AIR F RCE
Vol. 56, No. 15, August 14, 2014
The official newspaper of the Royal Australian Air Force
TAKE TO
THE
SKIES
Exercise Pitch
Black 2014
roars to life
in Darwin
PAGE 4
A flight of No. 3
Squadron F/A-18
Hornets arrives at
RAAF Base Darwin for
Exercise Pitch Black.
Photo: CPL David Said
EXERCISE HELLFIRE
OPERATION BRING THEM HOME
– SPECIAL LIFTOUT
– PAGES 4-5
2 News
AIR F RCE
VCDF has no illusions about
the extent of his to-do list
‘
V
ADM Ray Griggs took on one of
Defence’s busiest and most diverse
roles when he became VCDF.
“I know how important it is, not only
being the deputy to the CDF, but the group
head responsible for the delivery of some
critical enabling services to the ADF and
the broader Defence organisation,” VADM
Griggs said.
The most visible of those enabling agencies are joint health, joint logistics and joint
education.
“I also manage the not-so-visible areas of
the ADF, such as reserve and cadet policy, and
the Australian Civil Military Centre. I’m the
authority of the Joint Capability Coordination
Group and ensure CDF is supported through
the Military Strategic Commitments
Division.”
Three years as Chief of Navy have prepared him well for the complex portfolio.
“As a service chief you are a member of
both the ADF and Defence senior leadership
where you are exposed to a lot of issues,” he
said.
“This exposure has allowed me to step easily into this role.”
VADM Griggs’ main focus will be to
ensure the ADF works efficiently and effectively as a joint force.
“We need to have a pragmatic and sensible
approach to joint capability, not one driven by
ideology,” he said.
“We should be focusing on the things we
can do, within the resources we have, and do
it as effectively as possible.”
He said people’s opinions on joint capabilities were influenced largely by where they
served.
“It’s shaped by their jobs and experiences,
where they are in their careers and how joint
capability will affect their roles,” VADM
Griggs said.
“What senior leaders need to remember is
that for most of our people, what happens at a
unit level is the most important thing happening in their professional lives.
“We also have to be careful not to overthink joint capability. When people saw the
ADF work together in Afghanistan, for example, they understood we are a small force and
the only way we can be really effective is if
we don’t duplicate functions and if we work
as a team.
“Chief of Army sums it up really well:
‘Australia needs its ADF far more than it
needs its Navy, or its Army or its Air Force’.
The sum of the parts of the ADF is what matters.”
VADM Griggs said the ADF’s current joint
command and control arrangements had been
one of the success stories of our joint journey.
“It is not something our people wake up
each day thinking about, but they receive the
benefits of good command and control. It is
the most crucial enabling capability to the success of any operational activity,” he said.
He cited Joint Operations Command as
Director
David Edlington: (02) 6265 4650
Editor
Lauren Norton: (02) 6266 7615
Email: lauren.norton@defencenews.gov.au
Deputy Editor
John Martin: (02) 6265 7219
Reporters
WO2 Andrew Hetherington: (02) 6266 7614
SGT Dave Morley: (02) 6266 7613
CPL Aaron Curran: (02) 6265 1355
CPL Nick Wiseman: (02) 6265 4140
CPL Max Bree: (02) 6266 7608
CPL Mark Doran: (02) 6265 1304
LS Jayson Tufrey: (02) 6266 7606
Michael Brooke: (02) 8335 5231
Photo: Lauren Larking
Handling PTSD, cultural change and engaging the Islamic community are just some
of the challenges ahead, as WO2 Andrew Hetherington reports.
August 14, 2014
AIR F RCE
News 3
August 14, 2014
F-35A heralds new era
We should
be focusing
on the
things we
can do,
within the
resources
we have,
and do it as
effectively
as possible.
– VADM Ray Griggs
CAF AIRMSHL Geoff
Brown delivers his speech
at the rollout in Texas.
Photo: Beth Steel/Lockheed Martin
one area that had worked well and had been a
significant benefit to the ADF during the past
seven years.
VADM Griggs is fully aware of the need
for the ADF to be responsible in its spending
and strategic planning.
“We have to be disciplined about spending,
and remember whose money it is – the taxpayers,” he said.
“With the outcomes from the Force
Structure Review and the 2015 White Paper,
which are currently under way, we will aim to
produce the best ADF the country can afford.
“We have to remember we don’t have any
birthright to funding and the government will
fund Defence based on its understanding of
the current strategic situation.”
During his tenure, VADM Griggs will
continue to work on cultural change within
the ADF.
“Cultural change is a hard thing to do and
is a long-term activity,” he said.
“I think we’ve made enormous strides
across the whole department with cultural
change in the last few years. In particular, our
focus on the treatment of women, on sexual
orientation for example, by allowing personnel to march in the Mardi Gras, and improved
indigenous awareness and inclusion within the
ADF.
“We need to move towards a culture that
includes and not one that excludes. To achieve
this we need everyone committed to the process.”
VADM Griggs wants to engage Australia’s
Islamic community to help that process of
change.
“A few months ago I met with the Grand
Mufti of Australia and spent a fantastic afternoon getting a perspective from the Islamic
community in Australia on the issues affecting
this important part of our community,” he said.
“We have a significant number of Muslims
in Australia. We don’t particularly engage
well with them, nor are they represented in the
ADF the same way they are compared to the
overall demographic of the country.
“I see this as an important and challenging
aspect of our cultural journey.”
In terms of health challenges facing the
ADF, he believes understanding and awareness of PTSD are vital.
“I think we’ve done a lot of work breaking down the stigmas associated with mental
health issues and it has been crucial to managing the cases we have seen and treated,”
VADM Griggs said.
“There’s always more we can do and we’ll
continue to get better at this as we learn more.
The important aspects of treating it are breaking down the stigma, having good detection
methods and having good treatment options.”
CONTACT US
Email: raafnews@defencenews.gov.au
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1914
AU-1 and AU-2 rolled out
LT Eric
Harrison makes
Australia’s first
military flight
in a Boxkite at
Point Cook on
March 1, 1914.
THE first two Australian F-35A
aircraft, known as AU-1 and AU-2,
rolled out of the Lockheed Martin
F-35 facility at Fort Worth in the
US on July 24.
CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown
and Senator Mathias Cormann
attended the event in Texas, along
with representatives from industry
and the US Defense Department.
“Today represents a very significant day for the RAAF as we
start the transition of the ADF into
a fifth-generation enabled defence
force,” AIRMSHL Brown said.
“Much has been said about the
capabilities of the F-35. For me,
the most impressive thing about
the aircraft is what it brings to the
fight in terms of situational awareness and decision dominance. Not
just for the pilot in the F-35, but
2014
The F-35A
will lay the
foundation for
the next century
of Australia’s
military air
power.
DISCLAIMER
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contract by Horton Media Australia Ltd. The material published is selected for its interest. The views
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AIR F RCE
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Living the Air Force Values: RESPECT – EXCELLENCE – AGILITY – DEDICATION – INTEGRITY – TEAMWORK
for the entire joint, combined, air,
land and maritime forces deployed
in and around the area of operations.
“The F-35 gives you an exponential leap over preceding aircraft
in situational awareness, and that’s
the key factor in fifth-generation
capability.”
AIRMSHL Brown said the aircraft would be a catalyst for evolution – and in some areas revolution
– for both the Air Force and for the
ADF.
“The F-35 is perhaps the greatest opportunity for evolution the
RAAF has been presented with for
a generation,” he said.
“We are introducing into service a revolutionary capability and
our evolution as a force must align
with the opportunity this offers us.
Call for members of public to comment
HAVING released the draft
Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) for the flying operations of the
F-35A Lightning II, Defence is inviting members of the community to
comment.
Commander Air Combat Group
AIRCDRE Tony Grady said it was
important for community members
to have their say.
“These documents represent the
most comprehensive environmental
study ever undertaken by Defence
and demonstrate Air Force’s commitment to transparency with the
Australian community about Air
Force operations, including aircraft
noise,” AIRCDRE Grady said.
“I encourage people to read the
documents.”
Comments must be received by
5pm on September 19 to be incorporated in to the final EIS.
The draft EIS compares the
environmental impacts between
the flying operations of the current
F/A‑18A/B Hornet and the F‑35A
aircraft.
The EIS process provides an
opportunity for the community to
provide submissions on the content
of the study.
The F-35A will provide Australia
with a fifth-generation aircraft,
to replace the ageing F/A-18A/B
Hornets and enable air superiority
‘
If I looked at the F-35 as a replacement for the Hornet, I would
undermine from day one the real
capability of this aircraft.”
AIRMSHL Brown praised the
work of all involved in realising
the Australian F-35.
“I thank the leaders of the US
Department of Defense, and their
equivalents in the partner nations,
for their superb efforts over many
years, and their fortitude and
vision to see through the difficult
birth of the F-35, which will provide a key pillar for Australian
defence and security over the coming decades,” he said.
Initial RAAF pilot training will
begin in the US in early 2015.
From 2018, the ADF will start
ferry flights of the aircraft to
Australia.
into the future. Australia has committed to 72 F-35A aircraft to be
based at RAAF Bases Williamtown
and Tindal.
The aircraft will visit RAAF
Bases Darwin, Pearce, Amberley,
Townsville and Edinburgh for training.
The first F-35 aircraft will arrive
in Australia in late 2018.
Around $1.5 billion in new
facilities and infrastructure will be
constructed.
Submissions on the draft EIS can be
submitted via the website at www.
f35evolution.com.au
For me, the most impressive
thing about the aircraft is
what it brings to the fight
in terms of situational
awareness and decision
dominance. Not just for the
pilot in the F-35, but for the
entire joint, combined, air,
land and maritime forces
deployed in and around the
area of operations.
– AIRMSHL Geoff Brown
Look how far
we’ve come
in a century
LOCKHEED Martin chairman, president
and CEO Marillyn Hewson pointed out the
poignancy of the rollout of Australia’s first
F-35As.
“It’s fitting that in the year Australia
commemorates 100 years of military aviation, we also mark the arrival of the most
advanced fighter ever developed,” she said.
The first military flight in Australia
happened on March 1, 1914, when LT Eric
Harrison, wearing fur-lined jacket, leather
helmet and goggles, flew a Bristol Boxkite
biplane over a former sheep paddock at
Point Cook.
A little more than a century later, one
of the world’s most advanced aircraft has
entered the picture.
“The F-35 Lightning II will lay
the foundation for the next century of
Australia’s military air power,” Ms Hewson
said.
The US Under Secretary of Defense
for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics,
Frank Kendall, said the rollout represented
a milestone in the US-Australia partnership – which was a union built on strength,
friendship and technological innovation.
“We join Australia, as one of our original partners, to celebrate this rollout and the
numerous Australian contributions to the
Joint Strike Fighter program,” he said.
“For both our nations, this program
represents an exponential leap in capability on the cutting edge of technology and
an integral component of our ongoing joint
commitment to stability and peace in the
Asia-Pacific.”
Senator Mathias Cormann, who represented Defence Minister Senator David
Johnston at the event, said being a partner
in the program was not just about the leading-edge capability the aircraft represented.
“The US-Australian Alliance and
engagement on collaborative defence programs is crucial to Australia maintaining
the capability edge it needs,” he said.
He said there were significant opportunities for Australian industry, including
making 722 sets of vertical tails, producing
composite panels for the fuselage, manufacturing the weapons carriers, decoy flares
and other components.
“I expect Australian industry do very
well on the F-35 program over many years,”
he said. “Some 30 Australian companies
have been directly involved in the F-35 program to date, and more than $412 million
in production orders have been won with
only about 3 per cent of aircraft production
completed to date.”
After airworthiness and acceptance
activities, the aircraft will be ferried to
Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. They will
be inducted into the 61st Fighter Squadron
where US and Australian pilots will train
together.
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4 News
SGT Ben Russell fastens a chain
being used to secure a vehicle
bound for Ukraine.
‘It will be a
deployment
I’ll never, ever
forget’
GLOBEMASTER loadmaster SGT
Ben Russell says this has been one
of the toughest but most important
missions of his career.
“I mentally prepared myself on
the transit over, I think we all did,”
he says.
“I was aware of the type of
things we were going to see.
“I will say this; it will be a deployment that I’ll never, ever forget
– especially given how the international community has come together
to try and make the best of this
tragic situation and give the victims
of MH17 the dignity and respect
they deserve.”
As a loadmaster, SGT Russell
supervises and assists in the loading
and unloading of cargo and passengers.
It is a difficult labour-intensive
job, but one which he has worked
towards for his entire career.
“I always wanted to serve my
country and originally I did that
working as an air dispatcher in the
Australian Army but I saw the RAAF
loadmasters in action and realised
that’s what I wanted to do,” SGT
Russell says.
“As a loadmaster you see a lot of
the world, sometimes under good
circumstances, sometimes not. I
have travelled to many exotic places
and I have definitely witnessed more
than the average soldier, sailor or
airmen.”
AIR F RCE
AIR F RCE
News 5
August 14, 2014
New phase
in Bring
Them Home
No rest for
giants of air
HALF the Air Force’s fleet of massive C-17A
Globemaster transport aircraft has provided support to
Operation Bring Them Home.
Since the start of the operation, two C-17As have been
providing an intra-theatre heavy-lift capability.
The aircraft have moved people, equipment and supplies between Eindhoven Airfield in the Netherlands and
Kharkiv International Airport in Ukraine.
The aircraft operate nearly 24 hours a day, seven days
a week to support the international recovery and investigation effort focused on downed Malaysia Airlines flight
MH17.
A third C-17A arrived on a logistics flight from
Australia on August 1 with additional air crews and technical equipment.
Air Mobility Task Force Commander SQNLDR Dean
Bolton said the third aircraft’s payload and passengers
ensured the Globemasters continued to operate at a high
tempo.
“So far we have not missed a single scheduled mission
and that’s due to both the outstanding endurance and performance of the aircraft and the RAAF maintenance and
technical personnel who are doing everything they can to
keep us in the air and on schedule,” he said.
“Everyone deployed here and everyone back at No.
36 Squadron has been supporting us 100 per cent, which
has resulted in an amazing rate of effort from the guys
working on the ground and our pilots and flight crews in
the air.”
SQNLDR Bolton said the crews were continually
overwhelmed by the support they had received from the
Royal Netherlands Air Force.
“We wouldn’t be able to achieve everything we want
to do here without their support,” he said.
“They are professional and very similar to us in many
ways. The fact we are all working towards a common goal
is helping make an extremely difficult task just that little
bit easier.”
