photo by wo benn barr photo by cpl guy young saber duel · saber 2009, the “saturday arvo...

Edition 1217 July 23, 2009

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SABER DUEL Australian and US

joint battle test

NATION FAREWELLS TED KENNA VC P4 SGT LYDDIARD REWARDED FOR COURAGE P5

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Game on: Pte Grant Meleisea (foreground),1RAR, conducts an extraction drill with his squad during TS09. Photo by WO Benn Barr

Overload: A US Marine truck (inset) drives off the ramp of HMAS Brunei onto the beach of Townshend Island in support of a live-fire exercise.Photo by Cpl Guy Young

NEWS 2Army July 23, 2009

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Face of Army

All smiles: International Stabilisation Force admin clerk Pte Charmaine Elliott, 3CSSB, in Dili. Photo by LAC Christopher Dickson

By WO2 Graham McBean

A MEDICAL team on its way to Exercise Talisman Saber delivered life-saving emergency treatment to a Rockhampton woman on the Bruce Highway.

Members of the 1HSB team were en route to Shoalwater Bay for duty as a sur-gical resuscitation team when they came across soldiers diverting traffic from a road accident.

Anaesthetist Lt-Col Fran Smith, emer-gency physician Capt Steve Markowskei and nursing officer Maj Linda Rae then administered life-saving treatment to a local woman, Doris Grose, who was still in her car.

Mrs Grose had critical chest injuries and fractures to limbs and needed imme-diate first-aid. Lt-Col Smith and Capt Markowskei stabilised Mrs Grose and inserted a tube into her lungs.

“When we removed her from the vehi-cle, we realised the pressure on her lungs needed to be relieved or she may not make it,” Lt-Col Smith said.

In another stroke of good fortune, a civilian paramedic arrived with the equip-ment necessary for the procedure, known as an entubation.

Lt-Col Smith said the paramedic was very professional and showed a “great trust in two unknown doctors”, but added that good luck and the right equipment had most likely saved Mrs Grose’s life.

The medical team travelled with Mrs Grose to Rockhampton hospital, where she was admitted to intensive care but was stable.

Lt-Col Smith, a former CareFlight doctor, played down suggestions from a Rockhampton councillor, Glenda Mather, that the ADF medical staff were heroes.

“I think it’s a little over the top. That’s our job,” she said. “It is the sort of thing I have been trained to do.”

Cr Mather, however, is adamant that the ADF team should be recognised for their assistance.

“I’m a nurse by trade and I know how difficult it is to treat a patient at the road-side at the best of times. This is nothing short of a miracle,” she said.

“To entubate a patient can be diffi-cult if you have a difficult patient, and to do it at the roadside knowing the patient could have neck or spinal injuries is actu-ally that much more difficult, having the unknown to deal with.

“I think, to be able to entubate at the site, they have to be commended.”

By Lt Kris Gardiner

ASK any central Queenslander what football is and the answer is likely to be rugby league.

But for diggers at Rockhampton’s Western Street depot for Talisman Saber 2009, the “Saturday arvo footy” had a decidedly American flavour.

Austral ian soldiers helped their US mates celebrate July 4 by indulging in one of the US’s favour-ite pastimes – gridiron (American Football). And it turns out we’re not too slow on the uptake when it comes to learning the game.

US Marine LCpl Nickolas Reeser, who played with the Australians, was impressed by how quickly the dig-gers were able to put together plays on the field.

“We only gave them a few point-ers, but they picked it up really fast,” he said.

The game, which seemed to offer the Aussies tactical plays mixed with a bit of rugby league brute force and a sprinkling of Australian Football aerobatics, attracted many eager participants.

Pte Leon Russell, 10FSB, was playing the game for the first time and saw it as an opportunity to try

something different to the touch foot-ball usually played at his own unit. “It’s an interesting game. It feels like you’re playing backwards,” he said.

The action, which exercised both the brains and the bodies of the play-ers, was frenetic as both sides tried all manner of moves in the quest to score touchdowns.

Pte Russell said the game was played in a friendly spirit and no one kept score.

You would not call him a convert to the American code, however.

“It’s good fun, but I think I’ll stick to touch,” he said.

THE family of an Australian soldier wounded in Afghanistan on July 7 has praised the standard of care he has received since the incident.

LCpl Tim Loch was one of two sol-diers from 3 Bde wounded in an IED explosion.

The soldiers, deployed with MRTF 2, were t ravel l ing in a Bushmaster when it was struck by a roadside bomb.

Chief of Joint Operations Lt-Gen Mark Evans said the soldiers were evacuated to the Dutch military hospi-tal at Tarin Kowt.

“The helicopter aeromedical evacu-ation was completed in under one hour and the soldiers received excellent medical care in coalition facilities in Tarin Kowt and Kandahar.”

He said neither soldiers’ wounds were life-threatening, although they

were still receiving medical treatment.LCpl Loch’s mother, Mrs Jacquelyn

Loch, has thanked his unit for the assistance he received after he was wounded.

“Just a very brief and a very under-stated thank you to the many people who have helped Tim and our fam-ily at this difficult time,” she said. “To Tim’s unit: thank you for your prompt response to his injuries in the field.”

She said her gratitude extended to the ADF and the coalition forces, who gave and maintained the highest standard of care and attention to LCpl Loch and his family.

She said LCpl Loch would be requiring ongoing medical care in Australia.

Lt-Gen Evans said it was the first incident of this type for the recently deployed battle group.

“We have to acknowledge that the Taliban continue with their campaign to use indiscriminate attacks on coali-tion troops and civilians in an ongoing effort to destabilise the security situa-tion in the region.”

He said that while the Bushmaster was badly damaged in the explosion, the protection provided for Australian and Afghan troops was not to be under-stated.

Heroics by a highway

Wounded soldier’s mother says thank you

Saturday arvo at the ... er, footy?Go long, soldier: US troops attempt to convert their Australian counterparts to their brand of football while in Rockhampton for TS09. Photo by Sgt Neil Ruskin

Gunners from 105 Mdm Bty (right) blaze during a live fire exercise on the eve of TS09. The battery, located on an area of the Shoalwater Bay Training Area, set aside the area as a bombing range, firing the L119 Hamel gun. 1 Fd Regt used the live fire exercise to give their forward observers a unique opportunity to call in live fire support onto designated targets.

Gunners on a fire mission

Photo by Cpl Guy Young


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WHITE CHRISTMAS?

AUSTRALIA’S largest biennial train-ing exercise began in spectacular fash-ion with Australian and US personnel sweeping ashore in a joint amphibious assault at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in central Queensland.

Exercise Talisman Saber 09 (TS09), which has been building since late last month, gathered momentum with the USS Essex’s amphibious ready group launch-ing its steel tide to Freshwater Beach early on July 15.

A TS09 spokesman, Brig Bob Brown, said the exercise was important for both nations.

“We rarely have an opportunity to train with the US at this level and the US enjoys coming to our world-class training areas,” he said.

“The US will generally be operat-ing within coalitions and there are many examples of where we are a coalition partner of theirs – they benefit from this experience in the planning and conduct of activities with partners.”

Brig Brown said there was nothing theoretical about the capabilities being tested. “We are working with the US in

many theatres at the headquarters and planning level.

“Today our troops are calling in fire from US and ISAF assets on current oper-ations, and we can practise calling in air support and direct fire support and other activities here and understand each oth-er’s procedures.”

The exercise, bringing together more than 8000 Australian and 16,500 US mil-itary personnel, has been played out in concurrent training activities across cen-tral Queensland, the Northern Territory and in the Coral and Arafura seas.

Testing the full spectrum of high-end conventional war-fighting skills, the exer-cise is not limited to amphibious assaults and land warfare.

Air assets from both nations are involved in sorties across the northern-most areas of Australia and have fea-tured live-fire air-to-ground serials at Townshend Island in the training area.

Significant maritime activities have also been taking place, with a US carrier task group supporting the exercise in the Arafura Sea.

TS09 winds up on July 25.

Exercise opens with a splash

JUST before dawn, US Amtracs and hovercraft offloaded personnel and equipment to join other men and materi-al waiting on the shore of a make-believe nation to fight a fictitious enemy.

Thus began the invasion that kick-started Exercise Talisman Saber 09.

The US fo rces f rom Mar ine Expeditionary Unit 31, attached to USS Essex, USS Tortuga and USS Denver, had, in reality, landed at Freshwater Beach in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.

The first convoy of amphibious armoured vehicles rolled out of the water under the cover of darkness.

“It’s a spectacular sight to see all these craft landing, it’s like a World War II movie – a lot of craft coming in, a lot of

moving parts,” said BMC (SW) Joseph Romero, from the US Beach Master Unit Det Westpac.

Landing Craft Air Cushioned made the long journey to the beach hovering on top of the waves.

The landings went on through the day, marking the start of the 10-day exercise.

Like a WWII movie

No looking back: Australian soldiers disembark from a US Navy landing craft as part of a series of amphibious assaults that kicked off TS09. Photo courtesy of US Navy

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Valiant digger farewelled By Peter Johnson

THE nation’s leaders, family, friends, military colleagues and senior ADF officers united in Melbourne on July 16 to farewell Edward (Ted) Kenna, VC.

Mr Kenna, who died in Geelong on July 8 at the age of 90, was honoured at a State Funeral at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

The last of Australia’s 20 World War II Victoria Cross holders, he was praised for his gallantry, humility, and described as the quin-tessential Australian.

Mr Kenna’s wife Marjorie, who he met while she was nursing him during his recovery from being shot in the mouth three weeks after the VC action in 1945, was at the service.

So were his sons Robert and Allan, and daughter Marlene. Eleven grandchildren shared their memories of “Pop” with the congregation. Mr Kenna was also a great grandfather of 15.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull and Victorian Premier John Brumby attended the funeral.

ADF representatives included VCDF Lt-Gen David Hurley, CA Lt-Gen Ken Gillespie, CN VAdm Russ Crane, and AVM John Harvey, rep-resenting CAF.

Director General Land Manoeuvre Systems Brig Mike Phelps represented the Governor General while Lt-Col John Raike represented the Governor of Victoria.

