1Div's
imperatives
Commander
1 Div and DJFHQ Maj-Gen Mark Evans’s training focus is “honing
capabilities to cope with the characteristics of
conflict”, says Capt Noel Gilby.
Within
the recently released 1st Div Plan 2003-2004 – the document
that sets the commander’s priorities and guidance for the
division – Maj-Gen Mark Evans reminded every member of 1
Div that their core business was about fighting and winning the
land battle.
“Every thing we do should be focused on achieving this goal,”
he said.
“It requires that we have a ‘hard edge’. It
requires professionalism, knowledge, skill, discipline and commitment
from every individual in the division.”
Maj-Gen Evans said there was no doubt that Australia’s strategic
situation had changed significantly over the last 10 years and
that we face regionally.
He cited Operation Warden as an example of how rapidly the environment
could change, resulting in a need for a military response of some
nature.
“While some of the characteristics of conflict will remain
constant, it is almost impossible to predict the form or type
of conflict that may involve Australian ground troops in the future.
“The focus therefore in 1 Div will be on honing our capabilities
to cope with the characteristics of conflict rather than on speculative
scenarios.
“We must focus our training on our doctrinal war roles and
tasks and on developing our leaders at all levels to withstand
the pressure that conflict brings with it.”
Speaking further on leadership, Maj-Gen Evans described NCOs as
the gatekeepers in maintaining the division’s combat capability.
He believed that if the NCOs failed to do their job then the division
would also fail.
“Leadership is the cornerstone for success on operations.
I ask that great emphasis be placed on leadership development
and training.
“We need to place prominence on ‘combat leadership’,
reducing the time junior leaders spend in offices and in front
of computers; we need to encourage them to be out with their soldiers.
Learning their business.”
Turning his attention to training, Maj-Gen Evans listed Exercise
Crocodile 03 and Swift Eagle as the division’s main effort
for 2003 and 2004 respectively.
He wanted to ensure that all training was relevant, realistic
and demanding as well as focused
on warfighting within the joint paradigm.
“We need to focus on the fact that we are the Army’s
prime warfighters. We need to maintain that hard edge.”
The framework for training within the division is operations in
the littoral environment.
He directed that this year formations were to focus on war roles
and tasks based on offensive operations, in particular, on the
attack.
“Emphasis is to be placed on night operations and a situation
of air parity and creating synergism with ground and air manoeuvre.
“Where possible, training should centre on urban operations
with exercises conducted within a scenario of a vector-borne disease
threat.”
Maj-Gen Evans concluded by asking the Division to place emphasis
on the fundamentals, to work as a team, be good at the basics,
be adaptable and flexible, organisationally and individually,
and retain optimism and enthusiasm.
The divisional plan also includes the 1 Div commander’s
guidance and priorities in regards to readiness and training,
major joint and combined exercises as well as shooting, personnel,
logistics and developmental matters.
1st Division Plan 2003-2004 is available for issue through a variety
of media including hard copy and intranet access via the Australian
Defence Secret Network (DSN) and Defence Restricted Network (DRN).
