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AIR FVol. 52, No. 21, November 11, 2010 The official newspaper
of the Royal Australian Air Force
RCERCE
OUR WORK OUR WORK HERE IS HERE IS DONEDONE
2SQN FIRST: AEW&C deploys
BOMBS AWAY: Rhino test results
P7
HIGH FIVE: Padu wrap P14-15
P2-3
Pakistan mission complete
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING: Operation Pakistan Assist II has come to
an end after two months of humanitarian assistance in the
flood-ravaged country. Pictured is ground defence officer FLTLT
Luke Connery from 381ECSS being thanked by one of the teachers of a
newly reconstructed school which ADF members helped rebuild in the
Punjab Region of Kot Addu. Photo: PO Damian Pawlenko
P5
010 The
BOMBS
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Acting DirectorDavid Edlington: (02) 6265
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2 November 11, 2010RCEAIR Fperations
CPL Zenith King
AFTER two months of providing hu-manitarian medical aid to
Punjab, one of the worst flood affected regions of Pakistan,
Defence personnel deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist II
re-turned home on October 29.
With a rotation of civilian medi-cal personnel after the first
month, more than 200 Defence and AusAID/ Australian Medical
Assistance Team (AUSMAT) personnel made up the Australian Medical
Task Force (AMTF) deployed to Multan and Kot Addu, within the
central Punjab region, to provide medical aid after devastating
monsoonal floods tore through central Pakistan in July.
Commander Joint Task Force 636, WGCDR Ross Wadsworth of 1
Expeditionary Health Squadron, said the operation was successfully
com-pleted with local health care services re-established.
“The capability of the local health care service has been
re-established and is now able to cater for the health care needs
at Kot Addu,” WGCDR Wadsworth said.
“They are now in a position to take over care of the local
nationals.”
The first C-17A of personnel and cargo arrived in Multan on
August 24, where a small contingent of Defence personnel remained
throughout the deployment.
The other personnel moved to Kot Addu where a temporary health
facility was set up to provide primary health care to the local
nationals.
SQNLDR Jonathon Durden, of 2 Airfield Defence Squadron, said all
personnel performed to a high stand-ard and should be proud of what
they achieved.
“The AMTF was made up of a number of different groups including
both civilian and military personnel,”
CPL Zenith King
FLTLT Sonya Beyer was thrilled to be part of a team of five Air
Force environ-mental health officers on Operation Pa-kistan Assist
II performing the vital role of maintaining camp hygiene.
FLTLT Beyer, of 2 Expeditionary Health Squadron, said during the
set up of Camp Cockatoo, the team focused on putting in basic
hygiene facilities.
“First we set up toilets and a lot of makeshift hand-washing
facilities to stop people from cross contaminating between hand and
mouth,” she said.
“Fogging was a big one as there were a lot of mosquitoes around
and Kot Addu is a high-risk malaria area.
“We began a fogging program every night which really cut back
the num-bers.”
Water quality was also a big issue during the early stages.
“They wanted to
Pakistan mission ends
SQNLDR Durden said. “Each group contributed unique skills which
ena-bled the task and achieved outstanding mission success.
“I was particularly encouraged by the maturity, tenacity,
self-discipline and teamwork displayed by all mem-bers of the
team.”
SQNLDR Durden said Defence personnel had contributed
significant-ly to the community of Kot Addu.
“The entire mission was a chal-lenge but it was a challenge we
were up to,” he said. “As a result, we had a very successful
mission and did a lot of good for a lot of people.”
THE FINAL PATIENT: Above, Australian Medical Assistance Team
Leader Dr Ian Norton sees the final patient out of the Australian
health centre at Kot Addu. Photo: CPL Zenith King
GETTING READY TO GO: Above, medical personnel FLGOFF Josie
Jarrad (left), FSGT Paul Kennedy (centre), and LACW Michelle Debnam
work together to dismantle an Australian Medical Task Force health
centre tent at Camp Cockatoo; right, LAC Alex Redlich sweeps one of
the tents before it is disassembled. Photos: POIS Damian
Pawlenko
Looking after the camp
use the local water supply for certain things, so we had to test
it to be sure it was suitable.”
She said it had been excellent put-ting everything she had
learnt into practice. “I have always wanted to do this so I was
really excited to finally be
able to get in and help,” she said. “At first it was
overwhelming; your brain doesn’t stop in those weeks leading up to
it trying to figure out what you have to do when you get there and
what type of environment you are going into.”
MOZZIE BUSTER: FLTLT Sonya Beyer walks around Camp Cockatoo with
a fogging machine, used to minimise the mosquito population in the
camp.
Photo: POIS Damian Pawlenko
THPAAbAuMeAsTeDrsepathheaPZ
WATER QUALITY CONTROL: Environmental health officer FLGOFF
Daniel Wressel from 2EHS tests samples of local water for possible
contamination at the Australian Medical Task Force health centre in
Kot Addu. Ensuring water was potable was a vital task for the five
environmental health officers deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist
II. Photo: POIS Damian Pawlenko
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3 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FF perations
MEMBERS of the Australian Medical Task Force (AMTF) received a
heroes welcome at RAAF Base Amberley when they arrived home from
their 10-week aid mission in Pakistan.
The main contingent of 70 ADF personnel led by Commander Joint
Task Force 636, WGCDR Ross Wadsworth, arrived home by C-17A on
October 29 after treating its final patients and closing the doors
of its health facility at Kot Addu in the cen-tral Punjab region on
October 20.
CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin, Defence Parliamentary Secretary
Senator David Feeney and family members were waiting to greet
them.
AIRMSHL Binskin said the suc-cessful combination of the Defence
and civilian medical teams had ena-bled the smooth delivery of
primary healthcare and brought emergency treatment to more than
11,000 flood victims.
“While this marks the end of the
CPL Zenith King
MEDICAL officer FLTLT Rupert Templeman of 2 Expeditionary Health
Squadron (2EHS) said he was proud to have been a part of Operation
Paki-stan Assist II.
“Ever since joining the Defence Force I hoped to be deployed on
humanitarian operations,” FLTLT Templeman said.
He would never forget the experi-ences he had in Pakistan.
“I have had the privilege to care for severely sick and
dehydrated chil-dren, including infants,” he said. “I am sure that
many of them would not have survived without this
interven-tion.”
Medical assistant LACW Ashlie Rennie of 2EHS said being part of
AMTF was an amazing experience.
“The [memories of the] work we did and the people we saw will
stay with me forever,” LACW Rennie said.
“So many people we treated on this mission will thank
Australians for what we have done.”
LACW Rennie said her most memorable experience was treating
children.
“One day a lifeless eight-month-old was carried into the health
facility by its mother,” she said.
“By late afternoon the child was full of life, all because of
the aid we had provided.
“Days like that were very reward-ing.”
We’re so proud
medical assistance during this crisis it does not mark the end
of our assis-tance to help Pakistan recover and rebuild from this
disaster,” he said.
The AusAID and ADF-led task force deployed following a request
to Australia by the Pakistan Government to help relieve the
immediate burden
on local medical services following the devastating floods in
July.
Comprising 180 ADF and civil-ian doctors, nurses, paramedics and
support personnel, the task force deployed in late August and
started primary medical care on September 2.
By the time the Camp Cockatoo
health facility had closed its doors, 11,375 patients had been
treated, including more than 3000 cases of malaria and many
children suffering serious illnesses and dehydration.
OIC of the heal th faci l i ty, SQNLDR Andrew Pearson, said that
the facility was regularly seeing more than 250 patients a day.
“We made a positive difference at a time when it was needed
most,” he said.
WGCDR Wadsworth said that while the medical mission was over,
there was still a lot of work to be done in the return of personnel
and equip-ment to Australia.
A small group of 23 ADF per-sonnel remained in Pakistan to
co-ordinate the administration and final movements of equipment
back to Australia.
Operation Pakistan Assist II was due to officially end after
they returned home on November 8.
AMONG THE ACHIEVEMENTS
� The 180 personnel forming the AMTF deployed on Operation
Pakistan Assist II treated 11,375 patients – an average of 250 each
day.
� They treated more than 3000 cases of malaria.
� Six RAAF C-17A Globemaster flights delivered aid, personnel
and equipment into Pakistan and the Medical Task Force
provided:
� 201 family tents; 9126 tarpaulins; and 10 rolls of plastic
sheeting to shelter more than 10,000 families.
� 24 portable generators to safely provide power to temporary
shelters.
� 7420 water storage containers and water purification tablets
to pro-vide 30 days of safe drinking water for more than 7000
families.
