More Defence news: 03 December - 09 December 2007
| Aussie troops begin drawdown from PNG | Intelligence Corps celebrates a century | Warm welcome home for HMAS Anzac | Army puts AFL players to pre-season test | Aspiring RAAF officers graduate | Exercise tests Navy's reach | Capacity funeral for 'Mr 110 per cent' | Defence reponds to misleading article | |
| Aussie troops begin drawdown from PNG 6 December - Joint Task Force 636 command elements have begun returning to Australia after achieving stabilisation of the humanitarian assistance to Papua New Guinea after Cyclone Guba. Australia’s humanitarian effort, led by AusAID and supported by the Australian Defence Force, helped the Papua New Guinea Government bring desperately-needed relief to Oro province. On 22 November the Australian Government committed $1 million to assist the PNG relief effort. The ADF deployed substantial assets in support of the relief effort including 154 personnel from the three armed services; two RAAF C-130 Hercules aircraft, three RAAF Caribou aircraft; three Army Black Hawk helicopters, an Army King Air fixed-wing aircraft and a RAAF C-17 Globemaster III heavy lift transport plane. A total of 410 tonnes of humanitarian assistance has been airlifted from Port Moresby. Within Oro province, the Caribous distributed 246 tonnes plus 143 tonnes from stores other than ADF sources. HMAS Wewak moved 220 tonnes of stores into Gona. The three RAAF Caribous from No 38 Squadron and its 21 supporting staff will arrive in Townsville on today, while a group of approximately 25 personnel from the headquarter element, 176 Air Dispatch and 1CCS, will arrive at RAAF Base Richmond by C-130 Hercules on Friday. More: Operation PNG Assist website |
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| Intelligence Corps celebrates a century 6 December - A section of the Australian Army best known for what it sees rather than what it does has celebrated a century of service. The Australian Intelligence Corps celebrated 100 years and officially recognised their soldiers and officers who saw active service in the Army during a plaque dedication ceremony in Canberra earlier today. The Corps has seen service in both World Wars, Korea, Malaya, Vietnam and more recently Somalia, Rwanda, Timor-Leste, the Solomon Islands, Iraq and Afghanistan. The Corps has been represented on duties in various United Nations and multilateral peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. “The battle space we operate in is complex and its threats numerous, lethal and often unbound by international laws and norms. I commend the Corps for its efforts in the past 100 years and charge it to continue to ensure the Army is forewarned and forearmed,” Chief of Army Lieutenant General Peter Leahy said. Senior serving officer of Australian Intelligence Corps, Major General Steve Meekin, AM, also attended the moving ceremony. “This is a proud moment for the Corps, and all current serving members owe a debt of gratitude to our predecessors who established and built on the reputation of the Corps over 100 years,” said Major General Meekin. More: Read media release and brief history |
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Warm welcome home for HMAS Anzac
Anzac was stationed in the MEAO as part of Operation CATALYST, Australia’s commitment to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq, from July to December of this year. “I would like to pay tribute to the crew of Anzac for their professional approach to this deployment. The crew has worked exceptionally hard over the last six months and are deserving of rest and time with their family and friends. The Ship’s Company represented their nation with distinction and carried on the fine work of the Royal Australian Navy in the region,” Commodore Cullen said. During her time in the Gulf, Anzac conducted 65 boarding and security patrols, 490 boat evolutions, 17 replenishments at sea and vertical replenishments, 323 flying hours by its embarked Navy Seahawk helicopter and 650 investigative queries of merchant vessels. Anzac was away for 182 days, with 150 spent at sea. During this period, two members became fathers for the first time, nearly 90,000 meals were prepared; and the ship received 4366 kilograms of mail from family and friends. More: Imagery | Operation CATALYST |
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Army puts AFL players to pre-season test
