During the Rapid Force Projection conference at the Australian Defence Force Academy, speakers recounted a range of past examples of deployments – both short notice and forecast. The conference was opened by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, Vice Admiral David Johnston, who highlighted the need to think creatively about how Defence addresses rapid […]
Defence News
Brigadier makes history
Replacing a wounded ally resulted in an Australian brigadier making history during one of the most turbulent periods in Afghanistan’s recent history. Brigadier John Shanahan became the first non-US commander of the 11,000-strong Train Advise Assist Command – South (TAAC-S) since the Resolute Support mission began in January 2015. He led TAAC-S for five months […]
Indigenous artwork for Defence HQ
A powerful tribute to Indigenous participation in the Defence of Australia will greet Defence personnel and visitors to the Department of Defence’s headquarters in Russell, Canberra. Unveiled to the public for the first time, Kulatangku angakanyini manta munu Tjukurpa (‘Country and culture will be protected by spears’) was painted by artists from the remote Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara […]
Cricket and cam cream
A classroom full of bright eyes and beaming smiles greeted members of the Indo-Pacific Endeavour Joint Task Force when they visited the Government Children’s Home for Boys in Visakhapatnam, India. A Royal Australian Navy aircraft technician, Able Seaman Nick Smith, was immediately surrounded by children as young as nine who were keen to shake hands, […]
RAAF doctor rises to the challenge
For Flight Lieutenant Matthew Jones, the biggest challenge working in a military hospital in Afghanistan is not knowing what will come through the door next. The Royal Australian Air Force doctor is deployed to the medical facility within the military base at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul. “The same challenge exists in Australia but it […]
Australia achieving its mission in Afghanistan
In eight months, Army Corporal Matthew Blows had a unique insight into Afghanistan few others see. As one of the guardian angels of Force Protection Element 10 (FPE10), the Brisbane-based soldier and his FPE10 colleagues provided Australian advisors with force protection during their train, advise and assist mission in Afghanistan. Corporal Blows saw first-hand […]
Warm welcome for major navex
HMAS Newcastle was slowly guided into dock by the harbour master at Visakhapatnam Port in the Indian sub-continent on a breathless, humid day. Newcastle took its place alongside submarine HMAS Collins as the Indian Navy’s Command Protocol Officer, Commander Ravi Rastogi, welcomed the commander of the Australian combined task group for AUSINDEX, Captain Andrew Quinn. Captain Quinn said the […]
Artillery round a hit
The Australian Army’s Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery (RAA) successfully tested the new Sensor-fused Munition for Artillery (SMArt) 155mm round during Exercise Chimera recently held at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton. Lieutenant Colonel Paul Duncan, Commanding Officer of 4 Regiment, RAA said that up until now the Australian Army Artillery had lacked a […]
Sports diplomacy in Fiji
Australian Defence Force Rugby League partnered with the NRL to mentor league-loving nation Fiji in March during a week-long tour in Suva. The program delivered junior and senior programs focused on the fundamentals of sport and healthy lifestyles. “The values of sport – competition, teamwork and fair play – help build trust between countries and […]
Inspiration through adversity
Cancer makes strange bedfellows, but three bouts between two soldiers formed the basis of a podcast sharing inspirational stories of young people taking their problems by the horns. The 25StayAlive podcast, hosted by testicular and bowel cancer survivor Captain Hugo Toovey and Private Matt “Willy” Williams, who lives with incurable brain cancer, presents an “inspiring, real and […]