Lt-Gen Hurley endorsed the words of remembrance from Maj-Gen Gordon Maitland (retd) and Mr Kenna’s son, Robert. These were that Mr Kenna was the quintessential Australian, simple, down to earth, lived his life in black and white terms, and understood his responsibilities.

Lt-Gen Gillespie commended Mr Kenna for his extraordinary valour and humility.

“He led his life as all Australians try to achieve, but not too many are as successful as he was. Ted leaves a great example for myself and his Army family to follow,” he said.

As Mr Kenna’s coffin was carried from the cathedral and placed on a gun carriage, the band played the old wartime Vera Lynn tune We’ll meet again.

Among the mourners were fellow Australian VC holder Keith Payne and Nepalese Gurkha VC recipient Rimbahadur Limbu.

Australia’s Federation Guard provided cer-emonial support, while the Australian Army Band Melbourne provided musical support. Cpl Lucas Zwikielberg, a member of the AFG bear-er party, said it was a great honour to participate in the moving service.

Maj-Gen Maitland recalled during the serv-ice how Ted and Marjorie realised the respon-sibility that went with the award, and gave themselves freely. “They attended Army units, schools and public functions, and sought no glamour, no reward,” he said.

Speaking about the action in which Mr Kenna was awarded the VC, Maj-Gen Maitland said that then Pte Kenna’s view of the enemy had been obstructed by kunai grass.

“The battalion had become his family, and the simple answer was to stand up,” Maj-Gen Maitland said. “There was no way Ted was going to let the side down.”

Robert Kenna said “You don’t win a VC by being a shrinking violet and Dad was no shrink-ing violet.”

Mr Kenna was his own man, fiercely competitive and determined. After the war he returned to his home town of Hamilton in Victoria, worked for the council and played football for the local team. He was buried at a service in Hamilton on July 17.

IN THE South West Pacific at Wewak on May 15, 1945, during the attack on the Wirui Mission features, Pte Kenna’s company had the task of capturing certain enemy positions.

The only position from observa-tion for supporting fire could be obtained was continuously swept by enemy machine-gun fire and it was not possible to bring artillery or mor-tars into action.

Pte Kenna’s platoon was ordered forward to deal with the enemy machine-gun post, so the company operation could proceed.

His section moved as close as possible to the bunker in order to harass any enemy seen, so that the remainder of the platoon could attack from the flank.

When the attacking sections came into view of the enemy, they were immediately engaged at close range by heavy automatic fire from a position not previously disclosed.

Casualties were suffered and the attackers could not move further forward. Pte Kenna endeavoured to put his Bren gun into a position

PTE EDWARD (TED) KENNA’S VC CITATION

Last parade: Ted Kenna’s coffin is carried from St Patrick’s Cathedral after his State Funeral. Photo by Cpl Hamish Paterson

Hero: Edward (Ted) Kenna, VC.

where he could engage the bunker, but was unable to do so because of the nature of the ground.

On his own initiative and without orders Pte Kenna stood up in full view of the enemy less than 45m away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from his hip.

The enemy machine gun imme-diately returned Pte Kenna’s fire with such accuracy that bullets actually passed between his arms and body.

Undeterred, he remained com-

pletely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted. Still making a target of himself, Pte Kenna discarded his Bren gun and called for a rifle. Despite the intense machine-gun fire, he seized the rifle and, with amazing coolness, killed the gunner with his first round.

A second automatic opened fire on Pte Kenna from a different position and another of the enemy immediately tried to move into posi-tion behind the first machine gun, but Pte Kenna remained standing and killed him with his next round.

The result of Pte Kenna’s bravery in the face of fire was the bunker was captured without further loss and the company attack proceeded to a successful conclusion.

There is no doubt the success of the company attack would have been seriously endangered and many casualties sustained, but for Pte Kenna’s magnificent courage and complete disregard for his own safety.

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HQ 1 DIV has embraced the modern era of staying in touch by setting up its own Facebook page.

Col Mark Brewer, 1 Div COFS, said the page was “a great way to informally pass news around the division”.

“Our online audience includes cur-rent and former serving soldiers, veter-ans, Defence families, their friends and Defence enthusiasts.”

The material posted on the page is a mixture of photographs and video gath-ered from Australia and around the world by military camera teams and public affairs officers.

“We are also posting video news stories from around the division,” Col Brewer said.

Facebook members can find 1 Div’s page by searching for The 1st Division Australia.


SGT Michael Lyddiard’s courage in overcoming adversity after being critically injured in Afghanistan in 2007 has been recognised in this year’s Queensland Pride of Australia medals.

The Townsvil le-based sol-dier received the inaugural Serving Australia medal, given to an ADF member who has shown extraordi-nary courage and devotion to duty under extreme circumstances either on or off the frontline.

Sgt Lyddiard lost his right eye, right forearm and two fingers from his other hand when an IED he was attempting to render safe detonated in November 2007.

But his courage and optimism in returning to work at 3CER with-in weeks of his accident, and his determination to stay on as a combat engineer, have earned the praise of the Queensland community.

Sgt Lyddiard said he was over-whelmed by the award but was a bit perplexed by the fuss, believing all members of the ADF deserved to be nominated.

He thanked his wife, Katri, and friends who had supported him in

his recovery and encouraged him to continue with his career.

“I’m just trying to do my job – I’ve always had a passion to be in Defence and to be a combat engi-neer,” Sgt Lyddiard said.

Since returning to 3CER, he has been posted to CTC and is presently on a search adviser’s course at SME.

After the course, he hopes to tackle his subjects for promotion to warrant officer.

M e a n w h i l e , h e h a s b e e n s u p p l i e d w i t h t w o t y p e s o f m e c h a n i c a l h a n d s t h a t perform different roles for his miss-

ing limb. He has been putting them to the test by riding to work and kay-aking – and even broke one while skiing in New Zealand.

Katri attended the award presen-tation at Customs House in Brisbane and was proud to see his courage recognised.

“He is a strong character. He still has his sense of humour and he is still the same person he was before this,” she said.

“When I saw him in Germany and he woke up and he made a joke, I thought, ‘OK, he is still himself’.”

Other Defence finalists for the Serving Australia medal were Capt Lynn Harding and Dr Ken Wishaw.

Capt Harding helped to set up the Lavarack Barracks Family Centre and has worked on developing policies and procedures to support Defence families.

Dr Wishaw, a former Air Force officer, returned to military serv-ice for eight weeks to head up the intensive-care unit of a combined Dutch-Australian hospital last year in Afghanistan.

The Serving Australia medal is one of 10 categories of the Queensland Newspapers initiative to recognise the state’s unsung heroes.

Battered but never beaten

Family focus: Serving Australia medal finalist Capt Lynn Harding.

Still himself: Sgt Michael Lyddiard has not allowed the injuries he received in Afghanistan to interfere with his career. Photos courtesy of Qld Newspapers

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IN BRIEF

Liability paymentsA NEW scheme to provide no-liability payments to people adversely affect-ed by ADF activities overseas has been approved. Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Minister Greg Combet welcomed the royal assent of the Defence Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2009, which introduced the scheme. “The ability to make timely and responsive pay-ments to persons adversely affected by ADF activities is critical for main-taining local community support and thereby ensuring the safety of our troops overseas,” Mr Combet said. “The Tactical Payment Scheme will operate independently from the Act of Grace provisions and be managed by Defence. Like the Act of Grace provision, the Tactical Payment Scheme will be bound by strict trans-parency, accountability and reporting procedures.”

MAGIC robotsA $2.03 million international competi-tion to create intelligent and autono-mous robots to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions was launched on July 13. Known as the Multi-Autonomous Ground-Robotic International Challenge (MAGIC), the DSTO competition is being conducted in partnership with the US Department of Defense. Competition details are at www.dsto.defence.gov.au/MAGIC2010/

Peak oil groupA NUMBER of ADF officers, scien-tists and academics are establishing a Defence peak-oil study group. The group aims to foster study of the peak oil phenomenon and its implica-tions for Defence, across a variety of fields including international relations, national security, ADF force structure,

science and technology, logistics and personnel. No qualifications are required other than a genuine interest in the subject, although one objective will be to encourage and facilitate formal academic research. Contact Maj Stuart McCarthy at [email protected], Maj Cameron Leckie at [email protected] or Ken Skinner at [email protected].

ClarificationAN ERROR appeared on page 7 of the June 25 edition of ARMY in the story “Farewell to the King Air”. The replacement for the Caribou should have been identified as a 21st cen-tury (battlefield) airlifter, not a 21st century airliner. Under Project Air 8000 Phase 2, the ADF will acquire a modern light tactical fixed-wing capa-bility suited to the needs of land and special forces.

By Barry Rollings

A LUCKY bidder at the 12/16 Hunter River Lancers’ charity auction in Tamworth on August 8 will acquire a unique memento of the Battle of Beersheba.

The memorabilia up for bids at the Defence and Emergency Services Charity Ball takes the form of imag-es filmed as part of entertainer James Blundell’s music video shoot of Riding Into Town, commemorating the historic 1917 battle that broke the spirit of the Turks during World War I.

How the music video came about is a story in itself and involves some direct links with Tamworth’s staging of the Country Music Awards of Australia each January and the regiment’s involvement in the historic charge.

While the northern NSW city is well-known for its country music festival, it is perhaps a lesser-known fact it is also home to the Australian Light Horse/Waler Memorial, which honours the hardy waler horses that served Australian troops so well in WWI.

Capt Shane Green, 12/16HRL – the operations manager for the Defence Reserves Employment Program in Tamworth – was instrumental in get-ting Blundell, winner of an ARIA Award as well as nine Golden Guitars at Tamworth, to pen a musical tribute to the Light Horse.

The 12th New England Light Horse – which later became 12/16HRL – com-bined with Victoria’s 4th Corangamite Light Horse for the historic battle.

“At the country music festival in

On the back of Beersheba

Charge: ABC radio host David Evans rides his horse Sarah during filming of James Blundell’s film clip for the song Riding into town.

Photos by Capt Shane Green

2007, I asked James Blundell if he would write a song about 12/16HRL’s part in the famous charge of the 12th and 4th Light Horse Regiments at Beersheba on October 31, 1917, as it was the 90th anniversary of the action later that year.” Capt Green said.

