AIRF RCEVol. 62, No. 2, February 20, 2020 The official newspaper of the Royal Australian Air Force

DROP ZONE

Hitting the markin AntarcticaA load near

Casey Station in Antarctica dropped by a 36SQN C-17A Globemaster for Operation Southern Discovery.

Report – Page 5

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AIRF RCE

Living the Air Force Values: RESPECT – EXCELLENCE – AGILITY – DEDICATION – INTEGRITY – TEAMWORK

2 News

CPL Veronica O’Hara

FOR the second time in at least three decades when the Royal Military College – Duntroon began training ground defence officers (GRDEFO), a RAAF staff cadet is Battalion Sergeant Major (BSM).

The position was transferred to Senior Under Officer (SUO) Adam Dahmer by the outgoing BSM during a graduation parade in Canberra.

Now responsible for the Corps of Staff Cadets, SUO Dahmer felt privi-leged to be chosen.

“I felt great pride to be selected for the position. It doesn’t happen that often [that it’s filled by an Air Force person],” SUO Dahmer said.

OC Bridges Company and Air Force GRDEFO, FLTLT Dominic

Haynes said SUO Dahmer is the face and voice of the cadet body for 2020.

“In the cadet world, it’s a big thing to be BSM and they’ll treat SUO Dahmer as the leader he is,” FLTLT Haynes said.

“As head of the corps, he will represent the entire group of 450-odd cadets.

“There’s lots of extra duties and responsibilities, so to be chosen dem-onstrates he’s really shone amongst his peers.”

Based on 12 months of academic and leadership performance, SUO Dahmer’s selection comes with added challenges.

“I’ll return a week earlier in the new year to induct and mentor the incoming third class as they start their journey at the college,” he said.

“There are key functions in man-aging the cadet senior leadership group, day-to-day discipline and being the point of contact between staff and students.”

SUO Dahmer will lead the Queen’s birthday and graduation parades in June as parade com-mander.

He served nine years as an ADG and three deployments before apply-ing to be a GRDEFO.

“The inspiration to lead at a higher level and to increase my capability came from having some great oppor-tunities as an airman,” SUO Dahmer said.

“I’ve been led by strong officers on operations overseas and I’d be definitely looking to do the same.”

His wife Josie lives in Brisbane

and they welcomed a baby boy two days after the parade.

“With my wife expecting, the last few months have been quite busy. Josie has been phenomenal – without her persistence, this would not have worked,” SUO Dahmer said.

“The college’s support has been outstanding and made it more man-ageable to cope with studying.”

He was also awarded the Staffordshire Regiment Cup for achieving the highest result in mili-tary skills and field leadership in sec-ond class.

Seven Air Force cadets start in January to total 10 under training at Royal Military College – Duntroon, the largest contingent of ground defence officers in more than a dec-ade.

Privileged to represent cadets

FLTLT Bel Scott

THE new year has brought a signifi-cant milestone for Air Force’s new-est Force Element Group (FEG) with CAF approving declaration of the Air Warfare Centre’s (AWC) Full Operating Capability (FOC) on January 31.

Established in 2016 as a key part of the transformative Plan Jericho vision for Air Force, the AWC is now internationally recognised as an inte-grated warfare centre of excellence – an impressive result in only four years.

The mission of the AWC is to ‘ready the warfighter’ for complex warfare across multiple domains including air, land, sea, space, the electromagnetic spectrum, and cyber-space.

AWC Commander AIRCDRE Phil Gordon said this significant achieve-ment was the result of both past and current AWC staff efforts.

“Everyone who has worked within the AWC should reflect on and cel-ebrate the achievement of AWC’s FOC,” AIRCDRE Gordon said.

“Although much remains to be done as we continue our transforma-tional journey, we have a great deal to

Milestone for AWC

be proud of. Our people continue to drive and support innovation and inte-gration, while delivering assured and operationally relevant tactics, train-ing, intelligence, analysis, and test products and services.

“We closely coordinate and coop-

erate across not only Air Force, but joint and partner nations, as well as with Defence Science and Technology, industry and academia partners.

“Where obvious solutions do not exist, the AWC engages broadly

to scope, test and deliver innovative alternatives.

“Solving complex operational problems and delivering the best possible solutions is at the heart of AWC’s business.

“The AWC journey continues, but a significant milestone has been achieved.”

The AWC headquar te r s i s located at RAAF Base Edinburgh, with the new Tactics and Training Directorate (TTD) based at RAAF Base Williamtown. It is supported by a large integrated workforce includ-ing Air Force, Army, Navy, public service and Defence industry person-nel. Some sub-elements, such as tac-tical intelligence flights (TIFs) and test and evaluation flights (TEFs), AIS and range support units, are dis-persed at Williamtown, Amberley, Richmond, Melbourne, and at Woomera and Delamere ranges.

AWC’s “hub and spoke” model of locating key elements close to sup-ported FEGs has made a significant contribution to AWC efforts to coor-dinate with and enable other FEGs as well as HQJOC and other Service warfighting commands.

Racking up the achievementsAMONG many positive out-comes, AWC’s key transforma-tional deliverables have included a significantly more productive engagement with USAF, USN, RAF and RCAF sister organisa-tions, the establishment of the Integrated Tactical Procedures process, the ability to generate air-warfare practitioners skilled in advanced integrated warfare through the new Air Warfare Instructors Course (AWIC), the establishment of Live, Virtual and Constructive (LVC) capabilities leading toward a comprehensive Advanced Test and Training Environment (building on LVC), and the evolution of a distributed flight test model to enhance test and evaluation capability.

Other key achievements on the path to FOC have included the expansion of Information Warfare capability, particu-larly initiatives such as the establishment of the Australia Canada United Kingdom Reprogramming Laboratory (ACURL) and Distributed Ground Station-Australia (DSG-AUS) as standalone ele-ments, and progress toward the 2021 amalgamation of the Airborne Countermeasures capability (CMD&V) into the Joint Survivability and Tactics Validation Unit (JSTVU) under AWC leadership, and the matu-ration of our Targeting and Cyber capability elements.

SUO Adam Dahmer with CAF AIRMSHL Mel Hupfeld. Photo: CPL Veronica O’Hara

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3February 20, 2020RCEAIR F News

THE theme of this year’s 2020 Air Power Conference is geo-strategic discussions con-cerning stability, security and development in Australia’s region.

The conference is being held at Canberra’s National Convention Centre on March 24-25.

CAF AIRMSHL Mel Hupfeld said the quality and range of speakers at the event was first class.

“The speakers will be exploring the pressures and opportunities in our region, and how Air Force can support the Australian government’s vision,” AIRMSHL Hupfeld said.

“I’m very excited to hear fresh perspectives on how Air Force – as part of the Joint Force – can work with government, private and academia to contribute to the stability of the Indo-Pacific.”

The roster of Australian and international speakers is drawn from industry, academia, and the public sector. Military delegations from a num-ber of Australia’s close Pacific neighbours and international partners are attending.

Air Force Director International Engagement GPCAPT Mick Jansen said the conference was an important part of international engagement.

“Regional stability and security is built on shared understanding, trust and suppor t,” GPCAPT Jansen said.

“For us, it’s an important opportunity to rein-force the relationships vital for regional security now and into the future.”

Registration to the Air Power Conference is free to Defence personnel as well as APS staff from relevant government departments.

Air Force Director General Strategy and Plans AIRCDRE Phil Champion said the Air Power Conference had been designed to offer something for everyone and would be an important event for junior personnel.

“We are really hoping for an inclusive cross section of all ranks, and from other government departments, to attend the conference this year to build a shared understanding of the challenges and the opportunities facing Air Force,” AIRCDRE Champion said.

More information can be found at www.airforce.gov.au, and registrations are now open via www.bit.ly/2020apc.

Conference vital for engagement

Support and inspiration

AVM STEVEN Roberton didn’t know much about Indigenous heritage until he became CO 75SQN

and arranged an awareness day with Nitmiluk and Jawoyn people.

Later, as commander of Middle East Air Task Group 630, he overheard airmen talking to international coun-terparts about Aboriginal communities and their connection to land.

“These two young Australians, neither being Aboriginal, talking about Australia’s incredible cultural heritage in this way gave me the realisation – Air Force has a really key role to play,” AVM Roberton said.

A close and growing relationship with the Worimi community later led AVM Roberton to become lead champion for the inaugural Air Force Indigenous Champion Network this year.

Champions are nominated by the Senior Indigenous Leadership Circle (SILC), based on background and interest in promoting relationships and opportunities.