The third C-17A has now returned to Australia.
Photos: CPL Jake Sims
Defence continues to support Operation Bring Them Home, the AFPled whole-of-government response to the tragic loss of Malaysia
Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine, as CAPT Chris Rickey reports.
D
efence support to the
Dutch-led police-led
International Mission
for the Protection of the
Investigation into the MH17 disaster has included two RAAF C-17A
Globemaster aircraft with planning
and support staff operating from
Eindhoven in the Netherlands.
Defence planning and liaison staff
have been working with their Dutch
and Malaysian partners in The Hague
and liaison, communication and support staff have supported the international mission in Ukraine.
Defence also deployed a strategic
aeromedical evacuation team and
surgical capability and pre-positioned
appropriate force elements in Europe
to support Operation Bring Them
Home.
Additional RAAF C-17A
Globemaster and KC-30A Multi Role
Tanker Transport aircraft have moved
personnel and equipment to the
Netherlands from Australia.
On August 6, the Dutch Prime
Minister Mark Rutte and the
Australian Prime Minister’s Special
Envoy, ACM Angus Houston (retd),
announced the initial phase of the
police mission to recover remains by
the MH17 crash site had now concluded.
Since Operation Bring Them
Home began, Air Force has worked
tirelessly to repatriate the victims of
downed aircraft MH17.
As at August 7, the RAAF C-17As
had conducted 26 intra-theatre flights
and flown more than 130 hours in
support of the mission.
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These figures are set to increase
as the C-17As turn their focus to supporting movement of personnel and
equipment out of Ukraine as the international police-led mission moves into
a new phase.
Earlier, the C-17A Globemasters
performed the tragic but dignified
task of transporting 132 caskets from
Ukraine to the Netherlands on flights
over July 23-26.
The missions were run in concert with a Dutch Air Force C-130
Hercules, which also transported
remains from Kharkiv to Eindhoven
Airfield.
While on the tarmac at Kharkiv
International Airport on July 25, the
RAAF flight crew was visited by
Australian Foreign Affairs Minister
Julie Bishop, who travelled from Kiev
to thank ADF personnel involved in
the recovery and repatriation effort.
Teams of people, some ADF and
Dutch military, others Ukrainian airport workers, assisted in the solemn
task to carry the caskets onto the
C-17As in Kharkiv for the three-hour
flight to Eindhoven.
For RAAF pilot FLTLT David
Whyte, the dignity and cooperation
are some of the defining factors on a
mission of this nature.
“The Netherlands military is
extremely appreciative of us being
here and of course vice versa,” he
said. “They have done everything they
can do to assist us, which is crucial
in a situation like this where we are
trying to secure the best possible outcome for everyone under really tragic
circumstances.”
Out on the flightline, scores of
Netherlands Defence Force personnel
formed up to receive the caskets and
provide a guard of honour as the Last
Post echoed across the area.
From Eindhoven the convoy travelled 80km to the Hilversum military
base, where the arduous task of formal
identification started.
“It has been a priority for all
Australians involved in this mission to assist the government of the
Netherlands. By remaining flexible
we will be able to get this job done in
the best way possible,” FLTLT Whyte
said.
The Globemasters also delivered
essential supplies and specialist equipment to investigators working near the
crash site in the Ukraine.
RAAF loadmasters, such as SGT
Peter Clark, of No. 36 Squadron, form
a crucial element of this assistance
mission.
“For us it’s back to loadmaster
basics, we are doing everything as
there is minimal support at the airport
in the Ukraine,” he said.
“Our departures from Kharkiv
Airport are timed down the minute
to ensure the operation stays on
schedule so we are definitely working very hard.We are all experiencing
every emotion on this task from tears
through to smiles.
“It is definitely one of those operations that touches you from the inside
out, so yes, it’s been pretty emotional.
“It is definitely a task that I will
look back on and think, ‘that’s why
I joined the Air Force and became a
loadmaster’.”
Three RAAF C-17A Globemasters at Eindhoven Airfield in the Netherlands.
LAC Mark Robertson, top, and CPL
Adrian Bradley, of 36SQN, perform
routine maintenance on a C-17A.
110 international aircraft
FLTLT Cath Friend
THE Northern Territory skies were
alight with the sight of up to 110
international aircraft as Exercise
Pitch Black 2014 started.
More than 2300 participants
from around the world are calling
the Territory home for Australia’s
largest biennial Air Force exercise
on home soil from August 1-22.
ACAUST AVM Mel Hupfeld
said the exercise featured the cutting
edge of modern military aviation
technology with a mix of first-time
and returning participants, making it
the most advanced contingent in the
event’s 24-year history.
“The Northern Territory is ideally placed for exercise participants
to bring together aircraft to conduct
operations that feature a range
of realistic and simulated threats
found in the modern battlespace
environment,” AVM Hupfeld said.
“Conducting Exercise Pitch Black
14 is a massive undertaking, not just
for aircrew and maintainers, but also
for the planning that is involved.”
Aircraft from Singapore, the
United Arab Emirates, Thailand and
Australia are operating from RAAF
Base Darwin, while at RAAF Base
Tindal, more Australian aircraft
are working alongside counterparts from the US and French New
Caledonia.
First-time participants include
the French Armed Forces from New
Caledonia with the CN-235 and
the United Arab Emirates with six
Mirage 2000-9 and the A330 Multi
Role Tanker Transport.
Returning to Pitch Black is the
Royal Thai Air Force, bringing for
the first time the JAS-39 Gripen
aircraft, the Republic of Singapore
Air Force with F-15s, F-16s, G550
and KC-135 and the US Air Force
with F-16s. The RAAF is represented with F/A-18A Hornets,
F/A-18F Super Hornets, C-130J
Hercules, B300 King Airs, E-7A
Wedgetail and a combat control
team.
The Royal New Zealand Air
Force has also sent a support element.
Outside the Northern Territory,
Pitch Black is being supported by
KC-30 Multi Role Tanker Transports
from RAAF Base Amberley and two
B-52 Stratofortresses from Anderson
Air Force Base in Guam.
Participants will use one of the
largest training airspaces in the
world to practise offensive counter
air and offensive air support operations with large formations.
Further coverage next edition.
A Globemaster is loaded with cargo at Eindhoven Airfield.
A casket is carried from an RAAF Globemaster by Netherlands Defence Force personnel.
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6
perations
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
Role 3 work
continues
CPL Nick Wiseman
als as well as treatment for stomach
bugs, headaches and broken limbs.
SEVEN Australian specialist mediPerioperative nurse LEUT Jen
cal officers at the forefront of their
Evans said she had been involved in
chosen fields are continuing
some interesting procedures.
Australia’s contribution to the ISAF’s
“We’ve operated on military dogs
Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit at
here, which is something I had not
Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.
expected to experience when I left
An Australian Specialist Health
Australia,” she said.
Group (SHG) team has contributed to
The present SHG comprises
the US-led facility since May 2012.
anaesthetist WGCDR Bruce Paix,
The group provides much-needed
emergency physician WGCDR
services while personnel also gain
valuable skills by taking part in emer- Rosengarten, general surgeon
gency medical situations not normally SQNLDR Michael Rudd, perioperative nurse FLGOFF Louise Cole, periexperienced in Australia.
Emergency physician and reserv- operative nurse LEUT Jen Evans and
ist WGCDR Andrew Rosengarten said Intensive Care Unit nurses LEUT Tara
Muscat and CAPT Timothy Hughes.
there was still a steady stream of
The Australian team members
work despite less operational activiagreed a lot of strong relationships
ties in the area.
had been made, which has included
“We’re experiencing things we
teaching their international colleagues
just don’t see at home,” he said.
Australian slang and enjoying their
“Not everything we do here is
attempts to use it.
combat related though; we also deal
The team hands over to a new
with everyday medical problems.”
rotation later this month.
These include appendix remov-
Anaesthetist WGCDR Bruce Paix treats
a patient in the operating room of the
Kandahar Role 3 Medical Facility. Left,
Australian team members WGCDR
Andrew Rosengarten, WGCDR Bruce
Paix, SQNLDR Michael Rudd, CAPT
Timothy Hughes, LEUT Jen Evans and
FLGOFF Louise Cole.
Photos: CPL Nick Wiseman
Photo: Australian War Memorial
Workplace Remuneration
Arrangement 2014+
FLTLT Dee Cherry
discusses administrative
matters with the Chief
of Staff Headquarters
Joint Task Force 633
COL Iain Muir at Camp
Baird, above, CAPT Percy
Herbert Cherry VC.
Pay outcomes for members
Main photo: WO2 Rob Nyffenegger
Following family footsteps
LEUT Peter Croce
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FLTLT Dee Cherry has achieved a lifelong dream to deploy on operations and
honour her family’s proud military history that includes a Victoria Cross recipient from World War I.
Personnel capability officer FLTLT
Cherry, of No. 4 Squadron, is the
military assistant to the Chief of Staff
Headquarters Joint Task Force 633
(JTF633) COL Iain Muir at Camp Baird
in the United Arab Emirates as part of
Operation Accordion.
This is her first operational deployment and something she will remember
for a long time.
“My brother Liam and I are the fifth
generation of our family to have served
in the ADF,” she said.
“He was deployed with Operation
Slipper in 2012 as an Army transport
driver in Kabul.
“The fact that we have both been
able to deploy, albeit in different locations, is a special connection that we
will have forever.”
FLTLT Cherry said her motivation
for joining the ADF was family tradi-
tion and a sense of duty to serve her
country.
She is related to Army officer
CAPT Percy Herbert Cherry, who was
posthumously awarded the Victoria
Cross and Military Cross for two separate actions in France in March 1917.
“His courage, determination and
sacrifice are an inspiration and his
devotion to duty fills me with a sense
of immense pride,” FLTLT Cherry said.
She said 4SQN had a particular
operational focus being the only ADF
JTAC schoolhouse and home to combat controllers.
“Working at 4SQN has provided me
with detailed knowledge around these
unique capabilities and the training that
goes into graduating a JTAC or combat
controller,” she said.
“Having the opportunity to deploy
and work within the JTF633 headquarters builds on this knowledge.
“It gives me a greater understanding of the bigger operations picture
and an awareness about what comes
into play within this space by virtue
of my exposure to correspondence
from within theatre.”
perations 7
AIR F RCE August 14, 2014
FLTLT Shane Anderson
in front of a Hercules
on the flightline at Al
Minhad Air Base and,
inset, on the flightdeck.
Photos: WO2 Rob Nyffenegger
Task force
repatching
ceremony
CPL Nick Wiseman
The best view of all
LEUT Peter Croce
INVESTIGATION UPDATE
AN ongoing investigation by the Directorate of Defence
Aviation and Air Force Safety (DDAAFS) has determined
that the mechanical failure of a C-130J Hercules’ nose
wheel steering system led to the aircraft leaving the runway on landing at Kabul International Airport on April 24.
The DDAAFS Aviation Incident Investigation Team
(AIIT) is continuing to examine why the component
failed.
Deputy Director Aviation Safety WGCDR Bill Savill
said that the AIIT had high praise for the actions of all
involved.
“The aircrew responded to the emergency professionally and their actions ensured a safe outcome in trying circumstances,” WGCDR Savill said.
“Subsequent efforts and support by maintenance
personnel and specialist advisers were also commendable, enabling the ready identification of the issue, remedial action to be taken in the shortest possible time and
the aircraft returned to safe operational service.”
The aircraft stopped about 70m from the runway
and was later towed to a safe area for examination and
repair.
FLTLT Shane Anderson says his view of
Afghanistan’s rugged terrain is pretty special
and that is just one of the perks of being an Air
Force pilot.
FLTLT Anderson is deployed to the Middle
East for Operations Accordion and Slipper as a
C-130J Hercules transport pilot.
He is one of a few personnel deployed to
the Middle East Region who are assigned to
more than one operation as a result of flying
aircraft to and from Afghanistan.
He said he was spending plenty of time in
the cockpit during his third deployment to the
Middle East to maintain the air bridge of supplies and personnel between Al Minhad Air
Base in the United Arab Emirates and bases in
Afghanistan.
“As the aircraft captain, I am responsible
for safe and efficient C-130J operations everywhere in the world that I fly my aircraft and
crew,” he said.
“As the pilot in command, we conduct
operations to enable delivery of passengers, cargo and specialised equipment. In
Afghanistan we conduct flights directly for
Australian personnel and also carry out flights
to move people and cargo for ISAF.
“It’s a great job but you can’t afford to
take your responsibilities lightly.”
FLTLT Anderson said the biggest personal
challenge he had encountered this deployment
was dealing with a mechanical failure of the
nose wheel steering system of his aircraft on
landing.
“This failure caused my aircraft to depart
the runway at speed but having the support of
an exceptionally professional and well-trained
crew ensured the overall safety for the crew
and passengers involved,” he said.
“The efforts of our exceptional maintenance team ensured that aircraft ‘Cargo Cat’
was back flying to contribute to Operation
Slipper with minimal delay.”
He is looking forward to seeing family and
loved ones on his return home.
“This is my third deployment and in total I
have been away from home for a year,” FLTLT
Anderson said.
“I know how tough it is for my loved ones
back home, so spending quality time with
them is my number one priority.”
“YESTERDAY I commanded one
operation, today I command three,”
Commander Joint Task Force 633
MAJGEN Craig Orme said at the
repatching ceremony at Camp Baird
in the United Arab Emirates.
For many years, personnel
deployed with Headquarters Joint
Task Force 633 (HQJTF633) have
worn the familiar scorpion patch,
but MAJGEN Orme explained it was
time for a change in conjunction with
the operational redesign, which took
effect on July 1.
“With the operational changes I
felt it was an opportunity to change
who we are,” he said.
“The new patch features the
triservice colours to represent the
ADF and a kangaroo superimposed
over the top.
“It may be cliché but the
kangaroo uniquely identifies us as
Australian.”
MAJGEN Orme said it was important to ensure other nations who
worked closely with JTF633 could
easily identify who we were.
“When we communicate who we
are, we’re communicating to others,
not ourselves,” he said.
“A kangaroo cannot be mistaken
as anything but Australian.”
After presenting HQJTF633
personnel with their new patches,
MAJGEN Orme took the opportunity
to talk about the recent operational
changes and support that personnel
at Camp Baird, serving on Operation Accordion, will now provide to
Operations Slipper and Manitou in
the Middle East Region.
