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Serious fun for future
By Barry Rollings
Volume 49, No. 18, October 04, 2007 |
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SPECIAL GUEST: Outside RAAF Base Edinburgh’s Airmen’s Mess, ACAUST AVM Mark Binskin is about to enjoy some lunch with LAC Paul Fletcher, CPL Cheryl Harris and LACW Karen Lehmann.
Photo by AC Glen McCarthy |
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SPECIAL GUEST: AVM Binskin and LACW Kattrina O’Connell get acquainted before lunch.
Photo by AC Glen McCarthy |
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| WELL DONE: ACAUST AVM Mark Binskin presents SGT Glenn Chapman from 10SQN with the Australian Defence Medal during his recent visit to RAAF Base Edinburgh. |
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When AVM Mark Binskin became Air Commander Australia (ACAUST) on July 26, he outlined his top priority was “to have fun”.
It wasn’t just a light-hearted or personal aspiration he was outlining, and on closer examination, it is a sound philosophy, indeed.
“It is a serious business and I never forget that, but I think we can enjoy what we do and have fun while doing it,” he explains.
“If you enjoy what you do, you are much better in your work and family life.
“It helps with productivity and makes it a better organisation for everyone to work in.
“If you look at it from wherever you are in this organisation, you probably have one of the best jobs in the world. Looking through the fence from the outside, lots of people would give bits of their anatomy to be in this organisation.
“It can be a hard job, but I want to make sure people balance their work and lifestyle. If you think you are making a difference and enjoying it, you are going to hang around.
“Always working with good people makes a difference. I am here now and stayed in [the Service] because I thought I could make a difference and enjoy what I was doing at the same time.
“I have only been ACAUST for eight weeks but it is the best job in the world and I am supported by some of the best people in the world here at HQ Air Command,” AVM Binskin said. “I relish the job because I can carry on with capability challenges from where I was in Air Force HQ, but now focusing more in the area of ‘raise, train and sustain’.
“The other major aspect of the job is giving the best support we can to deployed operations.
“One thing I am keen on and passionate about is that while Capability Development and DMO have extremely important roles to play in developing capability, only the Air Force can turn all the bits into a total capability.”
AVM Binskin sees the major challenge of his new role as maintaining the required levels of capability over the next 10 years as the Air Force changes almost all its major weapons systems except the C-130J.
“This transition is made more difficult in a time of increased pressure from outside industries that want to recruit our people who are highly skilled and well respected for their talents,” he said.
“We are looking at better ways of doing business and I fully support the ‘Reshape and Rebalance’ initiatives.
“We need to be proactive as an organisation and as individuals in driving our future for the Air Force to get the best outcomes; not just the senior leaders but from corporals through to the CAF.”
Speaking on his vision for the future, AVM Binskin said that Air Command had never failed the Australian Government or the Australian people and he aimed to keep it that way.
“The Australian people have a lot of faith in what we do, and rightly so. I guess they are big shoes for the organisation to continue to fill but I have no doubt that we can do it,” he said.
“We need to concentrate on precision, but not just in the traditional way.
“When people think of air power, they think of precision weapons but I’m looking for precision and accuracy in all that we do.
“If you are not precise in what you do, you can impact operational capability, and potentially, safety.
“I am looking for everyone to be proactive, to accept the challenges at their level, be accountable and tackle the issues at their level head-on before they become a problem.”
While Air Force will be working over the next few years to bring new systems into operation, other smaller projects will take just as much time and effort, such as 38SQN moving to Townsville, and developing projects for RAAF Base Richmond, which was recently announced to remain open.
“A key focal area will be how to sustain the ongoing high tempo in an environment where people have already deployed multiple times,” AVM Binskin said.
“We will be looking for better ways to sustain these operations.”
He recently visited RAAF Base Edinburgh – the first to be visited after his appointment – and Richmond.
“I chose [those bases] because they have borne the brunt of the ongoing operational tempo, so I wanted to talk to them first. Interestingly, for FEGS that have been on deployed operations since, I guess, as far back as 1999, they are a good look,” he said.
“People are still as keen as ever and they are looking at better ways to maintain their tempo.”
Away from working life, AVM Binskin enjoys motor cycling and aviation, and it’s something that has rubbed off on his family.
“My youngest son and I ride Kawasakis, my wife owns a Yamaha and I also own a BMW for the open road. As for my eldest boy, he enjoys aviation and has started to fly, so that gives us a common thread as well,” he said. |
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