Letters
to the Editor
Ups
and downs of C130s
I AM very
interested in what maintenance program the RAAF has in place for their
fleet of C130J aircraft.
The reasons
I ask this questions are as follows; I was booked on a RAAF C130J flight
home after three months in Rifle Coy Butterworth in November 2002 -
the flight was delayed for two days. The next was in last October. A
RAAF C130J flight home after five months in Timor, the flight once again
delayed for one day.
The trip
home from Timor was to be in three chalks and out of three aircraft
two of them had engine problems on the same day at the same base.
These aircraft
were the new model as well. Was it engine problems or aircrew problems,
I wonder.
Two deployments
in two years and, two delays thanks to our old friend "Ronnie RAAF"
(civvies in uniform). Could someone please tell me who is responsible
for the maintenance of these aircraft? How often are they serviced?
and who monitors it?
Maybe in
times of cost cutting in the ADF it is time to rid ourselves of these
unreliable aircraft, or aircrew, and count on Qantas for all troop movement.
This would
surely save millions of dollars, which in turn could then be channelled
to places of need, bullets maybe!
Sgt W.A.Southern
Catering Pl
1RAR, Lavarack Barracks, Townsville
Air-Cdre G. Evans, Commander Air Lift Group, responds:
I regret that we let Sgt Southern down on these two flights. He should
be aware of the circumstances in both cases, though, and I reject his
allegation that the aircrew were in any way at fault.
The task
in November of 2002 was delayed because the C-130J, enroute to Butterworth
to pick up the rifle company, had to divert to Singapore with an avionics
problem.
This action
by the crew was entirely appropriate and correct in the circumstances.
At the time all available C-130 and 707 aircraft had higher priority
tasks or were too distant to get there before repairs could be carried
out to the C-130J. That aircraft was therefore used when it was repaired.
The task
to redeploy troops from Dili to Townsville in October 2003 was one of
a complex series of tasks, and again, the C-130 force was 100 per cent
committed at the time. One C-130H and two C-130J were tasked to deploy
troops to Dili from Darwin, then redeploy troops from Darwin to Townsville.
Unfortunately,
both aircraft suffered serious problems but these emergencies very well
handled by the crews.
The problems
were very much out of character for the new C-130J aircraft that have
generally proven highly reliable in service.
My aircrew
are not "civvies in uniform". They are a crucial part of virtually
every ADF operation, including recent operations in Timor, Bougainville,
Honiara, Afghanistan and Iraq. Their workload is among the highest of
any group in the ADF and their professionalism is widely respected around
the world.
They routinely
face military hazard, and they support almost every ADF operation from
beginning to end.
The ADF
does not have sufficient military air lift assets (not even the USAF
does), so we must work the aircraft and crews we have as efficiently
as possible.
This we
do, every day, primarily in support of the Army, an organisation I have
great respect and admiration for. My aircrew universally feel the same
way.
For the
record, routine maintenance on C-130 aircraft is conducted by the squadrons,
and deeper maintenance is contracted to industry, in this case Qantas
Defence Services. Both these organisations do an excellent job; our
safety record attests to that.
I agree
an infantryman has every right to see himself as a high priority for
movement in the AO, but we should remember this: the bullets Sgt Southern
proposes we buy with the C-130 budget are entirely useless unless delivered
to the troops who need them. And the Army can trust my aircrew to deliver
them in the face of enemy action.
We're doing
it in the Middle East today.
Bursting
blister theories
WITH reference
to "Fighting the foot's old foe" article published in Army
dated November 20, 2003, on blisters.
I've now
heard the lot! I've been a soldier for 22 years and I'm amazed that
we, the Army, are now about to conduct trials on cutting down on blisters.
Surely
all the RODUMS sent in from EM and Iraq have not been mislpaced? In
22 years service, I have walked, patroled, marched and run more kilometres
than I wish to remember including three years as corporal instructor
at Depot Coy School of Inf and the 80km hell marches in 6RAR in the
early '90s.
I've worn
all sorts of makes and models of boots. From black leather Dunlops and
highmarks to brown leather and suede boots, and now the "gootchie"
[Gucci] looking things that we wear today.
They look
great with jeans and T-shirts don't they? Never before have I had problems
with blisters until I was issued my 285/107 Monopoints. I get blisters
just walking from my office to the dunny now; We've finally been issued
Gortex raincoats after years of soldiers complaining about being soaking
wet whilst wearing Army issue wet weather gear so why don't we now listen
to the people that really matter, soldiers, and issue a boot that works.
The plastic
cup in the heel of the monopoints simply does not work. It's simple
and I believe this is the answer to the blister trials.
One other
point - the Brits have great socks they issue. They're expensive and
I don't know the name of them but they can be aquired through the British
Army School of Infantry at Brecon, Wales.
Sgt D. Parsons
ARA Training Sergeant
Geraldton
Maj Nick Stanton, ACPEC, responds:
The writer raises a number of complex and diverse issues which makes
a concise response a difficult challenge. First, ACPEC was created to
ensure that our soldier's opinions were heard and resolved. RODUMs are
an essential element to this process and provide invaluable support
to the Army in a number of areas.
They are
never discarded.
It was
our soldier's input through RODUMs, ACPEC and general discussions which
brought about the long awaited new wet weather ensemble.
It is pleasing
to note that this great piece of kit is appreciated as a large number
of people worked extremely hard to ensure we received the best wet weather
gear possible.