“We want to become a fifth-generation force that’s far more than just really cool airplanes and high-tech wizardry,” he said.

“It will leverage the most capable people. We can’t do that without hav-ing a group representative of first Australians. There are also government and Defence directed targets and Air Force needs to find ways to get there.”

AVM Roberton will support the network and commanders with resourcing, prioritising Indigenous affairs and mentoring.

“We’re all on a spectrum of cultural awareness; it’s actually about people who are passionate, see the value in it and want to support the initiatives,” he said. “Having been through most of the different levels of command, I can support them or have conversations to help make things easier.”

For the next 10 years, the network will support Air Force’s recently launched Indigenous strategy ‘Our Place, Our Skies’ and ‘Common Ground’ action plan, with champions changing every two years.

“They’ll advocate for Indigenous issues across the organisation, pro-moting awareness and defence-wide commitment to closing the gap,” AVM Roberton said. “Champions will be hands on and drive, advocate and lead streams from the action plan, such as

AVM Steven Roberton says advocating Indigenous issues will be a key focus. Photo: CPL Veronica O’Hara

the Indigenous youth and Jawun pro-grams. The network is separate from command, but they’ll help influence and support commanders in promoting and rolling out these initiatives.”

As shown by the Indigenous Liaison Officer (ILO) network at RAAF bases, AVM Roberton said it’s not about numbers.

“We’re not after hitting certain numbers or targets, but trying to estab-lish relationships with communities and if we get this right, then the num-bers and targets will happen,” he said.

The ILO initiative started at Williamtown in 2014-15 from a rela-tionship AVM Roberton established with Jonathan Lilley [now WGCDR] through the Worimi community.

“Rather than Air Force people trying to establish links, the concept was to work with and get the endorse-ment of the SILC; have them identify Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to become fully-fledged Air Force members and represent their needs,” AVM Roberton said.

AVM Roberton said he learnt more than expected from seeing their con-nection to country. “As somebody who grew up on an island and surfed since I was four, I learnt more about the sea and sand dunes from the saltwater Worimi people than I did in a life of living near the beach,” he said.

For further information, email airforce.diversity&inclusion@defence.gov.au

Air Force Indigenous Champions Network

AVM Steven RobertonAir Force Lead Indigenous Champion AVM Joe IervasiLead Indigenous Champion for Air Command AIRCDRE Darren Goldie AIRCDRE Greg Frisina GPCAPT Iain Carty GPCAPT Kaarin Kooij WGCDR Wayne Bradley WGCDR Kerry Hollings WOFF-AF Fiona Grasby WOFF Ken Robertson WOFF Janet O’Dea SGT Katrina Liston

Leaders are focusing on Aboriginal connections, CPL Veronica O’Hara writes.

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4 News

Eamon Hamilton

FLIGHT trials have begun for an Air Force C-130J Hercules transport aircraft equipped with a Northrop Grumman Litening sensor pod.

Mounted on a pylon underneath the wing of the Hercules, the AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod is capable of recording video in day and night-time conditions, and includes a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera.

AIRCDRE Carl Newman, Commander Air Mobility Group, said the trials would examine the Litening pod’s utility for different Hercules missions.

“Historically, RAAF Hercules crews have relied on radio, instruments

and their own senses to understand the environment,” AIRCDRE Newman said.

“This trial will examine how the Litening pod can improve crew situ-ational awareness to mitigate mission risks. For example, the Litening pod could help us maintain contact with survivors during search and rescue operations, or examine conditions at an airfield or drop zone prior to deliv-ering cargo or personnel.”

The trial will also pair the Litening pod with a satellite communications antenna on the Hercules, which is expected to allow high-definition video to be shared with ground-based units or a headquarters.

“Sharing this information would

have applications during humanitar-ian assistance and disaster relief mis-sions,” AIRCDRE Newman said.

“A Hercules could deliver relief cargo following a cyclone, then imme-diately take off and record video show-ing the extent of storm damage to local communities and infrastructure.

“That information could be streamed live to local governments, emergency services and other agen-cies, allowing for quicker decision-making about follow-on relief mis-sions.”

Flight trials are being conducted from RAAF Base Richmond in Sydney’s north-west by No. 37 Squadron and the Aircraft Research and Development Unit, with sup-

Let there be Liteningport from the Air Warfare Engineering Squadron.

Airbus Australia Pacific designed the integration, and performed the installation of the pod and pylon onto the aircraft, with assistance from Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

The Litening pod was originally acquired by the RAAF as a target-ing sensor for the F/A-18A/B Hornet, however, its target-ing function will be disabled while fit-ted to the C-130J.

Flight tri-als began on January 17, with the Hercules flown without the Litening pod so that the flight test team could establish the aircraft’s baseline performance.

The first flight with the pod installed occurred on January 29.

The flight test team will examine how the pod’s installation affects the Hercules’ performance in a range of conditions. The trials will also exam-ine the functionality of the pod.

The RAAF is only the second air force in the world to mount the Litening pod on a C-130 Hercules, following trials by the Arkansas Air National Guard in the United States.

The trial is being conducted using C-130J A97-448, which has been fitted with a number of systems under Air

Force’s Plan Jericho. The aircraft is the first of six Hercules to receive a high-speed satellite communications anten-na, and is also receiving an augmented crew station in the cockpit to operate systems including the Litening pod.

“A97-448 will allow us to explore how the Hercules and wider air mobil-ity fleet will support operations as part of a fifth-generation Air Force,” AIRCDRE Newman said.

“For air mobility, that means the ability to gather and share greater amounts of information within a bat-tlespace, enabling better decision-making for the crew, embarked forces and other supporting units.”

The crew of a No. 37 Squadron C-130J Hercules with members of the Litening sensor pod project team. From left, SQNLDR Steven Andrews, FSGT Xavier Sherriff, FLTLT Jack Appleton, MAJ Justin Heppe (USAF), SGT Paul Whitton, FLTLT Nathan Broome and FLTLT Brendan Buell. Inset below: A member of the Airbus Group supervises as a pod is fitted to the C-130J Hercules at RAAF Base Richmond. Photos: CPL David Said

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5February 20, 2020RCEAIR F News

Polar precision

Air Force personnel have hit the mark over Antarctica, Mark Horstman and Eamon Hamilton write.

NEW airdrop techniques have been used on Operation Southern Discovery to deliver sup-

plies to the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD).

On January 27, a RAAF C-17A Globemaster III from No. 36 Squadron made the 7000km, non-stop round-trip from Hobart to deliver both low-cost and precision-guided payloads to Casey Station.

AAD Supply Services Manager Matt Filipowski said these were new aerial delivery techniques for his team.

“Airdrops are routinely used by polar nations, but the addition of these low-cost and precision-guided parachutes is a first for Australia in Antarctica,” Mr Filipowski said.

“We had really good weather conditions and were able to under-take five individual drops onto the ice, with all completed as planned and the loads landing safely.”

The airdrop mission also vali-dated techniques for resupplying future AAD convoys that may need to establish new drop zones as they travel.

By airdropping fuel, food, water and spares that cannot be carried by the convoy on the entire journey, AAD scientific expeditions can pro-ject over greater distances across the frozen continent.

To do this, Air Force’s No. 86 Wing provided training for AAD staff to serve as a drop zone ‘ground party’, able to call in an aircraft to a dynamic drop zone.

Preparing AAD staff for this role required briefing and pre-mission coordination with 86 WG planners.

Dynamic drop zones are nor-mally supported by ground parties staffed by Defence specialist per-sonnel, such as joint terminal attack controllers or combat control teams.

For the airdrops on January 27, the C-17A first delivered Low Cost Aerial Delivery System (LCADS) loads at low altitude.

LCADS is a cost-effective option where the parachutes can be kept or discarded, as opposed to legacy reusable parachutes which require specialist handling after a drop, and need to be returned from the drop zone.

This makes LCADS an attractive resupply option for convoys that are underway, or even to support remote communities during humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations.

While LCADS is nominally a disposable parachute, AAD staff will manage it appropriately to

ensure protection of the local envi-ronment.

Using normal Container Delivery Systems (CDS) proce-dures, each LCADS bundle can deliver up to one tonne of supplies or equipment.

A single pass by a C-17A can deliver up to 40 tonnes of LCADS stores.

For the airdrop in Antarctica, the C-17A crew delivered both high-velocity and low-velocity LCADS parachutes from a range of altitudes.

This provides Air Force with dif-ferent delivery options depending on weather and local terrain.

The airdrop in Antarctica also delivered an example Joint Precision Aerial Delivery System (JPADS), which employs GPS-guidance to steer a parachute to a drop zone.

