ-ing Army Headquarters, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Defence Material Organisation and the Land Engineering Agency.

The Diggerworks Lead Planner, Maj Stan Carnes, said the expos were open to any ideas soldiers had.

“For that reason we have not limited the scope of the expos in order to give participants as much flexibility as pos-sible,” he said.

The first expo will be conducted in Townsville on August 3 at the Lachlan Wilson Centre.

It is open to all Army personnel from the north Queensland region, not just 3 Bde.

Interested personnel should go through their chain of command in the first instance or email [email protected]

... we have not limited the scope of the expos in order

to give participants as much flexibility

as possible.– Maj Stan Carnes, Diggerworks

HOW TO INVENTDIGGERWORKS aims to continually improve the soldier combat system with solutions that enhance soldier performance.

Every solution must be integrated into the system as a whole, not simply added to the equipment list.

The Diggerworks process for solv-ing combat equipment problems pro-vides a model for the budding soldier-inventor to follow in the search for the next big innovation.

Identify the problem or requirement� From field experience.� From predicted future needs.

Analyse options� Evaluate available technology or

equipment.� Engage with the relevant industry.

Develop or identify a solution� Develop the technology.� Design and engineer the solution.� Test and evaluate.

Finding innovative solutions: Much of the equipment in use by soldiers in Afghanistan today was developed or tested through Diggerworks. File photo by Sgt Mick Davis

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SOLDIERS from the School or Arty’s Survei l lance and Target Acquisition (STA) Wing helped children and teachers at Puckapunyal Primary School a view the transit of Venus across the sun on June 6.

The rare astronomical occur-rence was viewed by about 100 stu-dents courtesy of the School of Arty at Puckapunyal, which provided survey optical equipment capable

of viewing the sun through special filters.

STA Wing Senior Instructor Maj Colin Smith said if a then-little-known Leut James Cook had not been tasked with measuring the transit of Venus in 1769 at Tahiti, he might never have gone on to dis-cover Australia for England.

“So this means it is a pretty sig-nificant event on the lunar calendar for all Australians,” he said.

“The instruments, similar to the-

odolites used by civil engineers, have been used for decades to ori-ent artillery guns on the battlefield by using the sun as a reference and are able to do this over a number of kilometres.”

At the completion of the chil-dren’s display, WO2 Brent Major, whose daughters Abigail and Gabrielle were in attendance at the school, moved the display on to the main oval for the benefit of the entire Puckapunyal community.

Gunners aim high� School of Arty helps Pucka students watch transit of Venus

Cpl Mark Doran

ONE of Canberra’s best kept secrets, the RMC Golf Club, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a family day on August 12.

Officially opened in 1962, the original course dates back to 1919 when military members based at Duntroon shaped a nine-hole course complete with sand greens for their own recreation.

The first hole on the course was origi-nally the RMC charger area where cadets practised their sword and lance drills on horseback.

Although the club maintains strong links to the military it is also welcomes members of the public to its challenging course layout of 11 greens and 18 tees.

Club captain Terrick Smith has been with the club for four years. He said Col John Purser (retd) had taken on the task to research and write a book covering the history of the RMC Golf Club.

“We are trying to gather stories and photographs from the beginning of the course to the present day and hope to catch up with some previous members at the family day,” Mr Smith said.

“Fifty years for a golf course is a long time and we would like to compile its rich history.

“This is one of the few courses to sur-vive in a military area and today it is still a place where ADF members can forget their rank and enjoy the game.

“Even if someone can remember a funny story, we want to hear it so we can include it in the book.”

The family day is open to the public and invitations have been sent to senior Defence leaders.

Events will include chipping and put-ting competitions to give all visitors the opportunity to experience the course and its facilities.

Duntroon golf club open to families

Mr Smith said the course was very tight.

“It’s almost like it has been planned as an assault course,” he said.

“You have to think before you play your shot and the trees lining the fair-ways are called the sentinels because of the way they protect the course.

“If your ball is played into those trees, you are cactus.”

For more information for the RMC Golf Club, the family day or the history project go to www.rmcgc.com.au or call (02) 6265 9620.

On course: RMC Golf Club captain Terrick Smith warms up the putting green ahead of a family day. Photo by Cpl Mark Doran

Stargazing: School of Arty’s WO2 Brent Major and his daughter, Abigail, check out the transit of Venus in a display for students at Puckapunyal Primary School.

Get your best recipe readyTHE Army’s best professional and amateur chefs are invited to submit their most tooth-friendly recipe for Dental Health Week.

The recipes will be put into a draw alongside Navy and Air Force submissions to find the winner for each service.

Recipes that promote good teeth are likely to be low in carbohydrates, include a low-fat dairy component, as well as vita-mins C and D. Good nutrition and eating habits have been linked to preventing den-tal erosion.

Submit recipes by July 27 to Cpl Ryan Cowgill at [email protected] information on Dental Health Week go to www.dentalhealthweek.com.au

Good eating: Army cooks can submit their best dental-friendly recipes for Dental Health Week. Photo by LAC Chris Hall

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Cpl Nick Wiseman

V8 SUPERCAR racing duo Rick and Todd Kelly took a pit stop from tearing up the track to visit soldiers at the Lone Pine Soldier Recovery Centre in Darwin on June 14.

Todd Kelly said the initiative the Army had set up was awesome.

“It’s certainly not what Rick and I expected to see,” he said.

During the visit they got the chance to talk with the soldiers and partake in reha-bilitation activities.

5RAR rifleman Pte Bob Innes said it was great insight into what the drivers do.

“The thing that struck me most was how they were normal blokes. Sure they’re famous and clearly have a lot of money but they’re just like us.”

The next day the soldiers were given special access behind the scenes at the Hidden Valley raceway, where they took an exclusive tour of the pits before enjoy-ing the race.

After seeing inside one of the race

cars, 5RAR rifleman Pte Jordan Davis said the amount of things drivers had to focus on while flying around the track was mind blowing.

“It gave us a good appreciation of what they go through.”

He said most people wouldn’t realise how much fitness was also required for the job.

“They scored more than 13 on the beep test and one could do a prone hold for 14 minutes,” he said.

“They said core strength was impor-tant as when they braked around corners they estimated about 75kg of pressure was forcing against their bodies.”

Enjoying the break from their recov-ery schedules, the soldiers spent the rest of the day at the raceway watching time trials and other events.

A tough qualifying put the Kelly brothers down in the field for the race on June 17 and despite posting some of the fastest lap times of the day, Todd finished in 14th place and Rick came 23rd.

Fast friends: Racing driver Todd Kelly meets soldiers at the Darwin Soldier Recovery Centre.Photo by AB James Whittle

Drivers stop in on recovering soldiers

V8 race-offLeut Andrew Ragless

AMID the haze and roar of supercharged V8 engines, three unlikely competitors emerged to face off against V8 Supercar young gun Chaz Mostert.

An Air Force fighter pilot, an infantry soldier and a naval communicator took the challenge on the legend-ary Australian Mount Panorama track at Bathurst.

The Team Navy V8 Supercar simulator revved to life on the first day of racing at the V8 Supercar Championship at Darwin’s Hidden Valley track.

The simulator’s owner, Alan Fish, said after a few seconds behind the wheel it was clear who would win.

“Of course Chaz Mostert has a lot of skill with this sort of thing but the other guys aren’t doing too badly,” he said.

In hot pursuit of the V8 young gun was Hornet pilot Flt-Lt Thomas Quin, of RAAF Base Tindal’s 75 Sqn.

“I reckon this might be a bit slow for him,” said one enthusiastic onlooker as Flt-Lt Quin shot down the track at a virtual 280km/h.

The full high-definition screens in the simulator are linked to the driver’s seat, which is mounted on an actuator and provides 490 movements a second.

“The drivers will feel the engine’s vibrations, the push of the ripple strip, and the squirm of the tyres on the road when they take the corner – absolutely every-thing,” Mr Fish said.

Pte Marshall Fowle, of 5RAR, said the feeling was incredible.

“We had the roar of the V8s from our simulator but also from the real ones on the track behind us; it was quite realistic.”

When asked by a budding V8 fan if his seat moved much, Pte Fowle’s mate replied, “It does when you hit the wall as much as he did.”

“That’s why I’m going to stick to my Kia Rio,” Pte Fowle said.

� Three services compete for pole position among supercars

Cutting laps: Pte Marshall Fowle, of 5RAR, participates in the triservice “race off” against V8 Supercar driver Chaz Mostert in Team Navy’s V8 Supercar Simulator. Photo by LAC David Cotton

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Memorial to close partnershipTHE first memorial for military and service working dog teams killed on duty was opened in Brisbane on June 7.