� 1962 birthing kits.
THEY’RE HOME: Left, members of the Australian Medical Task Force
arrive at RAAF Base Amberley to a rousing welcome as they return
home from Pakistan; above, SGT Peter Renaud back in the arms of his
wife Kathryn and daughters Ashleigh and Isabella; inset left, CAF
AIRMSHL Mark Binskin greets WGCDR Ross Wadsworth and AusAid’s Thanh
Le. Photos: LAC Benjamin Evans
It won’t be forgotten
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4 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FNews
Eamon Hamilton
A LUCKY aviator has received some ‘help from above’, courtesy of
a 37SQN Hercules crew.
On September 28, the p i lo t of a Cessna 150 took off west from
Bankstown and soon became disorien-tated over the Blue Mountains,
NSW.
The crew of Trojan 07, a C-130H making a post-maintenance test
flight, heard the call from the Cessna to Melbourne Centre air
traffic control.
Melbourne Centre was able to tell Trojan 07 the Cessna’s last
known posi-tion was over Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, and had
approximately 100 minutes of fuel left.
The pilot wasn’t able to use any of the navigation equipment
fitted to the aircraft. Given a bearing on the Cessna from
Melbourne Centre, the crew of
Trojan 07 set about rendering assis-tance.
Captaining Trojan 07, FLTLT Nick McCowan said “the pilot
described being in visual with two factories and a lake, but
otherwise was unsure of his position.
“Based on this bearing and the pilot’s description of visual
features, we assessed him to be in the Lithgow area.”
Trojan 07 instructed the Cessna’s pilot to count to 10 on the
radio, allow-ing them to make a directional find on the Cessna and
gain a visual contact. The crew then led the smaller aircraft to a
landing at Bathurst.
“We instructed him to make radio calls and observed him land at
Bathurst while we remained overhead,” FLTLT McCowan said.
“Once he was observed on the ground we returned to our airspace
and completed the maintenance test flight.”
AN AIR FORCE AP-3C was diverted from operations in north-ern
Australia and sent on a long and cold journey to Antarctica to
search for a missing French heli-copter on October 29.
An AS350 Squirrel helicopter, carrying four people and
belong-ing to the French research ship Astrolabe, activated a
distress beacon approximately 50 nautical miles from the French
Antarctic base Dumont d'Urville.
CO 11SQN WGCDR Phil Champion sa id the Or ion launched from
Darwin at 6am on Friday morning and pre-posi-tioned in Hobart to
refuel and to pick up Adrian Peat, a senior Antarctic helicopter
pilot from the Australian Antarctic Division, who accompanied the
crew to provide subject matter expertise.
“In parallel, 92WG staff also sought subject matter expertise
from the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s 5SQN, who operates in those
extreme latitudes more reg-ularly,” he said.
“The input from the Australian Antarctic Division staff, 5SQN
and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in their coordi-
nation role was pivotal for ensur-ing that the AP-3C could
achieve its mission.”
T h e O r i o n c r ew s p o t -ted wreckage at the crash site,
although unfortunately no signs of life were evident.
WGCDR Champion said the Orion remained as long as possi-ble in
the search area and dropped survival stores on the chance that
there may have been survivors.
The crew then returned to Hobart after a 20-hour duty day.
Australia’s search and res-cue area of responsibility covers
almost one-fifth of the Earth’s surface and it tests our
capabili-ties when operating at the extrem-ities.
“These capabilities were cer-tainly tested during this search
and rescue,” WGCDR Champion said.
“From the building humidity of the Darwin wet to the extremes of
Antarctica in the space of one day – it was a remarkable
achievement when you consider the distances involved, and once
again demonstrates the flexibility and responsiveness of
airpower.”
Herc crew answers the call of lost pilot
Antarctic search
Kiwi Hueys catch a lift across the TasmanTHE SPIRIT of Anzac
cooperation is still alive and well.
A trio of UH-1 Iroquois helicop-ters from the Royal New Zealand
Air Force’s (RNZAF) 3SQN caught a lift to Exercise Hamel in north
Queensland, courtesy of a 36SQN C-17A.
Picked up from RNZAF Base
Ohakea in late September, the three Iroquois posed little
trouble for the C-17A. A similar load had been car-ried by 36SQN in
2008.
FLTLT Kane Sanson, from RNZAF’s 3SQN, said the exercise was a
“fantastic opportunity for the squadron to practise tactical
opera-tions in a large scale scenario, involv-
ing assets from across all three ser-vices of both the ADF and
NZDF”.
The RNZAF will begin replacing its Vietnam-era Iroquois with
NH90 helicopters next year. The NH90 is a similar model to the
MRH90 helicop-ters being introduced to Australian Army and Royal
Australian Navy service.
WANNA RIDE?: The first of three Iroquois helicopters are loaded
on to a 36SQN C-17A in Ohakea, New Zealand, for transport to
Exercise Hamel. Photo: F/S Carl Booty
HELP FROM ABOVE: A 37SQN Hercules crew helped a Cessna pilot
find his way home after he became disorientated over the Blue
Mountains. File photo: LAC Michael Green
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NUMBER 2 Squadron’s Wedgetail air-craft has deployed to Japan
and South Korea for the first time.
From October 15 to 24, a squadron Wedgetail Airborne Early
Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft deployed to Japan’s
Hamamatsu Air Base and the Republic of Korea’s Kimhae Air Base as
part of a goodwill visit.
CO 2SQN WGCDR Luke Stoodley said it was the highlight of his
three years at the squadron.
“Just six months after accepting the [AEW&C] capability, to
take on a significant overseas achievement such as this, it’s a
credit to 42WG, the AEW&C Systems Project Office and the
project team,” he said.
The aircraft arrived in time for the Hamamatsu Air Show.
FLTLT David Lee said they were treated like royalty by the
Japanese.
“The air show was fantastic and very different to our air shows
back home, and a highlight of this event was the handling display
from the E-767,” he said.
The Boeing E-767 is Japan’s ver-sion of the AEW&C
aircraft.
The Republic of Korea has commit-ted to buying a similar
capability to the Wedgetail. The Koreans showed a keen interest in
the aircraft, as they are yet to see their own four aircraft, which
are due by 2012.
Both the aircrew and maintain-ers from both countries were keen
to examine the RAAF’s new capability.
“It was an opportunity to inter-act with the Republic of Korea
Air Force (ROKAF) and Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) to
estab-lish working relationships and foster
Wedgetail wonderWedgetail wonder
goodwill between our air forces,” OC 42WG GPCAPT Stephen
Meredith said.
“The visits further demonstrated a broadening and strengthening
of our good relationships with both South Korea and Japan and
identified poten-tial opportunities for future coopera-tion.
“I was proud to see the first 42WG overseas deployment, and the
crew were put through a packed schedule.”
Among the busy schedule were a range of briefings and social
activities.
The social activities included offi-cial dinners in both
countries, and in Japan, a very competitive volleyball match as
well as a tea ceremony.
2SQN visits Japan and South Korea
INSIDE STORY: Above, FLTLT Nick Gilbert discusses the layout of
the Wedgetail cockpit with MAJ Jung Bongkwan who is a pilot with
the Republic of Korea Air Force; right (from left), WGCDR Luke
Stoodley with Vice Commander COL Satch and COL Morita at Hamamatsu
Air Base in Japan.
Photos: LAC Craig Barrett JOIN THE QUEUE: Members of the
Japanese Air Self Defense Force line up to have a look through the
2SQN aircraft at Hamamatsu Air Base in Japan.
WELCOME ABOARD: A Japanese airman about to inspect the inside of
2SQN’s Wedgetail.
TEA FOR TWO: FLTLTs Adam Paull and David Lee experience a
traditional tea ceremony during a visit to Hamamatsu Air Base in
Japan.
ALL TOGETHER NOW: 2SQN’s Wedgetail alongside the Japanese E-767
and E-2 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft
with members of the AWC group during their goodwill visit.
-
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6 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FFNews
FLTLT Skye Smith
NUMBER 4 Squadron’s latest Joint Terminal Attack Controller
(JTAC) course marked the last Close Air Support (CAS) mission
conducted by the F-111s before they are with-drawn from service
next month.
The final mission took place on October 26 at the Singleton
Range near Newcastle with Air Force and Army controllers on the
ground.
The aim of the JTAC course is to graduate selected ADF personnel
in the planning, briefing, control-ling and reporting of close air
sup-port on the battlefield.
CO 6SQN Micka Gray said close air support could be described as
air action against hostile targets which are in proximity to
friendly forces.