“James agreed to this and travelled to the 90th anniversary ball in Armidale later that year to perform Riding Into Town in public, to the regiment for the first time.

“The song is on his current album, which was released in January. The offi-cial national launch of the video clip and the song for the heritage category and

best video for the January 2010 Golden Guitar awards will be at our ball on August 8 in Tamworth.”

He said it was filmed in and around Tamworth, involving himself and a cou-ple of members from the regiment.

“ABC Saturday Breakfast Show pre-senter David Evans also became involved as a Light Horseman on his mare Sarah, and a Bushmaster features in an impor-tant scene at the end of the clip, which took 48 hours to film,” Capt Green said.

“The clip was directed by a former lance corporal of the regiment, Luke Oldknow.

“The highlight of filming was the way so many people worked together from all over NSW to create a product that will help the song pay tribute to the memory of the 800 Light Horsemen, who rode into history at Beersheba in 1917.”

Capt Green said the Black Dog Institute, which specialises in reserch into mood disorders, would be the ben-eficiary of all profits raised.

“We hope to earn up to $30,000 for the charity, but of course this is heavily dependent on the support of the commu-nity, emergency services and the ADF,” he said.

Of James Blundell’s involvement, Capt Green said: “James has a strong interest in Australia’s military history and, as a horseman himself, when he was told the story he was fascinated and wanted to know more. He understood the historical significance of the charge and the importance of it to the ADF and the regiments involved, such as Tamworth’s own.”

Country songster: James Blundell during the filming of his clip.

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By Steve Ridgway

ARES and ARA members, fami-lies and friends have come togeth-er across the nation in a series of marches and events to celebrate Reserve Forces Day.

At Sydney’s parade, Dr Mike Kelly, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support, said the day was an opportunity to honour the work of Australia’s reservists, past and present, and to thank employers and families for their support.

Parades and celebrations – 20 in all – were held in all capitals, and in centres ranging from Launceston in Tasmania to Wondai in Queensland.

There has been reserve or mili-tia involvement in all significant Australian military activities since the Sudan expedition in 1895.

All ADF operations around the world include reservists, and the majority of reserve or part-time per-sonnel can now expect at least one operational deployment during their career.

Reservists are key contributors to operations in the Middle East and East Timor, and they make up the bulk of the Operation Anode contin-gent in the Solomon Islands.

As well as their military training, Australia’s 45,000 reserves bring their wider life experience to the job.

Among past Army reservists are Lt-Gen John Monash, the architect of final victory on the Western Front in 1918, and the small group who stopped the Japanese advance down the Kokoda Track in 1942.

By Steve Ridgway

RESULTS are expected this month on DNA extracted from a sample of the remains of World War I soldiers buried in a mass grave at Fromelles, France.

In a pilot study, British company LGC Forensics is extracting DNA from teeth, knuckles and thigh bones to find the most viable for comparison with living relatives.

About 300 Australian and British sol-diers were buried at the Pheasant Wood site in July 1916 after the Battle of Fromelles.

The Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, said all care was being taken to “ensure that the maximum number of individual remains is able to return a positive DNA reading and allow matching with living relatives”.

The excavation manager, Oxford Archaeology, has recovered more than 100 remains, which are being kept in a temporary on-site mortuary.

Artefacts found at the burial site indi-

cate that most of the remains recovered so far are of Australian soldiers.

The excavation of the site is on target for completion in September. Four of the eight burial pits have been excavated and work has begun on two more.

Mr Combet said Oxford Archaeology was “very experienced with postwar and postwar-like archaeology, having conduct-ed recovery operations from a WWII site in France, as well as from other sites in Iraq, Kosovo, Bosnia and Guatemala”.

As one of the largest independent archaeology and heritage practices in Europe, Oxford Archaeology has nearly 400 specialist staff. It also has up to 30 specialists on site at all times, including anthropologists and archaeologists.

Construction of a new cemetery for the soldiers on the site is on schedule, and will be dedicated at a commemorative event on the 94th anniversary of the battle next July.

Check the Fromelles Project website at www.army.gov.au/fromelles for regular updates.

A chance to say thanks

Fromellesfinds due

Part and parcel: Reservists from RNSWR strut their stuff at Sydney’s celebrations. Photo by Bill Cunneen

DEVELOPMENT of the next work-place remuneration arrangement (WRA) has started and all personnel have been urged to participate.

CDF ACM Angus Houston said the process required full consultation and all unit COs should encourage

ADF members to provide feedback on the arrangement. “The Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal will approve a pay deal if it is satisfied the majority of ADF members support the offer.”

More information is at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pac/ (follow the WRA links).

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By Steve Ridgway

TWO female soldiers dominated the awards in the latest graduating class at Kapooka.

Eleven females were part of the 40 new soldiers welcomed to their new careers at Kapooka on June 19.

Pte Alexis Pullen, RACT, won the platoon awards for best all-round soldier and for skill at arms, and Pte Lauren Tucker, RAAOC, won the award for best physical training.

“I was pretty stoked,” Pte Pullen said. “Now I’m just relieved to be moving on to the next stage.”

PT winner Pte Tucker said she was surprised at her win.

“When I went to Kapooka I didn’t think I’d get into PT that much, but it turned out I could run the fastest and also do the highest number of sit-ups. It was a lucky combination.”

As usual, the march-out was very much a family occasion even for review-ing officer Brig Lynette McDade, Director of Military Prosecutions.

She was able to congratulate son Lachlan, now heading for training as an ASLAV driver. Lachlan’s dad, WO2 Neil McDade, 2 Cav Regt, and brother, Pte Connor McDade, 7RAR, were also there to cheer him on.

Commandant Col Graham Finney said the instructors had done another great job, and he hoped that some of those young soldiers on parade would return to ARTC as instructors in their turn.

“We are about to go on a recruiting drive around the country for next year’s instructors,” Col Finney said.

“A lot of corporals remember their days at Kapooka and shy away from an instructor’s job. They remember their instructors well and keep them in high regard, but hesitate about filling their shoes.

“But that kind of hesitation will make them better instructors. They will be able to sympathise with the young recruits, and manage their development better.

“And that applies equally to male and female instructors.”

Girls take honours

Proud day: Graduating soldiers march out at Kapooka (above).

Family affair: Lachlan McDade, centre, is congratulated on his graduation by mum Brig Lynette McDade, dad WO2 Neil McDade and brother Connor (left). Photos by Steve Ridgway

By LCpl Daniel Hodgson

THE popular Perth-based Army Art Show is on again this year after a two-year break.

The event, which will be held from August 28-30, has been relocated from the SASR Auxilliary at Campbell Barracks to Leeuwin Barracks, but organisers are confident of continuing its 2006 success where more than 1000 people attended.

Donations and a percentage of sales will go to the GROW organisation, a community-based mental-health movement organised and led by peo-ple recovering or recovered from men-tal illness.

Spokeswoman Olwen Parry said it was important to continue the event as it had supported many charities and many local artists over the years.

“The show gives the Army an inter-

face with the public and supports local charities,” Mrs Parry said.

The first Army Art Show raised $3000 in 1974 and the 2006 show donated $20,000 to the Cerebral Palsy Association.

Mrs Parry said the event had become so well-known that “some patrons book a year in advance to secure their tickets”.

One particular sculpture was pur-chased by the City of Perth at the 2006 show and presented to the London Lord Mayor during a visit that year.

Organisers expect 300 paintings from 85 invited artists to be exhibited this year and will also exhibit sculp-tures and WA’s largest exhibition of glass work.

Sponsors for banners and other incidental costs are still being sourced.

Further information is available from Mrs Parry on 0412 081 182.

Return of the art show

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WORLD NEWS 9Army July 23, 2009

FRIENDS and colleagues of Sgt Brett Till have paid tribute to the respected Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician at the unveiling of a memo-rial in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Sgt Till’s name has been included on the memorial, opened on June 25 by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to honour fallen Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) and EOD soldiers.

Sgt Till, a member of the Incident Response Regiment and deployed with the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG), died on March 19 during a route-clearance operation in southern Afghanistan.

The Australian CIED and EOD fra-ternity is a small brotherhood of special-ists whose dangerous work centres on defusing devices that are responsible for about 70 per cent of the casualties in Afghanistan.

“We work in tight-knit teams, but at the end of the day it’s the EOD tech that walks down the road towards the unsta-ble device that’s been specifically put

there to kill and maim,” said one of Sgt Till’s mates after the ceremony. “And it can be the loneliest walk in the world.”

The commander of the Australian Joint Task Force 633, Maj-Gen Mark Kelly, escorted two SOTG members as they placed Sgt Till’s plaque on the memorial.

“We owe Brett Till a significant debt of gratitude for his selflessness that can never be fully repaid,” he said.

End of a lonely walk

Brotherhood: The memorial to fallen EOD and CIED soldiers in Kabul.

By Leut Lauren Rago

WITH the Pacific Ocean roar-ing outside, an eclectic mix of Australian, American and New Zealand engineers sat inside the 23,852-tonne US Merchant Navy vessel USNS Richard E. Byrd, reflecting on two successful weeks of construction work in Samoa.

The engineers, 12 of them from the Australian Army, are part of Pacific Partnership 2009, a US-sponsored humanitarian civic assis-tance mission.

The Australian engineering con-tingent had been working alongside the Americans and New Zealanders, refurbishing a primary school on the Samoan island of Savaii and renovating the National Hospital in Samoa’s capital, Apia.

The National Hospital project

included the renovation of a com-munity building, and the installation of solar water panels, hundreds of metres of non-slip flooring, large security doors and fencing.

The majority of ADF personnel joined the mission on July 3 and have slotted into the US-led team both professionally and personally.

They formed an immediate con-nection with the New Zealanders, in particular.

Spr David Moore, 3CER, put this affinity down to the “Anzac bonds”. “From day one we gelled into a great team.”

Spr Ross Paine, 3CER, joked that working with the Kiwis was “not really as bad as I thought it would be”.

“There are a lot of similarities in how we operate on a job site,” he added

Lt Mick Collaros, 3CER, who led the team working at Savaii, said they were working closely with their Samoan counterparts. “The Samoan people are excellent, especially on Savaii, which is a very communal type of town.