The memorial was unveiled two years to the day Spr Darren Smith, his explosive detection dog Herbie, and Spr Jacob Moerland died from wounds received from an IED blast in Afghanistan.

About 300 people turned out to see Queensland Governor Penelope Wesley open the memo-rial at the RSPCA in Wacol.

The memorial is also open to state and federal police services, corrective services, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and border security.

The former commander of the

Explosive Detection Dog Training Wing, Lt-Col George Hulse (retd), said the RSPCA provided the loca-tion and a large amount of money to get the Military and Service Working Dog National Monument built.

“We thought it would take years [to get built] but it only took about 18 months,” he said.

Marching to a shiny new tuneCpl Mark Doran

AFTER promoting Army’s image as a musician for 50 years, WO2 Dave Walker, of Australian Army Band Newcastle, retired from military life on June 22.

During his years as a military musi-cian the former coal miner played mainly his favourite instrument, the euphoni-um, as well as the cornet, trombone and bugle.

Concerts during his career included playing for Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Newcastle in 1977 and high profile performances with the Combined Reserve Bands during the Sydney Opera House Spectaculars.

Now entitled to wear his third Federation Star on the Defence Long Service Medal ribbon, WO2 Walker said his enjoyment of playing in the band was the main reason he stayed in the Army for so long.

“I’m a bandsman – I play in bands,” he said. “I love playing different instru-ments and different music – it’s what I love doing.”

WO2 Walker saw many differences in uniform come and go during his career as well as women becoming Army musi-cians and even the restructuring of the battalion bands into band corps.

When asked what was the main les-son he had learnt during his military life, WO2 Walker said apart from doing as you were told, soldiers needed to give their best with what they were given.

“Every time there are changes to the

In memory: Spr Darren Smith’s father, Graham, and his wife, Shelley, in front of the memorial dedicated to the dog handler and other military and service working dog teams killed on duty. Photo by Cpl Peter Borys

� Musician enjoys a star-studded retirement

Long service: WO2 Dave Walker retires after 50 years as a musician.

system a lot of musicians often wonder why they are doing it differently,” he said.

“The uniforms change, the instrumen-tation changes, but in the end you are still rehearsing, you are still playing and you still perform on parades.”

Although no longer performing on the parade ground, WO2 Walker will still play in Sydney bands, including the Cardiff North Lakes Brass Band, entertaining crowds during concerts and street marches.

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Cpl Mark Doran

VIETNAM veterans from the first and second 2RAR/NZ Anzac tours (1967–68, 1970-71) will be attending the first combined reunion in Townsville from July 25 to 29.

2RAR’s veterans will have a chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones at Lavarack Barracks with the current members of the battalion who have recently returned from a deployment to Afghanistan.

An open day hosted by 2RAR will be held on July 27 at Samichon Lines. Coinciding with the 2RAR Family Day, the battalion will show off its weapons systems along with static displays by B Sqn 3/4 Cav Regt, 4 Regt RAA and 5 Avn Regt.

The official reunion dinner for mem-bers of 2RAR/NZ Anzac will be held at the Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre on July 28.

Adjutant Capt Nicholas McCarthy said the battalion expected hundreds of veterans to attend the reunion.

“It will be great for our lads to meet for-mer members who are veterans from Vietnam, not just for those who recently fought in Afghanistan, but for our soldiers who haven’t deployed yet as well,” he said.

“They will be able to compare notes and see that soldiering hasn’t really changed that much.”

At 10am on July 29, the 2RAR/NZ Anzac veterans will join B Coy, 2RAR, for a parade along The Strand.

The guest of honour will be Maj-Gen Jim Connolly (retd), who was a platoon command-er during the battalion’s first tour to Vietnam.

The parade will be followed by a com-memoration service in Anzac Memorial Park.

For more information go to www.2rar-association.com.au/home.html

Veterans to reunite History on display

� The 2RAR museum features an extensive collection of photos and memorabiliaCpl Mark Doran

IT’S only fitting a dedicated sol-dier with a unique military history is guarding the historic cache of the 2RAR Historical Collection.

Curator Cpl John Twomey was posted to 4RAR in 1973 five weeks before the battalion amalgamated with 2RAR to become 2/4RAR.

It wasn’t always a smooth envi-ronment for the few younger soldiers who worked with hard, battle-scarred veterans from the wars in Korea and Vietnam.

The new Lavarack Barracks bat-talion was charged with preserving the traditions, associations, museums and proprietorship of the two units until the link was annulled.

Because of this, all ranks of 2/4RAR were aware of the history of both battalions and strictly preserved these traditions, while working hard to establish a distinctive image for their unit.

In 1990 Cpl Twomey became 2/4RAR’s Historical Collection Curator and when the battalions de-linked in 1995, the collection became 2RAR’s.

He has worked there ever since, now as a reservist after gaining quali-fications in museum management and South-East Asian history.

“We have to look after the herit-age of all our soldiers who served here and on operations overseas and the young soldiers who are posted to this

battalion need to learn about our his-tory,” he said.

Exhibits at the collection include displays from the battalion’s involve-ment with the occupation of Japan as the 66th Bn, through service in the Korean War and Vietnam as 2RAR as well as daily life and ceremonial events back in Australia.

Among its collection of artwork is the famous painting by Ivor Hele of the Battle of Samichon, The Hook, and a series of charcoal portraits from Vietnam drawn by Ken McFadyen.

Cpl Twomey said the battalion liaised with the community and associ-ations who were invited to visit the col-lection, as were local school students.

“Our museum is an eye opener for a lot of people,” he said.

“They are stunned at the amount of memorabilia we have.”

Artefacts and images from more recent deployments to Cambodia, Rwanda, East Timor, Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan are also on display.

As a younger member of the bat-talion, Pte Alexander Luiten said the collection was important for soldiers to learn where their customs and tradi-tions came from.

“Displaying our history shows where we started and it’s fantastic to have this collection and be able to look back and see what our 2RAR veterans did,” he said.

“Maybe one day we will have something from our time in the battal-ion on display as well.”

Looking back: The curator of the 2RAR Historical Collection, Cpl John Twomey, talks Pte Alexander Luiten through an exhibit. Photo by Cpl Mark Doran

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Army July 5, 2012WORLD www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews10

Maj Cameron Jamieson

A MILITARY policeman is finding his sea legs off the Philippines coast after volunteering for duty aboard a hospital ship for Pacific Partnership 2012.

Sgt Hayden Watson, of the Enoggera Barracks Domestic Policing Unit, has joined a US force protection team aboard the 1000-bed US Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy on a journey through South-east Asia.

“Our job is to maintain the internal security of the ship,” Sgt Watson said.

“I’m attached to the Master-at-Arms section, which con-sists of Army and Navy military police-men and women.

“We look after the people on board, escort visi-tors around, ensure people are clear of restricted areas during flight operations and walk through the wards to make sure our patients are okay.”

Forty-one ADF personnel are assigned to Pacific Partnership, the lat-est in an annual series of US Navy-led humanitarian relief operations created as an ongoing commitment to south-

east Asia and the south-west Pacific after the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

While stationed off the island of Samar in the Philippines, USNS Mercy ran surgical, medical, veterinary, engi-neering and expert exchange projects to help disadvantaged people in the region.

Sgt Watson had previously worked ashore with US Navy police in Rockhampton during Exercise Talisman Sabre, so he jumped at the chance when the call went out for a MP to join Pacific Partnership.

“The Mercy is the largest hospital ship in the world, so it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he said.

“It’s a chance to experience something different and see some very different places.”

He will have spent 12 weeks aboard USNS Mercy by the time it finishes its tour of Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam.

He said after patrolling up and down stairs on an eight-storey ship for three months, if nothing else, he should have the fittest legs of any MP in Australia.

Cop joins mission of Mercy� Enoggera-based MP on Pacific Partnership

The Mercy is the largest hospital

ship in the world, so it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Sgt Hayden Watson

Sea legs: Military Police Sgt Hayden Watson and US Navy Master at Arms James Conroy conduct a routine security patrol of the USNS Mercy flight deck during Pacific Partnership 2012.

Photo by FSgt Craig Sharp

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Army July 5, 2012 WORLDwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews 11

Timor aviators clock 10,000THE Timor-Leste Aviation Group (TLAG) buzzed over the 10,000-fly-ing-hour milestone in June after six years providing aviation support to Operation Astute.