Operation Accordion is the
operational support mission based
at Al Minhad Airbase in the UAE,
Operation Slipper is the mission
in Afghanistan to train, advise and
assist the Afghan National Security
Forces and Operation Manitou is
Australia’s contribution to maritime safety, counter-terrorism and
counter-piracy operations.
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8 News
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
Clean up shows
off new look
ACW Megan
McAuliffe and AC
Rylan Delamare pick
up rubbish as part of
the Darwin Harbour
Clean-Up.
Photo: ABIS Nicolas Gonzalez
Personnel from No. 13 (City of Darwin)
Squadron rolled up the sleeves of their new
General Purpose Uniforms (GPU) to lend
a hand at the fifth annual Darwin Harbour
Clean-Up.
The event, held on July 9, was an opportunity to help raise awareness about the
sources and effects of rubbish ending up in
the sea.
CO 13SQN WGCDR Wes Perrett said the
squadron was happy to help.
“13SQN has participated in the Darwin
Harbour Clean-Up activities for a number of
years,” he said.
“Personnel are proud to be able to
contribute to the community in which they
reside.”
ACW Megan McAuliffe took part in the
clean-up, starting the day at Coconut Grove
and collecting rubbish along the beach before
moving along to Nightcliff.
“The unit found some interesting items
including some trolleys,” ACW McAuliffe
said.
“Before going down to the wharf and
putting the rubbish into the trash bins, some
items were given to local artists for their
work.”
She said it was great to show off the new
uniform in public.
“It was a privilege to be one of the first
bases to get the new GPUs and I felt proud
to be able to wear the new uniform out in
public,” she said.
“It was pleasing to not get confused with
other services and to have our own identity.”
RAAF Base Darwin personnel are among
the first Air Force members to receive the
new GPU, which was officially launched earlier this year by CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown
at the Centenary of Military Aviation Airshow
at RAAF Williams – Point Cook in Victoria.
The new dark-blue and metal-grey
uniform will replace the current camouflage
uniform, also worn by Army.
It will be worn while undertaking general
daily duties and in non-warlike environments,
such as humanitarian assistance activities
and when providing assistance to the civil
community, such as the Darwin Harbour
Clean-Up.
The Air Force-wide rollout of the new
uniforms started in July and most members
are expected to receive their first set of GPU
by the end of 2015.
CAF visit to ‘blue’
north impresses
ACW Chloe Stevenson and
FLTLT Colin Lambkin
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RAAF Base Tindal personnel hosted
CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown when he
visited the base from July 17-18.
Escorted by SADFO and CO No.
17 Squadron WGCDR Mark Larter,
AIRMSHL Brown was provided with
a base operations seminar and tour of
17SQN sections.
The section tour included a search
and rescue helicopter visit to Delamere
Air Weapons Range, where CAF was
briefed on upgrade work that enhanced
capability and improved staff morale.
WGCDR Larter said it was great to
see AIRMSHL Brown return to RAAF
Base Tindal where he visited resident
units and interacted with members.
“The members at RAAF Base Tindal
were pleased to learn their Chief decided
to conduct a short notice visit and were
proud to host him,” WGCDR Larter said.
“The base has been on exercise mode
since May and will continue to support
international and domestic exercises
until the end of year.
“ Wi t h E x e r c i s e P i t c h B l a c k
approaching, AIRMSHL Brown’s
acknowledgement of the base’s professionalism and hard work was timely,
appreciated and morale boosting.”
Throughout his visit, AIRMSHL
Brown was particularly interested in Air
Force personnel’s opinion on the new
General Purpose Uniform, which is currently being rolled out across the country.
RAAF Base Darwin and RAAF Base
Tindal are the first Air Force bases to
receive the new uniforms.
OIC Supply Services FLGOFF
Calum McDonald, of 17SQN, said
CAF was satisfied with the progress of
General Purpose Uniform issue.
“He seemed pleased by the strong
reception of welcome the new uniform
had received from RAAF Base Tindal
personnel,” he said.
“He said the comments he received
thus far had been very positive.”
A formal dinner was also held, where
AIRMSHL Brown presented a CAF
Gold Commendation to 17SQN Business
Manager Sonya Arnold.
WOFF Gary Woods was also honoured with a CAF Gold Commendation.
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139 342
CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown speaks with personnel from No. 75 Squadron at
RAAF Base Tindal.
Photo: CPL Terry Hartin
AIR F RCE
News 9
August 14, 2014
Winter school visit
Clare Cronan
TWO dozen Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander students from Brisbane
high schools have toured RAAF Base
Amberley as part of the Queensland
University of Technology (QUT) indigenous Australian science and infrastructure development winter school.
The program, now in its second
year, aims to increase access and participation in tertiary education for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students.
WGCDR Michael Rowe and
WOFF Don Taylor, the Air Force
Senior Indigenous Recruitment Officer,
accompanied the students for the duration of the four-day program, including
the half-day visit to Amberley on July 3.
The students were shown an Air
Traffic Control tower environment,
Airfield Defence Guard capability, Base Health Services Flight with
a focus on humanitarian aid and air
transportable hospital capability, an
operational C-17A Globemaster and the
flight line environment.
After lunch at the Airmen’s Mess
they also toured the RAAF Amberley
Aviation Heritage Centre.
WOFF Taylor said the hospitality shown by the Amberley team was
exceptional.
“It was very encouraging to hear a
strong message about Air Force values
from the speakers throughout the day,
beginning with CO No. 23 Squadron
WGCDR Simon Nickson and WOFF
Gary Thompson,” he said.
WGCDR Nickson explained the
students would be given an opportunity
to meet many Air Force people from
different backgrounds with a wide variety of experience and qualifications.
“We made it clear that Air Force is a
values-driven organisation that embraces these differences. And we made a
point of acknowledging these youngsters as leaders in their own right,”
WGCDR Nickson said.
WOFF Thompson, a Queensland
Nursing scholarship
THE University of Queensland
and the RSL South Eastern
District have commemorated
the service and sacrifice made
by World War I nurses with the
launch of the Matron Grace
Wilson RSL SED Scholarship.
Matron Grace Wilson served
as a nurse with the AIF on
the Greek Island of Lemnos,
treating Anzac casualties, as
well as in Egypt and England.
The $30,000 scholarship is for
a current or former ADF nursing
officer or reservist to undertake
postgraduate study at UQ’s
School of Nursing and Midwifery.
For more information contact
Susan Kellett on s.kellett@
uq.edu.au or 0144 024 125.
Applications for the scholarship
can be made at www.nursingmidwifery.uq.edu.au
Annual dinner
Personnel, family and friends
are invited to the 2014 Defence
Christians Dinner, to be held in
Canberra on September 5. ADF
Anglican Bishop Ian Lambert
will deliver the keynote address,
‘Fighting Phantoms’. The cost
of the dinner is $60 a person
and bookings must be made by
August 22. For more information, contact Lisa Thomas on
(02) 6266 4950 or mcf.office@
defence.gov.au
Fight the good fight
Airfield Defence Guard CPL Gene Wills, of No. 1 Security Forces Squadron, with student Zeiai during the
Indigenous Australian Science and Infrastructure Development Winter School visit to RAAF Base Amberley.
Photo: LAC Brenton Kwaterski
Bidjara Aboriginal man, encouraged
the students to consider tertiary study,
including options available through the
Australian Defence Force Academy in
Canberra.
“Many of these youngsters will be
the first person in their own families
to finish Year 12, let alone think about
going on to university,” he said.
“So it is very important that we
encourage these youngsters to see tertiary study and professional careers as
possible options for them. The highest
education is most important.”
For many of the students, despite
living close to Amberley, this was their
first opportunity to engage with ADF
personnel and get a taste of what life on
a large Air Force base is really like.
Professor Anita Lee Hong, a senior
Aboriginal academic and director of
the QUT Oodgeroo Unit, is the driving
force behind the winter program.
“We’ve developed this program to
Aircraft Research and Development Unit F/A-18 Hornet Test pilot SQNLDR Peter Tippner talks to
the indigenous footballers.
Photo: CPL David Gibbs
Edinburgh’s warm welcome
OFFCDT Alexandra Hendry
IN BRIEF
a week-long career and leadership
development program.
RAAF BASE EDINBURGH welcomed
Senior ADF Officer GPCAPT
some of South Australia’s indigenous Martin Nussio welcomed the 17 to
Australian football players on July 1. 23-year-old participants, who were
They were in Adelaide for the
shown around the base including an
10th SANFL Aboriginal Lands Cup,
AP-3C Orion, F/A-18 test aircraft and
which was played between the
the WTSS.
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara
GPCAPT Nussio said Defence’s
Lands and Maralinga Tjarutja Lands
involvement with the cup was part
Teams before the Port Adelaide
of the Defence Reconciliation Action
versus Essendon match at Adelaide
Plan. “Building networks and positive
Oval on July 5.
relationships with indigenous communities is very important to us and
The tour of the base was part of
part of our reconciliation mission,”
GPCAPT Nussio said.
“Defence’s reconciliation vision
is to realise our mission and values
by being truly representative of the
nation we serve. Accordingly, we aim
to increase annually the numbers
of indigenous Australians who are
attracted to and apply for a Defence
career.
“We hope our visitors left with a
better understanding about Defence
and the exciting and diverse opportunities we have to offer.”
inspire Year 10 and 11 students to finish
Year 12 with good grades in subjects
that will open up tertiary science and
infrastructure pathways,” she said.
“On this program, we showcase a
wide variety of tertiary careers and professional role models. This is important
because it opens their minds to what is
possible for them.
“It’s about promoting awareness,
self-belief, focus and the rewards from
hard work.”
The Military Christian Fellowship
(MCF) ‘Fight the Good Fight’
seminar will be held at Russell
Offices, in the R1 Theatre on
September 6. The seminar will
encourage and equip Defence
personnel to fight the good fight
in the physical and spiritual battlespace. Keynote speakers will
include ADFA Commandant
AIRCDRE Alan Clements and
Chairman MCF LTCOL Jamie
Van Heel. The cost is $40 a person and bookings must be made
by August 22. For more information, contact Lisa Thomas on
(02) 6266 4950 or mcf.office@
defence.gov.au
10 News
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
Career has
flown by
Lauren Norton
AS WGCDR Clive Wells celebrated
his 40th year of service to Air Force
last month, he couldn’t believe how
quickly time had passed.
“When I look back, the 40 years
have just flown by,” he said.
“I’d recommend joining up to anyone for the experiences you gain and
the opportunities that are available –
it’s a great life.”
CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown
presented WGCDR Wells with
a Federation Star and certificate of
service at RAAF Base Amberley on
July 10.
“I was honoured that CAF took
time out of his very busy schedule
during his visit to Amberley to present
me with the award and certificate of
service,” he said.
WGCDR Wells joined the Air
Force straight from high school in
January 1974.
“I had always had an interest in
aircraft and flying and saw the Air
Force as an opportunity to fulfil these
dreams,” he said.
“Over the last 40 years, the variety
of jobs that I’ve had has been interesting and fulfilling.
He credits the wealth of experi-
ences and opportunities for keeping
him interested and engaged.
These have included working
with industry as Equipment Liaison
Officer – Botany, NSW, which no
longer exists, and Supply Liaison
Officer – USAF at Wright Patterson
Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, in
the US.
He was also involved in planning and monitoring the roll-out of
the Standard Defence Supply System
across Air Force and Navy, the sale
and delivery of the Mirage aircraft and
equipment to the Pakistan Air Force,
and the delivery of F-111 display aircraft to non-Defence historical organisations.
“With posts either within Australia
or overseas I have the opportunity to
take on different job aspects and challenges,” WGCDR Wells said.
“I’ve never been bored.”
Two of WGCDR Wells most memorable moments happened at either
end of his career.
The first was going to Darwin
in 1975 as a young cadet officer to
assist in reconstruction activities after
Cyclone Tracy, the other was 36 years
later during the Queensland floods.
“I was CO No. 23 Squadron and
XO RAAF Base Amberley when the
CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Brown presents WGCDR Clive Wells with his Certificate of Service.
2011 floods devastated our region,”
he said.
“I saw firsthand how the squadron
and base pulled together with limited
manpower to support the air operations for flood relief that were occurring across Queensland – all while the
base itself was going under from the
flood waters.
“I had the opportunity to be
engaged with a team of profession-
als who worked to have an operational airfield within hours of the flood
waters subsiding in order to facilitate
humanitarian air operation activities.
“In both instances, to be able to
use the training and resources at hand
to make a real difference to communities in need, particularly the community that I and my family lived and
worked in, brought far more satisfaction than any personal success could.”
Photo: CPL Peter Borys
Having now transitioned to the
Active Reserve, WGCDR Wells is
working at No. 295 Squadron developing training requirements to support
Combat Support Group activities.
“I’m also looking forward to
completing my Master of Museum
Studies, which hopefully will provide
me with opportunities to continue my
association with aircraft in historical
organisations,” he said.
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AIR F RCE
News 11
August 14, 2014
Lofty experience
AIRCDRE Gary Martin
congratulates his daughter,
FLTLT Lisa Martin, on parade.
Photo: CPL Steve Duncan
Proud family
ties on parade
SQNLDR Fiona Van Der Snoek
As the graduating class of 03/14
Initial Officer Course stood to attention on parade with swords in hand,
reviewing officer AIRCDRE Gary
Martin inspected the graduates, stopping at each and every one to congratulate them on their achievements.
But there was one graduate of
whom he was particularly proud – his
daughter, FLTLT Lisa Martin.
As he paused to congratulate her,
AIRCDRE Martin whispered, “I’ve
been told I can break from tradition
and give you a hug.”
Taking FLTLT Martin by surprise,
he leant over and gave his daughter a
congratulatory hug before continuing
on to review the rest of the parade.
“It was a very special moment
and it made it more personal,” FLTLT
Martin said.
FLTLT Martin was in the final
stages of applying for medical school
when she gave serious thought to
joining the Air Force through the
Undergraduate Scheme.
“I actually started the application
process without any discussion with
Dad,” she said.
“I wanted it to be my choice and
not be swayed by anyone else. I told
Dad that I was applying just before sitting one of the final interviews.”
AIRCDRE Martin said the graduation parade was a special time for his
family, as it is for families of all the
graduates.
“It’s a day that we have looked
forward to since she signed up at
Parramatta seven years ago,” he said.
“I was on a trip in Honolulu and I
got a phone call to say that Lisa had
just been at a recruiting interview and I
was bemused; ‘at what?’.