“The local guys were keen to take part in the construction pro-gram and worked hard 12-hour days by our sides.”

The mission’s commander, Commodore Andrew Culley, US Navy, praised the achievements of the ADF. “The Australians are an integral part of the entire mission.”

Travel l ing onboard USNS Richard E. Byrd to Tonga, the engi-neers were keen to see the interior of the brand new ship. “It’s been challenging moving from the land to sea,” Spr Paine said. “But I’m having a good time exploring it.”

All plain sailing Building bonds: Australian Army Engineers take a break from renovating the National Hospital in the Samoan capital, Apia, to mix with children at a nearby school for the disabled.

A TEAM of specialists will search a crash site in Vietnam for the remains of Flg-Off Michael Herbert and Plt-Off Robert Carver, the last two ADF members missing from the Vietnam War. They disappeared on November 3, 1970. The site, in Quang Nam prov-ince, near the Laotian bor-der, was found in April.

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10 WORLD NEWS Army July 23, 2009


A BORED medic might usually be a good medic, but try telling that to the local people in Solomon Islands.

Weekly clinics conducted as part of Op Anode civil-military liaison visits have treated up to 100 peo-ple in villages desperate for medical assistance.

The clinics include doctors and nursing staff from the Aspen Medical Centre and the teams have treated ailments from scabies, ring worm and ulcerated boils to diabetes and heart conditions.

Senior medic Rotation 18 (R18) Cpl Karen Creelman said many of the conditions were easily prevent-

able and a focus was on holistic approaches to good health and ongo-ing education.

“Conditions can vary on the sea-son and from area to area depending on the hygiene in the village,” Cpl Creelman said.

“From the moment they know you are coming everyone from the village comes and if it’s a small-er one then they will tell the next village around the corner and you never know how many will turn up.”

Cpl Creelman said many of the problems such as ring worms could be solved by a pair of thongs and one of the R18 medics was working on brochures to continue health edu-cation once the team departs.

She said the clinics were valu-able learning experiences for the medics, whose clinical skills had increased dramatically since arriv-ing in March.

“We are getting a lot more hands-on experience in terms of straight clinical procedures either with the CML visits or down at the hospital.”

As a personal and professional experience, Cpl Creelman said it had been a fantastic learning oppor-tunity. “I have two young children of my own so it is good to help the children here and give them some-thing to look forward to even if it is something as simple as a balloon or a band aid.”


DIGGERS provided visiting parlia-mentarians with a first-hand look at life on operations in Solomon Islands under the ADF Parliamentary Program (ADFPP).

Senators Nick Minchin and Mathias Cormann joined Op Anode from July 2-5, to get an understanding of military opera-tions and glean first-hand experience from soldiers.

The ADFPP was developed within Defence to offer parliamentarians the chance to gain insight into ADF business overseas and at home.

Sen Minchin said he had a new found respect for the role of the Army Reserve.

“I don’t think many Australians under-stand just how important the role of the reserve is in actually doing the job, but also releasing regulars to perform other jobs,” Sen Minchin said.

He said achieving the professional

military skills to deploy overseas while maintaining civilian careers was impres-sive.

“You wouldn’t be able to tell these guys are reservists – they look like regu-lar army to me, so I have been really impressed.”

The senators held meetings with senior RAMSI and CTF 635 personnel to gain a strategic understanding of Op Anode.

Op Anode staff also provided a tactical tour of forward operating bases around Honiara and the trip was rounded out with a visit to Caledonia Beach small-arms range.

Sen Cormann said it was a serious decision to deploy soldiers on operations and first-hand experience was important in understanding the implications of those decisions.

“The decision to send reserves was a new decision at the time and we can see that it was the right decision and has worked very well,” Sen Cormann said.

Medics assist locals in need

Healing hands: Pte George Sukiyasyan cleans a small child’s wound during a medical clinic at the remote village of Gifu in Solomon Islands. Photo by Cpl Guy Young

Bush tucker: Pte Marcus Bonini shows Liberal Senator Nick Sherry the contents of a ration pack. Photo by Cpl Guy Young

Senators visit Anode troops

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WORLD NEWS 11Army July 23, 2009


HONIARA may be an odd place for a reunion, but it was where 21 boss-es and employees caught up during a steamy three days in Solomon Islands

Exercise Boss Lift brought bosses in from July 2-5 for a look at their Army Reserve workers on operations.

Op Anode’s Rotation 18 is largely from Victoria’s 4 Bde and bosses gained an insight into what operating in the trop-ics was about.

The exercise reaffirmed, and mostly extended, the bosses’ support of their employees’ dual careers.

Acting Inspector Andrew Tait, from the Victoria Police Traffic, Drug & Alcohol section, said the visit had changed old impressions of Army Reserve service.

Inspector Tait visited LCpl Chris Henry, who reverted to military rank to deploy with Rotation 18, and said it was typical of LCpl Henry’s commitment.

“I had the idea the Army Reserve worked weekends and five days out of three months and coming here, I see that is totally different,” he said.

“I’ve known Chris for eight years and I have seen an enhanced side of Chris and his skills – which I have seen in the past – but now I know where they come from.”

Employers were given a tactical tour of Honiara but also visited the many WWII historical sights on Guadalcanal.

Ultimately, however, it was about giv-ing the civilian employers an insiders look at what the reservists where achiev-ing a world away from Melbourne.

Defence Support Parl imentary Secretary Dr Mike Kelly said the three day program highlighted the vital capa-bilty reservists bring to the ADF.

“Reservists are bringing increased levels of capability to the Navy, Army and Air Force and this experience can flow directly to the civilian workplace,” he said. Rotation 18 personnel will return to their “day jobs” in mid-September.

Kitting up: Pte Daniel Lees helps his civilian employer, Ms Lou Callan to don body armour with the assistance of Pte Kristine Witty. Photo by Cpl Guy Young

Bosses get steamy lift


DIGGERS laid down the law to the Participating Police Force on Op Anode in the lead-up to a challenge match with a Solomon Islands Prime Minister’s XI on July 26.

After a shaky start, the military marched out with a 160-130 victory

in the trial match between the police and combined Anode XI from CTF 635. The match was played on the 20-20 format and was used to pick the RAMSI XI for the big game.

Former Victorian representative Pte Craig Luchetta took the man of the match award for the soldiers, scoring 39 runs and taking 3-15.

Some good PPF fielding restrict-

ed the diggers’, but CTF coach Sgt Bob McGregor said the soldiers were too good with the ball in the end.

Sgt McGregor and the team cap-tain, Pte Nick Bond, selected the squad for the PM’s XI game.

“We’ve got a preparation match against an Indian XI made up from civilian construction workers in Honiara,” Sgt McGregor said.

Military precision with the ball

He’s gone: RAMSI, PPF opener Bryan Price loses his middle stump during a trial match between the police and soldiers in Honiara. Photo by WO2 Graeme McBean

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WORLD NEWS 13 Army July 23, 2009

By Maj Sandra Turner

THE Aviation Group’s 10th rotation to East Timor (ETAG 10) is home after passing the controls to its suc-cessor, but not before notching up the group’s 5000th flying hour on Operation Astute.

Air crews from ETAG 10 and ETAG 11 reached the milestone during a final familiarisation flight over Dili.

For ETAG 10, in particular, it was a marker of the tireless work it, and previ-ous teams, had put into the mission.

Not that the 70-odd members of the team needed reminding of how busy their four-month deployment had been.

The team, mainly from B Sqn, 5 Avn Regt, in Townsville, was part of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in East Timor.

It included representatives from all three services, as well as support from the New Zealand Defence Force.

Its primary role was to provide aero-medical evacuation support to ADF per-sonnel, the UN peace monitoring forces and the people of East Timor.

It also offered general support, such as transporting personnel and cargo throughout the country.

Aviation assistance was particularly valuable in the wet season, when heavy rains cut off many regional roads.

The group’s OC, Maj Paul Morgan, said his team’s contribution to the ISF mission had been crucial.

“They have had to perform their roles at all times of the day and night and

How time fliesHow time flies

sometimes in quite severe weather con-ditions,” he said.

“Of course, the safety of the crew and the cargo they carried was always paramount, especially if implementing an aeromedical evacuation.”

The team also included specialist per-sonnel who provided the maintenance and logistical support to keep the aircraft in shape.

While in the country, ETAG 10 mem-bers took the chance to upgrade their skills. Training opportunities included pilot category upgrades, load master door gunnery training and combat first-aid courses.

The group’s fire-fighting detachment, meanwhile, spent some time mentoring local fire-fighting agencies.

Air hourssoar inEast Timor

Sky high: Crews from the Aviation Group’s 10th and 11th deployments to East Timor joined forces to log up 5000 flying hours for the mission during a handover flight. From left, LCpl Daniel Leggat, Cpl Rowan Dawson, Tpr Matthew Eveleigh, Capt Colin Seyner, Sgt Steven Lawson, Capt Tim de Hollander, Capt Michael Dunin and Lt Daniel Mearns. Photo by LAC Christopher Dickson

14 CENTREPIECE Army July 23, 2009 15

MORE than a decade after it last put itself to the Diamond Dollar test, 7 Bde reacti-vated the major combined-arms exercise in preparation for its key military exercise

with the US, Talisman Saber. Held at Shoalwater Bay Training Area in June,

Diamond Dollar covered urban-combat, live-fire, bridge-building and aeromedical evacuation drills, as well as combined-arms manoeuvres with close artil-lery fire support.

The exercise included personnel from 7 Bde and support elements from 1, 3 and 7CSSB, 17 CSS Bde, 7 Sig Regt and 1 Topo Svy Sqn.

A highlight was the 2/14 LHR (QMI)-led battle group activity, which assembled the largest complement of light and heavy armoured vehicles seen on manoeu-vres within the brigade. The line-up featured about 170 vehicles, including ASLAVs, Bushmasters and Abrams.

Chief of Staff 7 Bde Lt-Col Simon Hardy said the exercise was crucial to the brigade’s operational pre-paredness.

“7 Bde was preparing for a range of possible oper-ational environments. Diamond Dollar was a critical phase of those preparations. It set the framework for a successful Talisman Saber for 7 Bde,” he said.