“These tasks require integration of each air mission with the
fire and movement of those forces,” he said.
Scheduled close air support tasks provide the crews with a
tar-get, time on target and final con-trol arrangements. Once the
mis-
sion is initiated, communication with forward air controllers
(FAC) is usually limited to establishing that the mission is
executed as planned.
“Successful employment of both aircraft operations and sur-face
fires requires careful plan-ning combined with the ability to
rapidly coordinate during chang-ing conditions,” WGCDR Gray
said.
“JTACs must deconflict airspace to provide a safe operating
space for aircraft to manoeuvre and attack targets.”
Equipped with Pavetack laser target designator and Laser-Guided
bombs, the F-111s are highly capable of performing close air
support missions.
“The F-111 has been a valuable asset in the provision of close
air support due to the advantages it offers with its long range,
endur-ance and payload,” WGCDR Gray said.
“The F-111 has supported a number of JTAC courses over many
years and will be missed next year.”
F-111 close air finale
END OF AN ERA: A 4SQN Joint Terminal Attack Controller during
the F-111’s last Close Air Support mission at Singleton
Range.Photos: LACW Katharine Pearson
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7 NewsNovember 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
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FLTLT Skye Smith
THREE more new F/A-18F Super Hor-nets will be delivered to Air
Force by the end of the year.
The new arrivals will take the Rhino fleet to 14 of the order of
24 aircraft.
Meanwhile, 1SQN has notched up another milestone in its
setting-to-work of the aircraft with the first live inter-national
firing of the new AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C dur-ing a
three-week bombing camp at the Woomera Test Range in South
Australia. It was the first such firing outside the US.
The JSOW C is an air-to-ground glide weapon which provides a
stand-off precision strike capability against hard-ened targets
such as bunkers or ships. It has a range of 100km.
The camp trialled the F/A-18F Super Hornet’s air-to-ground
weapons tech-niques, tactics and procedures for the first time
since the Rhino was intro-duced into service in March.
During the camp, 1SQN also test-ed Laser Guided Bombs, Joint
Direct Attack Munitions and the aircraft’s M61A2 20mm gun. The
trials also tested 1SQN’s deployment capabilities, with five Rhinos
and about 100 person-nel supporting the camp.
The squadron operated in a deploy-able field environment out of
a
‘Trelleborg’ tents at Edinburgh during the squadron’s first
Australian deploy-ment away from its main operating base of RAAF
Base Amberley.
The trials started on August 30 and finished on September 15,
during which time the aircraft fired two JSOW C munitions at two
hardened bunkers. They were destroyed.
The successful conclusion of the tri-als was another milestone
towards the squadron achieving initial operational capability by
next month.
The weapon deliveries in January 2010 and the achievement of
these key milestones are a major accomplish-ment for Project 5349
Phase 2. The project was established in 2007 to acquire the new
weapons for the Super Hornet, including JSOW C, AIM-9X Sidewinder
air-to-air missiles, the AIM-120 AMRAAM and MJU-57/B infra-red
flares from the US.
The JSOW C-1 is planned to be available in 2012.
Speaking of the successful trials, Defence Materiel Minister
Jason Clare said: “This is a significant milestone. It means that
Super Hornets are on track to become operational later this
year.
“The arrival of the Super Hornets marks an important transition
for the Air Force, which will decommission the final F-111 squadron
[next month] after four decades of service,” he said.
FLTLT Skye Smith
THUNDER struck the Top End skies last month as 11 F/A-18s from
77SQN lit upthe airspace for Exercise Arnhem Thunder.
77SQN conducted advanced air-to-ground combat training at
Bradshaw Field Training area and Delamere Air Weapons Ranges during
the three-week bombing camp.
The Hornets conducted four-ship attacks and self-escort strike
missions while focusing on Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)
employment.
JDAM is a guidance kit that when fit-ted converts unguided
bombs, or ‘dumb’ bombs, into precision ‘smart’ munitions.
JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance
system coupled to a GPS receiver, giving Air Force the capability
to accurately attack a ground target in all weather conditions.
XO SQNLDR Grant Burr said 77SQNgreatly benefited from exercises
such as Arnhem Thunder.
“It gives us the opportunity to conduct end-to-end testing of
our ability to deploy and operate the squadron safely and
effec-tively while launching aircraft into a sim-ulated combat
scenario using actual high explosives,” he said.
The Hornets employed a range of weapons, including JDAM, Laser
Guided Bombs, conventional ‘dumb’ weapons and 20mm rounds during
the exercise.
The squadron’s flying operations relied on support from 87SQN, 3
Control and Reporting Unit, Pelair services and RAAF Base Tindal
support units.
F/A-18s light up Top End
CUTTING EDGE: A Super Hornet carrying the AGM-154C Joint
Standoff Weapon on transit to Woomera Test Range.
Photo: SQNLDR Ben Nunan
SPOT ON: Screen grabs from a Sony HD video camera – left inset,
the release of the AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon from a Super
Hornet; centre, the weapon in flight; right, hitting the target.
Photos: SQNLDR Ben Nunan
Rhinos on the charge
SPSPSPOTOTOT OON:N:N: ScScScrerererereeneneee
gggrarararabsbsbsbs ffffrororororommmm aaaaa SoSoSoSoSoSoS nynynyny
HHHHDDDDD iviiidddeddeo caamemememerararara lllllleeefffffftttt
iiinset ttheee rreleleaeaeasesesesesee oooooffff
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-
8 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FNews
A MilHOP, SKIP AND A JUMPTO A BETTER HEALTH FUTUREFor a better
health service for you and your ADFteammates, participate in the
MilHOP survey.
[email protected]/milhop1800 886 567
Graham McBean
ASBESTOS Inventory Tiger Team (AITT) project lead-er CAPT Alan
Johnston has urged Defence personnel to take the threat of asbestos
in work and home environ-ments seriously.
Asbestosis – since 1998 the num-ber of annual deaths attributed
to asbestosis increased from 43 to 109 in 2008. Lung cancer – the
number of deaths attributable to lung cancer and other
asbestos-related diseas-es is unknown. Mesothelioma – since 1997
the number of annual deaths has increased from 416 to 628 in
2008.Main sources of asbestos expo-sure in Australia are related to
old buildings undergoing renovation (includes private home
renovators), demolition and building mainte-nance with building
products from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Asbestos-related diseases
in Australia will not peak for some time due to the long latency
period associated with these diseases.
All clear on WikileaksADF personnel deployed in Afghanistan and
members of the local community who work with ADF assets there have
not been placed at risk by the first round of WikiLeak documents.
This is the key finding of the departmental task force set up by
government directive to investigate the unauthorised release of
classified documents relating to International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) activities in Afghanistan by the organisation
WikiLeaks on July 25. Operations in that country had also not been
placed at risk. The task force compared the material with
operational reporting and Defence public statements and found that
the leaked materials were predominantly tactical-level reporting,
and that significant operational issues relating to Australia
referred to in the leaked materials had already been publicly
reported by Defence and, in most cases, reported in greater detail
than in the leaked materials. It also found that the documents have
not had a direct significant adverse impact on Australia’s national
interests.
Stay vigilant on asbestos
As the team reaches the end of its mission to identify and
facilitate the removal of asbestos from the Defence inventory, CAPT
Johnston said compla-cency and lack of knowledge about asbestos was
still a concern.
He said more than 700 people die from asbestos-related diseases
each year but personnel still down-played the risk.
“Young people who are faced with other risks in our line of work
see this as a very low priority,” CAPT Johnston said.
“It is an attitude that can come back to bite peo-ple.”
CAPT Johnston said even people in command positions had on
occasion expressed complacency about the risk. He said in one
conversation the risk posed by asbestos had been compared to the
risk of road fatalities and influenza.
“We need to get people’s attention. Like smoking, it is an
avoidable cause of death and we need to stop using it by totally
removing it from our inventory.
“This is not a matter for someone else to worry about – asbestos
is an insidious killer with latency periods of between 10 to 40
years.”
The AITT has facilitated the removal of more than 63,000 pieces
of asbestos-containing material from the Defence inventory since
the project was raised in January last year.
It is expected to finish its inspection program of 1128 units by
the end of this year and complete a re-validation of 50 units
before winding up in early 2011.
CAPT Johnston said the AITT had been a “big-bang” approach and
had made important in-roads as part of the broader policy of zero
tolerance of asbes-tos in accordance with Government policy.
But he said there was an ongoing need to maintain awareness that
asbestos may be present in the system.
“The AITT has been an important tool in casting a trained eye
over holdings and identifying asbestos-containing material, and
when in doubt then sending suspect material off for testing.