“She said, ‘I’m joining the Air
Force,’ and that was it. That was the
first time we had spoken about it.”
FLTLT Martin credits her Dad’s
career as an influencing factor in her
decision to join.
“Here was a man that to me was
respected, loyal, honest, stood up for
those around him and would excel in
the tasks that he was given,” she said.
“I had seen this throughout my life
and respected that. I guess I wanted to
make him as proud of me as I was of
him.”
FLTLT Martin has always had an
interest in using her medical training
to give back to those less fortunate and
she is looking forward to being a part
of an organisation she believes in and
one that has a proud history of helping
those who need it.
She has now posted to No. 3 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron in
Richmond where she will undergo further Air Force specific medical officer
training until mid November when
she will be classified as operationally
ready.
“I’m on call over Christmas so
that is when the job and the fun times
begin,” FLTLT Martin said.
AIRCDRE Martin said if he was 21
he would be joining up all over again
because there were exciting times
ahead for Air Force.
“What is in store for the future, the
capabilities, the way that we are looking after our people, and managing
them in a responsible way, it’s going to
be a fantastic time ahead and Lisa will
love every minute of it,” he said.
SQNLDR Damian Gilchrist
describes the operations
of the Air Force Balloon
during the visit.
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tory of hot air ballooning, the science
behind flying a lighter than air craft,”
he said.
“The wonder of walking inside
a balloon envelope and feeling the
power of the balloon burners also
held their attention.”
An important component of the
Air Force Balloon’s mission is to
visit areas throughout Australia to
promote Air Force by interacting
with the general public.
“Students can get up close to the
balloon, see it built up from its components and even assist in those team
tasks,” SQNLDR Gilchrist said.
“When students visit Canberra
they enjoy learning about our national institutions.
“Having the Air Force Balloon
experience ensures the RAAF, and
the ADF in general, are a major part
of the impressions the students take
away from Canberra.”
The balloon will visit the Gold
Coast and Murwillumbah from
August 25 to September 6.
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The Air Force Balloon visited the
Australian Defence Force Academy
to set up an evening cold-inflation
demonstration for school students on
July 16.
Years 5 and 6 students from
St Joseph’s School in Oberon,
NSW, visited the balloon as part of
their school excursion program in
Canberra.
D Flight Commander Air Force
Balloon SQNLDR Damian Gilchrist
and his crew demonstrated the intricacies of how the balloon operates,
including principles of flight, flight
communications and ballooning history.
“The evening introduced them to
the Air Force, how accessible aviation can be and the skill and teamwork it takes to fly safely,” he said.
SQNLDR Gilchrist said the students were enthusiastic, despite the
cold weather.
“Well accustomed to living at altitude and dealing with cool evenings,
the students shrugged off a cold
breeze and enjoyed hearing the his-
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12 News
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
RSL bolsters gym
Simone Liebelt
AIR FORCE members at RAAF Base
Edinburgh now have access to top-quality sports and rehabilitation equipment,
courtesy of the RSL’s South Australian
branch.
RSL-SA donated $5000 worth of
equipment to the base on July 8 to help
support serving members with their rehabilitation and transition needs.
More than 200 base personnel
filled the gym for the occasion, hosted
by T/SADFO GPCAPT Greg Weller
and attended by RSL-SA CEO Sam
Jackman and other representatives of
RSL-SA, the Department of Veterans’
Affairs and Soldier On.
Ms Jackman said the initiative was
about more than just helping to care for
personnel’s health and wellbeing – it was
also about changing perceptions.
“We’re not necessarily about old men
down at the club on Anzac Day,” Ms
Jackson said.
“We certainly look after them but it’s
our mission to also look after you.”
GPCAPT Weller said it was through
close relationships with support organisations such as the RSL that Defence
was making real progress in caring for
members’ wellbeing.
“We have made significant inroads in
recent years around the notion of wellbeing and it’s something we can’t do by
ourselves – it needs to be done by partnership,” GPCAPT Weller said.
“I have been really impressed with
how RSL-SA is forward leaning with
respect to wellbeing and transitioning
AIRCDRE Tim Innes congratulates SPR Steven Mlinaric for
his efforts.
Photo: CPL Shannon McCarthy
Reshaping history
Paul Lineham
PTI CPL Shannon Tucker demonstrates some exercises using the
donated equipment; inset, RSL branch CEO Sam Jackman and CPCAPT
Captain Greg Weller hold the plaque that celebrates the donation to the
RAAF Base Edinburgh gym.
Photos: CPL David Gibbs
support to the current force, not just veterans from previous wars. It is great that
the RSL is looking at how it can make
itself more relevant, more approachable,
to the current serving and younger veteran.
“This is an important donation. It
also reflects the partnership that Defence
and support organisations are developing
and will hopefully continue to develop
into the future more proactively.”
The equipment included suspension
trainers, power bands, abdominal mats
and kettle bells.
PTI SGT Brett Harris, of 24SQN,
said it was a welcome addition.
“The mission of the RSL branch is
to care for the health and wellbeing of
the service and ex-service community,
which links together with the PTI mustering as one of our major roles is to
promote and facilitate the health and
wellbeing of Defence members,” he said.
“So this donation goes hand-in-hand
with both our missions.”
For more information on the RSL, visit
www.rsl.org.au
in a store and thought we could
perpetuate some base history in a
A LENGTH of ironbark timber from long-lasting and meaningful way,”
one of the original 1940s buildings he said.
at RAAF Base Amberley has been
With an eye for symmetry and
lovingly crafted into a portable
perfection, SPR Mlinaric set out to
cross by an Army tradesman.
design and build the cross.
Carpenter SPR Steven Mlinaric,
When he found the timber
of 9th Force Support Battalion,
almost too hard for power tools he
responded to a request from No.
resorted to hand sawing, planing,
23 Squadron to create a cross for
shaping and sanding.
ceremonial purposes.
Accepting the cross on behalf
Over a period of two weeks, he
hand-shaped and crafted the rock- of the base, SADFO AIRCDRE
Tim Innes said it was symbolic of
hard timber into a free-standing
today’s RAAF Base Amberley.
cross.
“We’re more than an Air Force
WOFF Dan Dennison, of
base as we proudly have a sig23SQN said the base required a
portable ceremonial cross for use nificant Army presence with the
6th Engineer Support Regiment
when wet weather precluded serand 9th Force Support Battalion,”
vices in the memorial gardens.
“We found this old timber
AIRCDRE Innes said.
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AIR F RCE
News 13
August 14, 2014
Combined team’s success
CPL Aaron Curran
IN A MAJOR boost for the fitness of
personnel at RAAF Base Richmond,
a new all-weather group fitness centre
was opened on July 17 by ACAUST
AVM Mel Hupfeld.
The building is a multi-purpose
facility equipped to accommodate a
range of group fitness activities including circuit training, basketball, netball,
soccer, volleyball and badminton. It
complements the existing gym facility.
Combining the unique capabilities
of Air Force Engineering (AFENG)
personnel and civilian contractors, the
$650,000 facility was completed on
time in only 79 days.
Project Manager FLTLT Michael
Brady said although there were some
challenges, the mix of AFENG and
civilian contractors worked well.
“The AFENG troops were extremely flexible,” he said.
“That was important in absorbing
the scope creep and the project and
financial risks inevitable in accelerated
projects like this one.”
FLTLT Brady said an example
of this flexibility was when AFENG
electricians designed and installed the
building’s electrical system.
“When a supplier delivered an
item that was not of our specification,
instead of returning the item risking
further delay and expenditure, the
sparkies redesigned the electrical supply system for that item,” he said.
Left, LACs Samuel Lucas
and Owen Maxwell work
together to build a wall at
RAAF Base Richmond’s
new sports facility. Above,
CPL Troy Daniel and LAC
Sean Carroll play a game of
badminton after the opening.
Photos: CPLs David Said and
Veronica McKenna
“The civilian contractors were
also invaluable.”
The facility’s construction was
concrete tilt panel and FLTLT Brady
said the tilt panel specialists were
able to erect the building shell within five weeks of the start of on-site
works.
“The construction of the facility
required 450 tonnes of concrete –
about 60 truckloads,” he said.
“The pier footings for the building
extend two-and-a-half metres into the
ground to support the weight of the
walls and roof.”
Up to 30 AFENG personnel from
No. 95 Wing Airfield Engineering
Flight, including officers, works
New leaders are
part of tradition
A PROMOTION luncheon was held at
RAAF Base Richmond on July 17 in
what is hoped to be a reintroduction of a
tradition.
ACAUST AVM Mel Hupfeld attended the lunch put on for the 38 members
from across the base who had been promoted to sergeant in January or who
had been identified for promotion next
year.
Outgoing CMC of the Sergeants’
Mess WOFF Ian Wheatley, along with
the Squadron Warrant Officers, hosted
the event.
“This was the reintroduction of an
event that was traditionally held in the
mess each year,” WOFF Wheatley said.
“Unfortunately, it had disappeared
from the mess calendar, however, we
hope that this will be a regular event
once more.”
SGT Shaun Ward, of No. 22
Squadron, was one of the guests and said
the experience was valuable.
“It was a great afternoon, at a great
location,” he said.
“AVM Hupfeld reminded us all of
the role we play as leaders and the great
responsibility we have; not only to our
troops but also to command.”
WOFF Wheatley said AVM Hupfeld
took the time to speak with personnel
after the lunch about what his expectations were for senior non-commissioned
officers in today’s Air Force.
“ACAUST told us of a practice he has
employed during his career, and that is
to work two up and one down. Meaning
that when you get a tasking from your
supervisor, think first of what their supervisor requires before you hand the task
down to your troops,” WOFF Wheatley
said.
“He said by doing this you will have
a better understanding of exactly what
is needed to complete the task to the
required standard and a better understanding, in some cases, of the bigger
picture.”
Members were then briefed on the
customs and traditions of the mess and
what their responsibilities were in being
a serving member of the mess.
Newly promoted and soon to be promoted senior non-commissioned
officers and members of the Sergeants’ Mess during a promotion luncheon
at RAAF Base Richmond.
Photo: CPL Veronica McKenna
supervisors, electricians, plumbers,
carpenters and plant operators, took
part at various times during construction.
FLTLT Brady said a typical project management team would normally consist of a project manager, a
project engineer and a works supervisor.
“The contributions of the Airfield
Engineering Flight officers and works
supervisors were critical in the success of the project,” he said.
“These members provided valuable assistance in the planning and
coordination of on-site works that
otherwise would have been out of my
capacity.”
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14
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
15
Crews’
chance
to hone
skills
SQNLDR Lindsay Paterson
and LEUT Sarah West
IT’S A WRAP
CHAP Jean Johns speaks with FLTLT Russell Adams aboard one of three
Photo: PO Paul Berry
RAAF Orions.
CO Australian AP-3C Orion detachment WGCDR David Hombsch, right, speaks with avionics
Photo: MC1 Carlos Gomez, US Navy
technician CPL Andrew Jamieson during a pre-flight inspection.
US Navy LT Joshua Saunders, far right, briefs pilots, FLTLT Russell Adams and FLGOFF
Thomas Flemming, and flight engineer WOFF Ron Day before pilot diversion training.
Photo: PO Paul Berry
Air Force has key roles as Australia strengthens international partnerships during Exercise RIMPAC.
M
August 1.
FLTLT Melissa Houston discusses dynamic manoeuvers with LT Junior
Grade Jake Stevens-Haas, of the US Navy, during USS Ronald Reagan’s
Photo: SMN Jonathan Nelson, US Navy
free-play exercise portion of RIMPAC. ore than 800 ADF personnel took part in RIMPAC, the
world’s largest naval exercise,
which ended in Hawaii on
Australia sent three AP-3C Orion
aircraft, HMAS Success and submarine HMAS Sheean, and a rifle company from 5th Battalion, the Royal
Australian Regiment, to the exercise to
conduct military training with defence
forces from 21 other Pacific Rim
nations.
At the start of the exercise on
June 26, ADF officers were appointed
to three senior RIMPAC command
positions for the first time.
AIRCDRE Chris Westwood served
as Combined Forces Air Component
Commander, RADM Simon Cullen as
Deputy Commander of the Combined
Task Force and CDRE Peter Leavy
as Expeditionary Strike Group
Commander.
The theme of RIMPAC 2014 was
‘Capable, Adaptive, Partners’ and
AIRCDRE Westwood’s role demonstrated the closeness of our alliance with
the US and the strength of our military
relationships with other partners.
“RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity,” AIRCDRE Westwood
said.
“As the world’s largest international
maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides
realistic, relevant training that increases
participants’ abilities to plan, communicate and conduct complex maritime
operations and air forces have a significant role to play.”
Air Force had four contributing
roles in RIMPAC: the Combined Forces
Air Component Commander role, a
team of about 50 RAAF members in
the Air Operations Centre who orchestrated the air campaign, three AP-3C
Orions contributing directly to the maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare
operations, and a number of No. 41
Wing air combat officers stationed
with the Hawaiian Regional Operations
Centre conducting air battle management operations for the exercise.
RADM Cullen said the experience gained by the ADF in leading
the Expeditionary Strike Group would
prove invaluable when the nation’s new
Canberra-class landing helicopter dock
(LHD) ships were introduced into service later this year.
“Having men and women from the
Navy, Army and Air Force command
this large, multinational amphibious
task group at RIMPAC has greatly
expanded the depth of knowledge and
experience we have,” RADM Cullen
said.
“Not only operating in and around
large ships, such as the US Navy’s
amphibious assault vessels and our
incoming LHDs, but also coordinating
ground forces and air assets to achieve
operational and humanitarian objectives.”
Chief of Joint Operations VADM
David Johnston said operational capability would be greatly enhanced by the
ADF’s participation at RIMPAC.
“We have already seen a real-world
scenario this year in the Pacific region,
which demonstrated that cooperation
among a large group of partner nations
is sometimes crucial to conduct a mission that would be an insurmountable
task for an individual nation,” VADM
Johnston said.
“The search for Malaysia Airlines
flight MH370 covered an enormous
search area which was only possible
because a group of nations, all partici-
pating in RIMPAC, operated together
with a common goal.
“Exercises like this give us an
opportunity to refine and enhance our
interoperability with each other, so we
can work efficiently and effectively
together when real situations arise.”
Defence Parliamentary Secretary
Darren Chester also travelled to Hawaii
as part of the Australian Defence Force
Parliamentary Program (ADFPP).
During the visit, the ADFPP group
visited members of No. 92 Wing to see
an AP-3C Orion.
