Preparation plus

Cpl Glen Henderson and Maj Bob Richards, DFSU, WO2 Jess Nowicki, Langs and civilian monitor Peter Richards, DSTO, get out into the community on market day in Buka. Photo by Pte Simone Heyer-Irwin

OFTEN, a member's first introduction to the Deployed Force Support Unit (DFSU) is the distance from the transit lines to the unit's building. Or, for others - the distance the team has travelled from Sydney's Randwick Barracks, to Townsville.

Distance is something in which DFSU is a specialist.

From the moment you get in the door, to the lessons given by a handful of specialists, it is clear that DFSU is all about preparation.

Their preparation varies from deployment to deployment but it is always followed up by support. And that is where we find a three-member team on a fly-away trip in Bougainville to validate their training objectives.

Consisting of DFSU's new OC Maj Bob Richards, training corporal Cpl Glen Henderson and Langs' Tok Pisin instructor WO2 Jess Nowicki, the group headed over to the province on Defence's favoured mode of transport, a Hercules. They were to spend seven days visiting with deployed members to discuss problems and find better ways to present their preparation lectures.

For Maj Richards, this was a familiarisation trip - his first to Bougainville, and first trip as OC DFSU.

Seated in the Frontline section of the base in Loloho, Maj Richards explained the format of DFSU pre-deployment training.

"First we have administration, then everybody who comes through a week-long DFSU training period receives two-and-a-half days of Tok Pisin language training," he said.

"Then we have briefings on quarantine, customs, DG, life in the PMG, legal, postal, psych, fire and others."

WO2 Nowicki teaches members basics of the Bougainvillean language and culture so the first days of deployment are not too much of a shock.

Their gear is perigean dipped for added protection against mosquitoes and extra equipment is issued - such as the yellow Op Bel Isi accoutrements.

Maj Richards said the first week helps personnel understand they are going into a "new culture".

"One of our big problems is that they don't know what to tell their wives and families what they're getting into - so they don't.

"It can take a while to start up the communication process. We tell them that they can ring home and tell their families that they're safe."

DFSU operates on behalf of the Land Commander to make sure people are ready both administratively, and personally, to perform duties expected of them on operation.

"We make sure their medical, dental and pay is all sorted out before they go away," Cpl Henderson said.

"Once they arrive, our unit follows up welfare issues, mail and entertainment packages.

"It's not just getting people on deployment. We have a role once they're there to support them.

"Their first point of contact in Australia is us. Any problems that they have - even a problem with their parent unit - they go through us and then we deal with the problem."

Maj Richards said the only real hassle DFSU had was that people tended to forget to do their allotments.

"We get wives ringing up saying there is no money in their accounts. Money is the only thing members don't square away.

"While Ops Bel Isi and Mazurka have their own administration to sort out pay problems, DFSU often helps."

Just under 700 people went through DFSU training last year, to 10 deployments. And, despite the level of support for members, DFSU is only a small unit. A tri-service staff each specialises in different areas of support.

"We have welfare people, logistics people, Q people and they're very professional," Maj Richards said.

"Our acting chief clerk, Cpl Debbie Bowles does a sterling job. She is the first point of contact for people who come in for training. She always puts them in a good frame of mind.

"All of our DFSU personnel are customer-focused."

DFSU also has the capability to react to quick deployments such as the Everest search team, who were kitted out within two days to go to the Himalayas.

Australian Defence members are deployed for varying times. Cpl Henderson said that for any deployment more than six months, the member's family travelled with them.

"The families receive DFSU training too. They're well supported and looked after while they're over there, but it can be a bit daunting at times," he said.

"Members going to operations other than Bel Isi receive more training because they also get religious and cultural lessons.

"We do the training for those operations once a year and that lasts for people who are to be deployed over the next 12 months.

"We also give them language CD ROMs that they can work on - it is a staggered deployment and they can learn the language in their own time.

"We send the copied videos to all contingents and also tape kiddies shows for the children, footy grand finals, news and current affairs.

"Along with this, newspapers and magazines are also sent."

He said the unit also helped the RSL make up care packages twice a year.

Flying back from Bougainville after an intensive week, the team is set to spend another week in Townsville, training members for the next rotation. Within a few minutes the next rotation will learn DFSU's role - a role to prepare them and a promise to support them during their deployment.

By Pte Simone Heyer-Irwin