Among the many stand-out achievements was delivery of a range of complex communications net-works by 139 Sig Sqn, a unit recently re-raised as part of 7 Bde. The squadron, mostly manned by reservists and holding a limited suite of hardware, was augment-ed by other units for the exercise. OC 139 Sig Sqn Maj Adrian Craven said his soldiers excelled in “providing communications over the Parakeet TACSAT, DMCN and VHF/HF CNR networks”.

Similarly, 2IC 7CSSB Maj Allan Schmidt said his staff at the Brigade Maintenance Area put in many hours to support the deployed units.

“The CSSB worked hard, but without doubt some of the hardest worked were caterers, transport, and RAEME personnel,” he said.

The 7CSSB Catering Company, which is under trial this year, produced more than 34,000 fresh meals, working long stints to ensure delivery of timely, nutri-tious and well-prepared rations.

Catering technical adviser WO1 Rex Straughair said it was the first time since the mid-1990s that catering was provided in a completely greenfield site.

“The cooks and stewards got to produce bulk meals again,” he said.

In what RAEME circles codenamed Anteater Snout, about 1000 hours of maintenance work was carried out over three weeks during the exercise.

ASM 106 Wksp WO1 Roger Smith said he could not fault the work ethic and sense of urgency of his soldiers.

“The whole team, including transport, just cracked on supporting 7 Bde and all attached units,” he said.

The exercise featured a range of live-fire activi-ties, including assessed gunnery practice conducted by 105 Mdm Bty, 1 Fd Regt. The scenario encom-passed enemy attacks on gun positions. 105 Mdm Bty defended its targets with all weapons systems for nine hours over a 24-hour period, testing stamina, mental resilience and focus.

The 60 personnel expended 80 rounds of 105mm HE, 40 smoke rounds, and thousands of small-arms rounds, including 5.56mm, 7.62mm, 40mm, 66mm and 84mm.

1 Fd Regt’s Ops Officer, Maj Paul Manoel, said the activity was very close to combat conditions.

“This kind of activity was rarely conducted, but it forces section commanders to make rapid and com-plex decisions in order to keep guns firing and to defend the position,” he said.

The battle group units were tested to the full, with A Sqn, 2/14 LHR (QMI) assessed in a 36-hour live-fire practice.

It included a day-night squadron advance, quick and deliberate attacks, forward passage of lines with a second squadron, battle-field replenishments, casevac and a fighting withdrawal. All were sup-ported by artillery, engineer, and CSS elements.

Another bat t le-group activity was a 6RAR assault on the urban operations training facility at Raspberry creek and a 2/14 LHR (QMI) advance.

2CER and 1 Armd Regt were also part of the bat-tle group elements. Enemy forces were made up by combined 7 Bde units including 8/9RAR, 2/14 LHR and 6RAR.

2CER constructed a 37m medium girder bridge in darkness, enabling a simulated enemy obstacle belt breach during the activity. 101 Mdm Bty provided gunfire and joint-targeting support.

On the prowl: Two 2/14 LHR (QMI) ASLAVs mop up an enemy position after an assault. Photo by Capt Alastair McPherson On target: A soldier from 6RAR suppresses enemy positions during battle-group training. Photo by Capt Alastair McPherson

Chop chop: Pte Brad Fowles, 7CSSB, prepares the next meal in the field kitchen. Photo by Tpr Michael Franchi

Got you covered: Soldiers from 4 Pl, Bravo Coy, 8/9RAR, practise individual urban operations skills and drills at the Urban Operations Training Facility at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Photo by Tpr Michael Franchi

7 Bde’s largest training manoeuvres in more than 10 years pushed everyone to the limit.Capt Alastair McPherson reports on the brigade’s preparations for Talisman Saber.

DIAMOND IN ROUGH

Moving up: 6RAR and 2/14 LHR (QMI) elements combine to overcome an enemy position during battle-group training at Shoalwater Bay Training Area. Photo by Capt Alastair McPherson

Charge: A 6RAR soldier assaults an enemy position with 2/14 LHR (QMI). Photo by Capt Alastair McPherson

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16 LETTERS Army July 23, 2009

AS THE year rolls on and a young man’s thoughts turn to posting, I must commend CMA, especially DOCM-A for the availability and regular updating of the gazette on the Army intranet site.

This is an effective tool, allowing officers to review and manage their career direction. From gripes and discussion with officers from the other services, our gazette is more functional and open than similar RAAF and RAN systems.

The one area where I am disappointed is that when searching by jobcode description, many operations officer/operations training jobs and oth-ers of similar ilk are restricted to only RAInf, RAA and RAAC.

When I last looked, the reason for marking combat engineer vehicles with ‘Follow the Sapper’ was not just because we knew where the cold beer was. As a corps that supports armoured and infan-try battlegroups in combat, RAE has, much like our gunner cousins, both intimate knowledge of battlegroup tactics and a persistent understanding of the whole battle because our people are up to their necks in all areas of it.

In fact, RAE battlefield integration is greater than the RAA because a combat engineer regiment directly supports the battlegroups and the brigade combat service support units.

Restricting RAE personnel from operations staff and training positions significantly reduces the learning experiences available to RAE junior officers and also means the ops teams and train-ees are poorer for the lack of the wide battlefield understanding of the RAE.

I appreciate that the gazette only uses the policy rules given to it, but it makes obvious the flaw in the policy.

With no infantry pioneers, no RAAC obstacle reduction or mobility vehicles, a focus on urban operations and the profusion of all natures of IEDs, RAE sappers and officers are more integral than ever in operations. When will our planners and instructors be allowed back at the table?Maj Dan HayesDMGIS DMORussell Offices

HAVE YOUR SAY■ Letter writers must include their name, unit, location and contact number for purposes of verification.■ Letters can be sent to: [email protected]; or Army newspaper, R8-LG-038, Russell Offices, Canberra ACT 2600

THE article “Rent gets redress” (Army, June 11) left me scratching my head in disbelief.

As I sat in my three-bedroom, one-bathroom hovel, I found it dif-ficult to believe that the new rates (or even the old rates) would con-stitute 50 per cent of the market rent for this dwelling. How does DHA come up with these numbers? In my posting locality there are any number of equivalent homes avail-able privately for the same amount as my current contribution.

I do acknowledge that these rates are calculated on a national average so I thought I’d do some research. I first looked in the area I had only recently moved from. The house we had there was a beautiful four-bedroom, two-bathroom DHA house, so I thought it might come in at $450 a week (about double my contribution rate). But no, $340-$390 was the price range. So I searched further afield. In every posting locality where I have had a DHA property, with the excep-tion of Sydney, I was able to find a number of comparable houses for significantly less than double the new contribution rates. So perhaps we are subsidising DHA’s profit margin in Sydney?

There is no doubt our hous-ing is subsidised in most areas. But surely it would be better policy to actually set contributions based on posting locality and the standard of housing in that locality rather than a blanket rate. If the next contribu-

tion hike in March 2010 is as sig-nificant an increase, then I will be finding a private residence in my posting locality. CPO Bruce CampbellJoint Training & Development WingDIntTCKokoda Barracks

Robert McKellar, Director Housing and Removals, responds:IN RESPONDING to CPO Campbell’s comments, I would first like to dispel a common mis-understanding. Defence Housing Australia (DHA) does not set ADF members’ rent contributions – Defence sets these rates, known as the Group Rent Scheme (GRS). ADF members do not pay rent to DHA, they pay a contribution towards the cost of housing to the Department of Defence.

It is a longstanding policy that Defence and ADF members should equally share the national cost of housing for members and their dependants. Members are current-ly contributing about 43 per cent of the national weighted average rent for service housing for all rank groups, with Defence paying a sub-sidy of about 57 per cent.

The GRS contributions paid by ADF members are not calcu-lated with respect to an individual property occupied by a member, but rather on a nationally-weighted average of the cost for Defence to provide residences for each rank group.

Defence pays independently-assessed market rent to DHA for Service residences, and then passes a proportion of the average rent on to ADF members through the GRS. Members are not paying a con-tribution only on their individual residence, rather they are equally contributing with other members of their rank group towards the cost of all the residences provided for their rank group.

In response to Government direction, it has been a long-stand-ing Defence policy requirement that members, within their relevant rank group and housing entitlement, pay nationally-based contributions for their housing to facilitate mobility of members and meet the opera-tional needs of Defence.

The reason that GRS contri-butions are calculated nationally, rather than locally, is to ensure that members are not disadvantaged as a result of a posting to a high-cost area such as Perth, Canberra or Darwin.

In relation to the 2009 GRS adjustment, members’ contribution rates are being increased by half the dollar amount of the nation-ally-weighted increase in rent paid by Defence for houses in each rent band. This is consistent with the policy that Defence and members equally share the cost of housing on a national basis.

For example, the rent paid by Defence for each house in Rent Band 2 has risen on average by

$39.13 per week. As a result, the GRS contribution by members enti-tled to Rent Band 2 (CPO, WO and LEUT) has been increased by half this amount: $19.57 per week.

While I accept CPO Campbell’s comment that in some of the post-ing locations with lower rental cost, members may be able to find a suit-able residence for an amount less than twice their GRS contribution, in high-rent locations this amount would be inadequate.

CPO Campbell’s suggestion of setting contribution rates based on locality would disadvantage many members who were consecu-tively posted in high-rental areas. Additionally, such a scheme would make it difficult to attract members to postings in expensive locations.

Members would seek to avoid these locations if their rent contri-bution was going to be significantly higher because of the local rental costs. Such an arrangement would be contrary to the goal that hous-ing assistance should support ADF mobility.

The GRS benefits Defence by providing consistency in housing costs to members wherever they are posted, facilitating mobility of the ADF. ADF members individually benefit because the system of rent contributions mitigates the impact of movements between high- and low-cost locations across a mem-ber’s career.

Sam Browne beltsSAM Browne belts are now available from Bandiana. Stock has been separately earmarked for point-of-entry requirements at ADFA and RMC. The entitlement to an initial free issue (Sam Browne and belt only) is only for officers and warrant officers on commissioning or promotion respectively after November 29, 2007. Only normal stock sizes are being issued. Members with an entitlement are to approach their clothing store for sizing. All stores have received new sizing belts which will eliminate any previous sizing problems. Members will also need

to prove their entitlement through an authority to issue provided by the unit Q-Store. The requisition raised by clothing stores needs to include the member’s full name, rank, PMKeyS number and promotion/commissioning date.