This allows a C-17A to deliver payloads from greater altitudes and at stand-off distances.

“Remarkably, the precision-guided parachute was dropped from 10,000 feet at a speed of 270km/h and landed its cargo of foodstuffs within 30m of the target,” Mr Filipowski said.

JPADS provides another option to resupply remote deep-field camps, tractor trains on inland trav-erses, or vessels stranded in sea ice when LCADS is not preferred.

Air Mobility Training and Development Unit (AMTDU) at RAAF Base Richmond prepared the loads with augmentation from the Australian Army’s 176 Air Dispatch Squadron.

AMTDU Commanding Officer WGCDR Cameron Clark said it included sterilising work spaces where loads were prepared.

“The pristine nature of the Antarctic environment demands the highest standards of bio-security be met,” WGCDR Clark said.

“AMTDU has partnered with the AAD to develop world’s best prac-tice for delivering cargo to sensitive environments.

“These loads included fresh food stocks for Casey Station, as well as spare parts such as tyres for forklifts.”

As is practice for all Operation Southern Discovery airdrop mis-sions, environmental observers located at nearby protected areas reported no disturbance to wildlife.

The parachutes and loads were recovered by a team of expedition-ers from nearby Casey research station.

No. 86 Wing Executive Officer WGCDR Dean Bolton initiated this

airdrop mission to ensure techniques were validated ahead of future AAD convoys.

“No. 86 Wing used this as an opportunity to validate existing pro-cedures for No. 36 Squadron C-17A crews,” WGCDR Bolton said.

“Safe and accurate aerial deliv-ery is a core skill for any airdrop crew, however ,we rely on accurate information from ground party per-sonnel. This mission tested integra-tion between the AAD and multiple Defence units, proving dynamic resupply to an underway AAD convoy is achievable. The ability for AAD personnel to identify then communicate a drop zone to an airborne C-17A was an important element of this.”

By using new airdrop equip-ment such as LCADS and JPADS on the January 27 mission, Defence and AAD were also able to inform future resupply missions to Antarctica. “The simplified load recovery and disposable LCADS parachutes will provide greater flex-ibility to the AAD’s science mis-sion,” WGCDR Bolton said.

A C-17A Globemaster airdrops two Low Cost Aerial Delivery System loads on the drop zone in Antarctica, near Casey Station, for Operation Southern Discovery.

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7February 20, 2020RCEAIR F Features

Career at the coal face

LIFE IN THE RAAF

37SQN Loadmaster Nicholas Stubbs-Race has always been drawn to the technical, FLTLT Bel Scott writes.

EXTENSIVE service and life experience is taking a 37SQN loadmaster from an operation-al environment to ambassador

for Air Force’s newest innovation program, Edgy Air Force.

“Sometimes an opportunity pre-sents itself outside an aluminium tube and while I still enjoy it, I wanted to further Air Force capability,” WOFF Nicholas Stubbs-Race said.

After 13 years, WOFF Stubbs-Race has traded the air for the ground, join-ing the Plan Jericho Edgy team.

WOFF Stubbs-Race will work with individuals, squadrons and units to seek out innovative solutions from junior ranks.

“Edgy is a network for people to dive straight in and get the support and finance they need to further projects

they are working on for a more effi-cient and evolved Air Force,” he said.

“I’m pretty enthusiastic about it actually, it’s something completely different and I was ready for a new challenge.

“After being at AMG for so long, it’s outside my FEG of comfort, but I get to experience different dynamics and work at a higher level.

“Meeting new people every day and listening to their innovative ideas – I really look forward to the challenge of bringing their ideas to life.”

For several generations his family have been in the military so WOFF Stubbs-Race has always been inter-ested in Defence.

“I grew up with my father serving in the Royal Air Force, both grandpar-ents in the first and second world wars,

and my brother in Army for a short time,” he said. “But it wasn’t until much later in life that I enlisted, when I was 27, after completing a civilian apprenticeship and working as a lock-smith for about 11 years.”

In 1996, WOFF Stubbs-Race joined Air Force as an aircraft structural fit-ter and for nearly 11 years he worked on the C-130 Hercules and when he saw what the aircraft was capable of, thought it was time to work at the coal face.

“I’ve always had a technical job in my life; I love boats, cars – any-thing that moves or has some sort of mechanical component,” he said.

“I wanted to learn more about what the Air Force did and get more involved – that’s what attracted me to loadmaster.

“When I was an LAC, I did some flights on the C-130E and H models and finally re-mustered in 2006.”

WOFF Stubbs-Race said he had many highlights and felt fortunate to have visited more countries than he can list.

“I’ve been on six operational and many humanitarian and disaster relief deployments and the training contin-uum was quite interesting as well,” he said. “It probably sounds a bit ghoul-ish – you have to wait for it to occur but you don’t wish for it to happen,” he said.

“But it’s certainly satisfying to be a part of that resolution when you get the opportunity.

As an instructor at 285SQN he came across challenges which helped his development.

“The greatest one was effective management of personnel, to help them develop and grow and in turn, it helps you in the same way,” WOFF Stubbs-Race said.

Reflecting on his long and memo-rable career with the C-130, he said he will miss the aircraft.

“As I told my students, there are only two types of aircraft in the Air Force – the C-130 and not a C-130,” WOFF Stubbs-Race said. “I would also remind them that Air Force is looking for people to dedicate them-selves to the service; to think about the RAAF values, what they mean to you and the role you’re in, then apply them. Come to work and do the best job you can do. Have the big picture in mind and don’t be too self-focused – have a greater organisational focus.”

WOFF Nicholas Stubbs-Race has a great fondness for the C-130 Hercules.

WOFF Stubbs-

Race prepares

the C-130J Hercules

to perform airdrops

during Operation Christmas

Drop. Photo: CPL David

Said

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8 News

Name Years

WGCDR Kenneth Roberts 42

WGCDR Kenneth Gilbert 41

WOFF Donald Kelly 40

WOFF Donald Taylor 40

WGCDR David Dawson 36

SQNLDR Ian Roberts 36

WGCDR Williamina Tennant 35

AIRCDRE Sue McGready 33

GPCAPT Roger McCutcheon 33

WGCDR Iain Skea 33

WOFF Shayne Riley 33

SQNLDR Kenneth Baker 31

WOFF Adam McDonald 31

WGCDR Ross Day 30

FLTLT John Klompenhouwer 28

SQNLDR David King 27

SGT Bradley Millard 25

WGCDR Marcelle Mitting 24

SQNLDR Timothy Willetts 24

SQNLDR Barry Skennar 23

SGT Christopher Lockwood 23

CPL Todd Reynolds 23

WGCDR Andrew Bannister 22

WGCDR Douglas Kemp 22

SQNLDR Michael O’Regan 22

SGT Luke Barry 22

SQNLDR Richard Jarek 21

FSGT Robyn McEnearney 21

SGT Kelly Walker-Catchpole 21

SQNLDR James Hutchins 20

FLTLT Drew Taylor 20

SGT Josh Rimmer 20

Who’s leaving after 20+ yearsDEPARTURE LOUNGE

FLTLT Tracey Bowman

FEDERATION Star recipient GPCAPT Greg Donaldson has been honoured for his 40-year-long mili-tary service.

GPCAPT Donaldson was recog-nised for his decades of work, both in the Air Force and wider Defence industry during a farewell at RAAF Base Point Cook in December.

GPCAPT Donaldson joined the Air Force as an engineer in January 1970.

During his career, GPCAPT Donaldson has been a design engi-neer on C-130 (E and H), Caribou, B707, Dakota, HS748, Special Purpose Aircraft (including Falcon 900), F-111 and F/A-18A/B Hornet; and a maintenance engineer on Canberra and Mirage aircraft.

“One of my career highlights was being the last senior engineer-ing officer (SENGO) in 2SQN working on the Canberra bombers in 1982,” GPCAPT Donaldson said.

“One memorable occasion was to fly in a Canberra bomber from Amberley to Learmonth via Alice

Springs. I was fascinated with the views of the desert as it rolled beneath us at 50,000 feet below. At that altitude, the cockpit was cov-ered in frost. It was a fantastic expe-rience!”

GPCAPT Donaldson’s other career highlight was as SENGO at 79SQN for Mirage in Butterworth, Malaysia.

“I had a couple of flights in the back seat of the dual Mirage aircraft and the experience was wonderful,” he said.

“I also had my first flight in a Hornet with no less a pilot than SQNLDR Mark Binskin, who later became the Chief of Defence Force. That was a real buzz!”