In regards
to the anti-blister trial; as the article mentioned, pretty well all
experienced soldiers have an opinion as to what causes blisters and
the best means to prevent them. Now these differing opinions and ideas
are going to be scientifically tested to arrive at the best solution
for our soldiers.
A methodical
approach will ensure the optimal solution to the concerns that have
been raised by our soldiers.
Stop
your whingeing
As a Unit
Pay Representative, when my copy of Army arrived, I used to rush to
the letters page to see the latest issues affecting soldiers, and the
replies from "the horses mouth".
These letters
were often the catalyst for a change of policy, or at least a simple
explanation of it. Now all we get is wah, wah, wah. Admittedly, there
is the occasional legitimate gripe, but as a whole, all we get to read
about is how badly done-by we all are.
Every fortnight,
the majority of letters seem to start off "if I was a civilian,
this wouldn't happen to me", or "if I wasn't in the ADF, I
would have a choice about ..."
Isn't it
about time people realised that they aren't civilians, they are in the
ADF, and if they have a problem with their choices or their working
conditions - get out! Suddenly, paying $7.60 a fortnight for water will
pale into insigficance against their medical bills.
Maybe someone
should be asking questions like "Why have AIRN if you have to re-do
everything in the weeks prior to a deployment?" or "Why do
I have a Service Number, a PMKeys number, and a ROMAN vendor number,
when if we bought the full financial module for PMKeys, then we could
all make do with one number?"
Aren't
these the major issues we should be putting to our commanders?
I'm still
waiting for the letter complaining that we only get one-ply toilet paper
in the ADF, but if we were civilians, we would get three-ply.
Cpl Troy Schmidt
26 Tpt Sqn
Puckapunyal VIC
Green
beats chrome
I HAVE
been reading the Army newspaper since deployed on operations in the
Middle East. I was disappointed to discover on page four on the December
4 edition that Army has reintroduced a chrome magazine for colour escorts.
As a non-Army observer, I am quite happy with the current look of green
translucent polymer on parade. I can't imagine the chrome magazine looking
better against the black and green Steyr.
Cmdr Phil White, RAN
HQJTF
Awards
system a joke
I FIND
it impossible to believe that out of the 500 or so personnel involved
in Op Falconer that there is only two non-commissioned personnel who
received awards [in the special Op Falconer honours list in December
last year].
One brigadier,
four colonels, six lieutentant-colonels, one major and two captains
all received awards.
Doesn't
it seem surprising that out of all the personnel over there that only
officers showed exceptional performance.
If this
is the case then maybe we need to employ officers as diggers to get
the improved performance shown here.
The awards
system needs to be looked at.
Time and
time again I see people who get awards for doing their job or for being
one of the boys. I have lost faith in the Army awards as I see them
as nothing more than a joke on what was once based on skill and performance.
Cpl Scott Timmins,
5 Avn Regt
RAAF Townsville, QLD
An
unusual rank
FOLLOWING
the article on warrant ranks by Pte John Wellfare [Army, November 20],
I thought you might be interested in the following about a WO Class
3 (PSM) who is listed on a memorial wall at Kanchanaburi War Cemetery
in Thailand.
He was
WO 3rd Class (PSM) James Love of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.
He died May 29, 1943.
I had never
heard of such a rank but anything is possible in a Scottish regiment.
Maj Ray Doust (RACT, Rtd)
I
will miss you all
AFTER 37
years service as a member of the Public Service, employed with CARO
and SCMA since 1973, I would like to take this opportunity on my retirement
to say farewell to those members of the Australian Army and Defence
Public Service who I have had the pleasure to have known and worked
with.
It has
been an absolute pleasure working with such dedicated and professional
people and I will miss you all.
Good luck
for the future.
David Gibson
SO1 CARO/SCMA
Ten
hot tips on returning to work
Be positive
and cheerful.
Make an effort to say good morning to everyone.
Avoid excessive alcohol the night before as this will increase fatigue.
Have a lunch break and enjoy it.
Be decisive to organise your admin, like dental and medical.
Meet the new people in your workplace with no judgment of character;
the first week back is a little surreal for most.
Ask questions about everything you might have forgotten or need to find
out about, knowledge is power and makes the transition back to work
easier.
Pick a day to bring mornos for your section.
Make a commitment to earn your pay even when you are suffering from
holiday withdrawal.
Don't be too hard on yourself and the routine, as it will become easier
as your settle into your job and unit again.
Ask
the Chief
Would you
like to ask CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy a question? It could be about acquisitions
or uniform, operational tempo or a general welfare issue.
As part
of hearing soldiers' views, CA has agreed to start Ask the Chief
in Army newspaper.
He wants
to know your questions so he can answer them in a future edition as
part of his look back at what the Army has achieved and been part of
in 2003.
As with
Letters to the Editor, it is the right of all soldiers to ask CA a question
through Ask the Chief in Army without using the chain of command.
Submit
your questions in e-mail form to armynews@defencenews.gov.au
with "ask the chief" in the subject line.
From
the kids...
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Hey,
This letter is to anyone and everyone who wants to read it.
Whoever this reaches in Iraq, I just want to tell you what courage
and strength you have. There are people who agree with this war
and people who don't and people who haven't made up their minds
yet. And that's all cool, what matters is that whatever you believe
you're still out there fighting, because that's your job, that's
what you're were told to do. Maybe you're terrified. I know I would
be, but whatever you're feeling, you're out there giving it your
best shot.
Keep smiling and keep supporting each other through this hard time.
On ya guys, love Laura, Melbourne.
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