Defective clothingTo report a defect against a clothing item, a RODUM is to be submitted in addi-tion to any unit promulgated instructions. A web user guide can be accessed at http://vbmweb.sor.defence.gov.au/rodum/Documents/RODUM%20Web%20User%20Guide%20Ed16%20-%20Nov%2008.pdf

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By Michael Brooke

MORE than 90 triservice person-nel experienced the metamorpho-sis of turning purple when they marched out of the ADF Warfare Centre (ADFWC) after completing the Introduction to Joint Operations (IJO) course.

Army, Navy and Air Force person-nel who through their previous single service focus had been white, green or blue, were a distinct shade of purple after completing the course, which pro-vides an understanding of the way the ADF will plan and conduct all future joint military operations.

Several thousand ADF students have completed the five-day course since it started in 1994, under the name Introduction to Joint Warfare.

Students who attended IJO from June 29-July 3 attended a series of lectures from experts and a talk on the importance of air superiority by CAF Air-Mshl Mark Binskin. They also joined in a joint operations war game.

The staff lectures gave an over-view of the Australian military strat-

egy, as well as an introduction to joint operations, maritime, land and air capabilities, and the Joint Military Appreciation Process (JMAP) for the planning of joint operations.

Additionally, SMEs from HQ JOC provided insights into special forces capabilities, intelligence operations, amphibious operations, stability opera-tions (CIMIC), joint fires and informa-tion operations, joint ops law and sup-port to health and logistics movements.

The course also included a joint planning tutorial exercise that chal-lenged the students to apply the JMAP to the planning and execution of an amphibious operation. This gave them an understanding of a multi-dimen-sional manoeuvre by a highly inte-grated force.

Air-Mshl Binskin told participants that single-service operations were a thing of the past. Joint operations coordinated by HQ JOC were the way forward for the ADF.

Air-Mshl Binskin said air power was a force multiplier that must be fully integrated into joint operations in order to achieve air superiority.

Turning purple over joint opsTRAINING 17Army July 23, 2009

He said “the ADF must not take air superiority as a given”.

“We’ve had air superiority for 60 years, with October 25, 1943, on the Huon Peninsula the last time an Australian soldier was killed as a result of a direct enemy air attack.

“What I say when planning joint operations is to look at air integration and how we obtain air superiority. “Air

gives combat power, situational aware-ness, and transport – but it’s got to be fully integrated into the operation.”

The students said the course pro-vided the opportunity to network with their ADO counterparts while learn-ing how joint operations combine the capabilities and effects of the three services to achieve multi-dimensional manoeuvre in the battlespace.

WO2 Paul Davey, 2/17 RNSWR, said the course had given him a new appreciation of the effects the other services bring to the battlespace when joint operations are fully coordinated.

“I came here thinking the course was just about tactics, orders and ORBATs but it’s actually provided me with a sound appreciation of the plan-ning process for joint operations,” he said. “I intend to return for the more comprehensive JOP course, which can fast-track a career with a posting to HQ JOC to put theory into practice.”

ADF and Defence APS personnel who complete IJO may go on to do more comprehensive courses, such as joint Personnel, Logistics, Health and Communications Planning, Information Operations, Amphibious Operations, and Joint Fires.

The ADFWC is a Joint Service unit and is part of the VCDF Group under the command of Commander Joint Education and Warfare. ADFWC is located at RAAF Base Williamtown, 30km north of Newcastle in NSW.

For further information visit http://www.defence.gov.au/adfwc/index.htm

Planning lecture: Leut-Cmdr Ross Proctor instructs WO2 Paul Davey, and Flg-Off Elizabeth Clifton undertaking the Introduction to Joint Operations (IJO) course. Photo by ACW Katharine Pearson

A RECOGNITION of the importance of instruc-tors in producing top-level soldiers is behind the introduction of a number of development opportuni-ties for instructors and assessors at Army Training Establishments (TEs).

WO1 Tony Dunne, Forces Command SM Trg, said that although the Army’s instructors were first rate, “it doesn’t mean we can afford to be complacent”.

“We should always strive to do things better and improve ourselves. Redefining instructional methods and enhancing skills, knowledge and attitudes through self-development are an individual’s responsibility but, as an organisation, we need to provide the opportunities, and the medium through which to achieve this.”

Already up and running is the instructors forum, found through the forces command DRN home page.

“It’s a one-stop shop for instruction-based informa-tion and related links, combining a lot of individually accessed data into one site,” WO1 Dunne said.

The site also contains an interactive forum, allow-ing any personnel, including instructors and trainers, to share ideas, experiences and knowledge.

Other opportunities for instructor development are offered through the Instructor Orientation Course, which is a key part of the induction training for all instructors posted to TEs.

An Advanced Instructors Course will also be intro-duced in 2010.

Both courses were developed by Training Systems Services and are managed by the Training Development Centre, based at Watsonia barracks.

“The introduction of these courses was a funda-mental leap forward towards continuous enhancement of instructional techniques, and our instructors them-selves,” WO1 Dunne said.

“Army needs soldiers who know both what to think and how to think. Instructors, at all levels, are the key to achieving that, so making them better at what they do is our focus.”

To access the instructors forum on the DRN go to http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/Sites/defencetrainiers/comweb.asp?page=Home

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For further information contact: Contact Special Forces Training Centre

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Website: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/Sites/SFTC/

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NB: The SFTC website details all dates for upcoming presentations, applications and courses.NB: The SFTC website details all dates for upcoming presentations, applications and courses.

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TRAINING 19Army July 23, 2009

By Maj John McPherson

IT’S NOT often a combined-arms training activity receives a visit from vice-regal dig-nitaries.

So it was something of a rarity to have the Governors of South Australia and Tasmania join forces to visit a recent exercise in South Australia.

South Australian Governor RAdm Kevin Scarce (retd), Honorary Colonel 10/27RSAR, and Tasmanian Governor Peter Underwood, Honorary Colonel 12/40RTR, were invited by their respective regiments to visit soldiers par-ticipating in Exercise Rhino Charge on May 23 at Cultana Training Area.

They flew from Adelaide to Whyalla aboard a RAAF Caribou and were escorted into the training area by Commander 9 Bde Brig Steven Smith.

“Both Governor Underwood and I were extremely impressed with the attitude and capability of our reserve soldiers, who were striving to improve their training and skill sets under some pretty arduous conditions,” RAdm Scarce said.

“I imagine it was pretty dry and dusty liv-ing and manoeuvring in and out of the Cultana bush, particularly with the overnight tempera-tures dropping into single digit numbers.

“Yet everywhere I looked I saw a single-mindedness from everybody to learn their roles and complete their tasks to the best of every-one’s individual ability.”

Although the reservists conducted and completed most of their training at Cultana, for others the exercise culminated in a col-laborative task between the 9 Bde Reserve Response Force, SA Police and AGL Energy at the Torrens Island Power Station.

The object of the exercise was to secure the power station against a perceived major security threat to a critical infrastructure asset within Australia.

Governors find their range

On the march: Soldiers from 9 Bde on the range (above) and (inset) Tasmanian Governor Peter Underwood (left) and SA Governor RAdm Kevin Scarce (retd) inspect an unmanned aerial vehicle. Photos by LCpl Glenn Power

20 PERSONNEL Army July 23, 2009

SUPERVISORS now have a clearer part to play in managing their charges’ behaviour thanks to new procedures outlined in a revised Defence instruction.

DI(G) Personnel 35-3 Management and Reporting of Unacceptable Behaviour was revised after a number of internal and external inquiries.

The Acting Director General of the Fairness and Resolution Branch, Peter Sullivan, said the role of supervisors in the management of unacceptable behav-iour had not been specified until now.

“That meant any incident of unacceptable behav-iour, no matter how serious, was referred to the com-mander or manager. This disempowered supervisors from one of their vital roles, looking after their people and teams,” Mr Sullivan said.

“The new instruction amends the definition of a complaint to remove incidents detected or observed. This will really help supervisors in their strengthened roles to act on unacceptable behaviour promptly.”

Mr Sullivan said in the event of an incident where there was no complaint, supervisors, commanders or managers would decide on the best course of action.

“An incident may still be managed as a complaint if the commander or manager considers it is appropriate,” he said.

Now anyone in Defence who engages in, contributes to, ignores, assists or personally encourages unaccept-able behaviour may also be held responsible.

“It’s important that Defence personnel at all levels challenge others when they see or experience unaccept-able behaviour. Not doing so condones the behaviour, which in many ways is worse,” Mr Sullivan said.

He said the revised instruction underscored the fact it was everyone’s responsibility to foster an equitable, fair and safe workplace.

“Turning a blind eye is no excuse,” he said.Unacceptable behaviour is deemed to be conduct

that is offensive, abusive, belittling or threatening, and that can adversely affect morale, discipline, workplace cohesion and the interests of Defence.

See http://defweb.cbr.defence.gov.au/home/documents/DATA/ADFPUBS/DIG/GP35_03.PDF

WHAT’S CHANGED?

� The role of the supervisor is now clarified.� What constitutes a complaint has been redefined.� Relationships between staff and trainees and

between trainees and trainees are now prohibited at ADF training institutions.

� The length of time for the prohibition is detailed.� Individual’s roles, rights and responsibilities are

described.� The differences between tough training and bullying

and harassment is explained.� The differences between legitimate management

action and unacceptable behaviour is clarified.� Death, very serious, serious or potential injury must

be reported to the OH&S Branch and Comcare.� The revised instruction is divided into three easy to

read parts that cover roles, rights and responsibili-ties, complaints and information management.

NEW leadership has brought a new focus to removing asbestos-containing material (ACM) from the ADF’s stores inventory by December 2010.

DMO established the Asbestos Inventory Tiger Team (AITT) in January and Col Gary Potter recent-ly took over command.

Col Potter said the AITT was conducting inspections and would develop a detailed inspection pro-gram with the three services and Joint Logistic Command.

He said the inspections carried out so far had highlighted the mag-nitude of the task, which forced a rethink of the project.