The camp built on the long-term affiliation between North Melbourne Football Club and the Army Australian Football Association. “Our theme for pre-season training was attention to detail, and we looked no further than the Army to find a benchmark organisation that delivered in all aspects of what we could learn as a football club,” he said. Commanding Officer of the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Anthony McIntyre said he was very impressed with the attitude of the players. “They have developed a greater appreciation of how well-trained and well-equipped our soldiers are for current and future operations.” North Melbourne captain Adam Simpson said that the players all felt an enormous sense of achievement after completing the course. “All of the players have great respect for Army personnel, the institution and the organisation. The thing that stands out the most is how much the soldiers respect their values and apply this to every aspect of their life.” More: Read media release | Imagery |
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| Aspiring RAAF officers graduate 5 December - The final group of trainee Royal Australian Air Force officers to graduate from RAAF Base Williams at Point Cook have marched out ahead of the facility being relocated to RAAF Base East Sale. The graduation parade for the No. 4/2007 Initial Officer Course took place on November 30 and marked the final graduation parade at RAAF Base Williams. Revieweing Officer Air Vice Marshal John Blackburn presented Pilot Officer Christopher Hill with The Leadership and Military Qualities Award from the class of 45 graduates. The Officers' Training School (OTS) is charged with the responsibility of creating the leaders of the Royal Australian Air Force. Approximately 200-300 students graduate from OTS each year. The course is very demanding, requiring physical and mental toughness. These demands provide the means to measure the students' suitability for leadership. More: Imagery | Officer Training School fact sheet |
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Exercise tests Navy's reach
Exercise Pacific Reach is a triennial Asia-Pacific submarine rescue exercise designed to promote regional cooperation on submarine rescue. The exercise this year is the fourth in the series and is a significant exercise involving six ships, three submarines, two submarine rescue systems and a multi-national dive team. "Pacific Reach is an extraordinarily valuable opportunity to work with our regional neighbours and it is our pleasure to host this year's activities," said Commander Australian Naval Submarine Group, Commodore Rick Shalders. Participating countries include: Canada, China, Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the United States and the United Kingdom. In addition, military observers from Chile, India, Indonesia, NATO, Pakistan, Peru, Russia and South Africa will also attend. More: Imagery |
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Capacity funeral for 'Mr 110 per cent'
Private Luke Worsley’s parents and girlfriend were joined by their large circle of family and friends and by past and present members of the 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment Commando. During the sombre service, friends and family recounted stories and paid tribute to Private Worsley. “Luke was sometimes called ‘Mr 110 per cent’... That’s part of the reason Luke loved his job in the Army so much. He wanted to be the best soldier possible and serve with the best… and that’s exactly what he did,” his brother-in-law, Tim, said. A poem was then read to the assembled mourners, titled The Final Inspection, which Luke presented to his father on completion of his course at Singleton. As the service concluded, a bugler played The Last Post in tribute to the passing of one of the nation's finest soldiers. More: Read media release | Imagery | Poem The Final Inspection | Message of thanks |
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| Defence reponds to misleading article 4 December - The Department of Defence has refuted an article in the The Age newspaper (Torture fear for diggers’ POW’s, Sunday, 2 December 2007) regarding the suggestion that Australian soldiers could be complicit in the torture or mistreatment of detainees in Afghanistan. As advised in our response to questions from The Age, Defence has no evidence to suggest that detainees transferred to the Netherlands have been subjected to mistreatment. We are also satisfied that the agreements in place with our coalition allies provide a robust framework to ensure that detainees are treated in accordance with our international obligations. Visits by Dutch representatives to three detainees earlier this year found them in good health. Another group of six detainees were visited by a representative of the Dutch Embassy, who said they were "in reasonable condition given the circumstances". The Amnesty International report acknowledges these visits but Mr Hyland’s article does not. ADF soldiers would not be a party to the mistreatment of detainees. To suggest otherwise is a slur on their reputation and demeans the good work they are doing for the people of Afghanistan. More: See our response in full | Operation SLIPPER website |