GPCAPT Donaldson said being the first Chief Engineer at Air Lift Systems Program Office and at the Aircraft Research and Development Unit were also great experiences.

After 31 years of commitment to the permanent Air Force, GPCAPT Donaldson transferred to the Reserves in 2001 and dedicated the next 10 years working in Defence industry.

GPCAPT Donaldson’s civilian work experience gave him great exposure to the wider Defence enterprise, and allowed him to spe-cialise in risk management and pro-ject management. He started work-ing for Air Force again in 2010 and has been able to devote those skills and knowledge in various Reservist roles.

“I have been so impressed with the quality of the Defence people I worked with over the years,” he said.

“I believe the Air Force is in very good hands for the future, given the quality of the young personnel and the senior leaders I have worked with in that time but especially more recently.”

GPCAPT Donaldson acknowl-edged his family’s support of his career, particular from his wife, Judi, and children James, Phoebe and Mia.

He was looking forward to gar-dening, driving vintage cars and travelling during his well-deserved retirement.

Perspective and purpose

GPCAPT Greg Donaldson and

his wife, Judi, in front of a

Mirage aircraft. Photo: FLTLT Tracey

Bowman

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Applications close 13 April 2020

For an application, email ADF.ARRTS@defence.gov.au or visit www.defence.gov.au/jcg/arrts

9February 20, 2020RCEAIR F Operation Bushfire Assist

Flying Wallaby Airlines

ENDANGERED wallabies hitched a lift with Air Force’s very own ‘Wallaby Airlines’ dur-ing Operation Bushfire Assist.

On January 31, a C-27J Spartan and crew from No. 35 Squadron collected 17 Southern brush-tail rock wallabies from Defence Establishment Fairbairn, flying them to Avalon Airport.

35SQN – which has been nicknamed ‘Wallaby Airlines’ since the Vietnam War – was only too glad to pick up the mission.

The wallabies were evacuated from Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the ACT following bushfires in that area.

From Avalon Airport, they were taken on to Mount Rothwell Biodiversity Centre in Victoria.

The mission was coordinated with Parks and Conservation Services as part of Operation Bushfire Assist, which has already seen Air Force transport aircraft carrying koalas and eastern bettongs.

35SQN Pilot, FLTLT Angus Robertson, said the request to carry the wallabies came at short notice.

“I got the call shortly before going to sleep and had to organise the task from my room,” FLTLT Robertson said.

“The No. 35 Squadron detach-ment commander, SQNLDR Nathan Thompson, was able to arrange his crew accordingly for the task to be flown the following morning.

“Everyone involved with the task was extremely flexible, which is one of the key reasons we were able to deliver on this mission.”

Loadmaster with 35SQN, CPL

Antonia Guterres, said special care was taken during the loading process at Fairbairn.

“We tried to keep the temperature of the cabin down because it was a very hot day, so we placed bags of ice next to the cages so it was more comfortable for them,” CPL Guterres said.

“As we were loading the wallabies on the aircraft, we had to be extremely quiet and do everything as quietly and in slow time so that we didn’t disturb them.”

The C-27J also carried two wildlife specialists to monitor the wallabies’ wellbeing during the flight and a four-strong mobile air load team – which included two United States Air Force (USAF) members.

35SQN was extremely busy during Operation Bushfire Assist, carrying hun-dreds of passengers along with a number of animals being evacuated out of fire-affected communities.

“This is the first time we’ve carried wallabies on Wallaby Airlines so it was pretty special for us,” CPL Guterres said.

The origins of the ‘Wallaby Airlines’ nickname dates back to the establish-ment of RAAF Transport Flight Vietnam (RTFV) in April 1964.

The RTFV flew DHC-4 Caribous from Vung Tau as part of a USAF trans-port group.

Before leaving Australia for Vietnam, some of the RTFV Caribou crews were given a ‘going away’ party by Qantas air hostesses in Sydney, who gifted them a bag of gold kangaroo pins.

The RTFV’s Commanding Officer, SQNLDR Chris Sugden, presented a kangaroo pin to the USAF Liaison Officer at Vung Tau, and suggested ‘Kangaroo’ as the RTFV’s callsign.

When the USAF Liaison said kan-garoo would be too difficult for the Vietnamese to pronounce, SQNLDR Sugden suggested ‘Wallaby’ as an alter-native.

In 1966, the RTFV became No. 35 Squadron, which kept the same call sign and carried the ‘Wallaby Airlines’ legacy after its return to Australia in 1972.

To this day, a wallaby is featured on the 35SQN crest and on the tail of each C-27J Spartan.

No. 35 Squadron’s nickname was fitting for a recent mission, Eamon Hamilton writes.

No. 35 Squadron Loadmaster SGT Michael Jones helps secure the 17 Southern brushtail rock wallabies onto an Air Force C-27J Spartan. Inset below: One of the wallabies ready for the trip. Photos: CPL Kylie Gibson

11February 20, 2020RCEAIR F10 Operation Bushfire Assist

HAILING from Pearce, Darwin, Tindal, Edinburgh and Williamtown, they collectively travelled more than 10,000km to get to South Australia’s

Kangaroo Island.Some have worked together before while

others met for the first time, but this primary healthcare team from No. 2 Expedition-ary Health Squadron (2EHS) and their two No. 3 Security Forces Squadron airfield de-fence guards have quickly established the kind of bonds that last a lifetime.

“A few of us knew each other from previous postings, exercises and deployments but some of the team had never met,” FLTLT Rebecca Elfes said.

“It’s nice bringing people back together as well as meeting and working with new people.

“We all bonded quickly, getting to know each other as we were planning and moving at short notice.”

FLTLT Elfes was the Officer in Charge of the 2EHS primary healthcare team operating in support of the ADF’s Operation Bushfire Assist activities on Kangaroo Island.

With more than half of the island feared to have been scorched by the bushfires, the ADF cleared burnt and fallen trees, provided engi-neering support, assisted with injured wildlife care and conducting wildlife and stock burials to help get the island on the road to recovery.

The 2EHS team integrated with the Army-led Role 1 Health facility to provide on-site and remote health support to varying tasks.

The airfield defence guards embedded within the primary healthcare team have en-

Crisis has forged some enduring frienships among ADF personnel, FLGOFF Evita Ryan writes. Cooperation key to caring for wildlife

FLGOFF Claire Burnet

CARING for the thousands of wildlife injured during Victoria’s bushfires required a team effort.

Victoria’s Department of Environ-ment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) responded to sick and injured wildlife on the ground by pro-viding assessment teams that respond to animals in need and wildlife triage units that assess individual animals.

Each wildlife triage unit was staffed by a site manager, a vet and a vet nurse who assess wildlife as they arrive.

DELWP Forest and Wildlife officer Melanie Cheers has been working in Mallacoota since the start of 2020.

“Thousands of animals are being assessed in the field by vets and trained DELWP staff and 102 animals have so far been through our unit,” Ms Cheers said.

“Most of these are koalas, but there have also been eastern grey kanga-roos, swamp wallabies, red necked wallaby joeys and feathertail gliders. Air Force has been a great help to DELWP since the bushfires began by getting staff and equipment into isolated regions and flying out animals that need critical care.”

Zoos Victoria’s resident vet at Healesville Dr Chloe Stevenson is

DELWP Forest and Wildlife

officer Melanie

Cheers and FLGOFF

Emma Rouland, from RAAF’s No. 2 Expeditionary

Health Squad-ron, check

on a rescued koala inside the Wildlife

Triage Unit in Mallacoota.

Photo: LAC John Solomon

one of the vets in Mallacoota. “When animals are brought to the triage unit they are assessed by a vet who will decide the next best course of action,” Dr Stevenson said.

“If the animal is healthy, we release it straight away and as close as pos-sible to its point of capture. If it needs minor medical care such as fluid via a drip, then it remains at the triage unit.

If its injuries are more serious then we arrange for the Air Force to fly it to a zoo near Melbourne for ongo-ing treatment. If it just needs some rest or hand feeding, then we hand it

over to volunteer foster carers in the local community, to whom we are very grateful for their ongoing support.”

FLGOFF Emma Rouland was de-ployed to Mallacoota with the RAAF’s No. 2 Expeditionary Health Squadron in a primary health care team to sup-port local government and emergency services personnel during bushfire iso-lation. As a nurse, FLGOFF Rouland normally helps people but the local wildlife triage unit asked her team for help when they were unable to restock vet supplies due to road closures and heavy smoke that temporarily prevented air access.

“Their glucometer had run out of test strips and it is a vital piece of equipment that tests blood sugar levels in people and animals,” FL-GOFF Rouland said. “The vets rely on glucometers to check the blood sugar levels of koalas pre and post-surgery, so we were happy to lend them one of ours as well as restock their other medical supplies.”