“At present, the hit rate for finding asbestos in material
submitted for testing is about 36 per cent.
“So one third of everything we test comes back with a positive
finding for asbestos – that is a surpris-ingly high number and goes
to show the worth of the inspection program.”
He said personnel should also be mindful of encountering
asbestos in the home environment in such things as fibro sheeting
and roof insulation.
Further information on asbestos within Defence inventory and
Defence asbestos policies and regulations are available at the AITT
intranet site at: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dmoweb/sites/AITT
or phone (02) 6265 6252. Further information on precautions to be
taken when renovating your house can be obtained by visiting the
NSW Government website: www.nsw.gov.au/fibro
THE HIDDEN KILLER
-
9 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
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perationsLEUT Todd Austin
AN AIR FORCE reservist is one of five Australians helping staff
one of Afghanistan’s busiest medical facili-ties.
Trauma nurse FLTLT Bronte Douglas is working at a NATO hos-pital
at Kandahar Air Field which pro-vides a critical service for the
coali-tion troops deployed on International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) operations in the Zabul, Uruzgan and Kandahar regions
of Afghanistan.
The Role 3 Mult i -Nat ional Medical Facility has 270 clinical
pro-fessionals with an average of 80 sur-geries a week.
Each week there are another 400 medical cases, 1000 inpatients’
scripts to be filled at the pharmacy, more than 5000 lab tests and
more than 1000 X-rays and digital scans.
FLTLT Douglas is deployed to the Combined Joint Operations
Centre at Regional Command (South) to run the medical operations
duty desk. However, she also volunteers her medical skills to work
in the trauma bay at the Role 3 facility.
Back in Australia, FLTLT Douglas coordinates the trauma service
for the Royal Darwin Hospital and said, although the work was
similar, the degree and frequency of injuries was higher given the
amount of battle inju-ries they receive. These battle-relat-ed
wounds account for around 250 patients a month.
“We treat everyone from ISAF personnel to Afghan National
Security Force personnel. We also treat local national adults and
children and civilian contractors who work in the regions we
cover,” FLTLT Douglas said.
“We see a lot of head injuries related to blast trauma as well
as chest
injuries. Obviously we get plenty of gun shot injuries as well,
but blast injuries tend to affect the whole body and can be very
complex to treat.”
There are five trauma teams work-ing at the Role 3 Medical
Facility, set up in teams rotating at being first on call, second
on call through to fifth on call. The allocation is one patient per
team so, if they receive several patients, the medical facility
will call in multiple teams.
“It does get quite busy here, par-ticularly at the moment as
it’s classed as the fighting season. Like most trau-ma areas it
ebbs and flows,” FLTLT Douglas said.
Working with other coalition med-ical personnel has been a
challenge for the Australian medics but it’s been an enjoyable
challenge. The coalition medics do some things differently to what
they are used to in Australia but
a lot of things they do remain very much the same.
“Australian medical people have a very good reputation among the
other nations but in the medical sense we’re known for being quite
adaptable and flexible,” FLTLT Douglas said.
Caring for the injured
CALM BEFORE THE STORM: Above, FLTLT Bronte Douglas who has to be
ready for anything; left, medics prepare to receive patients from
coalition medical helicopters at the landing zone outside the Role
3 Medical Facility in Kandahar. Photos: SGT Neil Ruskin
CBaptF
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10 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FNews
Leonie Gall
A DEFENCE program is providing exciting opportunities for young
indigenous Aussies while encouraging diversity within the
ser-vices.
The Indigenous Youth Connections Program (IYCP) offers a variety
of hands-on Defence tours to indigenous high school students to
highlight the ADF as a real career pathway option.
Eligible indigenous students have enjoyed everything from
week-long trades and officer tours to life-skills days, visiting
bases across the country to discover more about life in the
ADF.
Acting Deputy Director Indigenous Affairs/Manager Community
Engagement and Indigenous Youth Connections Program MAJ Mark
Prideaux said the program focused on engaging indigenous youth
early enough to encourage a positive attitude towards Defence and
to smooth the ADF recruitment process.
“By doing this we also encourage them to stay at school longer
and hence increase their employment options,” MAJ Prideaux
said.
“The aim is to disassemble barriers to recruitment caused in the
main by cultural and geographical issues.”
The IYCP is a component of the Defence Reconcil iat ion Action
Plan (DRAP), which provides the strategic framework for Defence’s
Indigenous agenda.
The current DRAP 2010-2014 carries three main themes including
Changing Perceptions, Ongoing Support to Indigenous Personnel and
Specialised Pathways (incorporating IYCP).
In December 2009, Defence Secretary Dr Ian Watt committed to
increasing Defence’s indigenous personnel representation from 1.4
per cent to 2.7 per cent by 2015.
Leonie Gall
A DOZEN young women last month swapped their books for early
mornings and PT as part of a pilot tour camp showcasing life and
careers in the ADF.
As part of the new Women in Defence program, 13 high school
students across NSW experienced military life hands-on through base
activities in Sydney.
The tour devoted a day to each service, with the last day
devoted to Air Force, where the young women sampled activities at
RAAF Base Richmond including a chat with pilots and support
crew.
They saw C-130 aircraft, visited the Military Working Dog
section with its new puppy recruits, the Air Traffic Control Tower
and fire sec-tion which was showing off its new truck.
On the tour’s last night the young women were treated to a meal
at Richmond’s Officers’ Mess.
The other two days were packed with Army and Navy activities at
Holsworthy Barracks, Fleet Base East, HMAS Watson and HMAS
Parramatta.
Tour organiser Defence Force Recruitment Career Counsellor CPL
Amelia Stafford said the young women enjoyed themselves.
“We wanted to break down some barriers and misconceived ideas
about what being in the ADF is all about,” CPL Stafford said.
Program targets indigenous youth
Overall the event was consid-ered successful and tour
question-naire feedback was very positive.
“Following their experience, the girls all said they would
defi-nitely put forward an application for the ADF.
“So we’ve given them a career ambition to aim for.”
The tour camp was mainly organ-ised and presented by Defence
Force Recruiting staff from Parramatta.
Defence Force Recruiting is reviewing the event and may run
another tour early next year.
The Women in Defence tour camp forms part of a broader Women in
Defence initiative, focused on
increasing the recruitment and retention of females in the ADF,
and the provision of access to effective equity and support.
A website developed for the recruitment of women in Defence can
be found at www.defencejobs.gov.au/womenintheadf
Sampling ADF life
WOW FACTOR: FLGOFF Melinda Russell, a C-130H co-pilot with
37SQN, provides a tour of the cockpit for Rebekah Nixon,
Emma-Marree Wilesmith, and Kirsten Dukes; right, Belinda Frail sits
in front of a C-130 during the visit to RAAF Base Richmond. Photo:
LAC Michael Green
-
11NewsNovember 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
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FLTLT Skye Smith
THE milestones keep coming for 6SQN with their junior
maintenance workforce being the last to gain trade qualifications
on the mighty Pig.
LACs Matthew Curmi and Thomas Coppin are among the last F-111
tech-nicians to complete the skills log on the F-111 before it
retires from service at the end of the year.
The pair has been at 6SQN for about two years and have been
working towards achieving certifica-tion to become qualified
tradesmen on the F-111 aircraft and avionics systems
respectively.
LAC Curmi, an aircraft technician, completed his skills log in
just under
two years, while LAC Coppin is an avionic technician and hopes
to com-plete his qualifications within the next month.
The two technicians are grate-ful for the experiences they have
had working on the F-111s and are excited to see the aircraft
through to its retirement.
“It gives you some bragging rights being one of the last people
in the world to work on operational F-111s,” LAC Coppin said.
“It’s amazing that such an old aircraft is still performing so
well. Working with the old technology of the F-111s also gives you
a perspec-tive on how far it has come in the last couple of
decades.”
In the two years that LAC Curmi has been at 6SQN, he has learned
troubleshooting and technical skills not possible on another
platform.
“There is a lot of experience that can be gained from working on
F-111s that you won’t learn on a new airframe,” he said.
“F-111s are a very unique air-frame and I think it’s amazing
that they were able to continue in service for 37 years.”
Following the retirement of the F-111s next month, LAC Curmi
will move on to the new Super Hornets.
LAC Coppin is excited about the challenges that await him at
11SQN as he converts on to the AP-3Cs next year.
FLTLT Skye Smith
AS THE hangar doors close on F-111 operations, nearly four
decades of ser-vice will be celebrated when the mighty Pigs take to
the skies for the last time on December 3.