The aviation group first deployed to East Timor with four Black Hawks and four Kiowa helicopters in response to civil unrest in 2006.

Black Hawks were used to contain violent incidents and search for the people suspected of inciting them,

while the Kiowas supplied battlefield commentary on incidents around Dili.

The situation in East Timor is peaceful today but Black Hawks remain ready to fly an international quick response force to any trouble spots and also conduct medical evac-uations at night.

TLAG 17 OC Maj John Walker said East Timor provided a wet and mountainous environment to chal-lenge new pilots and aircrew.

“The greatest impact here is how

we conduct our flying operations in the mountains, how we appreciate the weather and how that can limit us,” he said.

“We don’t have weather radar services over here, so we rely on meteorological forecasts and a visual assessment of the weather, and have to build in a larger comfort factor.”

Check out the online version of Army for a gallery of TLAG over the years at www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/

Army July 5, 2012WORLD www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews12

In place for election support� ADF aircraft and landing craft begin operating in Papua New Guinea to assist with national electionsCapt Jay Ellul

FOUR Black Hawks flew into Port Moresby on June 13 to provide sup-port to the Papua New Guinea elec-tions.

The helicopters, from the Sydney-based 6 Avn Regt, came via Oakey, Townsville, Horn Island and Daru, before landing at Port Moresby air-port.

OC Maj Matthew Williams said the helicopters would provide logistic support for the elections.

“The Black Hawks will be trans-porting election officials, voting booths and other equipment around the southern provinces in the lead-up and during the 2012 elections,” Maj Williams said.

“This support mission provides a good opportunity for the Black Hawks and crews to put all of our training into practice and support the people of Papua New Guinea.”

The helicopter mission forms part of the support provided by the Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces for the 2012 Papua New Guinea election, delivering electoral commission personnel and supplies around the country to conduct the poll.

Combined Joint Task Force 630 commander Col Andrew MacNab said about 250 Australian and New Zealand Defence personnel would be involved at the peak of the commit-ment.

“This is an important national event for PNG and we are providing air and logistic support in a challeng-ing environment to remote communi-ties in rugged terrain,” he said.

“Pe r sonne l f rom the PNG Defence Force and the Royal PNG Constabulary are responsible for the security of the elections because we will be unarmed.

“No members of parliament or candidates will be transported and our mission will not support electioneer-ing efforts.”

Col MacNab said the specialist support being provided was not read-ily available in PNG.

The elections will be held from June 23 to July 6 as polling stations move throughout the country.

Safe landing: Crews from two of the four 6 Avn Regt Black Hawks dispatched to Papua New Guinea for election support go through post-flight checks at Port Moresby Airport. Inset left, Navy Landing Craft Heavy HMAS Tarakan prepares to offload an Army fuel truck and other stores at Port Moresby to waiting PNG Defence Force personnel (inset right).

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Army July 5, 2012 WORLDwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews 13

Battle promotion� OC’s signaller gets a hook while taking radio message from troops in contactCpl Mark Doran

WHEN an RSM calls a digger front and centre it is normally an ominous occasion.

Troops from Patrol Base Hadrian were outside the wire in contact with insurgents on March

10 when Task Force RSM WO1 Ian D’Arcy entered the command post and called forward signaller LCpl Nick Hilton.

LCpl Hilton is the OC’s sig-naller and has been with 8/9RAR since the battalion was reraised in 2007.

He thought he was in trouble

at first because he hadn’t a chance to shave that morning.

“Halfway through the contact there was a lull in the battle and I was promoted by the CO, Lt-Col Kahlil Fegan,” LCpl Hilton said.

“It was definitely a highlight of my deployment to Afghanistan to be promoted while there was

a contact in progress, but getting out and conducting a few patrols has also been fantastic.

“We had a clearance patrol in the Tangi Valley recently and, although it wasn’t major, it was a demanding patrol because of the challenges involved such as a river crossing.”

Stepping up: CO MTF 4 Lt-Col Kahlil Fegan (left) promotes LCpl Nick Hilton at Patrol Base Hadrian during a lull in a battle involving Australian troops from the base. Photo by Cpl Raymond Vance

2012 www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews

AN AUSTRALIAN Chinook was damaged in a hard landing during combat support operations in Kandahar province on June 22.

The incident occurred at a coalition force patrol base in Kandahar province.

Commander JTF 633 Maj-Gen Stuart Smith said an aircrewman suffered a minor injury in the landing.

“All other personnel on board underwent precau-tionary health checks following the incident,” he said.

The aircrewman was expected to return to full duties.

Maj-Gen Smith said a damage assessment and recovery team went to the site of the hard landing.

“The teams have secured the Chinook in its loca-tion and an investigation into the hard landing is under way,” he said.

“Extent of the damage to the aircraft is being assessed.

“The Chinook will be moved to Kandahar Air Field by the safest and most economical means.”

The aircraft was conducting a combat support mis-sion, transporting personnel and equipment to various locations in southern Afghanistan.

The hard landing is not believed to have been caused by enemy fire.

Chinook damaged in hard landing

Crew members safe: A Chinook was damaged in a hard landing at a coalition patrol base in Kandahar province. File photo by Cpl Hamish Paterson

Army July 5, 2012 CENTREPIECEwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews14 15

Gunsmoke: A 105mm Hamel gun sends a round down range during the shoot.

GOING GOING OUT WITH OUT WITH

A BANGA BANG

As the gunners of 7 Fd Regt delivered their last 105mm salvo ahead of major changes, Sgt Brian Hartigan walked the firing line for these words and photos.

NOSTALGIA, sadness, pride and a little disap-pointment swept over the gunners of 7 Fd Regt on June 17 when they fired the last rounds from their

105mm Hamel guns – and prepared to hand back their Colours.

On the sunny Sunday afternoon at Singleton Range, the guns of the proud Australian artillery regiment that was first raised in 1916 fell silent for the last time as both the guns and the regiment gave way to progress.

Under Plan Beersheba, 7 Fd Regt will shortly hand back its guns and cease to exist as its soldiers are re-rolled as a light artillery battery equipped with mortars under command of 2/17RNSWR.

While the gunners will continue to wear the hat badge and lanyard of their corps, many saw it as the beginning of the end for artillery in the Army Reserve.

Charged with managing the transition and keeping his men focused and moti-vated in the face of major change, CO 7 Fd Regt Lt-Col Grant Palmer said there was a good plan in place – subject to final endorsement of the details – that would see the regiment deliver what had been asked of it.

“Within 12 months, we should be able to produce the new structure that’s been generally agreed to. That is, a battery of light artillery, which is joint-fires capable, based on mortars.

“In the mean time, the secret to man-aging the change is to be open and trans-parent, keeping the soldiers informed as to what’s going on, letting them know what you can and telling them what you don’t know too so that the rumours can’t spread.

“It’s also important to make sure they can see that how the training they are con-ducting in the interim relates to where we are going.”

Lt-Col Palmer said the last firing of the guns was certainly an emotional day for the men of his unit.

“Having guns in the regiment is what gunners are all about,” he said.

“However, looking forward, the positive aspect of the transition to Plan Beersheba and the mortar battery is that it produces a better capability for the wider Army than we can currently achieve and the technical standards we can bring to the application of mortars will be significant.

“So, while it is emotional, it’s actually a way of moving into the future with a better capability.”

The men on number four gun for the last shoot were candid in a group dis-cussion about their feelings towards the change, but resolute in their determination to soldier on.

“None of us joined artillery by acci-

dent. We’re a weird bunch that way,” they said.

“The new weapon system will be something new for the boys to learn, train-ing liability will be a lot lighter, we can run a lot more courses in-house and we’ll be a lot cheaper to run and to use.

“So, there’s a lot more soldiering left in us yet.”

HISTORY CARRIED FORWARD

FORMED in March 1916, the 7th Fd Artillery Bde was deployed as part of the 3rd Div and saw its

first action at the Battle of Armentieres in France in January 1917. It sub-sequently took part in the battles of Menin Road, Passchendaele, Mont St Quentin, Messines and others.

During World War II, the regiment served in defence of Australia, first in Sydney and Wollongong and later across Western Australia.

Current CO 7 Fd Regt Lt-Col Grant Palmer said the regiment had a long, proud heritage of more than 90 years’ service to the nation across all of the battlefields the Army had been engaged in since WWII.

“The regiment provided a lot of soldiers who served in Korea, Vietnam,

Afghanistan, Iraq, Solomon Islands and East Timor,” he said.