“RIMPAC is an outstanding opportunity for Australian servicemen and
women to work closely with defence
personnel from 21 other countries and
learn from their experiences, or pass on
our expertise,” Mr Chester said.
“The Australians at RIMPAC are
highly regarded for their capacity to
both lead at the highest level and make
a strong contribution as part of joint
forces on the ground, in the air, or at
sea.
“Experiencing RIMPAC as part
of the ADFPP helps to build mutual
understanding between MPs and our
servicemen and women.”
FLGOFF Ben Hepworth conducts
final checks before a range
clearance exercise over Hawaii.
Photo: AB Chantell Bianchi
CPL Rob Durighello, CPL Jake Doherty and SQNLDR Ron Batcheldor,
of 1CCS, speak with US Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force
Photo: AB Chantell Bianchi
personnel at Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam.
THE EXERCISE
Communications first
SQNLDR Lindsay Paterson
For the first time, Air Force personnel
provided communications support to
the Australian element participating in
RIMPAC.
For the communications experts
from No. 1 Combat Communications
Squadron (1CCS) based in Townsville,
this was a great opportunity to
enhance their skills in a multinational
environment and a natural experience
progression from exercises such as
Pitch Black.
FSGT Mick Cannon, CPL Jake Doherty and LAC Shane Perry provided
direct support for computer network
issues to the Australian National Command Element based at Joint Base
Pearl Harbor – Hickham, making sure
that the communications systems
worked effectively.
This was the first time they had
been to Hawaii and the first time
they had taken part in any overseas
exercise.
“This was a great opportunity to
experience working with other nations
and gain some information on how to
best work with them,” FSGT Cannon
said.
“Everyone was very professional
and I am hoping the experience will be
of benefit to the team when I return to
my home squadron.”
SGT Peter Smith and CPL Rob
Durighello provided support to the
Combined Operations Centre at
Hickham Air Field Base, working under
the guidance of Combined Forces Air
Component Command Communications Director SQNLDR Ron Batcheldor.
SQNLDR Batcheldor said Air Force
communications specialists had no
problem taking on such a major task
for Exercise RIMPAC.
“The unofficial motto of 1CCS is
‘no comms: no bombs’, which is a
pretty accurate description of what
the guys did – providing interoperable network support for RIMPAC,”
SQNLDR Batcheldor said.
Exercise RIMPAC is a biennial
military training exercise conducted
to strengthen international maritime
partnerships, enhance interoperability and improve the readiness of
participating forces for a wide range
of potential operations.
During RIMPAC, participating
forces exercised a wide range of capabilities, from disaster response and
maritime security operations to sea
control and complex warfighting.
The relevant, realistic training
included amphibious operations,
gunnery, missile, anti-submarine
and air defence exercises, as well
as military medicine, humanitarian
assistance and disaster response,
counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal,
and diving and salvage operations.
Land and air components played
key roles to exercise the joint effort in
a maritime environment.
An RAAF Orion prepares for takeoff
from Marine Corps Air Station
Kaneohe Bay in Hawaii.
Photo: LEUT Sarah West
Combined Forces Air Component Commander AIRCDRE Chris Westwood, standing, looks in on CAPT Kyle
Welsh, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, CMDR David Fulcher, of the US Navy, and WGCDR Mark Simpson in the
Photo: LS Peter Thompson
Combined Air Operations Centre at Joint Base Pearl Harbor – Hickam.
FLTLT Pete Cunningham, of 10SQN, exits an Orion
following a range clearance exercise.
Photo: AB Chantell Bianchi
This year marked the 24th
RIMPAC. With 22 nations participating, RIMPAC 2014 was the biggest
iteration of the maritime exercise ever
conducted.
Australia has participated in every
exercise since it began in 1971.
Forty-nine surface ships, six submarines and more than 200 aircraft
were manned and crewed by 25,000
personnel from across the Pacific
Rim over the course of the exercise.
No. 92 Wing deployed three AP-3C
Orions and about 140 aircrew, maintenance, operations and support staff to
RIMPAC.
After their arrival in Hawaii on July
4, the pilots conducted aircraft diversion
training to familiarise themselves with
the approaches to various aerodromes
in Hawaii if the runway at Kaneohe Bay
was unavailable.
“This gives us the confidence to safely get ourselves out of every situation
while we’re here,” said pilot FLGOFF
Thomas Flemming.
FLGOFF Flemming said he thought
there were more P3s at Marine Corps
Base Kaneohe Bay during the exercise
than anywhere else in the world.
“It’s pretty amazing, it was great to
have the chance to work with all these
other nations,” he said.
Co-pilot FLGOFF Marc Smith said
the large number of aircraft in the airspace at one time could be a challenge.
“We were operating in a very busy
airspace and in proximity with other
aircraft, but we always maintained a safe
distance – it was a pretty dynamic environment,” he said.
“One of our first tasks on the exercise was to conduct a range clearance
where the P3 ensures an area is clear for
weapons and equipment trials, and for
proper environmental stewardship.
“Kaneohe Bay is very different to
the environment at home – there are
big hills all around and there are a large
number of aircraft from different countries participating in the exercise. There
were some different rules to learn and
we needed to adapt quickly to work
effectively with other nations.
“I feel very lucky to have had the
opportunity to work with so many other
nations in such a fantastic environment.”
Tactical Coordinator FLTLT Pete
Cunningham was responsible for the
tactical coordination and employment of
the AP-3Cs.
“I was involved in the detection of
illegal maritime activity and counterpiracy operations. As far as I am concerned RIMPAC is the very best exercise for maritime patrol operations, and
I can’t think of any better location,”
FLTLT Cunningham said.
RIMPAC started with basic anti-submarine activities involving an independent submarine with one crew and then
activities increased in complexity with
either multiple submarines or multiple
surface vessels from different countries
by the end of the exercise.
“When we do something like
RIMPAC we can focus on the anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. This
is the challenging and really interesting
part – we really get a work out,” FLTLT
Cunningham said.
CO Australian Orion Detachment
WGCDR David Hombsch said RIMPAC
was a perfect opportunity to hone maritime warfare skills with a range of countries.
“It’s very important that we are interoperable with Rim of the Pacific nations
and this exercise is one of the key
activities to hone our skills,” WGCDR
Hombsch said.
“Our involvement in the search for
the missing Malaysia Airlines flight
MH370 is an example of how important
it is to get the interoperability part right.”
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State
2013
AIR F RCE
History 17
August 14, 2014
Just 13 days after Australia entered World War I
in August 1914, Central Flying School started
its first two courses – and the graduates went
on to make a significant contribution to the war
effort and formation of the RAAF in 1921, as
RAAF Historian Martin James writes.
Training begins for WWI
A
WHAT BECAME OF THEM
Richard Williams
with a Boxkite
engine.
Photos: Office of Air
Force History
Personnel and students of the Central Flying
School’s first two courses in late 1914.
Thomas White who famously
misjudged one of his landings.
and key components of the course were
apparently ignored.
Williams noted: “There was no
aerobatics and indeed if one banked
enough to say that a turn was definitely
not flat one ran the risk of a reprimand
for dangerous flying.”
Later, he wrote, the students did a
written examination.
“But we had had neither instruction
nor examination in the erection of aeroplanes and engines, nor was anything of
this sort mentioned in the school syllabus
as laid down in Military Orders”.
For all its shortfalls by today’s
standards, the flying training provided
at Point Cook in 1914 was similar to
what was being provided in Britain and
Europe at the time. Indeed, the final
flying test before qualifying for their
‘wings’ was conducted in accordance
with the international standards then in
place.
By November 1914 all of the trainees had graduated in their chosen disciplines, just in time to participate in the
war that was engulfing the world.
TREK WITH YOUR MATES
purpose”
WW1 Memorial Brick with
“Carry
your
CHALLENGE
QUEENSLANDER
NYONE looking at the Point
Cook airfield in August 1914
would have been excused
if they thought the area had
changed little in the five-and-a-half
months since the first flight of the
Bristol Boxkite.
The 100th anniversary of that event,
Australia’s first military flight, was celebrated at RAAF Williams – Point Cook
on March 1 this year.
But as important a milestone as it
was, it was only a start – only one of
the necessary steps needed to establish
military aviation in Australia.
This month marks the next two
important achievements for the
Australian Flying Corps.
On August 17, 1914, the Central
Flying School (CFS) ­­– the only unit of
the fledgling Australian Flying Corps
(AFC) – started its first two courses.
The first was a pilot’s initial flying training course consisting of four
Army officers, while the second was
a mechanics course consisting of six
students.
The graduates of these two courses
were to make a significant and, in some
cases, enduring contribution to the AFC
in World War I and the formation of the
RAAF in 1921.
Richard Williams, later to command the RAAF, looked back on his
first day of training in These Are Facts:
The Autobiography of Air Marshal Sir
Richard Williams, KBE, CB, DSO – and
wrote the school “was by no means
established.”
“Near the sea was a corrugated iron
shed large enough to house the Boxkite
... and another room about 20 feet by
12 which was the office,” he said.
“At the northern end on the property
a wooden barracks block housed the
other ranks ... For the Officers, including those under instruction, tents had
been erected.”
Training for the six mechanics
was done on the job, with the trainees
actively involved in the routine maintenance of the aircraft that were carrying
the trainee pilots into the air each day.
The mechanics typically conducted
servicings, repaired faults and kept the
aircraft clean under the direction of
experienced technical staff of CFS led
by WOFF Henry Chester.
A frequent task was to recover the
Boxkite to its hangar from whatever
point the pilot had landed the machine
on the airfield.
One of the trainee pilots, Thomas
White, attempted to relieve the mechanics of the task of aircraft recovery one
day by attempting to land the Boxkite
as close as possible to the hangar.
He misjudged his landing and
impacted the end of the hangar just
below the roof line. White was not hurt,
but the mechanics had a major task in
rebuilding the aircraft.
That White should have so badly
managed his landing should come as no
surprise.
The training for the four pilots was
ad hoc at best.
Despite the experience of the two
flying instructors at CFS, CAPT Henry
Petre and LT Eric Harrison, there
appeared no structure to the training
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THE students of the courses which started on
August 17, 1914, went on to very differing fates.
Of the four pilot trainees, Richard Williams went
on to lead No. 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps
(1SQN AFC) in Palestine.
Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he was placed in
charge of the RAF’s No. 40 Wing.
He became the first Chief of the Air Staff of the
RAAF.
Thomas White served in the AFC’s Half Flight in
Mesopotamia, was captured by the Turkish forces,
escaped and made his way back to England via
Russia. He later served in the Australian Parliament.
George Mertz was killed while serving with the
Half Flight in Mesopotamia after a forced landing
behind enemy lines.
David Manwell went on to become a captain
within 1SQN AFC in Palestine and later served as a
staff officer in London.
Of the mechanics, Leslie Carter went on to serve
throughout World War I, and joined with Richard
Williams to make the first non-stop flight between
Melbourne and Sydney in 1920.
Carter retired from the RAAF as a wing commander in 1945.
Norman Dyer was to serve within the AFC,
Australian Air Corps (AAC) and the RAAF, retiring at
60 as a flight lieutenant engineer in 1949.
George Mackinolty served with distinction within
the technical and later equipment branches of the
AFC, AAC, and later RAAF, and retired as an air vice
marshal.
Reginald Mason served in the AFC but little is
known about his service after his training in 1914.
Hugh McIntosh rose to warrant officer within
the AFC but transferred to the AIF in 1918 and discharged in 1919.
Arthur Murphy served with great distinction in
the AFC, first as a mechanic and later as a pilot. He
returned to NCO rank in the post-war AAC and was
the senior airman at the formation of the RAAF.
Murphy moved to manage the technical and
engineering aspects of the RAAF. He was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Force
Cross.
18 Feature
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
‘
‘Baby steps Frank,
look at the ground
and you will get
there, there is no
hurry.’”
FSGT Frank Alcantara
crossing one of many creeks
during the trek.
– Encouragement from a
porter named Steven
Life-changing trek
PTSD sufferer FSGT Frank Alcantara gained a
lot of positives from walking the Kokoda Track,
SGT Dave Morley reports.
A
MATES4MATES Kokoda
Trek helped FSGT Frank
Alcantara put some of his
demons away “in a huge way”.
After deployments to Rwanda, East
Timor, Bali after the first bombings and
Iraq, FSGT Alcantara was diagnosed
with post traumatic stress disorder.
“I live with the memories of the
horrors I saw there and live with these
every day of my life,” he said.
“They are a collage of visual and
mental memories that bombard me
every day 24/7.
“The Kokoda Trek, however,
showed me clarity in my life for the
first time in two years since my medical return to Australia, and it has definitely helped me.
“Mentally I am clearer, physically I am so much fitter and I would
love to do this again with my son,
LS Christian Alcantara, a member of
NUSHIP Canberra, next year.”
FSGT Alcantara, of HQ Health
Services Wing RAAF Base
Amberley, said the trek from July
12-20 was a journey of self-discovery
during which everyone bonded with
someone.
“The Kokoda Trek was a life
changer for me and I feel so much better for going there, and Mates4Mates
provided that for me,” he said.
“As they say, you have to ‘walk the
walk to understand it’.
“It’s more than physical prowess,
but mental strength [is needed] as well
to get through it.
“I actually ended up with heat
exhaustion on day one, but a veteran
PNG porter, Steven, helped me through
with his wisdom and soft tones.
“He told me: ‘Baby steps Frank,
look at the ground and you will get
there, there is no hurry’.”
FSGT Alcantara said the diggers
who fought along the Kokoda Track
were never far from his mind as he
made the trek.
WORDS THAT
MOTIVATED
FSGT Frank Alcantara used some
words of wisdom to keep him and
his mates going on the Kokoda
Track.
They are based on a mantra
he learnt while he worked as a
combat survival instructor in
Townsville at the Combat Survival
Training School for four years.
“The rest is something I have
said to myself and my medic
students for years,” he said.
“I combined both together
and recited them on the track as I
thought it was fitting.
“Surprisingly enough, everyone thought they were apt for the
journey we were all undertaking
together.”
Remember:
Pain is momentary.
Failure is forever.
Try and do everything
you do with passion,
excellence and pride.
Even in adversity.
And at the end of the
day you will return
home with honour.
“I also did this to honour my late
father-in-law, who like many others
returned to Australia in 1942 as part
of the 7th Division Rats of Tobruk, to
fight alongside the 39th Battalion on
the Kokoda Track,” he said.