Misty Stebbing is a volunteer who supports wildlife vets by delivering medical supplies to RAAF Base East Sale where they are flown in on a C-27J Spartan aircraft into isolated locations such as Mallacoota.

“Vets order the supplies they need and with help from the Air Force, we get it to them,” Ms Stebbing said.

LearningtranslatesperfectlyFLGOFF Evita Ryan

LONG before FLTLT Rebecca Marshall even considered joining the Air Force, she fell in love with Japan.

While studying Japanese at high school, FLTLT Mar-shall travelled from her family home in Canberra to Japan for a two-week school excursion and, later, for a five-week student exchange.

Upon graduating from high school, FLTLT Marshall com-pleted a Bachelor of Software Engineering at the Australian National University, but her desire to return to Japan was

always in the back of her mind so she applied for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.

FLTLT Marshall said for the next five years she lived and taught English at a school in Kamikawa, a town in Hyogo Prefecture.

“The job was more fun than work and I loved the town as it was in the country and I was the only Aussie living there. My students were always excited to see me and I had a re-ally good lifestyle,” FLTLT Marshall said.

Upon returning to Canberra at the end of the program, FLTLT Marshall had a chance meeting with an Air Force member on a plane ride to Melbourne for a friend’s birthday.

“We got talking about my software engineering career and I thought he was half joking when he said that the Air Force needed more engineers and I should join,” she said.

During the recruitment process, FLTLT Marshall learnt that her Japanese language skills could lead to secondary duties as a linguist in the Air Force.

Since officially being recognised by the Air Force as an intermediate level Japanese linguist, she has been busy putting her linguist skills to good use at planning conferenc-es for an upcoming international exercise whilst also posting in to her new engineering role at No. 1 Combat Communica-tions Squadron in Amberley, Queensland.

More recently, however, FLTLT Marshall acted as a lin-guist for the Koku-Jieitai (Japan Self-Defense Force) which provided two C-130 Hercules transport aircraft to support Australia’s bushfire response and recovery effort.

“I love Japan and speaking Japanese so it’s really great to be able to work as a linguist for the Air Force,” she said.

“It’s great that I’m able to help out with Operation Bush-fire Assist. I’m an engineer and I’m not trained to cut down trees or fight fires, but I’m glad to be able to help out in my own way,” FLTLT Marshall said.

CAPT Aaron Oldaker

RAAF Base Wagga Wagga hosted evacuees during the bushfire emer-gency and mobilised as an important refuelling location for aircraft transiting to RAAF Base East Sale.

The base’s senior ADF officer, GPCAPT Chris Ellison, said while emergency relief efforts were led by local and state authorities, Wag-ga’s two Defence bases had prepared to receive evacuees.

“At the height of the fire threat when the majority of personnel were still on leave, RAAF Wagga stood up extra staff and resources to accommodate and support up to 400 evacuees at very short notice,” GPCAPT Ellison said.

ACAUST AVM Joe Iervasi made a personal visit to the staff at RAAF Wagga’s Air Base Command Post – they had been working long hours monitoring the situation and keeping the base in a state of readiness to respond to requests from civilian emergency authorities.

“I felt it was important to take time out to acknowledge and view first-hand the efforts of those personnel who had been manning the ABCP at short notice, in some cases recalled from leave, and in all cases long hours,” AVM Iervasi said.

FLTLT Rebecca Marshall with Koku-Jieitai (Japan Self-Defense Force) personnel after their arrival at RAAF Base Richmond. Photo: CPL David Said

Wagga mobilises

A roleon the homefrontFLGOFF Evita Ryan

WITH an Air Force career that started with the Women’s Royal Australian Air Force in 1976, SQNLDR Del Gaudry has worn numerous hats in her time.

Currently a reservist at Head-quarters Air Command, SQN-LDR Gaudry balances her role with being a volunteer firefighter.

When her daughter had to evacuate from Yarra Glen in early 2009 during Victoria’s Black Saturday bushfires, SQNLDR Gaudry contacted her local fire brigade and enquired about join-ing as a volunteer.

SQNLDR Gaudry, who lives in the Blue Mountains with her husband Tom, a retired ADF member, realised she was ill-equipped to fight fires in her own backyard.

“We were living in one of the most fire-prone areas in the world, but we didn’t know any-thing about fighting bushfires,” SQNLDR Gaudry said.

Now, 10 years on, she is still an active member of the Blax-land Rural Fire Brigade and has even recruited fellow Air Force colleagues.

While her focus is on support-ing the brigade through first aid training, SQNLDR Gaudry is also an active firefighter.

One particular shift is firmly etched in her mind.

“My strike team had to drive down to the Megalong Valley, lights and sirens blaring, where a fire was threatening a number of properties,” she said.

“Our crew had to drive down driveways and identify which properties could potentially be saved and which ones hadn’t been prepared and we had to do that quickly and report back.

“To protect one property we had to light up on three sides and back-burn towards the fire front.

“It was pretty amazing because it was so dry. Embers were falling down from the trees and we had to make sure we put those out quickly.”

SQNLDR Gaudry remem-bers that the house was well protected due to the owners’ preparation.

With a number of NSW com-munities impacted by the recent bushfires SQNLDR Gaudry said property owners were grateful for the work the firefighters did.

“You don’t have to drive very far into the Blue Mountains to find lots of signs thanking fire-fighters,” she said.

SQNLDR Del Gaudry with the Blaxland Rural Fire Brigade.

All hands to the island

Air Force ‘s No. 2 Expeditionary Health Squadron primary healthcare team and two No. 3 Security Forces Squadron airfield defence guards, from left, LACW Kristen Jenkins, FLTLT Thomas Kennedy, FLTLT Rebecca Elfes, LACW Yvonne Dennett, LAC Zac Simpson and LAC Guy Frankel.

hanced the team’s mobility support. “We car-ried an augmented remote locality kit that can be transported with our team in a Protected Mobility Vehicle operated by our airfield de-fence guards,” FLTLT Elfes said.

“If needed, we can travel into areas at risk of falling trees or debris.”

While FLTLT Elfes and her team primar-ily treated ADF members, they also supported civilian health providers when required.

“St John’s health providers were supporting civilian agencies on the ground,” FLTLT Elfes said.

“We were able to assist St John’s with medi-cal officer support as required.”

Reflecting on her team’s role in Operation Bushfire Assist, FLTLT Elfes said “everyone is proud and thankful to assist despite ever chang-ing tasks requiring adaptable health support”.

“We’ve all had to adjust to the changing na-ture of the environment on Kangaroo Island,” she said.

“We constantly reassessed our requirements and adapted to support ADF capability and the Kangaroo Island community,

“We’re all from different places workwise, but everyone was flexible and integrated ex-tremely well.

“It was an excellent opportunity for our team to understand each other’s roles and contribute to tasks that aren’t part of our daily norm. We’re all happy to be here, helping out where we can and doing what we train to do. We’ll remember this.”

ARE YOU TRANSITIONING FROM DEFENCE?

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12 Operation Bushfire Assist

Mapping way forward

REAL-TIME mapping from the Air Warfare Centre provided crucial informa-tion for the emergency

services in support of Operation Bushfire Assist.

At RAAF Base Edinburgh, ACAUST AVM Joe Iervasi, met with the Air Warfare Centre’s Distributed Ground Station – Australia team (DGS-AUS) and saw first-hand their vital work giv-ing military and fire fighting units a real time overview of the fires.

On his first operation with DGS-AUS, Mission Operations Commander FLGOFF Christopher Watson led a multi-specialist team of analysts looking at images and data from a variety of resources, such as the RAAF P-8A Poseidon and Army rotary wing elements.

“With those images, we were able to make products showing use-ful information covering the hottest areas of a fire, any obstructions on the roads and overall maps of fire fronts throughout the affected areas and States,” FLGOFF Watson said.

“Supporting firefighting is not

a typical role for DGS-AUS, so my team and I had to quickly learn what information is important and relevant for the firefighters, and to provide that information in a time-sensitive manner.”

Identifying and reporting fires

not known by authorities ensured that fire was reacted to quickly.

This vital information had a direct and meaningful impact on the ground with a significant effect for communities at risk from the bush-fires. OIC DGS-AUS, SQNLDR Stuart Williams said he was proud of his team for their important role in supporting emergency services across the country.

“Since we received the call in early January, the team hit the ground running and have been working shifts to deliver a vast

range of products,” SQNLDR Williams said.