“Maintaining the heritage, in many ways, is just simple things – identifying that we are still gunners with the white lanyard and our colour patch, and rec-ognition through naming conventions.

“There’s been a bit of discussion about what we should be titled.

“We’d very much like to honour our tradition by being called 25 Bty, which was the first battery raised in the regi-ment in Australia, but was demobilised in England and never had the chance to serve in Australia.

“Since service to the nation in Australia is what we’re all about, it would be nice to honour those soldiers and keep that lineage going.”

THANKING THE FAMILIES

ENTERTAINING family and friends in the field during a live-fire shoot was a rare and special event for

the reservists of 7 Fd Regt.CO Lt-Col Grant Palmer said having

the families on the range was unusual and had only happened once before.

“We invited the families and the regiment association into the field today to thank them for what they do for the regiment,” he said.

“I think it was very important, espe-cially with the nature of reserve service – blokes work five days a week, then we ask them to come away for a week-end and then they go home tired and

smelly and make the washing machine all horrible.”

Lt-Col Palmer said although he had to be careful of fatigue, safety was also very much part of the relationship with the families.

“The way we approach safety in the regiment is actually about what’s impor-tant to us personally,” he said.

“We take safety very seriously for reasons that are reflected in the fami-lies who came up here today.

“It was also good to help the fami-lies understand why I have to train the soldiers so hard and demand so much of them.”

Changes under Plan BeershebaUNDER Plan Beersheba the

Army Reserve must deliver capability and support to sus-

tain ADF preparedness and opera-tions.

The reserve has four core tasks and several supporting tasks, includ-ing delivering warfighting capabilities with an emphasis on stability opera-tions, providing humanitarian assis-tance, disaster relief and domestic-security capacity as part of a whole-of-government approach and contrib-uting to Army surge capabilities.

The Army Reserve will consist of six brigade-sized formations within 2 Div with units, sub-units, teams and individuals integrated within Army’s combat support and combat service support brigades.

The 2 Div formations will be paired, with each pair aligned to and on the same force-generation cycle as its partnered full-time multi-role combat brigade.

In each “ready” year, the paired Army Reserve formations will be required to produce a battalion-sized group, which may be used in its entirety or as a “capability brick” by the multi-role combat brigade com-mander for operational deployments or in major exercises.

The plan includes a requirement for a Royal Australian Artillery mortar capability under the command of an infantry battalion.

In the case of 7 Fd Regt, that pair-ing is with 2/17RNSWR.

The crew: Sgt Justin Atchison (front row, second from left) and the men on number four gun made sure it was they who fired the last round on June 17.

Specialist skills: Sgt Bernard Hodson

checks sight alignment on the

gun after moving to a new position. The gunners will bring

their artillery skills to their new mortar role

with 2/17RNSWR.

Last rounds: Gunners load a round during 7 Fd Regt’s final firing of the 105mm Hamel.

Family day: Family and friends of 7 Fd Regt tour the gun line at Singleton.

Fond memories: Peter Smith and Harry Taylor, both former 7 Fd Regt members, are happy to be back on

the range to farewell the guns.

... the transition to Plan Beersheba and the mortar battery produces a better

capability for the wider Army than we can

currently achieve and the technical standards

we can bring to the application of mortars

will be significant.– Lt-Col Grant Palmer, CO 7 Fd Regt

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Army July 5, 2012LETTERS www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews16

Support program a big step forward

Indigenous conferenceTHE Directorate of Indigenous Affairs has invited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Defence mem-bers to a conference at HMAS Harman in Canberra from August 14-16. The Defence Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Network Conference is an opportunity for Indigenous ADF members and Defence public servants to network and gain an understanding of the opportunities available within the organisation. The conference is regarded as part of official duties and all travel, accommodation and meals will be covered. Expression of interest forms are available on the DRN public drive at P:\AllPublicFolders\DRNGlobal\IndigenousNetwork\

COMING EVENTS

9RAR reunitesTHIS year is the 45th anniversary of the raising of 9RAR. Those who saw active service in the South Vietnam from November 1968 to December 1969 are invited to celebrate with company reunions on November 9. On November 10 there will be a shop-ping bus trip for partners before the battalion dinner at Darling Harbour. On November 11 there will be a commemorative service at Sydney War Memorial and the “Pool of Reflection” at Hyde Park with free buses to Victoria Barracks for lunch, drinks and tours of the facilities and museum. On November 12 there will be a harbour cruise with luncheon. See http://9RAR.org.au for more details.

Trekking for TimorHAVING raised more than $60,000 in the past, Trek For Timor is hoping Defence members will help push the fund-raising bar over the $100,000 mark this year. Trekking through the breathtaking scenery in the Blue Mountains over 5km, 13km, 25km or 45km will help to boost educational projects in the sub-district of Hatobuilico. Trek has lent a helping hand to an adult learning centre and two schools, provided student scholarships, renovated a community resource centre and supported a local language project. Soldiers are encouraged to get together and enter a team or vol-unteer to assist on the day in marshalling the event. Organisers are also looking for sponsorship. For more information on the event or projects or to register, go to www.trekfortimorbm.org.au

I AM the father and next of kin of a serving sol-dier, MP WO2 Mary-Anne Holland.

Mary-Anne is categorised as member with dependants as a single parent of a six-year-old.

She is currently posted to Defence Command Support Training Centre at Simpson Barracks in Victoria.

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you, as a parent and next of kin of a serv-ing soldier, for implementing the Support for Wounded, Injured and Ill Program (SWIIP) into the Army.

Recently, my daughter had surgery and, as a result, was unable to care for herself and her dependant and I flew interstate to provide the required care to my daughter and grandson.

My daughter applied through her supervisor, Lt-Col Debbie Warren-Smith, to be reimbursed the costs associated with my payment.

Approval was granted and a discretionary pay-ment was given to my daughter to cover the total cost of my travel.

It is great to know that the Army is supporting soldiers in need.

My only concern is that my daughter has informed me that SWIIP is only new to the Army and awareness of this program among soldiers is very limited.

Is there a possible that the information on SWIIP be promulgated to the next of kin of the soldiers?Gary HollandSingleton

Col Len Brennan, Director Army Health, responds:THANK you for your positive feedback on the Army SWIIP initiatives.

Army has promoted its programs to support our wounded, injured and ill through multiple medias including a centrepiece spread in Army (April 26).

The support measures for complex cases are tai-lored to the individual’s specific circumstances and needs rather than a broader “entitlement”.

For this reason our focus has been on ensuring that unit welfare officers supported by military sup-port coordinators are fully aware of support options and can bring the support required for soldiers and their families.

Support available: The Army Support to Wounded Injured and Ill Program provides a range of facilities, services and entitlements for soldiers recovering from injuries sustained on or off duty. File photo by LS Paul Berry

Army July 5, 2012 FEATURESwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews 17

TELL US YOUR STORY

If you have an interesting story to tell, get in touch with Army and get it in print.

Contact the editorial team by email at

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Caught in the contactThe engineers in Afghanistan need to be able to hold their own alongside the infantrymen in a firefight, Cpl Mark Doran reports.

‘WE HAD been patrolling for just an hour when the first shots rang out.”

It was during a dis-mounted clearance patrol with Mentoring Team One and the Afghan National Army (ANA) on March 22 when Cpl Cameron Butler, of MTF 4’s EOD Tp, started taking hostile fire.

Cpl Butler is part of a four-man team based at Multinational Base Tarin Kot which responds to IED finds.

The team’s role for Combined Team – Uruzgan is to clear IEDs from paths by making them safe or destroying them when possible.

The patrol was in the Char Chineh Valley, a remote area of Uruzgan province.

Cpl Butler said they had reasonably good intelligence that insurgents were observing the troops and preparing an ambush.

“When the contact kicked off we were on the left flank with two infantry sections on the right and we returned fire immedi-ately to hold the enemy in their position,” Cpl Butler said.

“We pushed ourselves forward while the ASLAV moved into a position to give us supporting fire.”

The insurgents’ sporadic fire gave away their positions to the combat team on the right flank, which continued to engage the enemy as the engineers moved forward.

The insurgents then fired a recoil-less rifle round at the overwatch position, which was on a cliff. The overwatch team members were lucky not to be wounded by the close explosion.

An air weapons team of two US Apaches was called in and there were lulls in the three-hour battle as the insurgents hid until they moved away.

The insurgents then increased their rate of aggressive fire with automatic weapons

and rocket-propelled grenades until the Apaches returned with two A-10 Warthogs in support, causing the enemy to flee.

