More Defence news: 18 August - 24 August 2008
| 11 Squadron Visit’s Children’s Ward | Soldier Runs for Breast Cancer | Missing World War I Soldier Discovered in Belgium | Exercise Pirap Jabiru | USS John S. McCain Visits Australia | Australian Special Forces Successfully Target Taliban Extremist Commander | Infrared Imaging Wins Eureka Prize | Science Cadetships for Indigenous Students | India Sweeps up Australian Defence Technology | HMAS Tobruk Returns | DSTO Opens in Sydney | Indigenous Pre Recruitment Course Begins | HMAS Parramatta Farewelled | ADF Indigenous Land Use Agreement | |
11 Squadron Visit’s Children’s Ward
Over $1500 was raised and used to purchase much needed entertainment equipment, including a Nintendo Wii, an X-box, numerous DVDs and games. Show bags were also made for the children, compromising of baseball caps, stickers, toys, games and books to help make their stay in hospital as enjoyable as possible. The 11 Squadron team found it extremely rewarding to witness the excitement on the faces of such young and sick children during a traumatic time for both them and their families. More: Image Gallery |
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Soldier Runs for Breast Cancer
He is currently more than halfway in his gruelling 1,400 km walk and run from Sydney’s Holsworthy Barracks to Adelaide, which he has undertaken to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Warrant Officer Bradshaw, who is based in Wagga Wagga with the 1st/19th Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment, reached the border of New South Wales and Victoria on 17th August and is scheduled to reach the border of Victoria and South Australia on 24 August. He has wind, rain and bitterly cold mornings of two-degrees which have added to his intense leg muscle soreness and mental fatigue. On average Warrant Officer Bradshaw covers around 50 km a day. |
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| Missing World War I Soldier Discovered in Belgium 22 August – On Wednesday, 20 August, the remains of an unidentified Australian World War I soldier were unearthed in Belgium. The human remains were discovered along with pieces of Australian equipment and clothing during an excavation by a British archaeology team at Ploegsteert; the site where the Battle of Messines took place in June 1917. The bones were in reasonably good condition, and were exhumed under the supervision of the Belgian Police and Army, who are housing the remains at a Belgian Army Barracks. The Australian Government is undertaking historical research to establish the soldier’s identity. More: Media release |
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| Exercise Pirap Jabiru 22 August – Yesterday, Exercise Pirap Jabiru, a jointly hosted exercise between Thailand and Australia, began in Bangkok. The desktop exercise between the ADF Peacekeeping Centre and the Royal Thai Armed Forces Peace Operation Centre, aims to enhance regional cooperation in peacekeeping. The two countries have participated in Exercise Pirap Jabiru since 1998 and the exercise was expanded to include regional participants in 2006. This year, for the first time, the exercise will include regional police as well as military representatives. Participants from 15 countries will discuss a series of problems relating to peacekeeping activities undertaken under the authority of a UN mandate. Exercise Pirap Jabiru will finish on 29 August 2008. More: Media Release |
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USS John S. McCain Visits Australia
The Royal Australian Navy played host to the United States Navy to mark the centenary of one of the most celebrated naval voyages of modern times. Also in attendance, is the Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane, AM CSM RAN, and a host of dignitaries. The original ‘Great White Fleet’ was sent around the world by President Theodore Roosevelt and the voyage was undertaken from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by sixteen new battleships, painted white, from the Atlantic Fleet. The Australian leg of the journey includes visits to Sydney, Melbourne, and Albany with Her Majesty's Australian ships Darwin and Sirius acting as escorts throughout the visit. More: Media Release | Website |
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| Australian Special Forces Successfully Target Taliban Extremist Commander 20 August – Mullah Akhtar Mohammed, a senior provincial Taliban extremist commander, who was responsible for coordinated attacks against Government facilities in Oruzgan, was killed in a Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) operation on the 12th August 2008. The SOTG patrol located and positively identified the Taliban extremist commander and called for an International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) airstrike, after it was confirmed there were no Afghan non-combatants in the area. Mullah Akhtar Mohammed was a known improvised explosive device (IED) facilitator and had recently equipped several suicide bombers who had struck civilian and security facilities in Oruzgan. The SOTG is continuing its operations to disrupt the Taliban extremist command and control network in Oruzgan province. More: Media Release |
