Features

FEAT OF ARMS
Explosions, assaults and evacuations featured in 3 Bde’s latest combined-arms training activity, reports Capt Al Green

Edition 1167, May 31, 2007
 
Pressing ahead: Cpl Jamie Wells charges a position during a mock attack.
Photo by Troy Rodgers, Townsville Bulletin
 
Let’s roll: LCpl Russell Page, 3RAR rolls up his chute after making a successful jump.
Photo by Cpl Raymond Vance
 
Handle with care: Soldiers from 4 Fd Regt evacuate a colleague during a mass casualty exercise as part of the combined-arms training activity.
Photo by Capt Al Green
IN LINE with the Army’s philosophy that every soldier is a close combatant, all of 3 Bde’s troops were involved in a combined-arms training activity (CATA) at Townsville Field Training Area in the past month.

More than 3000 soldiers from a variety of corps responded to a range of scenarios from counter-ambush drills to assaulting makeshift buildings after combat engineers blew the doors off.

During the CATA, units worked up through individual and small unit collective skills to the more complex and demanding tasks involving combined arms with units working together to create a realistic battlefield effect.

Brig John Caligari, Commander 3 Bde, said the Army had a great reputation for “punching above our weight – and this is how we achieve it”.

The explosions during the dynamic entry were loud and spectacular but safe. As Spr Josh Cook explained, “We comply strictly with OH&S but treat the scenarios as if they were real”.

One of the highlights of the exercise was a mass parachute insertion by 3RAR. For soldiers packed tightly on the tac-flying C-130s it was a relief to get out the door. “In the crush on the aircraft you ask yourself why you ever signed-up, but once in the sky it becomes clear why,” Pte Robert Tanner said.

Jumping with his mates was also the best part for Pte Clancy Roberts.

“Working this closely in a team builds confidence to react to any situations that might be encountered on ops,” he said.

On landing CO 3RAR Lt-Col Mick Mumford joked that the easy part was over. “This is the bus we take to work and our work starts now,” he said, before joining the troops on a 15km march.

As well as practising conventional warfighting, some of the scenarios took account of the complex situations that might be encountered on operations, including dealing with mass casualties where civilian agencies are also involved. To this end, 3 Bde practised a mass-casualty scenario that involved members of emergency services from across north Queensland.

Major Alison Berlioz-Nott, OC 3CSSB Health Coy, said the exercise aimed to create visibility and interoperability between civilian emergency services and Defence.

“Events such as the tsunami and Bali bombing highlight circumstances where civilian emergency services and military worked together to treat and evacuate mass casualties – that’s why the opportunity to build mutual understanding was valued,” she said.

Fully prepared, 3 Bde will shortly step off on Exercise Talisman Sabre with amphibious and parachute insertions.

Brig Caligari said that while the formation had been busy on ops, it was important to maintain skills for all of the tasks 3-Bde could be called upon to perform.