“Once the insurgents had withdrawn we pushed forward and continued on with the task,” he said.

“The first rounds were within 10m of our position, which is the most accu-rate fire I have seen before and led me to believe they were full-time insurgents.”

Cpl Butler said the engineers worked well with the infantry and could blend in as another fire team.

He deployed to Afghanistan with MTF 1 in 2010 as an engineer mentor, teaching the ANA how to find IEDs, and ended the tour as an engineer search com-mander.

Engineer search teams are responsible for finding explosive ordnance and IEDs before calling the EOD teams forward.

EOD teams do not just remove IEDs – they also dispose of munitions which the insurgents could use against coali-tion forces, Afghan forces and civilians by destroying them in place or recovering them for evidence.

Cpl Butler said the most interesting challenges of working with another coun-try’s army were the cultural differences combined with the language barrier.

“I suppose you find that soldiers across the world are relatively similar so we find a lot of common ground with the Afghan soldiers as we work with them to achieve our missions,” he said.

“Recently we were patrolling the Mirabad Valley and noticed areas we were hesitant to patrol in earlier because of the threats from IEDs and small-arms fire are now a lot safer and have Afghan police checkpoints along the route.

“Our area of influence appears to be spreading as the locals would be happy to see us and come out to say hello.

“It’s a good feeling because it seems we are making Afghanistan safer.”

Beating the bombs: MTF 4 EOD Tp from left, Cpl Cameron Butler, clearance diver PO Justin Ramanauskas, Pte Shane Pirkins and Spr Haron Sarmiento, display a selection of ordnance and weapons found during their deployment. Photo by Cpl Mark Doran

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There is nothing basic about the ADF Basic Flying Training School, as LAC Bill Solomou discovers.

LONG days are noth-ing new for the crew at the ADF Basic Flying Training School (BFTS) in

Tamworth, where Army, Navy and Air Force pilots get their first taste of flying.

According to CO Wg-Cdr Dennis Tan, the professionalism of the staff and the enthusiasm of the students play a part in the school’s success.

“I think the school is the best basic flying training school any-where in the world,” he said.

“It is the cornerstone of all ADF pilot training and our partnership with BAE Systems ensures it is, and remains, world-class.”

It is also where dreams are made and shattered.

Of the 275 candidates selected each year to attend a 10-day flight-screening course, between 100 and 150 get panelled to do the BFT course and about a third of those don’t succeed.

Graduating students Capt Tim

Wellham and Lt Bryan McClurg are on their way to fulfilling their dreams.

Both members are following a passion they’ve had since child-hood.

Capt Wellham said the tempo of the course was very high.

“It’s the hardest course that I have done in the military,” he said.

“There is a culture of excellence at the school.”

After his type conversion he hopes to fly the MRH 90.

Lt McClurg’s family is very proud of his achievements and he will be the first pilot in the family.

He said the most memorable part of the course was doing low-level navigation and, of course, his last BFT flight.

While on the initial 24-week course, students undertake theory instruction classes including aero-dynamics, aircraft systems, airman-ship, cockpit systems, morse code, navigation and meteorology.

And then there are flying lessons conducted on the CT4B.

On completion of the course at BFTS, Army members do an addi-tional 12 weeks of training on the Intermediate Pilot Program before they head to the Army Aviation Centre in Oakey, Queensland.

Wg-Cdr Tan said the 10 quali-fied flight instructors (QFIs) who rotated through the school each year came from across the three services and could do more than 500 hours of flying a year.

“An equally important mission of this unit is developing QFIs so they are employable in other flying units around the ADF,” he said.

“I believe there is no better way for an instructor to develop than to fly with basic students.

“I would suggest to other pilots that fears they may have faced in their flying careers would be insig-nificant compared to the day-to-day challenges in teaching some-one to fly.

“Teaching a student how to land an aircraft for the first time will always leave your hands trembling!”

Taking flight on course

Flying high: ADF BFTS graduates Lt Bryan McClurg and Capt Tim Wellham conduct their final pre-flight inspections. Photo by LAC Bill Solomou

Set and ready: Lt Sarah Rosier collects her helmet. Above right, a formation of CT4B Airtrainers with students and instructors take flight in clear skies over Tamworth. Photos by LAC Bill Solomou and BAE Services

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Army July 5, 2012FEATURES www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews20

Sgt Mick Davis

NEARING the end of their Afghanistan tour, MTF 4 soldiers stationed at Patrol Base Wali have lived in Uruzgan’s Mirabad Valley for the past five months.

The soldiers not only mentor the Afghan National Army personnel posted there, but conduct a range of daily duties and chores including roving pickets and cleaning duties.

For off-duty periods, the patrol base has a

dining facility where soldiers can relax, read books and magazines, connect to the inter-net and watch movies.

Traditionally Australian soldiers have always made do with what they have had and once again the soldiers at Patrol Base Wali have made their living environment as homely as possible.

To see full gallery check out online version of Army at www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews

The Wali lifestyleThe Wali lifestyleThe Wali way: Pte

Ben Phillips and Pte Allistair Bartsch

from MTF 4 on night patrol at

Patrol Base Wali, Afghanistan; inset

top, Pte Daniel Canfield and Pte

James Emmerton clean the ablutions

block at Patrol Base Wali; inset, left, Pte Maclean

Gray eats breakfast and reads Army.

Photos by Cpl Hamish Paterson

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A small group of Australian and US cyclists are undertaking a big ride to honour the fallen, Cpl Max Bree reports.

The ride of a lifetimeTWO soldiers will join a

peloton of 22 Australian and US military personnel, police and firemen cycling

across America to honour those killed on September 11, 2001, and during the war on terrorism.

Maj Ty Domin, of Joint Movt Gp, and Sgt Daniel Ferguson, of 1RTB, beat a host of Army cyclists to be selected for the tour.

“Selection was tight from a field of operationally experienced and seasoned Army cyclists who all wanted to be part of the trip across America,” Maj Domin said.

The event, known as the Tour of Duty Ride, begins in San Diego on August 11 and covers about 250km a day across 21 stages to finish in New York on September 10 some 3600km later.

“Some of the days will involve hours of riding across empty farm-land and open space, while others will involve altitude climbing and variations in climate,” Maj Domin said.

The Australian riders will con-duct a televised launch in Sydney on August 9, attended by the Australian patron to the tour, former Prime Minister John Howard.

The ride will then be launched in San Diego from the aircraft carrier USS Midway by US Senator John McCain. The riders are expecting a huge welcome at each town they visit.

“Almost every town we reach will be holding some form of a reception, so after a day of riding our work will not end as we spread the word of the cause,” Maj Domin said.

“Then the next day we’ll have to get up and do it all again.”

Stay up to date with ride information at http://tourofdutyride.com

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Pedal power: Maj Ty Domin tackles rugged mountainbike tracks while training for the Tour of Duty ride in the US.

A ride to remember: Twenty-four riders will pedal across America in the Tour of Duty ride.

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Army July 5, 2012PERSONNEL www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews22

IN MY last update I under-took to share with you some of the simple ideas being implemented that enable Army to deliver capability more efficiently and cost effectively.

One recent example relates to the operating hours of the Weapons Training Simulation System (WTSS) at the Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka.

A review of WTSS usage during reduced activ-ity periods identified that Army was paying for ser-vices that were not being fully used.

As a result, Army has renegotiated the service delivery contract to align WTSS operating hours with the training demand.

The savings from this ini-tiative will be reinvested in the purchase of additional simulators and support in other WTSS facili-ties throughout the Army.

This reinvestment will include additional M4 and 9mm simu-lators to be purchased for the WTSS facility at Duntroon and further support to be provided for the new indirect fire/forward air controller system for Sydney-based units.

Finding efficiency opens the door to more capability

I am certain that there are many other similar opportunities to find reforms that eliminate waste and free up resources that can directly or indirectly contrib-ute to current and future Army capability.

I encourage everyone to apply their initiative and pass sugges-tions up through the chain of com-mand. Even the small initiatives soon add up.

For more information on how to submit innovative ideas go to http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/sites/SRP_A/

REFORM UPDATEMaj-Gen Angus Campbell

THE Army Learning Production Centre has been awarded for its latest computer-based learning software.

The Maths Bridging Package took first place for Best New Initiative in the eLearn-ing Adopter category at the Learning and Technology Impact Awards announced on June 8.

The software was created to reduce the high failure rate of trade transfer trainees.

The maths bridging project was the first managed by Lt Karen Lewis, who led a team of learning centre specialists and developed the package from scratch.

