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ACAUST
AVM John Quaife addresses the inaugural Air Base Executives
Course, held during five days at RAAF Base Amberley and
hosted by HQ CSG.
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Photo
by LAC David Gibbs
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MOVING
from one Australian airbase to another will soon be a more familiar
experience with the introduction of the Airbase Executive Course
for commanding officers and executive officers.
The first five-day course ran from October 31 to November 4
through Headquarters Combat Support Group at RAAF Base Amberley.
Commander Combat Support Group Air Commodore Mark Gower said
the effects of the course would be most immediately recognisable
to aircrew.
“At the moment, we’ve got 11 airbases that we’re
responsible for with 11 base commanders and we’ve probably
got 11 different ways of running each airbase,” he said.
“So we’re trying to standardise it and give a common
starting point for each commander.
“It’s particularly important for our aircrews. You
land at Richmond and you want the processes and procedures to
get a meal, to get a room, to get weather [information] and
do your flight planning to be the same at Richmond as it is
at Amberley, Edinburgh, Pearce or Darwin.”
He said the need for a standardised base management system had
been understood for several years as the course was in the development
phase.
Focusing on airbase governance, management and leadership, the
course would prepare airbase executives to perform the key roles
and functions associated with the leadership of day-to-day airbase
operations. Topics covered would include everything from base-level
planning to commanding the airbase in an emergency.
“We’re also using existing base commanders to share
their experiences with the more junior base commanders or people
who are being posted in at the start of next year,” Air
Commodore Gower said.
Air Commander Australia Air Vice-Marshal John Quaife commended
Combat Support Group for developing the first Airbase Executive
Course.
“This first course will give us the ability to pass on
valuable lessons learnt to better prepare our people for their
role as base commanders – whose ability to efficiently
and effectively perform their role is imperative for delivering
operational effect,” he said.
The course is expected to run about twice a year, training airbase
commanding officers, executive officers and major flight commanders.
After the first two courses have run from Headquarters Combat
Support Group at RAAF Base Amberley, subsequent courses will
be managed by No. 396 Combat Support Wing at RAAF Base Darwin.”
