Reserve Response Force units will complement other ADF elements by conducting tasks such as area cordon, asset protection and searchs. Photo from PACC Digital Media   RRF units A short-readiness domestic security capability will be established in each reserve brigade in Australia: 4 Bde in Melbourne 5 Bde and 8 Bde in Sydney 9 Bde in Adelaide and Hobart 11 Bde in Townsville 13 Bde in Perth 1 Cdo Regt in NSW and Victoria

RAMPING UP
Reserve Response Force established

$700 allowance for RRF members

By Cpl Sean Burton
Land Command Reporter
Army Reserves will have a role in the war against terrorism with the establishment of the Reserve Response Forces (RRF).

Defence Minister Robert Hill has announced the establishment of the RRF to help law enforcement agencies and other ADF elements respond to any future terrorist incident.

The RRF will be drawn from the 17,000 Army reserves and will be trained for short-notice response to domestic security incidents, including terrorist incidents and also respond to other civil emergencies.

RRF will be employed primarily as formed units to cordon off an area, provide static protection of a site complementing other response elements.

Chief of Staff HQ 2 Div Col Mike Annett said there were some similarities between the proposed RRF and the Army contribution to the Commonwealth Heads of State Meeting and Op Gold in 2000.

“Some of the skill sets will be similar to those used during Op Gold but this new capability will see soldiers trained in additional skills,” he said.

Their training will enable them to conduct cordons, traffic control tasks and vehicle search, perform asset protection tasks and being armed, apply rules of engagement appropriate to their protective tasks.

He said potential RRF tasks would not be confined to each capital city and that there had been a very positive response from all reserve brigades in 2 Div with well over double the number needed expressing interest in each region.

“While the RRFs are each centered on a capital city they are regional in nature and the reserve soldiers from each brigade who participate will be drawn from across that brigade’s regional area; for example, in 5 Bde – southern Sydney, Wollongong, southern and western NSW and the ACT.

“The RRF will not be replacing any State Police functions but they would be adding another layer of capability to ADF force elements that may be required to respond to a terrorist incident or heightened state of alert.”

Members of the RRF will initially be on 28 days notice to move after transferring to the High Readiness Reserve category where they must remain AIRN proficient and meet specific RRF training and evaluation requirements.

The RRF soldier will be expected to serve between 50 and 70 days per year, in a combination of their home unit and RRF collective training commitments.

RRF soldiers remain part of their parent unit and will train with them for most of the year but will work with the RRF company group of 150 personnel, for specific training.

They will be paid an annual High Readiness Proficiency Payment of $700 if they fulfill the above requirements and their jobs will be protected through legislation while called out.

Col Annett said the Reserve has demonstrated their importance and flexibility in sustaining Army operations s in recent years in a host of ways.

“Individuals have served in most operational deployments in recent years, often bringing specialist skills not found in the ARA to the mission.

“Significant numbers are currently on FTS filling ARA vacancies here in Australia and, of course, the reserve company that deployed as part of 5/7RAR has just returned from operational service in Timor.

“The establishment of the RRF is further recognition of the capability the reserve component of our Army represents and how that capability can add an additional layer to our domestic security response plans.”

The first groups of RRF soldiers will commence training and be ready to respond by the latter half of this year.

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