“It usually takes about six months to a year to make a program but this took about two years,” she said.

“Normally a product might have 100 screens this one has over 1200 screens.”

According to Directorate of Workforce Management – Army, initial trade training results showed the package is having a signif-icant positive impact and is the most request-ed learning program in the centre’s library.

A second program dealing with physics is already in the advanced development stage.

The Maths Bridging Package is one of more than 80 products in the learning cen-tre catalogue covering topics from weapons and pre-deployment training to trade-specific packages and historical documentaries.

The Army Learning Production Centre packages are available from http://alpc/products/ on the DRN.

On a winner with maths package� Training package is the most requested on learning centre site

Skilling up: The Maths Bridging Package is a freely available online course designed to help soldiers transferring into technical trades. It won the best new initiative award in the eLearning Adopter category at the Learning and Technology Impact Awards.

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Army July 5, 2012 PERSONNELwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews 23

Cpl Nick Wiseman

DESPITE the name, Project LASER is not the plan of an evil genius hell-bent on taking over the world but instead a study into reten-tion of ADF members.

The Longitudinal ADF Study Evaluating Retention (Project LASER) aims to discover the important issues facing junior members of the ADF during the initial years of their service.

Once these issues have been identified they are gathered together and presented to senior management to find changes that will help the organisation better manage its members.

Project LASER team leader Vanessa Barone said the study followed members from enlist-ment or commission throughout their initial service obligation.

“This period was identified as a big risk area, so we’re looking into why,” she said.

Starting next month, those members who have previously been part of the project will be asked again to assist by completing a survey on their experiences to date.

Ms Barone encouraged those soldiers to participate in the survey and said it was an important opportunity for them to have their say and contribute.

“It’s an advocate for the junior soldiers and their issues,” she said.

“The ADF is very interested in the results and keen to figure out the issues affecting its members.”

For more information contact the Project LASER team on 1800 559 755 or [email protected]

LASER looks for answers� Retention initiative seeks feedback from identified new members in their initial periods of service

LIFTING RETENTIONIMPORTANT factors for retention found in previous reports have included:

� Having expectations met.

� Perception of few jobs offering a better package.

� Having enough time for personal/ family life.

� A feeling of belonging with the military.

� Feeling positive about future ADF career.

� Having values that match the Service’s values.

� Feeling the Service cares about members’ wellbeing.

� Feeling in control over future career and postings.

Fresh start: Project LASER has been following a group of ADF members from enlistment or commissioning through their initial periods of service to find ways to improve retention. Photo by Sgt Brian Hartigan

Staying in: Past surveys have found time for family is crucial to retention. Photo by AB James Whittle

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Army July 5, 2012www.defence.gov.au/news/armynewsLIFESTYLE PEOPLE24

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SIG David Hyams, of the Force Communications Unit at Forward Operating Base Mirwais in Chora, Uruzgan province, is part of a small team of specialists managing strategic communications, telephone systems and the welfare internet systems.

Dust in computer systems, band-width and a limited supply of tools are challenges the team deals with day to day at the remote base. Photo by Cpl Hamish Paterson

Keeping the comms open

Making friends: Carpenter and site foreman Cpl Tim Lee lets an Indonesian child try his hat on for size while working on a new emergency room for a medical centre on the Indonesian island of Talaud, in North Sulawesi, during Pacific Partnership 2012. Photo by US Navy Specialist Laurie Dexter

Present arms: Parade commander and Sword of Honour recipient Senior Under Officer Luke Battese leads Duntroon’s 120th graduating class at RMC on June 19. Photo by Phillip Vavasour

Heavy lifting: From left, Cdt Mason Swandale, Cdt Trent Davies and Cdt Samantha Geri, of 309 Army Cadet Unit in Bendigo, help clear a lucerne paddock on a farmer’s property as part of flood relief efforts in Victoria. Photo by Capt Cam Ward

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Army July 5, 2012 LIFESTYLE FUNwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynews 25

If you can think of a witty caption for the picture at left, email [email protected] with “caption comp July 5” asthe subject. Try to keep entries under 25 words and include your name, rank and unit.

SAY AGAIN, OVER

Last edition’s winning entry“I told you not to park in the tow-away zone while we have lunch.”

Cpl Timothy Fiege102 Sig SqnTownsville

We also liked“Inglewood Hotel this is Ghost Rider, permission for a low-level drive by.”

Capt WSocomd

DIKKO By Bob Dikkenberg

Galaxy S IIIManufacturer: SamsungRRP: $799 depending on contractReviewer: Cpl Nick WisemanTHE Samsung Galaxy S III is the latest arrival in the Android world running version four of the operat-ing system code-named ice cream sandwich and featuring a massive 12.24cm HD super amoled screen boasting impressive visuals.

Measuring 136.6mm long and 70.6mm wide, you could be mis-taken thinking we’re heading back in time going back to the days of carrying a brick around, but being wafer thin the phone feels amazing-ly light and very snug in the hand.

Straight out of the box the phone is a multimedia powerhouse, able to play most current popular video and audio files with no need for conversion. It also features a front-mounted camera, which comes in handy for taking a quick snap of yourself and for video calls, which work very well with no noticeable lag.

The eight megapixel camera at the rear features the standard flash and autofocus and is capable of cap-turing full HD 1080p video. After initial tests I found it to rival point-and-shoot cameras I’ve owned. I now use it when I’m not near a

A multimedia powerhouseDSLR – something I previously vowed never to do.

The phone itself is extremely responsive from the moment you turn it on through to loading the

many apps and games people use these days.

It comes with its own voice rec-ognition and control system as well as the standard apps such as web browser, messaging, email, contacts and phone dialler.

Handy features such as automati-

cally calling the person you’re send-ing an SMS to if you lift the phone to your ear make using it just that little bit quicker and the inclusion of a Micro SD card slot means you will never run out of space.

The phone comes with a dedi-cated GPS application from Garmin which works surprisingly well. Having previously worked with the Google Maps navigation software, it is nice to have a dedicated GPS app and it means the phone can replace one more device on long drives.

Battery life is something that is always an issue with smartphones and the Galaxy S III will easily last 24 hours. After a typical day for this reviewer with some social network-ing, web browsing, games, phone calls and emails, it still had 30 per cent battery life by bedtime.

The Samsung Galaxy S III easily stands out as the company’s flagship phone and has the performance to face off against tough competition in the market. For people wanting a one-stop multimedia powerhouse, you can’t really look much further than this device.

The Galaxy S III is available in 16GB and 32GB versions and avail-able in both white and blue from most phone providers and some spe-ciality stores.

The eight megapixel camera rivals point-and-

shoot cameras I’ve owned and has me using it now when

I’m not near a DSLR – something I previously vowed

never to do.– Cpl Nick Wiseman

ikk

Powerful contender: The latest smartphone from Samsung is designed as a high-performance device for movies, music and games on the go.

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Army July 5, 2012www.defence.gov.au/news/armynewsLIFESTYLE HEALTH26

JulEYE is eye health month and Dr Dorothy Coote, of JHC, says it is a timely reminder to think about how we treat our most valuable asset.

THE human eye is a complex sensor capable of extraordi-nary feats. It’s actually like a camera.

Rod and cone cells in the retina (the ‘camera film’ of the eye) allow light per-ception and vision.

We can differentiate colour – up to 10 million different shades – and both our eyes working together allow us to perceive depth with amazing accuracy.

Unfortunately, Australians suffer disabling eye injuries each year and almost all are preventable with a little forethought.

Owing to the conditions experienced on deployment, and the nature of some ADF workplaces, personnel should be mindful of the need for eye protection when needed.

The use of ballistic eye protection on operations is an obvious example but there are many more subtle threats.

One of the most common causes of eye damage results from exposure to damaging UV radiation from the sun.

In the short term, damage can cause excessive watering of the eyes, swelling and general irritation, including acute sensitivity to glare.

The corneal surface of the eye can also be severely damaged by excessive unprotected exposure to sunlight at high altitude (e.g. snow blindness), or when sunlight is reflected from surfaces such as water, sand or concrete.

Long-term UV damage can result in the formation of cataracts, growth of cancers on the conjunctiva, the thin mem-brane covering the eye, and skin cancers on the eyelids.

So how do we prevent these types of short and long term sun-related eye inju-ries? By simply wearing a good pair of sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.

When choosing sunglasses it is essen-tial to purchase a wrap-around style pair and ensure they have a high sun protec-tion factor (SPF) rating to give as much protection from UV radiation as possible.