“The intent now is to remove ACM firstly from the Joint Logistic

Units (JLUs) and then follow the supply chain down to individual units,” he said.

“It is planned that the three-man inspection teams will base them-selves at the JLUs and fan out regionally.”

Col Potter said a detailed sched-ule of inspections with all key stake-holders would be prepared.

He emphasised that the main responsibility of the teams related to the collection of ACM from the stores inventory, although the teams would provide advice on ACM haz-ards within buildings.

Focus areas would be to: � inform ADF logistic managers of inventory items found to contain or suspected of containing ACM;� inspect, collect and correctly pre-

pare an ACM inventory for immedi-ate removal to stop potential ACM exposure to personnel;� quarantine and bag all suspected ACM material for further testing; � review unit hazard documen-tation to help the AITT focus its inspection activities; and� provide an inspection brief to the unit commander.

Col Potter said the objective was to remove ACM in support of the ADF’s duty of care. The asbestos removal project is being conducted under the direction of VCDF Lt-Gen David Hurley.

“This is not an audit; AITT is a free service that will identify and physically collect ACM from inven-tory stores within your commands,” he said.

Team to target asbestos

New roles in control of conduct

Challenging task: Asbestos-containing material to be removed by late 2010.

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PEOPLE 21Army July 23, 2009

Relay cash: Cpl Kurt Sayed, PTI for TG 633.2, accepts money raised from the Relay For Life cancer charity run from Col Lindsay Morton, Deputy COFS HQ JTF 633. A total of $14,000 was raised for the charity. Photo by PO Dave Connolly

Well done: CDF ACM Angus Houston presents the Queen’s Medal to SCdt Benjamin Kreis, at the RMC graduation parade on June 23. Photo By Grace Costa

All tied up: Capt David Phillips and Capt Thomas Whale both MRTF 1 engineers, prepare to take their seats for a dinner celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo at Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan. Photo by Cpl Ricky Fuller

On track: Cpl Luke Judd and Tpr Grant Denahy, A Sqn, 1 Armd Regt, conduct routine servicing on their Abrams tank during a live fire demonstration at the Mount Bundy Range.

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22 FEATURES Army July 23, 2009

STAFF from the PMKeyS project team paused on July 30 for a brief ceremony marking the end of Army Project Traction.

P ro j ec t Trac t ion began in September 2005 in order to build on the initial efforts to get PMKeyS up and running.

Its brief was to improve the Army’s use of PMKeyS, prepare for an upgrade to PMKeyS software and pave the way for PMKeyS ADF Pay.

Deputy CA Maj-Gen Paul Symon, presented a plaque to the project’s director, Lt-Col Greg Tolcher, com-mending Traction’s achievements.

“After almost four years of great commitment, Army’s use of PMKeyS is now considered to be stable, not suggesting for a moment that develop-ment or remediation work is over,” Lt-Col Tolcher said.

PMKeyS was launched on July 8, 2002. The Army response was sup-

TRANSLATING PMKeyS into art takes some creativ-ity but indigenous artist and Army warrant officer Darren

Moffitt has managed to nail it in one.His work, The Journey, commemo-

rates a decade of hard work to make PMKeyS one of the Army’s premier administrative e-tools.

WO2 Moffitt took part in Project Traction, set up in September 2005 to upgrade the original PMKeyS set-up.

Traction’s project director, Lt-Col Greg Tolcher, commissioned his artis-tic skills to symbolically capture the project’s achievements.

WO2 Moffitt says he is rarely happy with his finished artworks, but he is satisfied with The Journey.

“It was a lot easier to paint because my boss gave me the left and right of arc of what he wanted to bring out,” he says.

“I didn’t really have to imagine anything or come up with an idea. It was kind of there in front of me.

“I just applied what I have used in my work in the past to what Lt-Col Tolcher wanted.”

A central feature of the artwork is a river system that snakes its way through the work from bottom to top, symbolising the Army’s journey to making PMKeyS work in its favour.

WO2 Moffitt says the water is clouded and murky at the beginning but changes by the end.

“The water gradually becomes clearer. There is less debris and a lot more turtles – representing the trans-formation of Army’s HR system from ‘quagmire to swish’,” he says.

The brief from Lt-Col Tolcher was that the piece should represent the 10 years of work on fine-tuning PMKeyS.

“This time is illustrated in the art-work by the 10 stripe-like bands that go diagonally across the canvas – like layers of earth. [The stripes are] sym-bolically measuring the progress and

transformation of the river system from the beginning to the future.”

A broad range of animals are rep-resented in the painting. These animals are not only dependent on the river but also ensure the river runs it course.

Ants proliferate. “These tiny crea-tures epitomise teamwork, courage and initiative,” WO2 Moffitt says

“Their size does not reflect their ability or capacity. In this artwork, they represent the Australian soldier – the digger – the primary reason for the existence of a HR system.”

WO2 Moffitt was the perfect choice to do the artwork, not least because of his involvement with Project Traction.

The real bonus was that the Bandiana-based air-dispatcher has been practising indigenous art since 2000, when he was inspired by a rela-tive’s artwork.

A direct descendant of the Eora nation of Aboriginal people, he has been able to blend ancient traditional art with new technology

WO2 Moffitt spent some of his childhood at the Aboriginal mission at La Perouse. Many of his relatives still live in the area and he says his heritage inspires his work.

“Traditional dot painting helps me to maintain a strong connection with my culture. It gives me great solace and also an incredible sense of satis-faction – especially when I see or hear people admiring my work.”

Lt-Col Tolcher says The Journey is a gift from WO2 Moffitt “to the sol-diers whom it honours”.

“It will hang in their workplace to inspire their successors to also rise to the challenge in ways typical of the Australian soldier,” he says.

“WO2 Moffitt is congratulated for creating an iconic piece of artwork.

“All soldiers who made Project Traction a successful pursuit in sup-port of the Army are congratulated for their contribution.”

... and, as WO2 Graham McBean writes, the 10-year journey has been caught on canvas.

The ants wentent marching ...

ported by a small team of soldiers and officers established in Personnel Branch in AHQ.

“Project Traction was raised in 2005 when it became clear more work and resources were needed to real-ise the system’s full potential,” Lt-Col Tolcher said.

Approval was granted for 28 short-

term project positions staffed by ARes soldiers on CFTS to augment the ARA team, which had by then moved to the Personnel Information Management Section-Army.

“[We] set about addressing a wide range of complex operational, develop-ment and remediation tasks,” he said. “We gradually turned a journey of a thousand complex steps into enduring solutions that have helped the Army to move forward with PMKeyS.”

He said thousands of anomalies in human-resources data had been fixed and many units had received addition-al training or technical support.

The development of the electronic Manual of Personnel Administration was a notable improvement in the delivery of personnel policy and administration.

“The e-MPA is now an important Army personnel policy delivery tool, successfully linking policy, procedures and software,” Lt-Col Tolcher said.

A thousand steps simplifiedGo with the flow: WO2 Darren Moffitt’s artistic impression of the PMKeyS journey (above); and (below) Lt-Col Greg Tolcher (left) accepts the plaque from Maj-Gen Paul Symon.



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FEATURES 23Army July 23, 2009

It is true that a picture can paint a thousand words – but it depends on who’s doing the snapping. These four images from photographer Mark Brennan, taken at a 1 Bde exercise at Mt Bundy in the Northern Territory, are more than equal to 4000 words.

Photos clockwise from top:

Contact front: Infantry soldiers extend right from their M113 during training.

Sunset patrol: Soldiers cover arcs on dusk at Mt Bundy Training Area. The exercise featured extensive live-firing.

Fire out: A javelin disappears down range during a 1 Bde live-firing exercise in the Northern Territory.

Rounds down range: A cavalry trooper fires his MAG58 from an ASLAV.

Mark Brennan captured the soldiers in action to update the British Aerospace Library of the upgraded M113.

Picture perfect

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24 LIFESTYLE Army July 23, 2009

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We also liked ...“I think it’s under the middle one, the other two are empty.”Cpl Russell Witherow141 Sig Sqn

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LIFESTYLE 25Army July 23, 2009

FOR many years the bicy-cle has been used not only as a form of travel, but also as a means of

increasing fitness. Whether they be stationary bikes or mobile cross-country or road bikes, the fitness gains from cycling are too good to ignore.

A question asked by many is whether riding a bike can help improve fitness test run times. So let’s take a basic look at cycling in relation to running.

Can cycling improve my running?

This depends on how the cycling is placed in your training program. If it is incorporated with running, then yes, as both running and cycling work the cardio-respi-ratory system. Benefits include:

� Injury preventionCycling has minimal skeletal

impact or bone impact as your body does not come into con-tact with the ground. This means more cardio-respiratory and aero-bic system training can be per-formed without the added impact of running which, in excess, can cause injuries. For those starting to develop impact injuries, like shin pain, cycling allows maintenance of current cardio-respiratory levels without the impact.

� Muscle development Cycling can develop the quad-

riceps, hip flexors, gluteals, ham-strings and calves, the same mus-cles used in running (although involvement ratios and range of motion is different). By using and developing the function of these muscles, injury prevention improves. Muscle economy when running might also improve.

Stronger muscles from cycling (which uses around 40 per cent of your thigh muscle strength) can translate to more running economy (which uses about 25-30 per cent of your thigh muscle strength).

� VarietyFor those who do a lot of run-

ning, cycling can provide variety and some cardio-respiratory and energy system training. It can also provide a different physical and mental stimulus. A key point, however, is that to improve run-ning specifically, there are several areas in which cycling will have limited value:

� Loss of impactWhile reducing excessive bone

impact is good, some is still need-ed to develop the bones to with-stand the forces from running.

� Running techniqueRunning technique is different

to cycling technique. Where cycling has several mechanical-based con-

straints that have to be incorporated,running involves the manipulationof stride length and stride frequen-cy along with the reciprocal upper body arm movements.

To improve the coordination of these muscles and improve effi-ciency, the action needs to be per-formed (and. if possible. checked by a PTI/run coach). While cycling and running both use similar mus-cles (lower legs in particular), the muscle strength ratios, ranges of motion and timing are unique to each discipline, and specific nerv-ous system patterning that can only be provided by running is needed to improve run technique.