“I am honoured to have the opportunity to gain a small insight into the
FSGT Frank Alcantara formed strong bonds with friends
on the trek. With trek porters at Brigade Hill, above; and
assembled with the group at Kokoda village at the start of the
trek, below.
FSGT Frank Alcantara with retired SQNLDR
Belinda Johnstone at the end of the trek. The
friends met while serving together in Rwanda
in 1995.
conditions our unforgotten heroes
fought under, which I believe will
provide me with some closure to some
issues I suffer from.”
FSGT Alcantara’s message to ADF
members who may be suffering PTSD
is simple.
“The hardest step is always the first
one, but you just need to say, ‘I need
help, please help me’,” he said.
“Air Force has helped me all along
the way and this journey is just one
of many examples of how they have
helped me.
“My mission here is to make all
aware of the ever increasing issue of
PTSD and that it can, in many ways,
be challenged and collared along the
way.”
FSGT Alcantara will soon discharge from the ADF after nearly 35
years’ service. He remembers his final
deployment to Al Minhad Air Base in
United Arab Emirates in 2012, where
he was medically evacuated due to
PTSD, depression and anxiety.
“I could see the changes in me but
thought it would be OK like all the
other deployments,” he said.
“Sadly, I felt the stress of 16-18
hour days and by about two-thirds into
it, I just went into meltdown.”
FSGT Alcantara said it was tough
to accept but felt he did the right thing.
“The lesson learnt, and it’s a hard
step to take, is to ask for help when
you see things going badly,” he said.
“There are many agencies out there
to help, you just need to take that first
big step and say, ‘I need help’.
“Rehabilitation from PTSD is only
a reach away, you just need to ask and
the ADF will provide.”
FSGT Alcantara set out to raise
$1000 for Mates4Mates but finished by
raising $10,150.
Members can seek help for PTSD by calling the Defence All-hours Support Line on
1800 628 036, or contacting their local ADF
health centre, mental health professional,
chaplain or duty officer/officer of the day.
AIR F RCE
Feature 19
August 14, 2014
SGT Kurt Sayed used
his fitness and tenacity
to get through a tough
course, SGT Dave
Morley reports.
Passing
on sea
skills
S
GT Kurt Sayed, a PTI at RAAF
Base Townsville’s Combat
Survival Training School
(CSTS), is now qualified to plan
and run adventurous training sea kayaking courses at his unit.
He was one of 12 sea kayaking
Unit Adventurous Training Leaders
(UATL) and two Adventurous
Training Leader Instructors (ATLI)
from across the ADF who qualified after attending courses run by
Adventurous Training Wing (ATW).
SGT Sayed, the only Air Force
member on the course, said the UATL
course set him up well to develop
challenging activities.
“As a PTI, I had the fitness and
tenacity for the arduous course which
is certainly not for the faint-hearted,”
he said.
“I would highly recommend this
course to anyone who has the ability
and mental resilience to attend, as I
believe it is an asset in developing
leadership, teamwork and individual
skills required within the ADF.”
Sea kayaking UATL CAPT
Sheldon Toto, of 9 Force Support
Battalion at RAAF Base Amberley,
said the courses were conducted from
2/17 Royal NSW Regiment’s Erina
Depot near Gosford on the Central
Coast during May and June.
“The UATLs are now qualified to
plan, facilitate and execute demanding sea kayaking adventurous training
activities for the ADF,” he said.
“The ATLIs are capable of
SGT Kurt Sayed battles the surf.
He says the sea kayaking course
is not for the faint-hearted.
instructing and assessing on future
sea kayaking courses, ensuring the
longevity and sustainability of the
skillset.”
SGT Sayed praised all the instructors for the extremely high standard
of skills that were developed while on
course.
“Their ability to pass on their
knowledge to develop required skillsets gave us the confidence to achieve
the challenges set, with their high
level of perceived risk, like rockhopping and surfing in sometimes
dangerous situations,” he said.
“The training provided was of the
highest standard and ATW should
be commended on their instructors’
ability to provide this high level of
training.
“The course was certainly a challenge and clearly demonstrated the
aims and definition of adventurous
training.”
SGT Sayed said he would be putting what he learnt on the course into
practice at the CSTS.
“My CO is a proactive individual
who believes that the qualities that are
developed through adventurous training are beneficial to a more effective
work ethic,” he said.
“I will be planning and running a
mini-expedition sea kayaking course,
planning with the executives within
my unit and meeting objectives that
my CO would like to develop in both
individual and group qualities.”
Anyone interested in undertaking a UATL/
ATLI course should visit the ATW intranet
site at intranet.defence.gov.au/armyweb/
sites/atw/ and consult their chain of command.
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20 Feature
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
AIR F RCE
A
viation safety is always
important no matter
where or what the situation and SQNLDR Daniel
Olsen is right out the front as part
of Operation Aslan.
Deployed to Juba as part of
the United Nations Mission to
South Sudan, he travels throughout the country as Staff Officer
Aviation Safety.
“I work with two others and
we’re responsible for implementing the safety management system for the mission,” he said.
“Our primary role is to investigate incidents and conduct risk
assessments and from this we
provide recommendations to
commanders to mitigate future
risk.
“By removing or limiting
occurrences and hazards we can
ensure all aircraft are fit for flying
and fulfil contractual obligations,
increasing operational efficiency,
not just safety.”
When not at work at the
United Nations, SQNLDR Olsen
lives at Australia House in Juba
with 16 other Australians. He said
he had really enjoyed his first
deployment.
“I’ve enjoyed living with a
close-knit group and establishing
close working relationships with
numerous foreign military personnel,” he said.
“It really is the stand-out part
of the deployment.”
SQNLDR Olsen, who arrived
in Juba in early April, said the city
was more developed than he had
expected and he was impressed
by Aussie House.
“The house is a great size for
the amount of people here with a
good amount of force protection,”
he said.
“The only downside is that we
have to provide for ourselves.
“Shopping, cooking and cleaning are part of the daily routine,
and in a country where nothing is
easy to achieve it’s an additional
stressor – but we look after each
other like an extended family.”
As part of the UN mission, all
members are paid an allowance
for rent and food with groceries
bought from the shops in the
community in which they live.
Feature 21
August 14, 2014
SQNLDR Daniel Olsen in
front of a UN helicopter.
He travels the country
investigating incidents
and conducting risk
assessments.
Photos: CPL Nick Wiseman
OIC National Support Element FLTLT Jude Chew.
Every day presents
different challenges
W
HELPING
SOUTH
SUDAN
Air Force personnel are among the ADF contingent deployed to South
Sudan on Operation Aslan. CPL Nick Wiseman visited them in Juba.
WHY THEY
ARE THERE
SGT Janelle Heise, left, and Army SGT Camille Reed play ball with a
child during a trip to the girls’ orphanage.
Priceless experience
A
SGT Janelle Heise, back left, SQNLDR Keith Bateman, middle left, SQNLDR Daniel Olsen, front left, LEUT
Aaron Goedecke, right, and LTCOL Adam Hogan, far right, with girls at an orphanage in Juba, South Sudan.
DF personnel deployed to
Juba as part of Operation
Aslan have used their spare
time to help out at a local
orphanage.
The group visited a girls’ orphanage
that houses 23 girls ranging from age
three to 13.
These girls often come from broken
homes where families cannot afford to
raise them.
Air Force SGT Janelle Heise said it
was great to see the difference the visits
made to the children.
“It’s wonderful to get out there and
kick a ball around with them,” she said.
“You have to be careful though,
they are so beautiful and it is hard not
to get attached.”
LEUT Aaron Goedecke came up
with the idea and said it was great to
spend time with the children.
“Although what we do is very simple and not much to us, they cherish the
extra company and are always excited
when they see us return,” he said.
“The time that we have spent with
them has been priceless.”
SGT Janelle Heise with a girl from the orphanage.
OPERATION Aslan is the deployment of
ADF personnel to the United Nations
Mission in South Sudan.
The Operation formally started on
September 23, 2011.
ADF personnel transitioned to
Operation Aslan from Operation Azure.
About 20 ADF personnel are
deployed on Operation Aslan.
ADF personnel are not deployed in
combat roles and are engaged in key
headquarters positions, aviation and
logistics support roles, as well as acting as military liaison officers.
On July 9, 2011, the Republic of
South Sudan became the newest country in the world, following a six-year
peace process than began with the
signing of a Comprehensive Peace
Agreement in 2005.
The new UN Mission in South Sudan
was established to support the new
Republic of South Sudan to build a viable and secure future for its people.
Defence, along with other government agencies, is closely monitoring
the situation in South Sudan because
of conflict within the country.
HILE most of the contingent on Operation Aslan
are kept busy with their
United Nations duties,
three dedicated people work to keep
everything running smoothly in the
background.
The team, known as the National
Support Element, consists of OIC
FLTLT Jude Chew, Force Protection
Warrant Officer WO2 Dave Sauer
and Senior Non-Commissioned
Officer Air Force SGT Janelle Heise.
FLTLT Chew said there was not
much his role did not include when it
came to keeping everything running
smoothly for the Australian contingent.
“Every day is different here in
Juba,” he said.
Jobs can range from overall management of admin, finance, operations and the day-to-day running and
maintenance of Australia House.
Having spent three months in
South Sudan, FLTLT Chew has realised just how much things are taken
for granted back in Australia.
“Many locals don’t have basics
like running water or power,” he said.
“I’ve realised I can’t complain.”
He said the job could be frustrating because local maintenance might
not be to the standard required.
“It is something that requires
careful management,” FLTLT Chew
said.
Australia House is home to 17
Australians with a further four living
elsewhere around the country.
With no running water, power or
sewerage to the city of Juba, management of the house is not a light job.
WO2 Sauer is responsible for
force protection and the equipment
store.
SGT Heise looks after the administration of the contingent.
This includes everything from
managing leave to organising the
mail.
“It can be very chaotic just getting
through immigration, let alone the
fact there doesn’t seem to be any road
rules,” she said.
“Everything takes longer here
due to communication difficulties.
Even the grocery shopping is difficult
as you need to go to many different
shops to get what you need.
“Simple things like mailing one
parcel can take more than an hour.”
A positive aspect to her deployment has been making friends with
members from other countries who
are also part of the UN mission in
South Sudan.
SGT Heise spent Easter in
Uganda this year and said she had
been lucky enough to be deployed
twice on Anzac Day.
“It’s always that much more special to celebrate Anzac Day on operations,” she said.
Assisting SGT Heise and other
members of the Australian contingent is local service provider John
Wakonyo. He speaks the local language and his local knowledge is
invaluable.
“Having John around has made
sourcing local produce and equipment much easier,” SGT Heise said.
“Things would be much harder
without him.”
Many happy returns
R
esearch paid dividends for linguist FLTLT
Ian Gargano when
the Japanese Defence
Minister visited UN workers in
Sudan.
FLTLT Gargano and LTCOL
James Brownlie are attached to
the Japanese contingent, which is
mostly made up of engineers taking part in construction projects.
When they heard the Japanese
Defence Minister was visiting,
FLTLT Gargano said he decided
to do a bit of research the night
before his arrival.
“As he walked down the line
shaking our hands, I wished
him ‘happy birthday’ to which
he jumped back amazed and
laughed,” FLTLT Gargano said.
Following in the footsteps of
the past four Australian rotations,
one of the major projects the two
officers have been part of with
the Japanese workers has been
the construction of three double-storey faculty buildings at the
University of Juba.
While civilian contractors did
the construction, specialist Japanese
engineers conducted quality control
and the Australians worked between
both groups seamlessly.
While many of the Japanese
could understand and speak
English, FLTLT Gargano was kept
busy as a linguist and said a stay
in Japan had come in handy.
“I spent five years in Japan
where I taught English,” he said.
“Having spent time there
immersed in their culture has
allowed me to do my job here
better.
“They have often been surprised when they see I am familiar
with how they do things.”
22 Flightline
WGCDR Les Hughes assists retired
SQNLDR Bob Cowper during a visit to
the Australian National Memorial and
Commonwealth War Cemetery at Villers
Bretonneux in France.
Photo: CPL Oliver Carter
AIR F RCE
Photo: CPL Melina Young
SQNLDR Zalie Duffy, centre, runs the first phase of the Warrior Workout.
August 14, 2014
SQNLDR Zalie Duffy,
of 78WG, won the
women’s division
of 4SQN’s Warrior
Workout at RAAF Base
Williamtown. The
Warrior Workout is
a charity event open
to all service personnel and raises funds
for the Commando
Welfare Trust Fund
(CWTF). The event
was dedicated to
the memory of CPL
Cameron Baird VC,
who was killed in
Afghanistan on June
22, 2013. This year, 28
participants accepted
the challenge and,
after a full morning
of running with sandbags, straining at the
bench press, throwing
wall-balls, swinging
kettle bells and jumping on boxes, nearly
$3000 was raised for
the CWTF from the
donations of participants and spectators.
Photo: CPL
Colin Dadd
Chloe Bornholm is presented with a certificate and
framed entry by XO Institute of Aviation Medicine
SQNLDR Martin Biner.
Photo: CPL Colin Dadd
Prize for artistic skill
Members of the RAAF
Institute of Aviation Medicine
(AVMED) have visited the
Marryatville Primary School
in Adelaide to present a
student her prize for winning
the 2014 RAAF F/A-18 Hornet Tail Art competition.
Chloe Bornholm won a
“Defence Experience” for
herself and her classmates
after she entered the competition launched during the
Clipsal 500 car race.
A Hornet flyover was the
inspiration for several of the
entrants, with the winning
fire cracker motif demonstrating the dynamic spirit of
the aircraft.
Nine AVMED members
introduced the students to a
variety of military opportunities and life support equipment during the visit.
This included being
strapped into ejection seats,
trying on aircrew helmets
and learning about careers
within Air Force.
SGT Alex Piantadosi said
the students’ also enjoyed
being able to sit in a life raft
and rock around with the
waves of the ocean.
“The excitement of the
students in our displays was
a very satisfying experience,”
he said.
“I will also add my
apologies for the noise we
seemed to generate from the
student’s exuberance at the
life-raft display.”
CPL Simon Baldry and LACW Deanna Duckham check passports in the
Visa Coordination Office at Al Minhad Airbase in the UAE.
Photo: WO2 Rob Nyffenegger
Nursing officers FLGOFF Laura D’Alterio, front,
and FLTLT Trish Graham in an Expeditionary
Role 2 Health Facility.