Many activities also have the potential to cause eye injuries, including everyday tasks such as mowing the lawn, doing jobs around the house and playing sport.

The workplace can also be an unfriendly place for the eyes, with the most common eye-related injury being a foreign body in the eye.

Foreign bodies such as wood splin-ters, metal fragments, sand and dust can cause abrasions or lacerations to the cor-nea, the surface of the eye that covers the iris and pupil, and objects may become embedded in the cornea, requiring urgent removal.

If you suspect you have an acute eye problem or injury, medical assistance should be sought urgently.

For more information on eye care, eye conditions and fact sheets visit www.visionaustralia.org.au

Look out: Don’t take your vision for granted – protect your eyes at all times. Photo by Sgt Andrew Hetherington

Keeping an eye on things

TOP TIPS FOR EYE CARE� Wear sunglasses and a wide

brimmed hat when outside on glary and sunny days.

� Wear protective eyewear when there is any chance of eye injury.

� In the workplace use the appropriate safety eyewear for your job.

� Ensure that your personal protective eye safety equip-ment complies with Australian standards and that you WEAR IT when using power tools, hammering metal on metal, welding or engaging in any activity where an eye injury could occur.

� Don’t stand or walk close to where anyone else is drilling or grinding.

� Use protective goggles when pruning, mowing or using a whipper-snipper.

� Always protect your eyes when using chemicals such as bleach, as many substances can cause severe pain and irreparable eye damage if splashed into the eye.

� Wear protective eyewear ap-propriate for your sport.

� If you sustain an eye injury or have a visual problem, seek medical advice immediately.

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SPORTwww.defence.gov.au/news/armynewsArmy July 5, 2012 27

Cpl Max Bree

WITH just seconds left on the clock, Pte Joel Doig, of 3CSSB, nailed a last-second goal to secure Queensland a 3-2 victory over the ACT in the final of the Australian Defence Hockey Championships on June 22 in Sydney.

Things looked like going into extra-time with both sides locked at 2-2 before the Queensland team surged into ACT territory in the dying seconds.

The first shot bounced off the goal-post, leaving Pte Doig in a prime left-field position with the keeper out of the way.

“I took my time, I saw a player at the side [of the goal] all I hear is a ‘ting’ and the ball coming straight in my vision,” he said. “I saw a nice open box and felt a ‘slap’ in the back for a winning goal.”

The Army-dominated Queensland side took the lead with two goals late in the first half but ACT came out firing in

the second and levelled the scores with 15 minutes to go.

The win gave Queensland their sec-ond series victory in a row and Pte Doig dedicated the win to fallen Queensland hockey player Cpl Ashley Birt who was killed in Afghanistan in October 2011.

“We were going out there for one rea-son,” Pte Doig said. “To win the grand final for Ashley.”

With the ACT side put together at the last minute, team captain Sgt Bill Russell was happy they gave Queensland a tough fight.

“For a bunch of old fellas and left-overs, I’m really proud of the boys,” he said.

Another Army-heavy Queensland team upset a star-studded NSW line-up with a 4-1 thumping in the women’s final.

An icy wind swept the field but couldn’t cool the Queenslanders’ form as they nailed two unanswered goals in the first half.

The Queenslanders then took the

score to 3-0, 15 minutes into the second half.

With about half the ADF hockey side filling their ranks, the NSW women finally put a point on the board with 13 minutes remaining.

Despite having two players out through injury, the Queenslanders had the final say with a goal in the last two minutes.

Pte Jackleene Macarthur, of 3RAR, believed it was teamwork, not champion players that made the difference.

“There were strong players in the NSW side but for Queensland we don’t try to beat each other we try to work as a team,” she said.

NSW captain LS Talei Stoll said they had a “communication breakdown”.

“Just our basic passing was probably where we were let down,” she said.

“Queensland really worked together as a team, they were looking to pass the ball to each other and really just had it all over us.”

Qld sticks out to take title again

Triathletes in hot form for season finale

MEN1st – Queensland2nd – ACT 3rd – NSW4th – Western Australia5th – South Australia/

Northern Territory6th – Victoria

WOMEN1st – Queensland2nd – NSW3rd – ACT

STANDINGS

Fast feet: Pte Jackleene

Macarthur (right) dodges Flt Lt

Lee Carruthers at the Australian Defence Hockey Championships.

Photo by Cpl Max Bree

www.defen

SGT Penelope Holland contin-ued her momentum towards the Hawaiian Ironman when she won the Defence triathlon national 70.3 women’s half ironman.

Sgt Holland, of 9FSB, was part of a dominant Army team at the titles in Cairns on June 3.

WO2 Gavin Wickham (pictured), of ALTC, won the men’s half-ironman, his third Australian Defence Sports Triathlon Association (ADSTA) national title for the season.

Maj Del Madge won the women’s ironman and WO2 Rodney Holland finished second place in the men’s ironman.

In the finale to the ADSTA sea-son, 33 ADF competi-tors com-peted in the races which were run in con-junction with the Challenge Cairns Festival – 23 in the half-ironman (1.9km swim, 90km ride, 21.1km run) and 10 in the ironman (3.8km swim, 180km ride, 42.2km run).

The races were run in 28-degree heat, and far north Queensland provided a spectacular backdrop.

In the half event the 90km ride took competi-tors up the Captain Cook Highway towards Port Douglas along the beautiful coastline.

Transition to the run set competitors off through the cane fields north of the city before finally running on to the Esplanade for the finish in front of a large crowd.

WO2 Wickham proved too strong from the start, win-ning in 4hr 30min 34sec.

Capt John Green, of DMO Brisbane, was close behind in 4:35.30 and LS Justin Tranter finished third. Army took first, second and third in the women’s half-ironman.

Sgt Holland was a clear winner in 5:02.36. Maj Karina Jones, of HQ Forcomd, was sec-ond and Cfn Amy Pallentine, of 1CER, was third.

In the full event, the 180km ride took competitors up the Captain Cook Highway to Port

Douglas along the coast. Transition to the run again set competitors off through the cane fields before finally running on to the Esplanade

in Cairns.The heat made the run very uncom-

fortable and Maj Madge said it

took every last ounce of energy to keep going and get

to the line. “The crowd

was inspirational! We were digging very deep to keep the legs rolling, every step getting closer to the fin-ish,” she said.

In the men’s race, WO2 Holland crossed the line in second place in

10:38.00, 10 minutes behind CPO Shanon

Purcell.ADSTA patron

Brig David Luhrs, Commandant of RMC, was on hand to see some of the action.

“The ADSTA competitors came up with some amazing results and showed

great team spirit to drive each other

on to the fin-ish line,” Brig Luhrs said.

� Army-dominated sides push teams over the line

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July 5, 2012

Queensland teams bring home the goods Queensland teams bring home the goods from the hockey fieldfrom the hockey field

STICK IT TO ’EM

Page 27

July 5, 2012

SPECIAL LIFTOUT

Strike Strike actionaction

The heavy hitters The heavy hitters of 1 Bde warm up of 1 Bde warm up their firepower their firepower in the annual in the annual pilgrimage to pilgrimage to Shoalwater Shoalwater Bay for the Bay for the exercise before exercise before the exercise – the exercise – Predator’s StrikePredator’s Strike

On a roll: A 7RAR soldier fights through open ground with APCs and tanks in support during Ex Predator’s Strike.Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack

“Capt Kris Gardiner

ENGINEERS from 1CER went back in time during Exercise Predator’s Strike, building a corduroy road

using ancient Roman techniques while avoiding crocodiles.

The road was part of 23 Spt Sqn’s new entry/exit point for river crossing operations on Shoalwater Creek, which combined locally sourced logs with mod-ern geo textiles, overlaid with quarried road base, to provide a stable load-bear-ing surface for armoured and wheeled vehicles. It increased six-fold the rafting and bridging operat-ing times. It was one of three major tasks undertaken by sappers during 1 Bde’s time at Shoalwater Bay.

OC 23 Spt Sqn Maj Geoff Elford said the tasks, which also included build-ing a new beachmas-ter landing facility at Sabina Point and reconstructing a sec-tion of the Braeside track, enhanced the existing range infra-s t r u c t u r e o f t h e Shoalwater Bay Training Area and devel-oped the engineers’ core skills.

“The exercise presented a great oppor-tunity for the squadron members to prac-tise their essential training steps in their respective trades, while achieving some operational certification objectives,” he said.

The new entry/exit point for river crossing operations, used a corduroy road – a rare technique of road construction made famous by the Romans and trace-able back to about 4000BC, providing a stable surface over sodden, unstable or uneven ground.