The DGS-AUS mission teams conduct operations every day with this crisis becoming the units highest priority. “It has been very rewarding to see the team adapt so

quickly from their primary role to provide support to the fire-affected communities in multi-ple states,” SQNLDR Williams said.

DGS-AUS was officially formed as a unit on January 24 as part of the Information Warfare Directorate

(IWD) under the Air Warfare Centre (AWC) at RAAF Base Edinburgh. The team conducts intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, processing, exploitation and dis-semination.

DGS-AUS Geospatial Intelligence Analyst LAC Rhys Burraston said the experience was both challenging and rewarding.

“It was different to anything I have done before and it was a steep learning curve, but also a rewarding experience to be doing something different,” LAC Burraston said.

Air Warfare Centre technology proved vital for the states’ emergency services personnel, FLTLT Bel Scott writes.

ACAUST AVM Joe Iervasi with LACW Tori-Lee Carson at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Inset below: mapping of a fire front in Kosciuszko National Park. Photo: LACW Jacqueline Forrester

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14 Operation Bushfire Assist

Have skills

will travel

FLGOFF Evita Ryan

FIVE years into her ADF career, LACW Tiarne Westland is on the front line helping communi-ties devastated by bushfires.

Growing up in Bilpin, a small town on the historic Bells Line of Road in the Blue Mountains, west of Richmond, NSW, she travelled a long way from home to be part of the ADF effort for Operation Bushfire Assist, in support of the NSW State Emergency Service and the NSW Rural Fire Service.

Tiarne is with No. 65 Squadron air base recovery team and working with Army’s 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment near Tumut.

“Recently, I’ve been cutting down

hazardous trees that were damaged by the bushfires,” LACW Westland said.

“Prior to that, I helped deliver water to farmers who had used their water to fight the bushfires and didn’t have much left for their stock.”

“I’ve also helped with fodder deliv-eries to farms isolated by the bushfires. The farmers are really appreciative. It feels good to be able to give them sup-plies that they need,” she said.

“It’s also nice to be able to talk to them. They all have a different story about how the fires have affected them.”

Speaking on behalf of her air base recovery team, LACW Westland said, “We’re all keen to help out in any way we can”.

“We’re keen to put our skills to

good use for the wider Tumut com-munity.”

Over her career, the girl from the Blue Mountains has gained more qualifications and experience than she ever imagined.

LACW Westland applied to join the Air Force in her final year of high school. “I enjoyed building and con-struction work and I wanted to join the Air Force, so I started the recruitment process and waited for a tradie position to come up,” LACW Westland said.

After a year as an apprentice car-penter at Latchford Barracks near Wodonga, Victoria, LACW Westland commenced on-the-job training with residential building contractors in south-western Sydney.

“One week you might be out

concreting and the next you might be building wall frames, pitched roofs or constructing suspended slabs for new homes or renovations,” LACW Westland said.

“Each builder has their own way of doing things so you get to learn how to do the same thing in different ways. It really broadens your knowledge and depth of experience.”

“I’ve learnt a lot since I joined Air Force. I’ve got a lot of qualifications that I don’t think I’d have if I was a normal chippie building houses for a living.”

After joining No. 65 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond in late 2018, LACW Westland spent most of the fol-lowing year travelling in support of a range of tasks and exercises.

“It was amazing to see so many places. I went up to Darwin for a task and I have always wanted to see Darwin,” she said.

“During Exercise Mini Burrow at Orchard Hills in Sydney, I did con-struction work alongside US Air Force tradies. The following week, I went up to Townsville before heading over to Papua New Guinea to do construc-tion work with the Army’s 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment.”

“We put in a new ops building and a new ablution block, shelters and firing range. It’s all great experience now being put to work helping people rebuild their lives after the destruction of bushfires visited their communi-ties.”

Returning home evokes mixture of emotions SQNLDR Gavin Briggs

PLTOFF Isabella Filmer did not know what to expect when she recently boarded a flight back to her hometown of Mallacoota for an overnight visit to be reu-nited with her family.

A basic pilots’ course trainee at No. 1 Flying Training School, RAAF Base East Sale, she sat alongside returning evacuees and first-responders on board a C-27J Spartan for a flight into Mallacoota on January 30. While she was relieved her family and their home had survived the bush-fires, she was nervous about the impact it would have on Mallacoota and its residents.

“I had received reports from various sources, that included social media from back home, and it was hard coming to terms knowing how many people had lost their homes,” PLTOFF Filmer said.

While her family survived the fires, they were in the mid-dle of the efforts to fight the out-of-control blaze.

“My younger brother, Mikey, was out fighting the fires with our local CFA unit, while step-mum Tracey manned the radios. My sister, Ashlee, was by her side the whole time

watching the situation unfold,” PLTOFF Filmer said.

“Meanwhile, my dad, Stuart, decided to stay on the property and fight the fire on his own.”

Her father, who is a CFA volunteer firefighter, was able to save the family home despite the fire leaving scorch marks down one side of the house. About 80 to 90 per cent of the acreage on the property was blackened by the bushfire, which included the loss of sev-eral sheds and fencing.

“While I am really grate-ful that my family are okay, my heart really goes out to Mallacoota’s residents and all they have gone through, espe-cially those who have lost their homes,” she said.

“It is such a tragedy but they are a strong community and will undoubtedly support each other in the days and months ahead.”

PLTOFF Isabella Filmer, from No. 1 Flying Training School RAAF Base East Sale, reunites with her sister Ashlee at Mallacoota.

FLGOFF Evita Ryan

THE LAST of the three Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) NH90 helicopters, in Australia as part of Operation Bushfire Assist, was transported home to RNZAF Base Ohakea by a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-177 Globemaster III.

Collectively flying more than 170 hours during 42 missions for Operation Bushfire Assist, No. 3 Squadron supported state authorities and the ADF to undertake a range of tasks during their 28 days of operation, including search and rescue, fire spotting, personnel recovery, welfare checks and the deployment of both ADF and Rural Fire Service capability.

They also airlifted more than 650 passen-gers and 7260kg of cargo.

Working alongside air mobile response Teams from 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, No. 3 Squadron supported the ACT Emergency Services Agency (ESA) with clearing helicopter landing zones.

“We flew reconnaissance sorties so over-grown landing pads could be identified for clearing,” FLTLT Kieran Moratti (pictured) said.

An RNZAF NH90 helicopter pilot for No. 3 Squadron, FLTLT Moratti was the

operations manager for the squadron, which was based out of HMAS Albatross near Nowra, NSW.

“We winched the 7th Battalion teams down onto overgrown landing pads so they could clear them before we went back and landed to pick them up,” FLTLT Moratti said. “The state authorities were then able to use those landing pads to deploy firefighting strike teams in the nearby vicinity.

With the ability to fly at night, No. 3 Squadron tracked and mapped fires using night vision googles and relayed the infor-mation back to the ESA.

It also helped the NSW Rural Fire Service undertake welfare checks of proper-ties near Wyndham in south-east NSW.

“We followed the fire front and searched for properties that had been cut-off by the fires,” FLTLT Moratti said.

“We had RFS crews on board who could go down our rescue hoists to do a welfare check to see if anyone needed help.”

Canadians on hand to help Kiwis across the Tasman

LACW Tiarne Westland, of No. 65 Squadron air base recovery team, helps with the removal of hazardous trees near Batlow, NSW.

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15February 20, 2020RCEAIR F Personnel

Valuable contributionFLTLT Kate Davis

EACH year, No. 87 Squadron (87SQN) presents the annual ‘Max Cowin’ award to the person or small team who most significantly contrib-utes to the reputation and value of the squadron in support of Air Force’s mission.

In December, the 2019 award was presented to CPL David Anstee, Air Intelligence Analyst with 81 Tactical Intelligence Flight (81TIF), in recogni-tion of his achievements and contribu-tion to 87SQN.

“I’m very proud and humbled to receive the award, and see it as a reflection of all the hard work the

81TIF team has done over the last 12 months and beyond,” CPL Anstee said.

CPL Anstee received the ‘Max Cowin’ award for utilising his experi-ence, knowledge and networks in the targeting community to proactively and industriously develop 87SQN’s and ACG’s knowledge, processes and ICT solutions to have a significant

impact on Air Force’s targeting capa-bility.

“The Air Force is entering a time when there is opportunity at any rank to lead and influence the organisation,” CPL Anstee said. “We can all use our skills and perspective to drive this organisational change.”

CPL Anstee enlisted with the Air

Force in 2011, having spent his full tenure as an air intelligence analyst and serving with 87SQN for the past three years.

