Image Gallery 2009
28 July 2009
Combat Team Alpha on Patrol
Soldiers from the 1st Battalion Battle Group continue to head into the green zone to help secure Uruzgan Province in the lead up to the election.
On the 16th and 17th of July, 1 Platoon from Combat Team Alpha, conducted vehicle check points and dismounted patrols in the vicinity of Sarab in Uruzgan.
In an area where there was little International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) presence, the purpose of these patrols was to reinforce the confidence of the local populace in Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and gain an appreciation of the people who live in the area.
Through a number of impromptu “Shuras’ or meetings facilitated by the use of interpreters and personnel especially trained in Pashtu, the main language spoken in southern Afghanistan, the patrol was able to begin to understand the tribal dynamics of the region, the various grievances of the populace and the problems the insurgency causes in the area.
In conjunction with joint patrols by the Afghan National Security Forces and their mentors early in the day, the patrol successfully extended the reach of ISAF in Uruzgan and added to the security of the people of Sarab.
There are around 600 soldiers currently serving in the 1 RAR Battle Group which forms the second rotation of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF-2).
A key component of MRTF-2 is the Operational Mentor and Liaison Team (OMLT), whose mission is to assist in the development and training of the 4th Brigade of the Afghan National Army. MRTF-2 and ANSF conduct regular joint operations against the Taliban in the Province.
Apart from security operations and training the ANSF, MRTF-2 also manages construction works in Uruzgan Province.
| 200907017adf8239716_024 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon's Private Geoffrey Shaw moves out on patrol above the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_028 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon Commander, Lieutenant Travis Peet (far left), Corporal Benjemin Byrne (center) and their interpreter (right) chat with local Afghan whilst on patrol in the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_032 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's Lance Bombardier Yannick Fitzsimmons, encounters a local Afghan boy riding his donkey whilst on patrol outside the village of Sarab, Southern Afghanistan. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_043 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's 1 Platoon members, Platoon Commander Lieutenant Travis Peet (far Left) Platoon Signaller Private Chris McNally (center) and Private Simon Harding take a break from patrol and chat with the local population in the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_044 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's 1 Platoon members Lieutenant Travis Peet (far Left) Platoon Signaller Private Chris McNally (center) take a break from patrol and chat with the local population in the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_061 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's Lance Bombardier Yannick Fitzsimmons, takes a well earned breather from the heat on patrol in the village of Sarab, Southern Afghanistan. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_086 Local Children of Sarab chat with Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon's Private Geoffrey Shaw during a short halt during a patrol. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_087 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's 1 Platoon members speak with local Afghans during a patrol in the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_089 Local Children of Sarab chat with Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon's Private Geoffrey Shaw during a short halt during a patrol. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_092 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's 1 Platoon members Platoon Commander, Lieutenant Travis Peet (front) Platoon Signaller Private Chris McNally (center) and Lance Bombardier Yannick Fitzsimmons (rear) patrol and chat with the local population in the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_096 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon's Private Geoffrey Shaw moves out of the village of Sarab after a patrol, passing local Afghan Children watching over their herd of sheep (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_099 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha's Australian light Armoured Vehicle(ASLAV)moves in to escort a patrol outside the village of Sarab, Southern Afghanistan. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_100 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon soldiers take a well earn break in the shade after patrolling through the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_106 The men of Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon, the 2nd Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force (MRTF2) grab some shade as they wait for pick up by Australian Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMV) after patrolling the village of Sarab. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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| 200907017adf8239716_112 Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force 2 (MRTF2) Combat Team Alpha, 1 Platoon Soldiers Private James Seto, Private Keith Roberts, Private Kynan Devenna, Private Joseph Abdul-Rahman and Corporal Anthony Martin pull up in the shade from the extreme heat after patrolling the village of Sarab, Southern, Afghanistan. (Date taken: 17 July 2009) Low-Res | Hi-Res |
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