RRF put through its paces
Volume 11, No. 39, March 23, 2006
By Sgt John Waddell

Role Playing: Pte Michael Tannous, 2/17RNSWR, leads a ‘prisoner’ to civil police during Exercise Rebus Walk

Halt: Pte Sean Flanagan, 8CER, mans the barrier during the exercise Photos by Sgt John Waddell.

THE use of a Weapons Training Simulator in a vehicle check point scenario was one of the simple but effective activities used in Exercise Rebus Walk, a simulated Reserve Response Force (RRF) callout from June 1-4 at Holsworthy Barracks.

About 100 of 8 Bde’s RRF Coy took part in the exercise to conduct domestic security tasks involving low-risk search, vital asset protection, rules of engagement and vehicle check point activities.

Using the simulator, soldiers were put through a rules-of-engagement test involving realistic video images. They had to react to the evolving situation before being questioned at the finish by a NSW Police detective regarding their actions and the use of lethal force.

CO 2/17RNSWR Lt-Col Peter Connor said the interview brought home the real-time impact of the soldiers’ actions. “The police detective is one of the battalion’s soldiers and he used his civilian skills to interview the soldiers,” he said.

“We learned valuable lessons in the use of confident, assertive speech; identifying and dealing with threats in realistic scenarios, applying the rules of engagement and ensuring that if lethal force were to be used that it were used appropriately.”

The exercise met with approval from the participating soldiers. “I really enjoyed the WTTS,” LCpl Sean Flanagan said after completing his scenario and police debriefing. The simulation gave me a more realistic level of training and I was surprised how fast a threat could escalate.”

The exercise included company members fresh from Op Acolyte, where an RRF Pl from 8 Bde was deployed to Melbourne for security support to the Commonwealth Games. This meant that operational experiences gained there could be passed on throughout the company.