DPR 90/97 3 July 1997
UNIT MUSTER TANGIBLE SIGN OF ARMY RESTRUCTURING
A muster parade of more than 3,000 soldiers and up to 900 vehicles and major equipment in Brisbane on Sunday (July 6) will provide tangible evidence of the progress of the Army's restructuring program.
The parade will bring together full and part-time soldiers of the new 7th Task Force, an amalgam of the former 6th and 7th Brigades.
The Restructuring of the Army program was announced by Defence Minister Mr Ian Mclachlan, on October 15 last year.
The Task Force Commander, Brigadier Maurie Meecham, previously Commander 6th Brigade, said that the new formation will provide the Army with greater combat power by combining the strengths of both full-time and part-time soldiers, by fully motorising the task force and providing it with new technologies and additional firepower.
"This will enable the 7th Task Force to be more responsive, more mobile and better equipped to handle a wide range of military contingencies, from the defence of Australia to offshore operations" he said.
He also indicated that training for the new task force has been significantly enhanced with full-time and part-time soldiers training together.
"By embedding infantry, armour, artillery, engineering and eventually aviation units, the 7th Task Force will be more independent and largely self-contained, enabling us to operate more effectively in both widely dispersed and conventional scenarios," he continued.
"The Task Force should also be able to sustain itself in the field
for longer periods because those elements needed to support and sustain
the combat elements will be more readily available," he added.
Units making up the new Task Force include: the 7th Command Support Unit;
2/14th Light Horse Regiment; 1st Field Regiment; 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment;
6th Battalion; The Royal Australian Regiment; 9th Battalion; The Royal Queensland
Regiment; 25th/49th Battalion, The Royal Queensland Regiment and the 7th
Combat Services Support Battalion.
For Further Information:
Lieutenant Colonel John Weiland (07) 3233 4210 (BH)