More Defence news: 08 September - 14 September 2008
| Private David Fisher to return home | New Women’s Hospital Wing Opened at the Tarin Kowt Hospital | Private David Fisher to Return Home | Gearing up for the Bledisloe Cup in East Timor | Defence Scientists Detect New Generation Radar From Coogee Beach | Australia and the Solomon Islands Working Together | Special Operations Task Group Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan - Update | NSW Defence White Paper Community Consultation Public Meetings | Military Police Dog ‘Ziggy’ Passes Away in East Timor | $6 Million To Maintain Air Force Capabilities | ISF Patrols In East Timor | NSW Defence White Paper Community Consultation Public Meetings | Australian Army Program a Success in Kalumburu | Aero Medical Evacuation Exercise on Operation Astute | Diving deep on Tricrab | Defence Ministers Visit NORFORCE | Caribou Lands Hard in Papua New Guinea | New Defence Recruiting Centre opens today | Darwin Farewells 1400 Soldiers | Navy connects with the community | Yacht Rally departs from HMAS Coonawarra | |
Private David Fisher to return home
Private David Fisher of the Special Air Services Regiment (SASR) fell from a rope beneath a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter during a “hot extraction” of his patrol on 27 September 1969. It is now known that Private Fisher died as a result of the fall and was hastily buried by enemy soldiers who discovered his body. Private Fisher is the fourth and last Australian Soldier to be located and his return will complete the recovery of all Australian Army personnel who were lost on operations and not recovered during the Vietnam War. Lance Corporal Parker and Private Gillson were repatriated to Australian in June 2007 and Lance Corporal Gillespie in December 2007. More: Images | Read Media release |
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New Women’s Hospital Wing Opened at the Tarin Kowt Hospital
The $300,000 new women’s wing was part of a $1 million project, managed by the Reconstruction Task Force (RTF) working with local contractors. Soldiers from the RTF have been working on the Tarin Kowt hospital for two years. The centre radically improves the treatment for women in the Uruzgan Province, particularly maternity cases. The accommodation includes family rooms and staff accommodation, alongside the medical facilities. More: Images |
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| Private David Fisher to Return Home 12 September - Last month, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, announced that remains recovered in the Cam My District of Vietnam have been officially identified as Private David Fisher. Private David Fisher of the Special Air Services Regiment fell from a rope beneath a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter during a “hot extraction” of his patrol on 27, September 1969. It is now known that Private Fisher died as a result of the fall and was hastily buried by enemy soldiers who discovered his body. Planning is now underway to repatriate Private Fisher’s remains home to Australia. More: Media Release |
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Gearing up for the Bledisloe Cup in East Timor
Defence personnel from Australia and New Zealand have been practicing a few rugby moves of their own at Camp Phoenix in Dili. More: Image Gallery |
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| Defence Scientists Detect New Generation Radar From Coogee Beach 11 September - The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is conducting an international experiment in Sydney this week to develop technology for detecting new generation radar systems. DSTO researchers are working with US and Canadian defence scientists on the trial that will assist DSTO to develop techniques and equipment that could detect challenging radar systems coming on to the market. A hired boat will travel along a zig-zag path out to sea and beam back radar signals which stimulate the emissions from new generation radar. These signals will be intercepted by a passive receiver located on an elevated balcony overlooking the ocean at Coogee beach. More: Media release |
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| Australia and the Solomon Islands Working Together 11 September - The Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon recently visited the Pacific Patrol Boat headquarters. Australia provided 22 Patrol Boats to 12 Pacific nations from 1987 to 1997 as part of the Defence Co-operation Program. These boats are used by Pacific Island Nations for maritime surveillance, search and rescue, and operations in support of their local military, police and fisheries agencies. Defence contributes more than $27 million annually to the PPB Program. Of this more than $12 million is expended in direct support of the Pacific Patrol Boats. The presence of Pacific Patrol Boats has been effective in deterring illegal fishing. More: Media release |
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| Special Operations Task Group Soldiers Wounded in Afghanistan - Update 11 September - An Australian Special Forces soldier who suffered life-threatening wounds in a battle on September 2, 2008, with Taliban extremists continues to improve at a US medical facility in Germany. The soldier is responding well to treatment and now has his partner by his side. Three of the nine wounded Special Operations Task Group soldiers have now returned to Australia since the incident and continue to undergo treatment for their wounds. The other five soldiers have either returned, or will soon return to duty and remain in Southern Afghanistan. The incident has not affected the operational tempo of the Special Operations Task Group which continues to be extremely effective in its ability to disrupt Taliban extremist command and control processes and support structures. More: Media release |
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| NSW Defence White Paper Community Consultation Public Meetings 11 September – In June, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP officially launched the Defence White Paper Community Consultation Program and public discussion paper – Key Questions for Defence in the 21st Century. The Defence White Paper Community Consultation Program is seeking public comment on the White Paper development process and would like to invite interested members from Albury/Wodonga and Bathurst communities to attend public meetings tomorrow. Meetings will be held as follows:
More: White Paper Website | Public Discussion Paper |
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Military Police Dog ‘Ziggy’ Passes Away in East Timor
Ziggy, who was five years old, died suddenly in his kennel. His death was a great loss to the MPD team and in particular his handler Corporal Dean Jennings. The pair had worked together for 15 months. The Military Police Dog Fly Away Team is stationed in East Timor as an operational asset to assist with patrolling and tracking duties in support of the infantry. The team provides invaluable capability to the ISF. More: Image Gallery |
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$6 Million To Maintain Air Force Capabilities
The Minister made the announcement while visiting the Air Traffic Control facilities at Darwin Airport yesterday. 150 of Defence’s most experienced Air Traffic Controllers will be offered a retention bonus of $30,000 for a further one year’s service. Defence is also looking at ways to improve conditions for all Air Traffic Controllers. These include strengthening core remuneration, improving location stability and enhancing Air Traffic Control career paths. More: Image Gallery | Media release |
