RCB training
Reserve units comprise rotation

Soldiers from RCB 68 retrieve a casualty during the reorg phase of a section attack. Photo by Pte John Wellfare, Army newspaper

From Pte John Wellfare in Malaysia

RESERVE units have become more involved in the Army’s overseas deployment commitments, as the current Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB 68) rotation has been filled primarily by soldiers from 8/7RVR.

The company, comprising about two platoons and a headquarters element from 8/7RVR, a platoon from 5/6RVR, a section each from 4/19 Prince of Wales’ Light Horse and 4CER, MPs from 2 MP Coy and administration staff predominantly from 4CSSB, is not the first group of mostly part time soldiers to deploy to Malaysia as RCB.

OC RCB 68 Maj Douglas Laidlaw said deploying reserves to places like Butterworth did not represent a scaling down of the Australian Army’s commitment to combined training in the region.

“I know from the Land Commander, that he views this deployment as just short of operational,” Maj Laidlaw said.

“The RCB is essentially a potential asset that they [LHQ] have already jabbed up, bombed up, with a capability.”

To ensure that capability is at a high standard, all RCB rotations now undergo a two-week Sub Unit Training (SUT) course with the Jungle Training Wing (JTW) at Tully.

“With the reserves it’s a little harder and so what Land Command has done for us is the Jungle Training Wing have actually come to Malaysia,” Maj Laidlaw said.

“That’s different to what the last reserve deployment did – 16RWAR didn’t have that opportunity. “Ultimately they may decide reserves have to do what the ARA do, which is to do Tully before deploying and then JTW come over and do some mission specific training.

“I think it’s workable to still do the Tully course here.

“It’s got some limitations to it, but there is no doubt in my mind that a reserve deployment should do the Tully course either before or on deployment, because the guys have got so much out of it.

“To do that at the beginning gives you a good basis to go on and do the more advanced training, which is the whole purpose of the deployment.

“If we hadn’t had the SUT incorporated into our program, at [the beginning] of it, we’d be trying to get them up to speed.

“It’s probably the best introduction to operations over here that the guys could get.”

RCB 68 has been on exercise with Malaysian troops in the region and will remain in Butterworth until early February next year.