“This is a wonderful way to end the year, and I’m grateful for my sup-portive family who have provided a foundation for me to focus on improv-ing myself and our team.”

Former No. 87 Squadron Commanding Officer WGCDR Hannah Jude-Smith, presents CPL David Anstee, Air Intelligence Analyst, 81 Tactical Intelligence Flight, with the 2019 Max Cowin Award in front of a 3SQN F-35A Lightning II.

Rare honour as member makes impression in USA ROYAL Australian Air Force engineering expert has had a United States Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II fast jet named after him.

The rare honour follows an exchange opportunity of a lifetime for FLTLT Osanda Senadhira to the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in South Carolina, USA.

The RAAF electronics engi-neer deployed as part of the US Marine Corps Exchange pro-gram, spending the past three years working as a maintenance officer for the US Military.

On completion of his exchange, the US Marines placed his name on one of their F-35 aircraft in honour of his hard work and dedication – a huge and rare event for any for-eign serviceman.

FLTLT Senadhira was very surprised and humbled by the recognition.

“This is an incredible honour. The privilege of having my name on a United States military fight-er jet is not lost on me - in many ways this validates all the years of hard work,” FLTLT Senadhira said.

FLTLT Senadhira was posted to the largest US Marine Corps

F-35 squadron, known as the ‘Warlords’. As a maintenance officer his role was to help the USMC and partner nations including the United Kingdom and Italy introduce the F-35B into service.

Throughout the exchange posting, FLTLT Senadhira had the chance to work in two dif-ferent roles and helped with the introduction of the F-35 capabil-ity. In early work as the mainte-nance material control officer he led a 600 strong team of multi-national technicians.

He then moved to the qual-ity assurance officer role, as an airworthiness authority. He managed 39 Naval Aviation Maintenance Programs, pro-viding technical leadership to

almost 700 US and international uniformed and civilian staff.

“I really enjoyed forming deep relationships across the US, UK and Italian defences forces. Together we overcame sig-nificant hurdles to successfully introduce a phenomenal capabil-ity. I’m proud that we achieved the highest F-35 readiness in the US Department of Defence in 2019,” FLTLT Senadhira said.

He believes the exchange program provides value for both the individual and the organisa-tions involved.

The deep mutual respect between military partners is clear as the name of one RAAF officer will remain stateside long after he returns to friends and family in Australia.

FLTLT Osanda

Senadhira and the

F-35 Lightning II bearing his

name.

16 Personnel

Positive resultsCPL Julia Whitwell

SAVING almost 7000 lives, Air Force rivalled Navy and Army in the 2019 Defence Blood Challenge that encour-aged personnel to roll up their sleeves and make as many donations of blood, plasma and platelets as possible.

Beating the goal of 9000 dona-tions, Defence personnel and indus-try donated 10,094 times between September 1 and December 8, 2019, saving up to 30,000 lives.

CAF AIRMSHL Mel Hupfeld said the Blood Challenge was another way Air Force contributed to the commu-nity.

“The wonderful thing about the Blood Challenge is that in our efforts to support our communities we end up

helping our own people and our fami-lies,” he said.

“It’s a really simple thing you can do for a big impact.”

Air Force personnel made 2329 donations, just short of Navy’s 2446, though Army – with a larger force to draw from – won the award for the highest number of donations, which totalled 3340.

Just 16.29 per cent of Air Force and 16.91 per cent of Navy personnel donated, meaning RAAF narrowly lost the award for donations per cap-ita which it had previously won seven years in a row.

Navy also won the remaining cate-gories with the highest number of new donors, highest year-on-year growth

and highest number of plasma dona-tions per capita – a new category for 2019.

Air Force Blood Challenge ambas-sador, SQNLDR Brad Horton said the real winners were the donation recipients.

“There are so many people who need blood products every day and they rely on the goodwill of people who take the time to donate,” he said.

“You can pour as much money at it as you want, but when someone needs blood donations to survive, it’s just comes down to people’s good-will.”

As the father of a Goodpasture Syndrome survivor – who relied on up to five donations a day, every day

for three months during her initial treatment – SQNLDR Horton said regular donations were key to making a difference.

“My hope is that the challenge has reinvigorated people’s drive to donate, and they will continue to donate regu-larly,” he said.

“There are people who rely on blood products to survive and it takes commitment from the rest of the com-munity for them to get the treatment they need.”

The Defence Blood Challenge started in 2009 and is the longest-running blood challenge in Australia.

For information on how to donate blood, plasma or platelets, visit www.lifeblood.com.au.

CAF AIRMSHL Mel Hupfeld and SQNLDR Brad Horton at the launch of the 2019 Defence Blood Challenge in Canberra. Photo: CPL Julia Whitwell

PERSONNEL are advised to be aware of the Coronavirus situation which has been identified out of China. Symptoms are similar to other respiratory viruses and can include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, and/or shortness of breath. If you have returned from China and become unwell with respiratory symptoms, seek medi-cal attention. Anyone planning travel to China should check the latest advice on Smartraveller.Joint Health Command advise further information can be found at https://www.health.gov.au/health-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov.

Health advice

IN BRIEF

New rates finalisedTHE 2020 annual review of ADF accommodation assistance and contributions has been finalised. The new rates took effect on February 6 (Defgram 2019/631) and will be reflected in members’ pay from February 20. Changes to Service residence and rent allow-ance contributions and charges have been adjusted in line with national changes in the broader rental market. Other accommo-dation related contributions and allowances have been adjusted using the Consumer Price Index and national average meal costs. Member contributions for living-in accommodation for 2020 have in-creased by 0.4 per cent across the five levels of accommodation and for all ranks. For casual meal con-tribution rates in 2020, breakfast will increase by 50 cents to $5.50 while the lunch and dinner rate will remain the same at $8 and $7 respectively. The discounted fortnightly meal charge, based on 10 days of casual meal charges over a fortnight, will increase by $5 from $200 to $205. If you have any questions about the annual review of accommodation assistance and contributions speak to your chain of command or visit the Pay and Conditions Manual (PACMAN) at https://www.defence.gov.au/PayAndConditions/

CHANGES have been made to the summary discipline system following complaints that it was too complex and difficult to use. The Summary Discipline Manual 2020 was released last year as a user’s draft and revised procedures will come into effect from March 9. This aims to modernise and simplify summary discipline proce-dures in a stand-alone document developed with the key users.

Discipline manual

MEDALS lost or damaged in the fires across Australia may be replaced under the Defence Honours and Awards Replace-ment Medal Policy. Current and former ADF personnel are entitled to one replacement set of med-als. Holders of a deceased family member’s medals are also entitled to receive one replacement set, provided replacements have not already been issued. Replace-ment medals cannot be issued if any compensation for their loss or damage has already been received via insurance. To apply for replacement medals, visit: www.defence.gov.au/medals and complete the Defence Medals Online Application Form, select-ing Replacement Medals as the application type.

Replacing medals Museum warbird roars back to lifeFLTLT Tracey Bowman

THE RAAF Museum Mustang has recommenced public display at RAAF Base Point Cook after it underwent extensive rebuild and maintenance work over the past eight years.

More than 1000 visitors cheered enthusiastically as the magnificent historic aircraft roared across the blue sky over the old-est RAAF base in the nation on Australia Day.

Museum Director David Gardner said many hours of labour was dedicated to get this 70-year-old warbird into airworthy condi-tion and he wanted to pass on his thanks to all the personnel involved for their professionalism and hard work.

“The Mustang aircraft played

an important part of RAAF history. For instance, 3SQN flew Royal Air Force Mustangs from Jesi, Fano and Cervia in Italy from November 1944 until the end of WWII in Europe,” Mr Gardner said.

“Nos 76, 77 and 82 Squadrons flew RAAF Mustangs with the British Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan from March 1946. After 76 and 82 SQNs withdrew to

Australia in October 1948, 77SQN continued to fly Mustangs in Japan until [they were] committed to oper-ations in the Korean War from June 1950 to April 1951. The Mustang was replaced by the British Gloster Meteor jet fighter in Korea.”

Mr Gardner said having this fantastic aircraft flying keeps our military heritage alive.

“The RAAF Museum Mustang,

designation CA-18 Mk 23, serial number A68-170 is painted as A68-750 to represent the personal aircraft of the Commanding Officer of 77 Squadron in Korea, WGCDR R. Susans,” Mr Gardner said.

“This aircraft is very special, as it is the only RAAF Mustang to have the shark mouth motif livery and it has been owned and oper-ated by the RAAF since being accepted into service in November 1949.”

FLTLT Peter Clements, the lucky pilot who took the Mustang airborne said it was a satisfying experience.