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ISF Patrols In East Timor
As part of that ongoing program a mechanised platoon from C Coy of the ISF Battle Group, recently conducted a four day patrol in the south east of the country using Armoured Personnel Carriers. The APCs are well suited to this type of role as they provide excellent communications and mobility in rough terrain particularly throughout the wet season. The ISF continues to provide a highly visible presence, contributing to improving stability in East Timor. More: Image Gallery |
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| NSW Defence White Paper Community Consultation Public Meetings 09 September – In June, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP officially launched the Defence White Paper Community Consultation Program and public discussion paper – Key Questions for Defence in the 21st Century. The Defence White Paper Community Consultation Program is seeking public comment on the White Paper development process and would like to invite interested members from Wagga Wagga and Nowra communities to attend public meetings held tomorrow. Meetings will be held as following:
More: White Paper Website | Public Discussion Paper |
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09 September - The Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Program (AACAP) has seen 140 troops spend the past three months working with the remote West Australian community of Kalumburu, to deliver a new health clinic, improved road access as well as health promotion and training. Work being carried out under the Program is improving the living conditions for Indigenous Australians. The scope of the AACAP contingent, which is also being supported by Navy and Air Force personnel, includes; • A $1 million upgrade of 16 kilometres of the road leading into Kalumburu. • Construction of a new $1.6 million dollar cyclone coded health clinic which has consultation rooms, a pharmacy, a haemodialysis treatment room, baby wash area and staff accommodation. • An Employability Skills Program which includes a 12 week TAFE accredited training course that provides 20 locals with a Certificate 1 in Engineering covering OHS, welding, concreting and basic trade skills. • Medical and dental support as well as environmental health training. More: Media Release | Image Gallery |
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Aero Medical Evacuation Exercise on Operation Astute
The recent exercise scenario involved a mechanised patrol in a remote locality, where an Armoured Personnel Carrier simulated an accident with two casualties, one critical. The aero medical evacuation practice worked well with all benchmark timings being met or bettered. The ADF have around 100 mounted and foot patrols conducted each week. In order to maintain a high state of readiness in the event of such an emergency, rehearsal exercises are periodically conducted at no notice. More: Image gallery |
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| Diving deep on Tricrab 09 September - Recently divers and explosive experts from the Royal Australian Navy’s Australian Clearance Dive Team One and Four joined their counterparts from the United States and Singapore to take part in Exercise Tricrab 08. The exercise is an annual joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Improvised Explosive Device Disposal exercise. Tricrab will take place on the US territorial island of Guam. The aim of the exercise is to train personnel in completing EOD and IEDD operations on board ships, underwater and on land in a post-conflict environment. More: Media release |
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| Defence Ministers Visit NORFORCE 09 September – Yesterday, the Minister for Defence, the Hon. Joel Fitzgibbon MP, and Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP, visited NORFORCE during a visit to Larrakeyah Barracks. Commanding Officer of NORFORCE, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Rozzoli warmly welcomed the Ministers to the NORFORCE unit, and briefed them on the latest operations and activities. NORFORCE operates across 1.8 million square kilometres in the Northern Territory and Western Australia’s Kimberley region. The unit relies on local communities to notify them of any abnormal movements of personnel, vehicles or aircraft, which is passed on to NORFORCE during patrols to stations and outlying communities. More: Media Release |
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| Caribou Lands Hard in Papua New Guinea 08 September – On Friday, a RAAF Caribou made a hard landing at Efogi Airfield, approximately 64 kilometres north east of Port Moresby, at about 11.30am. The aircraft was carrying a RAAF crew of four, along with nine Australian and Papua New Guinean (PNG) civilian passengers, contracted under the Australian Aid Program (AusAID). There were no reported injuries. The Caribou experienced a strong downdraft as it approached the airstrip resulting in a heavy landing. The crew have inspected the aircraft and confirmed that it has suffered structural damage as a result of the landing. The aircraft remains at Efogi airfield. RAAF Caribous conduct training activities in PNG, and often undertake tasks in support of AusAID and the PNG community. More: Media Release |
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| New Defence Recruiting Centre opens today 08 September - The Member for Cunningham, Ms Sharon Bird MP, today opened a new Defence Force Recruiting Centre in Wollongong on behalf of the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon. Warren Snowdon MP." The centre will service the Illawarra- South Coast Region. The revamped location allows for a co-ordinated recruiting experience for candidates. |
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Darwin Farewells 1400 Soldiers
The soldiers drawn from the 1st Brigade’s units are deploying as the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force, Timor Leste Battle Group 5, Security Detachment 14 and the Force Communication Unit 1. Darwin plays an important role in preparing Australian troops for operations overseas. The Parade was commanded by Brigadier Michael Krause, while the parade Sergeant Major was Warrant Officer Class 1 Donald Spinks. More: Media release | Image Gallery |
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| Navy connects with the community 08 September - The Royal Australian Navy is working towards a recruitment boost with the help of new activities to connect communities with the ADF. The Navy Community Engagement Program, which started in 2005, includes a range of initiatives aimed to enhance Navy’s relationship and improve its reputation with the Australian public. The Navy will be visiting schools and become more involved in sporting codes and charities. More: Media release |
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Yacht Rally departs from HMAS Coonawarra
The rally has been organised by the World Cruising Club. Around 20 yachts from around the world arrived in Darwin last week, in preparation for the next leg. The yachts will soon farewell Australia as they sail make their way to Bali, Indonesia. More: Image Gallery |
