Hamels hit Cultana

Volume 11, No. 56, November 16, 2006
By Maj Ian Toohill

Bang on: Members of Victoria’s 2/10 Fd Regt fire a salvo at Cultana during Exercise Hamel 2006.

VICTORIA’S 4 Bde has completed a major brigade exercise, Exercise Hamel 2006, at SA’s Cultana Military Range.

Having not exercised at Cultana since 1999, the exercise was something new for many brigade members and also presented some logistical challenges as it tested the efficiency of brigade HQ, and particularly 4CSSB, because of the logistics of moving troops, equipment and supplies interstate.

All concerned rose to the challenge and the deployment/redeployment phases were achieved smoothly.

The first week of the exercise saw nearly 200 cadets from all over Australia participate and get a taste of military training with cadets helping to dig and man an infantry defensive position alongside mentors from 5/6 and 8/7 Battalions.

The exercise consisted of collective unit training in a combined arms environment with a number of preliminary activities culminating in a live firepower demonstration on day nine, involving direct-fire artillery, armoured personnel carriers and infantry anti-armour weapons.

This demonstration was witnessed by a group of reservists’ employers, who attended the weekend as guests of the Defence Reserve Support Committee as part of Exercise Boss Lift.

Ex Boss Lift began with Reserve employers visiting the Reserve infantry company in Timor-Leste in 2003.

It has proven to be a successful way of demonstrating to employers the skill sets developed by reservists and the benefits they bring to their civilian workplace.

A highlight for the employers was riding in the APCs from 4/19PWLHR.

This year’s Ex Hamel was the last major exercise for the unit’s APCs, as they are to be replaced by a light wheeled reconnaissance vehicle as the unit is re-rolled to light cavalry with a reconnaissance role under the Hardened and Network Army process.