“I still think Mustang has one of the sweetest sounding engines ever manufactured and I was so honoured and excited to fly the air-craft,” FLTLT Clements said.

FLTLT Peter Clements

was thrilled to pilot

the RAAF Museum

Mustang on Australia Day.

17February 20, 2020RCEAIR F Flightline

Air Force’s fleet of KC-30A multi-role tanker transports will be easier to identify with a repaint program applying dark grey markings to the aircraft. On their entry to RAAF service, the KC-30A fleet initially carried a ‘low-visibility’ grey colour scheme. Difficulty with identifying individual KC-30As on the tarmac and in the air will see the existing blue-grey markings swapped with dark grey markings that have higher contrast with the light grey applied to the rest of the aircraft. The first KC-30A to receive these new markings was A39-004 which returned to Australia from its repaint on January 15, with the dark grey markings to be applied on each KC-30A as it comes due for scheduled repainting. Photo: CPL Colin Dadd

Members of RAAF Base Edinburgh stand on parade for the opening of the second session of the 54th Parliament of South Australia. Photo: LACW Jacqueline Forrester

Officer Commanding No. 84 Wing,

GPCAPT Nicholas

Hogan, presents COL Ota Masashi, of the Koku-

Jieitai (Japan Air Self-Defense

Force), with a gift at a

RAAF Base Richmond

farewell during Operation

Bushfire Assist. Photo:

CPL Casey Forster

No. 13 Squadron Commanding Officer WGCDR Andrew Anthony with his wife, Petra, and two sons, Christopher, left, and Everett at the DCO Welcome to the Top End Expo, held in Darwin, NT. Photo: PO Peter Thompson

SQNLDR Ben Cowan after receiving his NATO medal for service to NATO Mission Iraq.

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Talent pool deepensCPL Veronica O’Hara

NOW the home of ADF Water Polo (ADFWP), Randwick Barracks in Sydney hosted new and returning players from the three services from December 1 to 7.

Mixed-service teams were formed from the 48 personnel and split into two tiers of skill level.

ADFWP Vice-President, player and development coach, CAPT Jemma Osmand said it’s the first time the car-nival was structured this way.

“It’s the most players I have seen in at least a decade,” CAPT Osmand said.

“We knew we were getting a lot of new or developing players so we grouped them into mixed teams of sen-iors and juniors, and it was good inter-action for the men and women.”

CAPT Osmand has played the sport for 17 years and 11 of those with Defence.

“We hosted the inter-service in dif-ferent locations around the country in the past, but we decided it was fitting to hold it at home and we’ll continue this tradition,” she said.

“The ADFWP committee and Randwick Barracks staff did an amaz-ing job to improve the facilities and bring it up to Olympic standards.

“The Australian Water Polo team use it for training sometimes and it’s an ideal location – close to a major airport, which is convenient for our players and when our international counterparts attend.”

Even though it was her first experi-ence with the sport, CPL Zoe Giles would be back for more.

“I’ve never played a Defence sport or water polo before. It was extremely challenging and full-on,” CPL Giles said.

She was a competitive swimmer 12 years ago but after knee issues, CPL Giles thought she’d never play sport again.

“I saw water polo on the ADF Sports site and thought, ‘you know, if there was something that would cater for my knee and current fitness, I reck-on I’d be able to do this’,” CPL Giles said. “Turned out to be brilliant and I’m encouraging everyone to try it.”

CPL Giles couldn’t believe how much she understood by the last day because of the intensity.

“At the start of the week when I jumped in the pool it felt like ‘what have I done?’,” she said.

“The training had us in the pool for a very long time which really tested my fitness, but because I’m confident in water, I embraced it and focused on

absorbing the rules, techniques and plays.

“It’s complex, but was quite rewarding when I started to get the dif-ferent components and apply correct techniques in the water.”

Despite her team not making the playoff in the developmental round, CPL Giles said everyone improved.

“My team, nicknamed the ‘Whitings’ because of our white caps, lost the rookie final, but it was amaz-ing to see how much everyone grew since starting,” she said.

CPL Giles looked forward to attending the next triservice carnival. “One of the other girls is taking swim-ming lessons at the base pool, so we’re going to incorporate water polo drills to improve our fitness and skills for the next one,” she said.

Net gains achieved in Wagga CPL Julia Whitwell

BATTLING it out on the court, the RAAF women’s team came second at the ADF Netball Association’s (ADFNA) 2019 Interservice tournament, in Wagga Wagga, from December 7-4.

The interservice competition followed four days of combined service rivalry between states, which resulted in wins for the SA women’s, Victorian mixed and NSW men’s sides.

The SA women’s team beat south-east Queensland, Victoria’s mixed team beat NSW and the NSW men’s team beat SA.

After four days of state rival-ry, the interservice competition began, with the RAAF women beating Navy but coming second to Army.

CPL Kirsty Williams said the team gelled well for how little time they had together.

“None of us were in the same team in the interstate competi-tion, so we had to learn everyone’s strengths and weaknesses really quickly,” CPL Williams said.

“Our team listened to each other well and our communica-tion was good. Often from the goal circle you can see things happen-ing midcourt that the other play-ers can’t see up close. We played really well, but sometimes the other person’s a little bit stronger or faster and you can’t help that.”

T h e A D F NA C o m b i n e d Services Tournament involved almost 300 personnel from across the ADF. From that talent pool, a men’s and a mixed ADF represent-ative squad were selected to play at the Australian Men’s and Mixed Netball Association (AMMNA) tournament in Adelaide in April, and a women’s squad was select-ed for a representative tour to be announced later in 2020.

CPL Zoe Giles takes a shot at goal as LCPL Tayla Carmichael defends. Below, from left, LAC Samien Payda winds up and FLTLT Peter Spearman defends at Randwick Barracks in Sydney. Photos: ABIS Thomas Sawtell

LACW Emily Stark at the Wagga tournament. Photo: CPL Oliver Carter

Results and awards

Seniors Squad: ADF Blues 8-7 ADF WhiteDevelopment Squad: ADF Green 9-1 ADF White

Seniors Squad:Most Valuable Player (MVP) – SMN James SmithHighest Goal Scorer – AB Samuel PerkinsMost Improved – ACW Amelia TicehurstDevelopment Squad:MVP – SMN Rebecca PayneHighest Goal Scorer – SPR Elizabeth MeliMost Improved – CPL Scott Buskell (Army)

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19February 20, 2020RCEAIR F Sp rt

An Air Force crew, in an Elliot 7 keelboat, masters the conditions on Sydney Harbour during the ADF sailing carnival. Photo: AB Jarrod Mulvihill

Harbour victoryCPL Julia Whitwell

LIKE ducks to water, RAAF mem-bers took to competitive sailing at the 2019 ADF Sailing Association (ADFSA) Carnival on December 9-15, winning the two main events.

Twenty-five RAAF personnel were among the 110 participants negotiating the wind and waves of Sydney Harbour, which encour-aged members with a range of sailing abilities to challenge them-selves on the water.

RAAF teams won the interser-vice Keelboat Championship and Interservice Yacht Regatta, with combined service teams also com-peting in a dinghy regatta.

Aside from winning in the keel-boats, CPL Hayley Sanders, of No. 33 Squadron, enjoyed getting to work with the other sailors.

“I have sailed a little in the past but it was so nice to get back into a great sport,” CPL Sanders said.

“The difference between out-side and in the ADF is the people. You could sail with a different crew every day and it’s an entirely new experience with more to learn.

ADF sailors have a diverse range of experience levels and personali-ties, but everyone has the same keenness to learn and have fun.”

As old hands raced around the harbour, 10 new members com-pleted a two-day Australian Sailing Crew and Helm Training Course – a civilian-recognised accreditation.

ADFSA President and carnival organiser WGCDR Sean Ahern said the course prepared new members for future events.

“To compete in the races, you need some level of prior experi-ence on the water, so this course was a way to include novice sail-ors who weren’t yet at that level,” WGCDR Ahern said.

Australian Olympic silver medallist Will Ryan also made an appearance, speaking to the par-ticipants about his experience of competitive sailing.

A list of upcoming ADFSA events, including for new joiners, is available on the DRN at http://collab/vcdf/org/ADC/ADFSC/ADF_Sailing/SitePages/upcomin-gEvents_activities.aspx.

SP RTFebruary 20, 2020

GOINGFOR

GOALS

FLTLT Peter Spearman prepares to shoot a goal at

Randwick Barracks during a triservice carnival.

Photo: ABIS Thomas Sawtell

Players rush to home of water polo