Does cycling help with fat loss?

According to exercise physi-ologists McArdle, Katch, Katch, cycling is as effective as walking and running in altering body com-position.

What is the correct seat height?

For efficiency, injury preven-tion and greater training benefit, the commonly accepted optimal seat height has the lower leg slightly bent at the bottom of the stroke. When you push your heel down at the bottom of the stroke the knee should straighten.

Lt Rob Orr explores some of the pros and cons of cycling as a means to improve running times.

Gearing up for a good fit

PROS AND CONS OF STATIONARY BIKESDISADVANTAGES� Usually have a wider seat which for some may be uncomfortable.� Decreased use of muscles required for balance.� Road-sense value decreased (including traffic awareness, turning corners etc).� All could be in use by others in the gym.� You can take the easy way out – if you do not like the hill, decrease the gradient.� No free-roaming countryside.� Air conditioned environment.

ADVANTAGES� No need for gearing.� Can ride in any weather.� No need for helmets, gloves or lycra.� Enables heart rate monitoring if you do not own your own.� Allows visual stimulation (you can read, watch TV).� Shows revolutions, calories burned, dis-tance etc for those without a bike computer.� No flat tyres in the middle of nowhere.

On your bike: Cycling can have as many fitness benefits as running.Photo by www.fusesports.com.au

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26 SPORT Army July 23, 2009

By Barry Rollings

FITNESS enthusiast Pte Vicki O’Rourke has a not-so-secret ambi-tion to be a PTI and has begun accu-mulating an impressive curriculum vitae to support her dream.

Pte O’Rourke, JMCC, who is deployed to Rockhampton, has been acknowledged by the best judges in the business for her fitness and also has the runs on the board, so to speak, in another discipline.

Her two passions are entering “fit body” competitions and running, both with a good degree of success.

“Since joining the Army in October 2006, I have tried to take any opportu-nities to compete in any local events that have fitted in around my training and work commitments,” she said.

“I have had a strong passion for sport and fitness since school, but once I left school I started running every morning and it just grew from there.

“I now run about 20km every morn-

ing before work and train at the gym for about 1.5 hours every afternoon.

“Training for a bodybuilding com-petition takes a lot of both physical training and careful diet, so many competitors compete only a couple of times a year.

“Normally it takes about 12 weeks to fully prepare for a competition, so you need to love what you are doing.”

Pte O’Rourke’s road to success began when she broke the female recruit 2.4km run time during her basic training at Kapooka when she finished in about 8min and 40sec.

In Townsville in May 2007, she ran in the Queen of the Castle 10km fun run and was first overall female, first female for her age group and second competitor overall with a run time of about 39min and 28sec.

While undergoing her IET she recorded the fastest time for Ross Island (Townsville), where she ran about 8.19. Then, while at holding platoon ALTC Bandiana and on her

Miss Fit on winning run

Time to attack the lakeTHE annual Defence Lake Attack will be held at Melbourne’s Albert Park Lake on August 30. The Lake Attack is a community fun run and walk to raise funds for charity. Competitors have a choice of a 5km or 10km run and 5km walk in team and individual events. The carnival atmosphere will include a schools competition, a family fun day and Defence displays. For further information, contact Cmdr John Goss at [email protected], go to www.lakeattack.com, phone (03) 9282 4541 or 0413 458 121, or fax (03) 9282 5126.

Mountain biking championshipsTHE Australian Defence Cycling Club (ADCC) will stage its endurance mountain biking championships on August 23. The titles will be run in conjunction with the Cycle Epic in the Lockyer Valley in south-east Queensland. Open and masters (40+) age categories will be contested in A and B-grades. A-grade will compete for the outright championship over 102.8km. B-grade will cater for members who wish to participate but do not feel they are up to the full distance and will be raced over 51.8km. An entry portal has been set up for Defence members at www.eventsbot.com/events/eb161212243. For more information visit www.adcc.asn.au or contact Sqn-Ldr Tim Floyd at [email protected]

SPORT SHORTS

driver’s course at Puckapunyal, she returned similar best times.

“But as far as I am aware, those runs were not entered on the record boards in their gyms,” she said.

When pos ted to Rober t son Barracks, she broke the base record for females for both push-ups and run-ning, with a run time of 8.07. This year she broke her own records with 80 push-ups and a run time of 8.05.

Pte O’Rourke also has proved her

mettle against her male colleagues. Running in the 1 Bde cross country last year, she was first overall, com-pleting the 6km in a little over 21min.

So how did she enter the field of bodybuilding as well?

“It was suggested to me by a friend whose partner was into bodybuilding to compete in the Miss Fit body cat-egory at bodybuilding competitions,” Pte O’Rourke said.

“So I looked into it and joined the World Natural Body Builders’ Federation (WNBF) but then deployed in April last year to the Middle East for five months.

“While there, I took every opportu-nity to train at the gyms to prepare for my first bodybuilding competitions. I woke up at 4 o’clock most mornings and trained before work and again if permitted in the afternoons.”

But she did not neglect her running either. She also competed in the 10km Peachtree Road Race which marked the United States’ July 4 celebrations

and also commemorates the original Peachtree event in Atlanta.

“I ran against 1600 coalition forces to be the first female and the second-placed runner overall, covering the 10km in 38.48.”

On her return to Australia, her attention turned again to bodybuilding and she finished second in her class (Miss Fit Body short) in a competition run by the Navy at HMAS Cerberus.

Two weeks later, she contested the WNBF (NT) titles and won the same class. She has competed twice more since then, winning the short and over-all categories at the Miss Fit Body South Coast NSW. At the All Female Classic (NT) three weeks after that, she won her category and overall class.

For her efforts, she has been invited to compete in the WNBF Asia Pacific Titles in Sydney on October 10-11.

If she places in the top three, she will be invited to compete at the world titles in New York in November.

Enthusiast: Pte Vicki O’Rourke.

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SPORT 27Army July 23, 2009

AFTER being voted Australian Services Rugby Union player’s player at the inaugural national women’s championship in Tallebudgera, Queensland, Lt Caroline Vakalahi, 1CSR, has been selected to make her debut for the Australian Wallaroo squad.

Lining up beside her will be Lt Kate Porter, 176 AD Sqn, who again won selection after being awarded best forward for the ASRU Warriors at the champion-ships.

The Warriors won the inaugural ARU National Women’s Second Division trophy after beating South Australia 12-10 on July 1 in a hard-fought contest and then accounting for a NSW development side 29-5 on July 3.

With preparation restricted to a soggy training camp at Tweed Heads, the team was a bit slow to start against SA before Pte Emma-Lee Wood, CTC, scored with support from LS Bethany Keefe and Spr Melissa Croll, 1CER, converted a penalty to close out the SA opposition.

LS Keefe again led the charge against NSW with two tries, supported by Lt Porter and Pte Wood with one try each. The boot of Sub-Leut Ashleigh Payne completed three conversions and, as in game one, Spr Croll added to the score with a penalty goal.

ASRU led 8-0 after a hard-fought first half and built momentum in the second half to record a 29-5 victory.

Lt Porter was awarded best forward and Capt Kelly McFarlane, 139 Sig Sqn, was awarded best back by the National Operations Manager – Women’s Team, Cmdr Christine Clarke, and coach WO2 Mark Fisher, on behalf of the ASRU President.

Capt McFarlane received the ARU ASRU Team Player award.

“The girls who came up to the nationals trained and played their hearts out,” WO2 Fisher said.

“They all represented the ADF to a very high stand-ard. They all went up there with the hunger to win and they did that very well.

“As the head coach, I was very proud of them.”Cmdr Clarke said the ASRU Warriors were “out-

standing ambassadors for the ADF throughout the ARU national championships”.

“Through their skill on the field and their interac-tions with the other teams off the field they clearly demonstrated that the team works well,” he said.

“They have every right to hold their heads high and be proud of this achievement.”

The Wallaroos squad will conduct further selection trials for the team to take on the national Samoan side in August.

Bound forfor higher gloryglory KEEN to retain its title, the Australian Army

Soccer Football Association (AASFA) is drawing up its battle plans for the Defence national titles in Sydney from October 31 to November 8.

After a successful championship in 2008 with the men’s and women’s teams taking the trophies, and the over 35s just being pipped at the post, Army will be out in force in a bid to take a clean sweep.

The Australian Defence Football Federation Championships will be held at Parramatta’s Melita Stadium and will draw together the finest ADF foot-ball talent.

ADF Football Federation President Cmdr Paul Denneny has advised that the NZ Defence Force (NZDF) has accepted an invitation to participate in this year’s national titles after successfully playing host to the ADF visit in 2008.

The ADF-NZDF Trans-Tasman Shield currently held by the Kiwis will be hotly contested.

After the titles, the best Australian Service play-ers will attend a preparatory training camp as they prepare to send the Kiwis back home minus some silverware.

At Army level, AASFA President Capt Steve McNaughton expects that, due to the Army’s opera-tional tempo, this year’s squads might be lacking slightly in quality.

Despite this, Capt McNaughton remains optimis-tic some new raw talent will emerge at the trials at Randwick Barracks from October 26-30, .

He has fielded numerous calls from players who have just joined the Army, many of whom boast some impressive civilian playing credentials.

Capt McNaughton said that since 1999 the AASFA had suffered greatly at the hands of opera-tional deployments, but each year the depth and commitment of the players had resulted in suitable replacements being found.

All open men, women and over 35s player appli-cations need to be submitted by September 28. All coaching, management and support applications need to be submitted via email by August 31.

For more information about how you can nominate to either trial for the men’s, women’s or over 35’s national teams, or nominate for a management role, check out the AASFA intranet website at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/sites/AASFA/ or email Capt McNaughton at [email protected]

Army ready to strike in soccer

Flying high: Lt Kate Porter soars above the pack with some help from her teammates in the inaugural national championships in Queensland. Photo by Cmdr Christine Clark

July 23, 2009

Little Miss Fit pumped for shot at world

PAGE 26

IRON LADY

Bound for glory: Pte Vicki O’Rourke on her way to winning the Miss Fit Body South Coast NSW competition.

Flying high

P27

Army players selected for Aussie squad