Two days of events will showcase and celebrate the service of
the formi-dable F-111 fleet under the aptly named Pigs’ Tales.
Pigs’ Tales will take place between December 2 and 3 at RAAF
Base Amberley, as Air Force farewells the last F-111s still
operating worldwide.
CO 6SQN WGCDR Micka Gray said the retirement of the F-111 fleet
would mark a significant milestone in the history of Australian
aviation.
“Pigs’ Tales commemorates the his-tory of these amazing
aircraft, but also provides an opportunity to honour all of the men
and women who flew, main-tained and supported the F-111 during its
service,” he said.
CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin will review 82WG personnel on parade
with the F-111 conducting a flypast on December 2.
A service will be held at the Amberley memoria l garden on
December 3 to honour the men who have sacrificed their lives during
F-111 operations.
Past and present members who have served with the F-111 will
come togeth-er from around the world for a last look and touch of
the F-111s that will be on display at the base.
For many, the final flight of the F-111 will be a sad occasion,
but 6SQN will be sure to put on a great display that really shows
off the strike bomber.
Four F-111C aircraft will take to the skies for the final flight
as the jets fare-well and acknowledge the local com-munities of
Ipswich, Brisbane, south-east Queensland and towns in northern NSW
for their support over the past 37 years.
“It’s important that we take this opportunity to perform a final
tour of the F-111s with farewell flypasts over the towns and cities
that have supported us for so many years,” WGCDR Gray said.
A spectacular flying display will be sure to wow the crowds as
the four
Flying into the sunsetBRAGGING RIGHTS: LACs Thomas Coppin and
Matthew Curmi.
Photo: LACW Jessica Smith
F-111s return to Amberley from their farewell flight.
The display will showcase the tacti-cal and operational
capabilities of the F-111, before exploding through the skies with
a final awe inspiring dump and burn that the Pig has become so
famous for.
Pigs’ Tales will culminate with a champagne toast and last
hurrah barbe-cue as the F-111s touch down for the last time.
WGCDR Gray will take his place in the eight-man display crew as
the last CO of an F-111 squadron.
“I’m humbled to be leading the last F-111 squadron in the
world,” WGCDR Gray said.
“While it will be a sad occasion to fly the F-111 for the last
time, Pigs’ Tales will showcase this amazing plat-form and honour
all those who have served with it.”
Four F-111s will be on display around Australia with one at RAAF
Base Edinburgh and one at the RAAF Museum at Point Cook. The final
two will take up residence at RAAF Base Amberley, which has been
home to the Pig for the past 37 years.
Pigs’ Tales is proudly sponsored by Boeing Defence Australia,
Rosebank, Engineering, TAE, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Australia
and Thales.
For more information on Pigs’ Tales, check out:
www.pigstales.com.au.
‘While it will be a sad occasion to fly the F-111 for the last
time, Pigs’ Tales will show-case this amaz-ing platform and honour
all those who have served with it.
– WGCDR Micka Gray
Photo: LAC Christopher Dickson
T
NEW mission analysis capability for the F/A-18 is in train with
the intro-duction of the Hornet Data Recorder (HDR).
Since last March, 3SQN and the Tactical Fighter Support Program
Office have been trialling the new system and during Exercise Pitch
Black in July, the squadron deployed with the HDR fitted to all its
aircraft.
The trials proved very successful.The HDR will replace the
current
Airborne Video Tape Recorder and TEAC Integrated Debriefing
Station
which has been in use on the Hornet aircraft since 2002.
It comprises a solid state video and audio recorder, and
playback system. The Removable Recording Media (RRM) replaces the
HI-8mm tapes but has added functionality such as a real time clock
and secure erase function.
The ease of use of the system will improve mission analysis
capabil-ity, thereby providing better training and tactical
outcomes for the Hornet fleet.
New data recorder for Hornet
-
DHA information line 139 DHA (139 342) www.dha.gov.au Toll
Transitions freecall 1800 819 167
www.tolltransitions.com.au/defence
DHA was established in 1988 with the aim of improving the
quality and selection of housing for Defence members and their
families. Now, over 20 years on, DHA manages approximately 17, 300
residences around Australia and provides a range of services to
help ease the pressure on Defence families – we will support you
and your family throughout your tenancy, from moving in, to living
in, and then moving out of your home.
While our level of support for you and your family will not
change, you will see some changes to the Defence relocations
process. Where DHA managed relocations administration in the past,
Toll Transitions will now be your relocations service provider.
To help you understand how this may impact you and your family,
we’ve put together a reference guide for you and your family.
DHA will assist you with: Toll Transitions will assist you with:
Defence will assist you with:
Finding and securing your future Defence home – using DHA’s
online HomeFind tool
Notifying DHA of your relocation, so that we can commence the
HomeFind process
All of your pay matters
Your housing entitlements, including Rent Allowance or Living In
Accommodation
Organising your relocation requirements Making and managing any
policy which affects your housing and relocation entitlements
Arranging all your DHA housing maintenance requirements
Arranging all your uplift and delivery requirements
Determining your Conditions of Service
Rent Band Choice Housing – this provides you with a range of
housing choices to suit your lifestyle
Approving and organising any long-term or short-term storage of
your possessions
Managing the contractors who provide your relocation services
and housing, such as Toll Transitions and DHA
Fast Connect – a free service for the connection or
disconnection of major utilities and telecommunication services
Booking travel and temporary accommodation for your
relocation
Your relocation allowances and entitlements
DHA was established in 1988 with the aim of improving the
quality and selection of housing for Defence members and their
families.
Defence Housing Australia – your housing solution.
-
13 NewsNovember 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
Reservists, share your skills with usIf you’re a Reservist,
you’ll soon have the opportunity to help the ADF’s Civil Skills
Data Team learn more about
you. The CSD collection e-survey starts soon and is your chance
to tell us about your civil skills, qualifications and
experience. It will help us to gain a more complete picture of
who you are, and it could help your Reserve career
and deployment opportunities. You’ll be paid for completing the
e-survey. We’d like you to take part and we’ll
send an information pack to your home address. Watch this
space!
To ensure you get the Civil Skills Data information pack, check
your address details on PMKeyS.
CIVILSKILLSDATASkills in Reserve
Eamon Hamilton
MORE THAN 400 personnel from RAAF Base Richmond have exercised
their right to Freedom of the City of Hawkesbury.
Marching through the streets of Pitt Town on October 22, the
parade marked Defence’s close ties to the Hawkesbury area in
Sydney’s north-west, as well as a number of historic anniversaries
for the area.
The base first exercised its Freedom of the City of Hawkesbury
in 1990.
The latest parade began with an unsheathing of unit standards
and banners at Pitt Town Public School, before being led out by
GPCAPT Michael Brown.
On reaching Pitt Town’s Anglican Church, the Parade was
‘challenged’ outside by NSW Police.
AIRCDRE John Oddie, Senior ADF Officer for Richmond, said he was
honoured on behalf of Defence personnel to take this
opportunity.
“Carrying out our work would not be possible were it not for the
support we have in the Hawkesbury, be it from our family, friends,
or the wider community,” AIRCDRE Oddie said.
The historic and community links between Defence and the
Hawkesbury area run deep.
The area is the third oldest European settlement in Australia.
This year marks the bicentenary of
Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s arrival in the Colony of NSW, which
was instrumental in establishing the Hawkesbury area.
G o v e r n o r M a c q u a r i e a n n o u n c e d p l a n s a
n d n a m -ing for the ‘Macquarie Towns’ in the Hawkesbury area,
including Richmond and Pitt Town.
A cen tu ry a f t e r Gove rnor Macquarie, the roots of military
avia-tion arrived in the Hawkesbury. In September 1914, Frenchman
Maurice Guillaux set up a flying school at the present site of RAAF
Base Richmond.
It later became a State Government flying school that trained
pilots who fought in WWI.
On July 1, 1925, following the
arrival of 3SQN DeHavilland DH9s the previous day, ‘RAAF Station
Richmond’ was formed as Australia’s second Air Force site.
Hawkesbury honourHawkesbury honour
PRIVILEGE: GPCAPT Michael Brown from RAAF Base Richmond leads
the procession through Pitt Town.
Photo: AC Chris HallHEARTY CHEERS: Children from Pitt Town
Public School cheer and wave Australian flags as the Air Force
contingent passes by.
Photo: CPL Amanda Campbell
HEARTY CHEERS: Children from Pitt Town
Recognition for 79SQN’s1940s roleFLTLT Skye Smith
NUMBER 79 Squadron was re-cently honoured with the awarding of
battle honours for operational service in the Pacific, New Britain
and Morotai during the 1940s.
