For the first time since WW2 an infantry company of Army Reserve soldiers will deploy overseas on operations as part of the next force rotation to East Timor in early November.

They will form A Coy, 5/7RAR, based in Darwin, and will spend six months in country as part of the battalion group.

While several hundred reservists have seen overseas service in recent years, they have been individual volunteers filling specific postings within the permanent forces.

This deployment of 96 soldiers is in line with Government legislation allowing Reserve forces to be used on operations overseas.

As all those selected are volunteers, no call out for this deployment has been necessary.

Many of these reservists have employers who will be eligible to apply for the Employer Support Payment Scheme, entitling them to a payment to cover the absence of their staff on full-time military service.

Volunteers include 126 personnel from 4 and 8 Bdes, 2 Div, who have now completed a selection course at Puckapunyal, including a seven-day tactical exercise.

BM 4 Bde Maj Doug Cumming said selection was made on the basis of demonstrated aptitude and suitability for mission-specific training to be conducted in the Darwin area during the next three to four months.

The soldiers have been selected as follows after Exercise Tiger Cub, held at Puckapunyal in June: 74 from 4 Bde (45 from 5/6RVR, 26 from 8/7RVR and one from 4CER) and 22 from 8 Bde (eight from 2/17RNSWR and 14 from 41RNSWR).

All 96 personnel selected are AIRN compliant, have passed psychological screening and are proficient in all basic soldier skills such as weapons handling, signals, first aid, navigation and infantry minor tactics.

The selection panel, presided over by Commander 4 Bde Brig Peter Alkemade, is confident all those chosen have the right stuff for the task ahead.

OC A Coy Maj Mick Sasse, a former reservist, will put his men through a rigorous training program before deployment.

"Now that I have a full company with the required basic skills, the pre-deployment training can begin," he said.

On July 14 the company attended a badge parade at Simpson Barracks in Melbourne, where they formally became A Coy, 5/7RAR, and received their new hat badge.

By Capt Ian Toohill