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Infrared Imaging Wins Eureka Prize
The prize of $10,000 was presented to the University’s Microelectronic Research Group by the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, at an awards dinner in Sydney. The Group’s research will significantly enhance Defence capability to detect and identify threats and targets, through a technology similar to a digital colour video-camera, but operating in the infrared part of the spectrum. The imaging technology also holds promise for a range of civilian applications including health diagnostics, crop monitoring, and environmental monitoring. More: Media release |
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| Science Cadetships for Indigenous Students 20 August - Defence will fund three cadetships worth more than $300,000 over five years for Indigenous students to undertake full-time tertiary studies in science. One cadetship will be awarded each year from 2009 for the next three years. Each cadetship period will run for three years of tertiary study. Defence will pay the students’ Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) fee, provide mentoring support and place them on a paid 12-week work experience program with the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO). On successfully completing their studies they will be offered employment at DSTO. More: Media release |
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| India Sweeps up Australian Defence Technology 20 August - The Australian Minesweeping System, developed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO), has scored another export success with India being the latest to acquire the system that protects ships from underwater mines. India is the largest single overseas order to date, for the minesweeping system. The minesweeping system is currently in service with the navies of Australia, USA, Denmark, Poland, Japan, UAE, Indonesia and Thailand. More: Media release |
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| HMAS Tobruk Returns 20 August – Yesterday, the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Landing Ship, HMAS Tobruk returned to her home port of Sydney after a successful deployment to Hawaii for Exercise Rim of the Pacific. This year was the first time the RAN participated in an amphibious component, where seven Amphibious Assault Vehicles from the United States embarked on HMAS Tobruk. More: Media release | website |
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| DSTO Opens in Sydney 19 August – Today the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon MP, officially opened the Defence Science and Technology Organisation’s (DSTO) new facility at Australian Technology Park, in Eveleigh, Sydney. The facility will enable scientist to work on harbour and port security research using 3-D visualisation technologies. |
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| Indigenous Pre Recruitment Course Begins 18 August - The Defence Indigenous Pre Recruitment Course (IPRC) was launched in Townsville today by the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, and the Minister for Employment Participation, Brendan O’Connor MHR. The IPRC is designed to prepare Indigenous Australians for the ADF recruiting process, equipping them to succeed in military training and employment. The course, which was developed in partnership with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations will be run over eight weeks covering numeracy and English literacy, aptitude, confidence building, motivation, discipline, leadership, communication and skills to live away from home. More: Media release |
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| HMAS Parramatta Farewelled 18 August - Today the Minister for Defence, the Honourable Joel Fitzgibbon, MP farewelled Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Parramatta, as she departs for a six-month deployment to the Middle East Area of Operation. The ship’s company of 185 members were farewelled in a traditional ceremony at Fleet Base East in Sydney, before a large gathering of family and friends.
Parramatta will be stationed in the Gulf as part of Operation CATALYST, Australia’s commitment to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq until February 2009, protecting Iraqi oil platforms, security boardings of all vessels proceeding to the platforms and training of the Iraqi Navy. More: Media release |
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| ADF Indigenous Land Use Agreement 18 August – Today a plaque was unveiled at the entrance of RAAF Base Townsville to commemorate an Indigenous Land Use Agreement between the Commonwealth and the Bindal and Wulgurukaba People. Registered on 18 October 2001, the agreement was the first of its kind between Defence and an indigenous community in Australia. It provides for the three-stage redevelopment of RAAF Base Townsville, while minimising the effect of redevelopment on any native title. The ceremony paid tribute to the Wulgurukaba and Bindal People, recognising their connection to the land and the long-standing support they’ve given to Defence in Townsville. More: Media release |