Since its inception in 1943, 79SQN has experienced a history of
disbanding and reforming. This history is symbolised in the
squad-ron’s crest, which features a phoe-nix rising from the
ashes.
79SQN was first formed as a Spitfire fighter squadron at RAAF
Base Laverton on April 26, 1943.
The squadron was reformed in June 1962 in Thailand, flying Sabre
jet fighters. It again disbanded in July 1968.
The squadron was reformed in March 1986 at Butterworth,
Malaysia, flying Mirage fighters in air defence and ground attack
roles. However, 79SQN was disbanded again in June 1988 due to the
intro-duction of the F/A-18.
In July 1988, 79SQN reformed at RAAF Base Pearce equipped with
Macchi aircraft and followed later by Hawk aircraft as a lead-in
fighter training squadron.
A decade later, 79SQN contin-ues to serve in this role
today.
A new squadron standard has been applied for to coincide with
the opening of the new 79SQN headquarters scheduled for late next
year.
-
14 November 11, 2010 15Centrepiece NNNRCEAIR FF
3SQN was a successful partner on Ex Bersama Padu, writes FLTLT
Skye Smith
A ONE HUNDRED per cent mission success rate with 122 sorties
conducted was achieved by 3SQN during this
year’s Exercise Bersama Padu, held in the South China Sea and on
the Malaysian Peninsula from October 11 to 29.
Eight F/A-18s and 125 per-sonnel from 3SQN participated in the
multilateral exercise con-ducted with Malaysia, New Zealand,
Singapore and Britain under the Five Power Defence Arrangements
(FPDA).
3SQN worked closely with the FPDA air components to train and
learn from each other during the three-week exercise that tested
land and maritime interdiction, along with offensive air support
missions.
Commander of the Australian Contingent WGCDR Ken Robinson
said the 3SQN relationship with the other air components of the
FPDA continues to strengthen.
“Bersama Padu 2010 was a truly integrated exercise, which we are
continually developing,” he said.
“It is highly rewarding to have such great participation from
the Australian fighter jets.”
The success of 3SQN’s air component could not have been achieved
without the support of the 78 maintenance personnel who ensured two
waves of six Hornets were available each day during the
exercise.
Senior engineering officer SQNLDR Jim Xinos said the big-gest
challenge was the stretched supply system as it took about three
days to receive parts from Australia.
“But with successful pre-planning and under the excellent
coordination of FSGT Kevin Jago, we avoided any excessive or
large scheduled servicings while we were deployed,” he said.
“Plus there was excellent sup-port from local units 324 Combat
Support Squadron and the RMAF’s 18SQN which ensured 3SQN’s
outstanding mission achievement.”
The Hornets conducted hot turns at Kuantan to meet the two
missions each day for the exercise.
Nine maintenance personnel led by the 3SQN armament officer
FLTLT Phil Collis supported the quick turnaround of the jets out of
the Malaysian peninsula.
“This ensured we met the second-wave mission targets each day,
as well as providing initial maintenance response to aircraft that
diverted to or became unser-viceable in Kuantan,” SQNLDR Xinos
said.
“It’s a testament to all involved, especially the hard work and
dedi-cation of the maintenance person-nel, to launch the aircraft
twice each day.”
Singaporean Chief of Defence Force LTGEN Neo Kian Hong thanked
all participants at the clos-ing ceremony on October 29.
“We have witnessed a high level of commitment during Bersama
Padu 2010, which reflects the importance of this exercise,” he
said.
“We have gained valuable train-ing and enhanced our
interoperabil-ity to make this a truly combined and joint
exercise.”
The exercise this year com-prised a field training component as
well as a command post exercise, which were executed
concurrently.
This was also the first time a land component was exercised
dur-ing the Bersama series.
WGCDR Robinson said the par-ticipation of more than 1100 ADF
personnel is a tangible sign of our enduring commitment to
FPDA.
“After 10 months of planning, Bersama Padu 2010 has
success-fully been conducted to enhance interoperability between
the FPDA nations,” he said.
“Bersama Padu 2010 has witnessed an increased level of
complexity with the introduction of a land component into the field
training exercise construct with amphibious operations conducted
from HMAS Tobruk.
“This shows the great poten-tial for Australia to continue this
integration and achieve enhanced training objectives as FPDA
devel-ops further into the future.”
The 40th anniversary of FPDA next year is a key milestone that
illustrates the long-term commit-ment of the founding members.
Padu perfectPadu perfect
CHECK UP: Dr Vimala Menon and FLTLT David Dunn from the 3
Expeditionary Health Squadron Det Butterworth check local health
files.
ALL GOOD: 3SQN pilot FLTLT David Hannaford conducts a pre-flight
inspection of his Hornet before a mission.
EW RULES: The Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support
Unit’s FSGT Steve Morse points an emitter at the nose of an F/A-18
while FLTLTs Sean Donovan and Craig Gee monitor the cockpit.
MANY HANDS: left, 3SQN’s CPL Scott Slade helps himself to some
garlic bread at the 324 Combat Support Squadron Combined Mess
facility; above, 3SQN’s SGT Paul Crouch, installs extra lighting
around the Butterworth flightline; right, 3SQN aircrew brief
members of 1 Royal Australian Regiment and the 2nd Malay Infantry
Platoon about an F/A-18 that is participating in Exercise Bersama
Padu 2010.
FINAL COUNTDOWN: 3SQN’s LAC Tim Chatterton installs an external
fuel tank to a Hornet in preparation for the squadron’s flight back
home to Australia while other technicians conduct checks and
maintenance on the aircraft.
Photos: CPL David Gibbs
HOMEWARD BOUND: A 3SQN Hornet departs RMAF Base Butterworth on
its way home to Australia at the end of Exercise Bersama Padu
2010.
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Bersama Padu RCEAIR FF November 11, 201016
FLTLT Skye Smith
EXERCISE Bersama Padu 2010 was a great success thanks in large
part to the local support provided to deployed forces by resident
unit 324 Combat Support Squadron (324CSS).
A small permanent Air Force and civil-ian presence at 324CSS
worked tirelessly for months leading up to and during the
three-week exercise at RMAF Base Butterworth between October 11 and
29.
Commanded by WGCDR Ken Robinson, 324CSS represents Australia’s
national inter-ests in South-East Asia by providing deployed combat
and domestic support.
324CSS is tasked with the responsibility of providing logistic,
communication and health support to ADF units deployed throughout
Malaysia and Singapore, including ADF activi-ties at Butterworth,
Kuantan (eastern peninsu-lar Malaysia) and Paya Lebar
(Singapore).
Deployed units such as 3SQN and the Army’s Rifle Company
provided smooth operational support to the exercise.
“324CSS plays a significant role in support of ADF units
deployed on exercise or transiting through Butterworth,” WGCDR
Robinson said.
“Our dedicated staff provide essential local support including
refuelling, medical facilities, air movements, force protection and
logistics – without this support from 324CSS, exercises such as
Bersama Padu would prove to be very challenging for deployed
units.”
A number of augmentees from Australia deployed on the exercise
in support of 324CSS tasks, including the provision of
round-the-clock security operations, security patrols of the
flightline, aviation medical and local administration.
324CSS supported the Australian National Command Element
headquarters as a part of the exercise, as well as WGCDR Robinson
being appointed as national commander of Bersama Padu 2010, which
was a combined joint exercise involving more than 1100 Australian
service men and women.
Outside of the exercise, the unit supports ADF personnel based
at Butterworth includ-ing those serving at Land Command Liaison
Section and Rifle Company Butterworth.
FLTLT Skye Smith
THE families of ADF members serving at RMAF Base Butterworth got
an inside look at base opera-tions during Exercise Bersama Padu
2010.
Members from Butterworth’s ADF lodger units – 324 Combat Support
Squadron, Integrated Area Defence System, 92WG Detachment A and the
Army’s 2nd/30th Training Group – brought
their children to the base to show them where they work.
324CSS, commanded by WGCDR Ken Robinson, played host to the
family day.
“The day was designed to for-mally recognise and acknowledge the
support that our families pro-vide to all of us in enabling us to
effectively do our jobs each day,” WGCDR Robinson said.
“Days like this remind us what a great job we have in the ADF
and the pride we take in showing
this off to our supportive fami-lies.”
The family day visit included a trip to the hardstand for a fire
truck display by the RMAF fire section.
A highlight for many of the chil-dren, though, was the
opportunity to watch four of 3SQN’s F/A-18s taking off on an
exercise mission before getting up close to a static display, with
fighter pilot FLGOFF Paul Anderton.
