Train hard, fight easy
AUSTRALIAN soldiers will be better prepared for the rigours of military operations with the introduction of two new training initiatives, according to Training Commander Maj-Gen Ian Gordon.

Campaign medals for Iraq and Afghanistan
ABOUT 10,000 ADF personnel will be eligible for new medals to be awarded for service in the Afghanistan and Iraq campaigns against terrorism.

Nine out of 19 busted
NINE out of 19 soldiers targeted in a combined Military and Queensland Police investigation at Lavarack Barracks have tested positive for illegal drug use.

Hitting 50 high notes
THE golden sounds of the Artillery's Brisbane-based big bang band have notched up their golden anniversary.

EOD charges undergo tests
NEW charges designed by DSTO to destroy explosive ordinance without initiating a high-order detonation have been recently tested near Woomera in South Australia.

Ready to respond
SOLDIERS from Melbourne's 4 Bde Reserve Response Force (RRF) have recently put their hard-earned skills on display for the media.

Testing mil might
SOLDIERS from 6RAR demonstated their might for the 7 Bde Military Skills Competition by taking out the 2004 cup at Gallipoli Barracks.

Marshalling duties
ONE of the Army's oldest military titles has gone to a female soldier for the first time.
Lt-Col Cheryl Pearce has been appointed Provost Marshal-Army, a title she shares with her other role as CO 1 MP Bn.

Flying across the flats
IT MAY not be a high-tech military machine, but the Army's new hovercraft is proving to be effective defence against trespassers at the Proof and Experimental Establishment (P&EE) in Port Wakefield, north of Adelaide.

United by the bonds of Anzac
ANZAC Day is important to Turks as well as Australians and New Zealanders, according to the Commander Turkish Land Forces, Gen Aytac Yalman.

Tempest in Brisbane tests crisis response
A MILITARY force of more than 25 nations invaded Brisbane recently to take part in a workshop designed to improve interoperability and multinational cooperation in the event of a crisis or humanitarian assistance situation.

MSBS rebounds from 2002 fall
THE Military Superannuation Benefits Scheme (MSBS) has turned around its performance to become the fourth-best performing Australian superannuation fund over the past year.

Reserve boss for 1 Div
CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy has announced the short-term appointment of Brig Ian Flawith to command 1 Div for three months.

Marines pause to remember
THERE is a long-standing, strong relationship that exists between the Australian Army and the United States Marine Corps (USMC).

Prayer for EM
THE Catholic head of ADF Chaplaincy, Bishop Max Davis, recently visited East Timor to share Easter with Aussie soldiers spread throughout the country.

No tough bikkies
RECEIVING mail from home is one of the biggest morale boosts a soldier can get while on operations, and even more so when it's an unexpected show of support.

Boys back at Hellfire Pass
IN THAILAND, the Anzac spirit is commemorated with the conduct of a Dawn Service at a very special place - a remote site that is charged with historical significance for the people of Australia and New Zealand.