CO 1CER Lt-Col Matt Pearse said the corduroy road provided the greatest chal-lenge, requiring the sappers to maintain the environmental integrity of the water-way and surrounds, working around tide cycles of up to seven metres, avoiding crocodiles active in the area and oper-ating heavy plant equipment on muddy mangrove banks.

“The corduroy road project involved combat and construction engineers work-

ing closely with environmental and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park officials,” Lt-Col Pearse said.

“The result is a permanent structure that extends the use of the tidal window in a mangrove area from one to six hours for bridging and rafting operations – it’s a remarkable achievement.”

The task was completed in 16 days and was immediately put to use for 1 Bde rafting and bridging operations.

Upgrading the Braeside Track in the western sector of the training area gave the squadron’s plant troop a chance to

practise unsealed road construction tech-niques.

The dated beach-master facil i ty at Sabina Point was replaced with a “fit for purpose” series of buildings designed to coordinate amphibi-ous landings in a pro-ject that took about five weeks to com-plete.

Maj Elford said the diverse nature of the tasks and the dis-tance between the work sites provided

an excellent chance to practise independ-ent, dispersed troop-level operations.

“The result has enhanced our capabil-ity and delivered an enduring effect to the training area through improved and dura-ble infrastructure,” he said.

While the construction projects were under way, engineers from 1CER’s 1 and 9 Fd Sqns practised their skills in explosive breaching, urban search, con-voy escort and demolitions in support of combined arms teams.

Supporting the regiment in the field was the Operational Spt Sqn, which pro-vided transport, the Q-store and work-shops, as well as camp maintenance and administrative support.

Lt-Col Pearse said he was impressed with the enthusiasm and problem-solving skills demonstrated by his soldiers across all facets of the exercises.

“Exercises like Predator’s Strike are a fantastic opportunity for us to coordinate our specialist capabilities with the com-bined arms team,” he said.

The result is a permanent structure that

extends the use of the tidal window

in a mangrove area from one to

six hours ...– Lt-Col Matt Pearse, CO 1CER

“

Army July 5, 2012 PREDATOR’S STRIKE 3SPECIAL LIFTOUT2

BATTLE FOR THE BAYThe combined

firepower of 1 Bde was unleashed on

the Shoalwater Bay Training Area for

Exercise Predator’s Strike, Capt Kris

Gardiner reports.

SOLDIERS could have been excused for thinking they were heading for a week on the plains of Africa when 1 Bde battle groups Lion, Boar and Eagle gathered for

Exercise Predator’s Strike.About 2500 soldiers from 1 Armd Regt,

5RAR, 7RAR, 2 Cav Regt, 1CER and 8/12 Regt RAA took over Shoalwater Bay for force-on-force and live-fire activities from June 11 to 19.

1 Bde was joined by 1 Avn Regt as part of Battle Group Eagle, which achieved an operational milestone, with six Tiger heli-copters conducting night missions during the exercise.

Testing all aspects of fighting against a

My motto for the exercise is ‘if you are not thinking combined arms, you are in the wrong place’.

– Brig Gus McLachlan, Commander 1 Bde

closely matched enemy in a complex envi-ronment, the groups operated in combined arms teams through a series of training covering attack, advance and delay skills.

C o m m a n d e r 1 B d e B r i g G u s McLachlan said combined arms train-ing activities were extremely important to future capabilities.

“We are taught at every level that our Army fights as combined arms teams, but due to our training and operational tempo not enough of our young leaders have had experience working with all the elements of that team in a demanding field environ-ment,” Brig McLachlan said.

“Ex Predator’s Strike offers 1 Bde an opportunity to put into practice the theory behind combined arms teams, allowing our soldiers and leaders the opportunity to experience the real demands of forming and fighting in these teams.

“My motto for the exercise is ‘if you are not thinking combined arms, you are in the wrong place’.”

Brig McLachlan said the exercise offered 1 Bde a window into the future of the Army’s three manoeuvre brigades devised under Plan Beersheba, when tank, cavalry and mounted infantry elements will form part of all three brigades.

1 Bde stayed on at Shoalwater Bay to take part in Exercise Hamel alongside a range of other units from throughout the ADF.

Old school construction

On the move: APCs from 1 Bde patrol along a dusty track at sunset during Ex Predator’s Strike at Shoalwater Bay.Photo by LS Andrew Dakin

Big guns: An Abrams tank from 1 Armd Regt pulls up in formation alongside hundreds of vehicles at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.Photo by LS Andrew Dakin

In the dirt: Soldiers from 7RAR bound forward during an attack supported by tanks and APCs.Photo by LS Andrew Dakin

Mud map: 7RAR Technical Adjt Capt Darrin Tyson briefs the safety team ahead of a night attack.Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack

Bombed up: Pte Blake Lister, of 5RAR, reloads blank ammunition after a day of fighting at Shoalwater Bay.Photo by LS Andrew Dakin

Army July 5, 2012PREDATOR’S STRIKE4 SPECIAL LIFTOUT

Bring out the big guns

Capt Kris Gardiner

NO MATTER how far apart they were, every combat team in 1 Bde knew the locations and circumstances of all oth-ers during Exercise Predator’s Strike at Shoalwater Bay.

Soldiers were kept up to speed with real-time feedback from the bat-tlespace thanks to 1CSR’s support with the battle management system (BMS) – a data radio network with an automated command and control, collaborative planning and situational awareness tool, capable of providing real-time battlefield information to all users.

From battle group down to pla-toon level, the BMS enabled imme-diate feedback on courses of action, so manoeuvre units could maintain tempo.

CO 1CSR Lt-Col Gregory Novak said the BMS was extended to 1 Bde thanks to groundwork by 7 Bde’s dis-mounted units and Bushmasters during Exercise Talisman Sabre last year.

For Exercise Predator’s Strike, APCs, Abrams tanks and ASLAVs were equipped with the BMS.

“By mounting BMS into this range of the brigade vehicles we are giving the commanders the opportunity to remain in their A-vehicle at the battle group or combat team and still access the services of the system, resulting in an increase in situational awareness and tempo for the brigade,” Lt-Col Novak said.

A focus for the regiment was to initiate junior soldiers to deploying in support of a brigade in the field and re-acquaint senior soldiers who may not have deployed with such a large formation for some years.

“We began training six months ago up from the detachments, through to squadron and regimental levels, focus-ing on foundation war-fighting skills, field communications and information systems and field command service support for the deployed brigade head-quarters,” Lt-Col Novak said.

Armed with new guns and a high-tech fire control system, the gunners of 8/12 Regt RAA have been lighting up Shoalwater Bay,

Flg-Off Michael Moroney reports.

Keeping a watchful eye on our battlefields

We can see you: Sig Alexis Donoso and Sig James Harmer work on the compact transmit receiver suite at Williamson Airfield. Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack

Ready, set, go: Gunners from 8/12 Regt fire a continuous barrage of rounds from an M777-A2 Howitzer. Photos by LS Andrew Dakin

THE gunners of 8/12 Regt RAA have shown off their new toys, the M777-A2, with explosive results dur-

ing Exercise Predator’s Strike at Shoalwater Bay.

The unit’s long-range firepower and forward observation capabilities were highly valued during the exercise, with the guns softening up target areas with bombardments before the infantry and armoured vehicles rolled in.

The Joint Fires Team (JFT) is one

of the key elements of the capability, deploying in support of combat teams on the ground.

Lt Nicolas Barletta, of 103 Bty, said the JFT was responsible for call-ing in fire, both from artillery and other offensive support assets, in sup-port of combat teams.

Before the M777-A2, 8/12 Regt used the M198, which relied on a man-ual and verbal system for relaying mis-sion data to the guns.

The new artillery operates on a

fully digital system, which is a signifi-cant step forward for coordinating fire support.

“With this new system there’s no requirement for voice anymore, which speeds up missions and ultimately speeds up the response for the troops on the ground,” Lt Barletta said.

The unit has been operating in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area since April, honing gunners’ abilities to per-form in the combined arms setting forExercise Hamel.

HE RAAnew with

ing ExercisShoalwater B

The unit’sforward obsehighly valuedthe guns softebombardmenarmoured veh

The Joint

Aim and fire: 8/12 Regt section commander Bdr Geoff Clark, top, supervises a firing as a part of a combined arms team. Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack

Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack RROLLING OLLING · Photo by AB Lee-Anne Mack HISTORY OF HAMEL THE Battle...

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