By
CPL Simone Liebelt
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Education
officer in charge of the training system team combat support
group, SQNLDR Cameron Neill. Photo has been digitally altered.
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Photo
by LACW Jacqui Bull
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Force
Element Groups now have dedicated education
officers and more education officer positions
have been made available in Air Command as a
result of the Air Force Training system review.
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FORCE
Element Groups (FEGs) now have their own education officers (EDOs)
as part of a new training initiative. EDOs are now required to
begin their careers at a FEG and have at least one FEG posting
at each rank.
They belong to a training system team (TST), the result of a recent
review on the Air Force training system, which came into effect
on January 17.
TSTs provide training support to operational units across Australia
and are already making a difference only weeks after being established.
Squadron Leader Cameron Neill, from Headquarters Combat Support
Group at RAAF Base Amberley, said it’s been a fantastic change.
“We got right into it from the word go and began contributing
to tasks that are high on the commander’s list of priorities,
so we became a valuable resource straight away,” he said.
“It has provided an excellent opportunity for education officers
out on the bases, from junior officers through to wing commanders,
to get exposure to training issues at the operational end of the
Air Force, which is great.”
The training system review project manager, Squadron Leader John
Leonard, said the review identified key shortcomings, including
the fact that EDOs were widely dispersed around Australia, limiting
their concentration of force, while FEGs lacked sufficient training
support resources to fully meet their training obligations.
“Former EDO positions in Air Command were increased, with the
transfer of a number of positions from Training Command resources
to create a dedicated TST in each FEG,” SQNLDR Leonard said.
“While the OICs of each team are now collocated with each FEG
headquarters, their team members may be located at other RAAF
bases around Australia, including Richmond, Williamtown, Amberley,
Tindal and Pearce.
“Air Command has been given operational and administrative control
of those positions, while Training Command remains responsible
for the implementation of training policies and procedures.”
