Jump honours mate

By Capt Al Green
Volume 11, No. 39, March 23, 2006

Green light. GO!: Soldiers from 3 Bde await clearance for the first jump into DZ Clarke – a new drop zone named in honour of a fallen colleague. Pic by Cpl Rachel Ingram.

IN THE tropical skies over Townsville a scattering of flowers was seen to emerge from a 38 Sqn RAAF Caribou recently to mark the naming of new parachute drop zone at Oak Valley – DZ Clarke – in memory of Pte Jamie Clarke who was accidentally killed in the Solomon Islands in March last year.

Following the tribute, several 3 Bde soldiers jumped from the aircraft to maintain their parachuting competency and to appropriately activate the new drop zone.

Sgt Anthony Johnstone, 3RAR, who coordinated the training, said that the two days of jumps requalifying troops contributed to the continuing capability of the Airborne Battle Group.

“Centred on 3RAR, the Airborne Battle Group can rapidly deploy using airborne techniques and then conduct follow-on operations,” he said,

“Many of the troops who jumped this week are key to that capability.”

Among those to jump were elements of 3 Bde command staff as well as several other currently qualified soldiers serving in the north.

Lt Owen Paulson, 3 Bde Liaison Officer, first para-qualified while a digger in 3RAR in 1994. He saw the main advantage of this training as an opportunity to focus on individual skills necessary to enable remotely posted airborne soldiers to continue to meet the aim of military parachuting.

“Essentially it comes down to the ability to insert into an operational area quickly, safely and at short notice,” he said.
“This training is therefore critical in-order to prevent skills decay. Parachuting is not like riding a bike – you really need to jump at least a couple of times a year to refresh the required skills.”

Not all soldiers were here out of operational necessity, however. While WO1 Williams, the Brigades Catering Technical Adviser, is not part of the Airborne Battle Group he still makes the time to maintain the wings he first earned as a cook in 3RAR in 1994.

So, what motivates a 42-year-old WO1 to maintain currency when he’s not compelled to?

For WO1 Williams, it’s a mix of pride and the desire to challenge himself.

“It’s a mix of fear and excitement – there’s no other feeling like it,” he said.

“Fear doesn’t discriminate between ranks or people – you only have to look at the contrast of facial expressions between pre-jump and post-landing to realise this. Most people have some fear but everybody jumps.”

One reason WO1 Williams thinks that so few hesitate when the green-light flashes is that they’re more fearful of losing face than of jumping.

While soldiers in the north are appreciative that such training offers a convenient means of remaining current, Sergeant Johnstone said recognition also needs to be given to those providing the support, from Army’s 176 Air Dispatch Sqn and the RAAF’s 38 Sqn.

“Such training is a real joint effort,” he said.

“In this case we had units as diverse as 10FSB and A Fd Bty assisting. Without their input it would have been tough.”

After the jumps onto DZ Clarke, the troops gathered for a small service in memory of Pte Jamie Clarke.

Soldiers from the Airborne Battle Group gathered, solemn, but confident in the knowledge they remain part of a proud and continuing tradition of airborne soldering.