New
crest for GTW
Ground
Training Wing was established in 1999 and now, five years later,
has designed its own insignia symbolising its role in the Air
Force.
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FLTLT
Kevin Kovic received a certificate of appreciation for his
role in helping with the design of Ground Training Wing’s
badge.
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Photo
by PTE Shannon Joyce
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MEMBERS
of Ground Training Wing (GTW) have come up with the design of
their own badge. CAF Air Marshal Angus Houston recently approved
the badge after two years of work, including a survey seeking
proposed designs and mottos, discussion and a ballot to establish
a consensus.
The final result is a badge combining three ideas – a red gum
thought of by Wing Commander John Steinbach and an owl and flaming torch conceived by Flight Lieutenant Steve Tubby.
Group Captain Robert Lawson, the Wing’s OC, initiated the project
in 2002. “Our sister units had a badge so I made it one of my
goals to have one,” GPCAPT Lawson said.
“I wanted to create a sense of shared purpose because the units
are quite diverse.” Framed copies of the badge were presented
on September 22 to GTW’s two previous OCs and Flight Lieutenant
Kevin Kovic, who coordinated the badge’s production.
FLTLT Kovic said it involved a lot of me diation between the artists
and careful consideration of how to change the design to get the
best of both original designs while respecting the artists’ perceptions.
“Everyone was very happy with the results,” he said.
Warrant
Officer Kevin Close has also received a framed copy of the badge
for coordinating the design inputs and suggestions from across
the Wing and initiating the preparation of the design submission.
FLTLT Tubby has a copy too, with only WGCDR Steibach left to receive
his. GTW was formed in January 1999 to optimise the development,
delivery and evaluation of ground training conducted within Training
Command - Air Force.
GTW has its headquarters at RAAF Base Wagga, where its Combat
Support Unit, RAAF School of Technical Training and RAAF School
of Management and Training Technology are also located.
The
Training Quality Office detachments are at RAAF Bases Edinburgh,
Richmond, Williamtown, Amberley, Townsville, Tindal and Darwin.
The RAAF Security and Fire School is found at Amberley, the ADF
School of Languages at RAAF Base Williams (with detachments in
Canberra and Perth), the Defence International Training Centre
is based at RAAF Base Williams – where Health Services Training
Flight is, too – and the Explosive Ordnance Training Squadron
is at Defence Establishment Orchard Hills.
The Wing conducts initial employment training and post-graduate
training for a range of musterings and specialisations. It is
responsible for about 200 separate training courses varying in
length from a few days to 64 weeks.
About 400 courses are conducted annually by GTW elements, leading
to about 5500 graduates each year. The average number of staff,
trainees and students under command within the Wing is around
1250, reaching more than 1600 personnel during busier periods.