Fifty-two members and 120 dependants are based at
Butterworth.
324CSS steps up
VIGILANT: CPL Richard Kohn and SGT Jarrod Fairfield from 324
Combat Support Squadron’s force protection flight conduct security
patrols at the 3SQN flightline during Exercise Bersama Padu 2010.
Photos: CPL David Gibbs
BUSY: CPL Tai Ender and Mrs Letchmi Muniandy go over some
purchase orders at RMAF Base Butterworth.
EXTRA SMILE: CPL Aaron Cant, a communications and information
systems controller, at work.
Families seize the chance for inside look at Butterworth
LOOK, DAD: Above, FLTLT Dean Leck and 20-month-old Indah; right,
Ethan and Aiden, sons of FSGT Les Plapp, have a close-up look at a
visiting 3SQN F/A-18 during the family day. GREAT DAY: SGT Mark
Robertson and his daughter Tahnee, 5, enjoy the fire truck
display.
-
17NewsNovember 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
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WHO has been with the Australian Air Force Cadets (AAFC) for
more than 10 years longer than it has been in existence?
The answer is No. 2 Wing AAFC’s SQNLDR (AAFC) Barry Lonergan and
FLTLT (AAFC) Ken Brandes, who have completed 40 and 41 years
respec-tively with the cadets.
Their combined service is longer than the AAFC and its
precursor, the Air Training Corps (ATC), have existed. The
organisation turns 70 next year.
Air Force honoured SQNLDR (AAFC) Lonergan’s service on October
24 when DCAF AVM Geoff Brown presented him with his Federation Star
in recognition of 40 years continuous service with the AAFC.
FLTLT (AAFC) Brandes received his Federation Star in August last
year.
For AVM Brown, the ceremony was something of a homecoming. He
started his Air Force career as a member of the Toowoomba-based
210SQN (AAFC) and learned to glide with No. 2 Wing.
SQNLDR (AAFC) Lonergan and FLTLT (AAFC) Brandes both enlisted in
the ATC in the 1960s and reached the rank of Cadet Under Officer.
They enjoyed the experience so much, they decided to return as
vol-unteer staff members, and are still going strong four decades
later.
SQNLDR (AAFC) Lonergan said he was humbled to receive the award
and that he loved volunteering his time to the AAFC.
“I have enjoyed every minute of my service in the AAFC. It is a
wonderful youth development organisa-tion that gives young people
an opportunity to learn self reliance, self discipline, and
citizenship,” he said.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, OC No. 2 Wing WGCDR
(AAFC) Ian Harding said he was proud the two had been recognised
for their long ser-vice.
“In any organisation 40 years is a lot but in a vol-unteer
organisation it's just phenomenal,” WGCDR Harding said.
“It's fantastic to have volunteers recognised with a Federation
Star for their involvement, for which we are very grateful.”
Star cadetsStar cadets
Virtual C-17A handed overHEALTH Operational Conversion Unit
(HOCU) will find Aero Medical Evacuation (AME) training simplified
and more realistic after it recently received a C-17A AME
simu-lator from Boeing Defence Australia (BDA).
HOCU is responsible for delivering AME training on both fixed
and rotary-wing plat-forms but has found that increases in Air
Force’s operational tempo has made access to the C-17A increasingly
difficult.
The unit decided a simulator would help fill the gap and
approached the Heavy Airlift Systems Program Office (HALSPO) for
assis-tance. HALSPO in turn approached BDA who constructed, under
contract, a replica section of the after end of the C-17A. It is
10m long, seven metres wide and three metres high.
It is fitted with litter stanchions and attach-ment points as
well as replica patient services such as power and oxygen
outlets.
The simulator will now meet many of HOCU’s requirements and
reduce the impacts of its training requirements on 36SQN
opera-tions.
SIM SIGN: CO HOCU WGCDR Sandra Riley signs the C-17A training
simulator handover contract with the manager of the C-17A Logistics
Management Unit, Stephen Finch. Photo: LACW Sandra Midson
SUPER SERVICE: From left, DCAF AVM Geoff Brown with SQNLDR
(AAFC) Barry Lonergan and FLTLT (AAFC) Ken Brandes, who
collectively have served 81 years with the cadets. Photo: FLTLT
(AAFC) Michael Hyde
-
If you are interested in your personal and family finances,
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19 FlightlineNovember 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
Your back-up
War Zone Cover Injury & Accident Insurance
This information is of a general nature only and does not take
into account your personal objectives, financial situation or
needs. You should consider your personal circumstances and the
relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) in deciding whether to
acquire Injury & Accident Insurance. You may wish to seek
independent advice. Defence Health Injury & Accident Insurance
is underwritten by American Home Assurance Company ABN 67 007 483
267 AFSL 230903 incorporated with limited liability in the USA,
trading in Australia as Chartis. Defence Health receives
remuneration of 13% of premiums you pay to Chartis. The Financial
Services Guide and PDS may be obtained by calling the Defence
Health Member Service Centre on 1800 335 425 or downloaded from
www.defencehealth.com.au
Accidents do happen. To make an injury less painful, take out
Defence Health Injury & Accident Insurance.
You’ll be covered 24/7 wherever you are – including on
deployment. It’s handy financial back-up until military
compensation arrives.
You can also extend the cover to include accidental death. But
you must take out this option 12 months before being deployed for
cover in a war zone.
Try getting protection like that elsewhere! It’s easy to apply
online for guaranteed and immediate cover. Visit
www.defencehealth.com.au or call 1800 102 994.
THANKS ANDY: Right, in a ceremony in Canberra, CAF AIRMSHL Mark
Binskin presents Andy Anderson with a CAF Commendation for his
commitment, enthusiasm and outstanding performance as the Strategic
Communications Adviser to CAF. Mr Anderson has been in the job for
four years.Photo: FSGT John Carroll
SMILES AND STARLIGHT: Above, patient Tahlia Coghlan, 15, from
Belmont got a surprise when pilots SQNLDR Jamie Riddell (right) and
FLTLT Ben Foote from 2SQN at RAAF Base Williamtown visited the John
Hunter Children’s Hospital at Newcastle to brighten the day of sick
and injured children. The visit was organised in conjunction with
the Starlight Foundation. “The children were very inspirational,
and it was a very satisfying way to spend a couple of hours,”
SQNLDR Riddell said. Photo: LAC Craig Barrett
SHIP HUNTING IN KOREA: Above, 11SQN AEAs WOFFs Brett Tassell
(left) and Simon Koch familiarise themselves with the target ships
used during Exercise Eastern Endeavour, held in South Korea
recently. It was the first time a RAAF AP-3C had deployed to the
country.
Photo: LAC Glynn Jones
PUPPY PRIDE: Above, CO 27SQN WGCDR Paul Aggett (right) presents
MWD Ike and handler CPL James Notaras with the Canine Service Medal
for five years’ service (equivalent to 35 years in dog years) and
the War Dog Operational Medal for service in Afghanistan and East
Timor. Ike was among several dogs from the RAAF Base Townsville MWD
section to be recognised during the annual awards ceremony.
Photo: LAC George Koulakis
-
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20 November 11, 2010RCEAIR FAwards
FLTLT Skye Smith
THE BOND between current and previous generations of bomber
squadrons was further strengthened on October 13 when the annual
82WG Associations’ Day was held at RAAF Base Amberley.
Three 1SQN members and two from 6SQN received acco-lades for
their outstanding per-formance during 2010 on the day, which
brought together 120 asso-ciation members from the Path Finder
Force Association, 467/463 Squadrons' Association, Beaufighter and
Boston Association (Qld), RAAF Beaufort Fraternity (Qld), Aircrew
Association and the RAF Association.
A memorial service at the base front gate was followed by trophy
presentations to the 82WG members.
OC 82WG GPCAPT Steve Roberton acknowledged the impor-tance of
the commitment of associa-
Accolades for best of bombers SPECIAL DAY: 82WG Associations’
Day recipients with their trophies, from left, CPL Craig Meyerink,
FLTLT Raymond Seville, FLTLT Dave Murphy, FLTLT Andrew Kloeden and
CPL Tom O’Neil.Photos: LACW Kylie Gibson
MEMBERS of 77SQN were recog-nised for their outstanding
perfor-mance when they received Air Com-mander Australia
commendations recently.
Commander Air Combat Group AIRCDRE Mel Hupfeld presented the
awards on behalf of ACAUST to SQNLDR Grant Burr, SGT Kerrie Hammond
and CPL Jason Van Kraay.
