Operational Support Troop
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| PTE Harman with CPL Kalvali |
General
The old military adage that an army marches on its' stomach can be countered with the equipment that a specialist unit like 17 Construction Squadron requires.
With the various roles that the squadron performs, the variety of stores that pass through the main store varies from pens to vehicle parts to sensitive testing equipment.
Op Spt Tp includes RAE corps members and the squadron catering element, and all demonstrate the ability of Sappers to adapt to and maintain a wide variety of skills by maintaining the squadron equipment holdings regardless of the task the squadron has been set.
Locations that the troop has worked include: East Timor, RAAF Base Scherger, UNTAG Namibia, and all the AACAP deployments the squadron has been involved with.
Mission
The 17th Construction Squadron Operational Support Troop provides general stores and logistics support utilised by the sappers on vertical and horizontal construction works.
Tasks
17th Construction Squadron's Operational Support Troop's role, whilst simple in description, can be very complex in execution.
The role of the Operations Support Troop is to ensure that the unit is rationed, accommodated, clothed and equipped to the authorised entitlement and that entitlements are as appropriate to the unit's location and operational requirements. Key tasks include:
overall unit logistic management responsibilities;
overall unit resource management responsibilities;
procure, maintain and account for entitled equipment;
procure, account for and issue special project / Class IV stores;
unit ROMAN and SDSS inputs / outputs.
Op Spt Tp had to solve the problem of supporting the squadron whilst deployed as part of the ATSIC / Army Community Assistance Program (AACAP) on Great Palm Island, 70km North East of Townsville.
Other tasks that the Troop has undertaken over the past few years have included feeding the troops during any deployment, moving stores to remote parts of Australia, and working with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in August 2002 building Army Barracks in Lae, PNG.