Photo: CPL Shannon McCarthy
CO 35SQN WGCDR Bradley Clarke presents
a cheque for just over $1000 to Westmead
Children’s Hospital Fundraising Administrator
Milica Milic after members visited the hospital.
LAC Jacob Taylor shows his grandfather Keith Morgan the flight deck of They raised the money at a movie night at the
a C-130J during the 37SQN family day.
Photo: SGT Ricky Fuller RAAF Base Richmond Cinema. Photo: LAC Aiden Galea
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AIR F RCE
Air Force Improvement 23
August 14, 2014
iPads trial right on track
The release of mobile devices for Hawk 127
and AP-3C Orion aircrews is scheduled for
mid-2015, Sandra Onus reports.
K
NOWN colloquially as the
Electronic Flight Bags,
or EFBs, the Air Force
Improvement (AFI) Electronic
Aeronautical Information (EAI)
Project is on track to be in operation
by the middle of next year.
The project has procured more than
450 iPads for aircrew in Air Force,
Navy and Army.
It has now passed all halfway
milestones and is on track to deliver
a CIOG DRN network (the Ground
Sub-System) that supports the Mission
System (mobile devices).
Release to Hawk 127 Lead-in
Fighters and AP-3Cs is scheduled for
mid-2015.
The AFI Project Team, incorporating Jacobs Australia as prime contractor, has integrated with an approved
CIOG component, the Mobile ICT
Project.
CIOG lead Vas Kandiah said the
detailed design of the Ground SubSystem was well advanced and the
hardware was in place for testing.
The EAI Project is also coordinating a number of existing EFB trials to
ensure standardisation and technical
alignment with a strong emphasis on
airworthiness and safety compliance.
These include Navy, Army and
most of our Air Mobility Group fleet.
Army’s uptake extends across all
Black Hawks and its trial has resulted
in innovative ideas emerging for the
iPads’ use in operations and to support
shared communications and situational
awareness.
The project sponsor, DACAUST
AIRCDRE Stephen Meredith, said
that this unique reform project demonstrated how Air Force could drive real
change across the ADF.
“In a relatively short period of time,
the project and our partners will have
delivered an enabling capability that
saves time and resources as well as
ensuring we have the latest technology
in place,” AIRCDRE Meredith said.
Sustainment has also been an
important component of the project,
with close engagement with DMO
(CISSO and AMSPO).
Publication and content management is also critical with support
being provided to AOSG, AIS-AF and
AMSPO.
All of these component systems
More than 450 iPads
have been tested
by aircrews across
Defence.
Photo: LAC Kai Cooling
will converge in 2015 for service
release.
The AFI team at HQAC is already
planning stage two to enable service
release for all ADF aeronautical platforms with potential support for maintenance.
Stage two is key in terms of ensuring the transformational change
extends across the ADF consolidating
the strategic reform initiated in 2012.
New five-year contracts in place
THE Air Command Capability
Framework rolls into sustainment
mode in August with two new fiveyear contracts now in place.
These will enable strong focused
support to the FEGS as well as ensu-
AOSG project looks
at technical tasks
OFFCDT Alexandra Hendry
Project 147 is looking at ways to
improve the performance and management of technical tasks within
Aerospace Operational Support Group
(AOSG).
AOSG performs a number of important tasks, such as installing bombs and
missiles and developing countermeasures for our aircraft.
These tasks are vital to ADF flight
test and operations, and must be managed effectively.
Project 147, which was introduced
last September, is investigating whether
AOSG can reduce its number of technical management systems, and if
combining or moving units to different wings within the FEG will deliver
improvements.
Staff Officer Logistics Capability
WGCDR Matthew Kennedy said the
aim of the project was to identify
options for improving technical management across AOSG.
“With the wide variety and complexity of technical work being done within
each of the units, there was no single
ideal solution,” WGCDR Kennedy said.
“We are presently moving units
between the wings, for example moving
Aeronautical Information Service – Air
Force from Information Warfare Wing
(IWWG) to Development and Test Wing
(DTWG), in order to better align the
technical risks they manage and to enable easier integration of technical management systems and better sharing of
technical expertise.
“Similarly, some units such as
Aerospace Systems Engineering
Squadron and Aircraft Stores and
Compatibility Squadron are being amalgamated to recognise the integration of
the technical management system and
reduce overheads.”
AOSG is also planning to centralise the management of its maintenance
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WGCDR Matthew Kennedy works
on Project 147. Photo: CPL Nicci Freeman
functions, particularly to those supporting ICT-based capability systems within
IWWG.
“Focusing on evolving the current
technical management systems within
IWWG will allow a single system to
manage the provision of maintenance
support, streamlining the process,”
WGCDR Kennedy said.
Future aircraft will also shape consolidation of AOSG’s technical activities in years to come.
“Future platforms such as the F-35A,
P-8A and Growler have certainly influenced the current reviews and we will
continue tailoring our approach as these
concepts mature,” WGCDR Kennedy
said.
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24 New Horizon
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
Small change
makes a
difference
LAC Anthony Donoghue
HEADQUARTERS Air Command
(HQAC) and RAAF Base Glenbrook
have been working over the past year
to achieve reforms in line with the
New Horizon program, which aims to
improve Air Force capability in safety,
efficiency, leadership, values and culture.
Learning from past actions to
achieve positive progress is helping to
change attitudes at HQAC and RAAF
Base Glenbrook.
Various initiatives have been incorporated into workplace practices based
on command-led and individually driven approaches.
CO HQAC WGCDR Kaarin Kooij
encourages staff to reflect on past
workplace challenges and experiences
through case studies incorporated into
the Base Weekly Notices.
This open forum allows WGCDR
Kooij to share her experiences dealing
with situations in the workplace.
“This encourages thought, discus-
sion and questions from staff of all
levels and designations both military
and civilian, about how they may have
handled or reacted to the same situations,” she said.
The first ‘Command Connect’
briefing was held at RAAF Base
Glenbrook last October.
An ACAUST-hosted initiative, the
one hour monthly briefing provides
the executive direct access to all staff
and is a unique opportunity to discuss
organisational culture in a collegiate
forum.
It aims to improve internal communication and networks within the
headquarters with the view to improving general awareness and knowledge
of activities and the business of HQAC
directorates.
Each briefing includes a chief of
staff summary of activities and events
that will occur at Glenbrook in the
coming month.
Each director then provides a short
overview of what their particular
directorate is focused on and dealing
Giselle Boxall, DACAUST AIRCDRE Stephen Meredith, Deborah Haxton and DDCOORD/CO HQAC WGCDR
Kaarin Kooij at the International Women’s Day forum at RAAF Base Glenbrook.
with that month and the session ends
with ACAUST presentations.
Chief of Staff HQAC GPCAPT
Roger Parr said New Horizon initiatives at HQAC had taken many forms.
“Some are simple and easily implemented with great effect,” GPCAPT
Parr said.
As part of International Women’s
Day 2014 at RAAF Base Glenbrook,
APS staff member Giselle Boxall presented a speech reminding all staff of
“corridor etiquette”.
“It is important to make eye contact and acknowledge the person you
are passing in the corridor, smile and
say hello,” she said.
“It can make all the difference.”
GPCAPT Parr said this small
change in behaviour had an immediate
impact on morale.
“It proves that an individual can
inspire a change that can improve an
entire base culture,” he said.
The Champions of Culture team
has also been established to form a
brains trust and mentor group for
implementing New Horizon changes.
The team meets regularly to explore
new initiatives for cultural support and
enrichment, manage the New Horizon
SharePoint Blog and act as cultural
advisers to the leadership team.
“There have been many initiatives at HQAC and RAAF Glenbrook
inspired by the New Horizon program
and tailored to influence and change
how we treat each other within the
organisation,” GPCAPT Parr said.
Read about how HQAC and RAAF Base
Glenbrook members have applied the New
Horizon principles to enhance relationships
within the Blue Mountains community in
the next edition of Air Force News.
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AIR F RCE
Personnel 25
August 14, 2014
Pay allotments to cease
Jessica Whigham
ADF members will need to make
new arrangements for their discretionary allotments (deductions)
with a six-month phase-out period
beginning this month.
The ability for ADF members
to request a new discretionary allotment through PMKeyS Self Service
or Webform AD577 is no longer
available.
Non-BSB allotments are also discretionary deductions. They are voluntary payments made using the payroll
system to institutions such as charities,
clubs and health funds. These do not
include compulsory payments such as
child support contributions, living-in
accommodation charges and judgement
orders, or other net pay distributions to
bank accounts with BSB numbers.
While flexible remuneration salary
sacrifice deductions might be considered ‘discretionary’, they can comprise
both pre- and post-tax components and
are managed by an external service provider, so will continue to be processed
automatically on behalf of members
through the Defence payroll system.
Assistant Secretary Personnel
Systems Modernisation Brenton Searle
said from payday February 12, 2015,
all remaining discretionary allotments
would be ceased and functionality
removed from PMKeyS Self Service.
“This means that if new payment arrangements have not been put
in place, no further payments will be
transferred to the organisation after payday January 29, 2015,” he said.
“The six-month phasing out period
was chosen to provide members with
time to cease their allotments and make
other arrangements. During this time,
the recipients of the allotments will also
be advised of the change.”
Mr Searle said the capability for discretionary allotments was first made
available to Defence more than 30 years
ago and provided a service that was not
available through any other means.
“Modern technology has made
the current discretionary deductions
functionality redundant,” he said.
“Many of the Defence recipient
organisations, such as Defence Health,
prefer to deal via direct debit through
banks and will be able to assist members with this change.”
With the phasing out of discretionary allotments, ADF members should
log on to PMKeyS Self Service through
the DRN or Home Portal and cease
their deductions.
Members can also complete an
AD577 on Webforms to cease allotments.
People wishing to continue to pay
their deductions can do this through
personal internet banking, using BPAY
or direct debit.
For assistance with setting up deductions, members should contact their
bank.
For more information on discretionary
allotments, click on the Frequently Asked
Questions tab at http://ciogintranet/organisation/HRDD/PSMB/DefenceOne/
Instructions are also in PMKeyS Self Service.
Manual kit debit
processing to end
The term ‘medical absence’ has been introduced to replace the terms ‘sick’
and ‘convalescence’ leave.
Photo: LACW Jessica Smith
Medical absences
to be streamlined
unable to apply for a medical absence
in the usual way.
Health practitioners can report to the
member’s supervisors that the member
is deemed unfit for duty if a situation
arises where the member is not fit to
deal with the normal administrative
process. This has the added benefit
of preventing any technical ‘absence
without leave’ from arising.
 A n ‘at-risk’ member, who is being
managed through a crisis management plan, uses medical absence as
opposed to any other form of leave.
This ensures that members continue to
be positively managed by the appropriate health authority until they are
no longer ‘at risk’. Importantly, this
change preserves a member’s other
leave credits for more appropriate use.
The revised policy governing medical absence has been incorporated into
the ADF Pay and Conditions Manual,
Volume 1, Chapter 5.
For more information, visit http://intranet.
defence.gov.au/people/Sites/PeopleConnect/
Personnel can also obtain information about
health and wellbeing at http://intranet.
defence.gov.au/vcdf/sites/ADFHealthWellbeing
THE manual debit processing for uniform kit purchases
will cease on August 31 following the successful implementation of the Defence online clothing store.
To gain access to the online clothing store, members
must register at www.defenceclothing.com.au with
their PMKeyS ID and base address information.
Kit items will be delivered to members’ homes or
base addresses between four to 10 business days after
an order has been received.
Payment can be completed online using a debit or
standard Mastercard and Visa.
ADF base clothing stores managed by Serco Sodexo
will continue to provide the current level of support.
For more information see Defgram 389/2014, contact the
Defence Service Centre on 1800 333 3623 or
dsc@defence.gov.au or visit the clothing store website
at www.defenceclothing.com.au
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ADF members are now eligible to apply
for paid medical absences using a simpler, more flexible framework.
Under a revised ADF policy released
on August 1, the generic term ‘medical
absence’ has been introduced to replace
the former terms ‘sick’ and ‘convalescence’ leave.
Acting Director Military People
Policy WGCDR Tony Dolin said the
revised policy placed a greater focus on
recuperation.
“The policy provides increased flexibility for members, supervisors and
health professionals, and offers a contemporary approach to the people management aspects of illness and injury that
supports other health system reforms,”
he said.
Key reforms associated with the new
policy include:
 M embers can now be granted three
consecutive days of medical absence
without the need to attend a health
facility or supply supporting documentation. Each day must be granted
separately by the supervisor on that
day.

Medical absence can be created and
recorded for a member who might be
Photo: LS Jayson Tufrey
Ph. 0438 454435
The frontline of
Permaculture
To find out more about Merici College
see our website at www.merici.act.edu.au
or contact the Enrolment Officer
Ms Trish Ryan on (02) 6243 4102
or by email: patricia.ryan@merici.act.edu.au
26 Health
AIR F RCE
Feel super with
common foods
August 14, 2014
There are many sources of
good vitamins and minerals
that are better than
so-called ‘super foods’.
Photo: CPL Max Bree
Super foods don’t need to be expensive or hard to find as proven
alternatives are readily available
W
ITH the rise of so-called
‘super foods’, consumers are spending large
amounts of money on
foods that are claimed to have significant health benefits.
These ‘super foods’ are said to
deliver amazing benefits with their
high levels of antioxidants and other
important nutrients.
But Dr Kate Pumpa, Assistant
Professor of Exercise Physiology at
the University of Canberra, believes
there are cheaper, scientifically proven
alternatives.
Goji berries
These are small red berries that grow
in many parts of Asia and are claimed
to slow ageing, improve heart health
and fight fatigue.
With their high levels of antioxidants, it is also claimed goji berries
treat cancer and depression, and are
said to improve vision.
Dr Pumpa said these claims are
based on anecdotal evidence, with scientific evidence on the benefits of goji
berries being highly questionable.
“An alternative would be berries
commonly found in Australia, like
blueberries and raspberries, which are
a quarter of the price, but still are an
excellent source of antioxidants,” she
said.
fish, canned sardines, canned salmon
and some varieties of canned tuna are
high in omega-3s.”
Wheatgrass
Wheatgrass is taken from the common
wheat plant and often sold as a juice
Chia seeds
or a powder with claims of “injecting”
It is claimed the small chia seeds
energy and vitality into your life, along
improve heart health, stabilise blood
with stimulating the immune system.
sugar, improve mood and energy levIt is also said to remove harmful toxins
els.
and repair damage to your body.