SQNLDR Burr was commended for his outstanding performance as XO
77SQN.
SGT Hammond was recognised for her outstanding performance
as
Leonie Gall
DEFENCE has taken out the Can-berra Public Sector Club Red Blood
Challenge for the second time.
The victory was announced at the 2009/2010 Canberra Corporate
and Community Donor Challenge Breakfast at Canberra’s Brassey Hotel
on October 27.
Representatives from the public and private sectors, embassies
and the community joined the Red Cross in celebrating the year’s
biggest ACT blood donors in a range of catego-ries.
With 1096 donations, Defence outshone six-time Public Sector
win-ner and biggest rival, the Department of Immigration and
Citizenship (DIAC), which ran second with 993 donations.
AIRCDRE Tracy Smart accept-ed Defence’s award on behalf of
Commander Joint Health MAJGEN Paul Alexander.
AIRCDRE Smart said she thought there had always been a strong
association between blood donating and the ADF.
“I think a lot of our members realise that it could be them
needing
it one day or one of their mates, and that’s a good incentive to
volunteer,” AIRCDRE Smart said.
“There were about a thousand donations and that sounds a lot but
we’ve got a lot of Defence members in the Canberra region and I
think we could do a lot better next year.
“We will continue to support the Australian Red Cross and we
hope the Australian community will join us in increasing its
commitment also.”
Defence Blood Drive Challenge organiser Gary Schulz was all
smiles, thrilled with Defence’s Canberra win.
“I’m really happy and very appreciative of all the Defence
per-sonnel, uniform and civilian, who have contributed to this
proud day for blood donors,” Mr Schulz said.
You still have time to donate in this year’s Defence Blood Drive
Challenge and get your service over the line by November 30.
AIRCDRE Smart has put out the challenge.
“I’d like to see the other servic-es take on Air Force and beat
us at our own game, therefore raising the amount of blood
donations.”
tion members to retaining a critical link to 82WG’s history.
“All of these associations were formed post-WWII and represent
bomber squadrons, hence their close affiliation with 82WG,” he
said.
“Originally the associations dis-played their banners, but over
the
years stones have been laid at the front gate forming the
memorial garden at Amberley.”
The Path Finder award, for the most outstanding aircrew member
in their first operational tour, was won by FLTLT Andrew Kloeden of
6SQN.
FLTLT David Murphy of 1SQN and FLTLT Raymond Seville of 6SQN
received the RAAF Beaufort Fraternity (QLD) award for their
contribution to squadron flying operations during the year.
T h e 4 6 7 / 4 6 3 S q u a d r o n s ’ Association (QLD) award,
for the best technical member under the age of 30 in a
strike-related role, was claimed by CPL Tom O’Neil of 1SQN.
And the Beaufighter and Boston Association of Queensland Award,
for the best airman employed in strike reconnaissance non-technical
combat support duties, was won by CPL Craig Meyerink of 1SQN.
POIGNANT MOMENT: An Association member pays his respects at the
memorial service.
Catch us if you can
Defence wins blood challenge
AIMING HIGHER: AIRCDRE Tracy Smart who accepted the award on
behalf of Defence and issued a challenge for next year.
Photo: LAC Aaron Curran
Recognising top achievers from 77SQN
the SNCO at the squadron’s equip-ment section.
During Exercise Arnhem Thunder 2009, CPL Van Kraay
demonstrated
outstanding initiative by assisting the Raytheon field
representative trouble-shooting on an aircraft to rectify an
obscure electronic warfare system fault.
HONOURED: SQNLDR Grant Burr, SGT Kerrie Hammond and CPL Jason
Van Kraay with their commendations.
Photo: LACW Amy Trebilco
-
21 PersonnelNovember 11, 2010RCEAIR FF
DMO DMO MILITARY RESERVESexciting opportunities Australia
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Exciting opportunities are available for Military Reservists in
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Rebecca Codey
DURING this month, all uniformed and civilian Air Force
personnel will have a unique opportu-nity to comment on the
occupational health and safety aspects of their workplace by
participating in the online Safety Culture Snapshot survey.
As well as providing an assessment of current safety standards,
culture and attitudes in each workplace, it will provide members
the opportu-nity to submit their ideas on ways the service can
improve its safety performance.
This will play a major role in improving the overall safety
culture across Air Force.
The Directorate of Defence Aviation and Air Force Safety
(DDAAFS) designed the survey and CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin approved
and authorised it.
Safety culture is a reflection of the values, attitudes and
behaviours of any organisation with regards to occupational health
and safety. It is the single biggest driver for safety behaviour
and, therefore, is directly related to the safety output of each
unit or workplace and those who work there.
Known simply as “the way we do things around here”, safety
culture has a direct impact on all areas of the Air Force and the
ADF, from productivity to OHS performance and staff morale.
In a positive safety culture:� everyone in the organisation
believes they
have a right to work in a safe and healthy envi-ronment;
� everyone takes responsibility for their OHS and that of
others;
� supervisors and managers value the impor-tance of safety;
and
� leadership behaviour and action demonstrate a commitment to
health and safety.Consequently, the snapshot will provide a
relative measure of the current safety culture within the Air
Force. It will provide a baseline of information for future
analysis, and the informa-tion gained will offer insight into
safety culture initiatives aimed at assisting in the reduction of
incidents or accidents in the future.
The directorate stressed that the snapshot is a dynamic survey
that is not only about simply collecting a range of statistics and
data. A single response or comment can open the door to big
improvement opportunities.
Programs focusing on crew resource manage-ment, maintenance
resource management, fatigue management, shift rostering and
reporting culture are examples of current efforts to improve safety
culture.
DDAAFS is strongly encouraging all Air Force personnel to
participate. The directorate
Snapshot onshot on safetetyy
HARNESSING OHS: CPL Piers New (left) and LAC Mark Foster of
37SQN carry out maintenance strapped on to a C-130J aircraft at
RAAF Base Richmond. Photo: LACW Casey Gaul
Don’t miss out to nominate 2010’s best Departure LoungeWho’s
leaving after 20+ years’ service�
NameSGT Ronald JeffriesSQNLDR Brydon OkeWOFF Steven RaffaetaWOFF
Stanley WilliamsFSGT Lindsay StagerCPL Duncan DixonFSGT Simon
Flack
Must/SpecAVTECHACOATECHATECHAVTECHSUPAVTECH
Years36333232302121
Last dayOct 10Sep 27Oct 10Oct 3Sep 26Oct 24Oct 10
TWO recent directives from CDF ACM Angus Houston and Defence
Secretary Ian Watt have been released to provide guidance on
payroll remediation.
Joint Directive 001/2010 sets out the specific responsibilities
of the ADF Payroll Remediation Task Force and provides direc-tion
concerning procedural compliance with existing orders.
Joint Directive 012/2010 details the key responsibilities and
accountabilities for the delivery of personnel and pay
administration support to Defence personnel on operations and
exercises – overseas or in Australia.
The new directives follow the establish-ment of the task force,
which was announced by the Government on February 2.
The function of the task force will be to rectify current
deficiencies in the ADF pay-roll system and to accelerate the
introduction of an improved pay system.
It is developing the Payroll Assurance Framework (PAF) to enable
more robust controls and to enforce greater visibility and
accountability in payroll. It is expected payroll processes will be
simplified, stand-ardised, optimised and synergised across the
services.
The task force has initially focused on identifying and
remediating process failures for deployed ADF members.
Since March 2010, it has undertaken and observed the
following:
� More than 7000 records checked. The Task Force continues work
with Joint Operations Command, the services and members to resolve
issues.
� International Campaign Allowance (ICA) overpayments greater
than $2000 trending down.
� Many previous overpayments due to administrative failures when
ceasing mem-ber entitlements on return to Australia. Process gaps
are being remediated.
� A payroll inspection team deployed in a monitoring and
assurance role and to remediate process failures identified in the
MEAO.
Take responsibility
Check your payEach individual has an obligation to
ensure pay and allowances paid each fort-night reflect their
circumstances. Personnel are encouraged to check their salary
variation authority regularly.
If you have a deployment pay issue, and are still deployed,
contact your in-country or ship administration representative.
If you have returned from deployment and have a query regarding
your deployment pay, you need to contact your administrative staff,
or contact the nearest customer service centre in your location or
by calling 1800 DEFENCE (1800 333 362).
Permission to inquireThe permission to inquire process
enables access to Privacy Act protected information (such as a
member’s pay record) by third parties, such as a spouse or partner.
Members are encouraged to complete the permission to inquire form
(AD214) pr