Native to Mexico and Guatemala,
“The problem is there’s no rigorous
the seeds are also claimed to enhance
scientific evidence to support those
sleep quality, brain function, help
claims,” Dr Pumpa said. “But a good
weight loss and act as an anti-inflamalternative would be dark green leafy
matory.
vegetables, such as baby spinach and
Chia seeds are high in omega-3
silverbeet.”
fatty acids, but Dr Pumpa said the
Dr Pumpa said consumers
omega-3s in plant-based foods like
shouldn’t think of ‘super foods’ as a
chia are not as effective as the omega- miracle solution for better health.
3s from fish.
“Super foods sound great, but
“A cheaper alternative is to conwhen you dig a little deeper, they are
sume oily fish a few times a week,”
an expensive way to maintain health,”
she said. “Fish is high in omega-3s and she said. “Nothing replaces a diet high
have solid scientific evidence for their in fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy and
anti-inflammatory properties.
lean protein.
“Atlantic and Australian salmon,
“Be an educated consumer and
blue-eye trevalla, blue mackerel, gem- don’t get sucked into media hype.”
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Sp rt 27
AIR F RCE August 14, 2014
Air Force on target
CPL Aaron Curran
HAVING a sharp eye and
a steady hand has helped
an Air Force shooter beat
Army and Navy at the 50th
Australian Police and Service
Pistol Championships held in
Brisbane from July 11 to 13.
WOFF Mike Krcevinac, of
Officers’ Training School at
RAAF Base East Sale, won the
division two (services) component.
The Air Force team also
retained the division two trophy
from last year.
Making up the team were
WOFFs Krcevinac and Wayne
Newman and FLTLTs Wayne
O’Brien, Lena Huynh and
David Rolls.
It was the first time that an
Air Force member had won
division two since FSGT Dave
Gay took it out in 2007.
WOFF Krcevinac, who has
been shooting since the early
1970s, has attended nearly
every championship.
“The first one I went to was
in 1980,” he said.
“I have tried to attend each
one, but deployments and work
commitments had interrupted
those plans at times.”
Above, WOFF
Mike Krcevinac
scoring the 25m
series, in which
he got 233 from
240. Left, members
of the Air Force
team at the 50th
Australian Police
and Service Pistol
Championships –
from left, WOFF
Wayne Newman,
FLTLT Lena Huynh,
FLTLT Wayne
O’Brien, WOFF
Krcevinac with
Queensland Police
Commissioner Ian
Stewart.
K
Rug 9
Lea by
gue
K6
Touc
Foot h
ball
The pistol WOFF Krcevinac
used to win the division two
title was a Model 10 38 Special
with a custom barrel.
“The course of fire was 90
rounds total,” he said.
“Twenty-four were fired
at 50 metres from the prone,
sitting, right and left hand at a
barricade in a time of 165 seconds; five serials at 25 metres
fired in timings from seven to
35 seconds; three serials at 10
metres from five to eight seconds and one serial at seven
metres firing 12 rounds in
seven seconds.”
In total, 110 shooters competed in the championships at
the Belmont Shooting Complex
in Brisbane.
The championships are open
to all serving and retired members and affiliated members of
eligible pistol clubs and will be
held in Canberra next year.
For information on pistol shooting or the Australian Army Sports
Pistol Association, contact WOFF
Mike Krcevinac at mike.krcevinac@
defence.gov.au (Air Force), MAJ
Greg Sheppard at greg.sheppard@
defence.gov.au (Army) or CPO Paul
Cannard at paul.cannard@defence.
gov.au (Navy).
K5
Wate
r
Polo
Lending a bowling hand
SGT Dave Morley
bonded with the ACT ADF lawn bowlers.
However, I wear the uniform with pride
and honour and accept the criticism of a
solo ‘RAAFie’ lawn bowler.”
SGT Lethlean said lawn bowls was a
great social activity.
“It’s not expensive, you get the
opportunity to socialise with former
Defence members, you get to actively
promote your service and numerous
retired Defence members play lawn
bowls.”
SGT Lethlean, who has been playing
lawn bowls for four years, encourages
other Air Force members to take up the
sport.
“Really, find a friend who plays lawn
bowls, visit the Defence Lawn Bowls
webpage, and the discussion link through
the DRN.”
SGT Lethlean has a strong family history with lawn bowls.
His father was a state champion and
player in various grades and competitions.
The ADF lawn bowls nationals will
be held at Booval Bowling Club in
Ipswich from September 14-19.
IN A show of solidarity, Navy and
Army personnel lent their skills to an
under-represented Air Force team in the
Interservice Lawn Bowls Carnival at St
Georges Basin, south of Nowra, from
July 17-18.
Three members joined SGT Darren
Lethlean, of Bravo Squadron at ADFA,
to form an Air Force team.
The carnival went all Army’s way
with its experienced lawn bowlers
reclaiming the ACT/Southern NSW
interservice title with three wins from
three games.
Navy 1 team came in second with
a narrow margin of three shots against
Navy 2 team, leaving Air Force in fourth
place.
SGT Lethlean said he had been
“flying solo” for the past two years at
interservice lawn bowls tournaments.
“I know there are a large number of
Air Force bowlers in ACT who bowl
quite regularly for their own individual
clubs, but whether it’s time away from
work or other reasons, the numbers for
interservice are always low,” he said.
“I have been involved for the last For more information, visit http://intranet.
three years in Canberra and I have really defence.gov.au/vcdf/sites/LawnBowls
be a force to be
reckoned with at
k-series
armed forces team challenge
saturday 8 november 2014
Take charge and register your unit team today
Email: ARTC.Events@defence.gov.au
More information at www.army.gov.au/artc
Proudly brought to you by
SP RT
August 14, 2014
EYES
ON
PRIZE
WOFF Mike
Krcevinac takes
out the Division
Two title at the
50th Australian
Police and
Services Pistol
Championships
PAGE 27
AIR F RCE
August 14, 2014
EXERCISE HELLFIRE 1
SPECIAL LIFTOUT
No. 2 Security Force
Squadron’s Quick
Reaction Force clears
the battlefield after a
contact during a livefire exercise as part of
Exercise Hellfire 2014
at Wide Bay Training
Area in Queensland.
Photo: LS Jayson Tufrey
FIRED UP
Exercise Hellfire puts No. 2 Security
Forces Squadron to the test
2
EXERCISE HELLFIRE
AIR F RCE
PUT TO THE TEST
Exercise Hellfire gave No. 2 Security Forces Squadron personnel
experience in live firing and high-effect explosives as well as the
opportunity to test new capabilities, LS Jayson Tufrey reports.
A
S 600 grams of plastic explosive
detonates against the wall of the
forward operating base (FOB),
indicating an insurgent attack
with a rocket-propelled grenade, it’s game
on for the troops from No. 2 Security
Force Squadron.
Exercise Hellfire was held from
July 6-18 at Wide Bay Training Area in
Queensland.
It gave the members of 2SECFOR
experience in live fire and operating under
battle effects, while also requalifying
members in the use of high explosives.
XO 2SECFOR SQNLDR Mark Sartori
said this was the first time the squadron
had participated in the exercise for some
time.
“Until recently, the squadron has
been heavily committed with operational
deployments,” he said.
“This included 1SECFOR and
2SECFOR based in Tarin Kot, flightline
security on Kandahar Airfield and other
specialist roles like close personal protection.”
In addition, 2SECFOR has been heavily involved in bridging training to support
the new Security Forces capability requirements.
With this in mind, one scenario at
Exercise Hellfire was based on the squadron providing a security effect in support
of an Evacuation Handling Centre (EHC)
August 14, 2014
A member of the
Quick Reaction Force
engages targets while
clearing the battlefield
after a contact.
Set up for the future
Air Force security-related deployments
date back as far as World War II where
personnel provided aerodrome security in
Borneo and Tarakan.
Today, emerging aircraft, changing
threat sources, establishment of super
bases and unconventional expeditionary
tasks are dictating that security is more
important to Air Force now than ever.
Previously the Airfield Defence and
Security Policing capabilities operated independently, however, on July 4 last year
the combined Security Forces (SECFOR)
where the threat to the airfield had escalated, albeit from a small insurgent-based
enemy.
The scenario was developed in consultation with Combat Support Tactical
Intelligence Flight, No. 87 Squadron.
2SECFOR employed Air Force
Security elements including military
working dogs, explosive detection dogs
and airfield defence guards to provide the
security effect for the EHC.
Personnel were put through their paces
in scenario-based training, with FOBs
and qualas, or compounds, that had an
eerie resemblance to those in Afghanistan,
however, were well suited to the regional
scenario applied to the exercise.
capability was established to enhance
capability to enable Air Force to support
its new aircraft platforms.
For the most part SECFOR capability
is now utilised for real-time operational
taskings.
The blended workforce within SECFOR
has meant Air Force can now deliver an
expandable and broad security effect,
both domestically and expeditionary, that
enables the safe and secure operation of
Air Force aircraft platforms.
The scenarios ranged from simulated
probing harassment to full attacks with
rocket-propelled grenades and small arms.
They were designed to not only test the
responses of base security forces but also
those of quick reaction forces, who deploy,
in protected mobility vehicles, to counterattack and secure the battlefield.
SQNLDR Sartori said morale was very
high at the moment.
“Their performances have been great
and their commitment is of a very high
standard,” he said.
2SECFOR is now focusing on current
exercises such as Pitch Black in Darwin,
as well as preparing for the ongoing mission in Afghanistan.
Personnel
from the Quick
Reaction Force
move out of
the forward
operating base
after receiving a
contact handover
during a live-fire
exercise.
Blended security
capabilities
LS Jayson Tufrey
No. 2 Security Forces Squadron’s Quick
Reaction Force leaves the forward
operating base to clear the battlefield after
a contact during a live-fire exercise during
Photos: LS Jayson Tufrey
Exercise Hellfire.
EXERCISE Hellfire gave No. 2 Security Forces Squadron the opportunity to evaluate the new skills of the
blended Security Forces (SECFOR)
capability.
“In addition to the live firing, it
has been the first opportunity to set
up a deployed squadron headquarters,” 2SECFOR operations officer
FLTLT Charlie Kearnan said.
“We are working up our admin,
logistic and communications support to the airmen in the field.”
FLTLT Kearnan said he was
proud of the effort put in by both
ground and airfield security forces
airmen.
“Essentially what we are doing
here is upping the ante by throwing in a notional enemy force and
scenarios that can replicate what the
guys may encounter in the region,”
he said.
“The highlight of the exercise
was the integration of the SECFOR
workforce. The diverse skills that
the airmen bring to this culminating
scenario is excellent.
“They have really stepped up
to the plate and should all be very
proud of themselves.”
FLTLT Kearnan said it had been a
busy 12 months since the squadron
first formed.
“We’ve had a few transitional
issues to work through,” he said.
“However, we’re operating as a
fully integrated force now.”
3
4 EXERCISE HELLFIRE
August 14, 2014
AIR F RCE
Skills not to be
sniffed at
CPL Heath Webber with
EDD Esky before a livefire exercise as part of
Exercise Hellfire.
Photo: LS Jayson Tufrey
LS Jayson Tufrey
“It was great to see her working
really well in this new environment,”
THERE is a special bond that forms
he said.
between a handler and an explosive
“Her independence to go forward
detection dog (EDD) – one which is
and find what she needs to has been her
based on the mutual trust that a dog
stand out characteristic. She has a great
expects from its handler, and the confiwork ethic.”
dence in the dog to find its quarry.
CPL Webber has had Esky for about
The role of an EDD is to indicate
two-and-a-half years.
the presence of explosives, both con“Generally you keep the same dog
ventional and homemade, firearms and
for your whole career,” he said
ammunition.
“You keep them until they are retired
The training process varies from dog
through injury, or they are just not workto dog and as a result it takes about 12
ing to the required standard.
months to develop a competent EDD.
“We manage all our dogs well, but
Continuation training is undertaken on
every
now and again Esky does get a bit
almost a daily basis thereafter.
spoilt.
Unlike military working dogs,
“I love my job, I couldn’t think of
whose role is security deterrence and
anything else I’d rather do.”
man trailing, EDDs have an off-lead
The EDD capability transitioned
capability that, combined with their
good nature, allows them to work freely to form part of the collective Security
among crowds while fulfilling their role Force capability on July 4 last year and
in doing so the requirements of the EDD
requirements.
Exercise Hellfire was an opportunity were further developed.
2SECFOR’s EDD capability has
to evaluate the EDDs development and
been used for CHOGM and dignitary
capability.
visits to Australia such as the Pope,
CPL Heath Webber, of No. 2
US President Obama and the Duke and
Security Forces Squadron, said he
couldn’t be more proud of his dog, Esky. Duchess of Cambridge.
Forces one year on and going strong
CPL Aaron Curran
IN THE 12 months since the establishment of the new combined
Security Forces (SECFOR), great
strides have been made in refining
its capability.
The SECFOR capability has
been successfully employed operationally in the Middle East and in
a domestic capacity.
Most recently, the new collective SECFOR capability requirements were evaluated during
Exercise Hellfire.
No. 2 Security Forces Squadron
Base Security Officer SQNLDR
Craig Scott, said the squadron had
made significant inroads in harnessing its security functions into a
packaged force.
“We now can deliver an
expandable and broad security
effect both domestically and expeditionary,” he said.
“SECFOR can enable the safe
and secure operation of Air Force
flying assets.”
SQNLDR Scott said emerging
aircraft, changing threat sources,
establishment of super bases and
unconventional expeditionary tasks
were dictating that security was
more important than ever to Air
Force.
“2SECFOR can allocate
resources to meet any security
threats,” he said.
“Exercise Hellfire demonstrated
this in a simulated high-threat
environment, while 2SECFOR’s
employment of airfield and ground
600g of plastic explosive is detonated
simulating an improvised explosive
device detonation during a live-fire
exercise during Exercise Hellfire.
Photo: LS Jayson Tufrey
defence airman as a singular workforce at major bases showcases our
domestic interoperability.”
SQNLDR Scott said that interoperability was also proven during the royal visit to RAAF Base
Amberley in April.
“An integrated SECFOR force
provided security that ranged from
venue screening with explosive
detection dogs, access control and
traffic management, crowd control,
site security, motorcade control
and principle protection,” he said.
“This security effect was successful and an approach that will
be employed again on Exercise
Pitch Black and the upcoming G20
to ensure we provide Air Force and
the ADF with security which is
effective in meeting any threat.”