Edition 1464 April 30, 2020 The soldiers’ newspaper WE ...€¦ · Edition 1464 April 30, 2020 The soldiers’ newspaper The Slouch Hat: Our Story – Special lift-out Anzac Day

The soldiers’ newspaperEdition 1464 April 30, 2020

The Slouch Hat: Our Story – Special lift-out

Anzac Day

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM

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COVID-19 Pandemic2

Maj Matt Grant

SOLDIERS of Joint Task Force 629.3 are helping Queensland author i t ies manage people coming out of quarantine because of COVID-19 concerns.

They are working alongside local and state government representatives at the Metro North Public Health Unit facility in a whole-of-government effort.

The task force was established as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist, the nationwide ADF support announced at the start of April.

The soldiers are part of the Quarant ine Release Team, responsible for liaising with people nearing the end of a mandatory quarantine period to ensure they are ready for transition back into domestic life.

Senior logis t ics adviser Lt-Col Michael Byrne said the role involved talking to people to ensure they were ready to end their mandatory quarantine period.

“We are helping to relieve

the pressure on Queensland Health representatives as they provide a vital response to the pandemic, allowing them to focus on managing cases and c lose contacts a long wi th supporting airport and seaport border controls, and quarantine and isolation accommodation venues,” Lt-Col Byrne said.

Director Public Health Unit-Metro North John Piispanen said following up the close contacts of cases was essential to allow health authorities to build a picture of the potential spread of the virus and ensure contacts with those potentially at risk minimised further spread.

“It’s a very important role and it’s encouraging to see all levels of government working together to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr Piispanen said.

He said the work of Army m e m b e r s , a m o n g o t h e r s , “focused on keeping the infection rate as low as possible and potentially saving lives as we do so, as well as reducing the burden on resources”.

Release team relieves burden

Flg-Off Claire Burnet

ARMY personnel from Tasmania’s Joint Task Group 629.5 have joined members of Tasmania Police in assisting the state’s Department of Health with contact tracing at a new call centre in Hobart.

The Tasmanian Government opened the centre on April 17 to increase the capacity of the Public Health Hotline during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Task group commander Col David Hughes said the ADF was contributing a range of personnel

and logistics support to the whole-of-government response to the pandemic.

“Our ADF contact tracing teams in Tasmania are supporting the state in understanding how this infectious disease may be spreading in our community,” Col Hughes said.

“Contact tracing seeks to deter-mine who a sick person caught an illness from and to find out who they’ve been in contact with while infectious.”

ADF personnel are also assist-ing with Tasmania Police’s quar-antine compliance checks across

the Devonport-Burnie and greater Launceston regions, having conclud-ed assistance in the Hobart region.

ADF medical personnel, includ-ing general duties medical officers, emergency nurses, a pharmacist, radiographer and an environmental health officer – among other profes-sionals – are also providing support to Burnie’s North West Regional Hospital’s emergency department.

The new centre has a capacity for up to 50 call takers, almost doubling the capacity of call centres dedicated to the emergency in the state.

It provides critical information

to the community, links people to assistance – such as emergency accommodation and financial sup-port – and coordinates requests for COVID-19 testing.

The new call centre allows existing capability to be split over two sites, which provides a critical redundancy should one of the sites become unavailable.

The teams operating across each site do not physically interact, which helps to ensure the call centre func-tion can continue if a COVID-19 case is identified in either facility.

Tracing the trail of infection

Pte Scott Deane, front, and fellow 11CSSB members, make calls, as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist, to people under mandatory quarantine. Photo: Tpr Jonathan Goedhart

Pte Nicholas Rheinberger, left, Cpl Nathaniel Wood and Cpl Elizabeth Brookes with Senior Constable Jess Renton, front, Sergeant Tim Stevens, back, COVID-19 Response Unit manager Bel Stevanovich, Acting Sgt Alicia Spehr and call centre operator Debra Shorrock at the Tasmania Public Health Hotline call centre in Hobart.Photo: Chris Kidd, News Corp Australia

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April 30, 2020 COVID-19 Pandemicdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 3

Maj Cameron Jamieson

ARMY has played a critical role in increasing the nation’s supply of sur-gical face masks to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

From March 7, Army officers and soldiers joined public servants and the Joint Logistics Command’s contracted partner, Broadspectrum, in assisting Med-Con Pty Ltd, a small Victorian company, to increase on-site produc-tion of masks.

The support included staff training, warehousing operations, mask manu-facturing, repairing a mask-making machine and drawing components

for the manufacture of production machines.

W h e n t h e e x t e n d e d A r m y team first contacted Med-Con, the Shepparton-based company had two functioning self-designed mask-mak-ing machines, while a third was being used for parts.

With the two working machines, Med-Con was operating one shift a day, five days a week.

The military experts helped to manufacture a range of parts and return the third machine to service. Also helped by an increase in raw materials, Med-Con boosted its pro-duction of masks to a 24/7 cycle.

The military aid was a tempo-rary measure designed to allow the company to dramatically increase its workforce and production capability in response to the pandemic.

Med-Con director Ray Stockwell said the cooperation between the sol-diers and employees at Med-Con was remarkable.

“There was one day when I walked into the factory and at that moment all I saw was an integrated team work-ing seamlessly together, regardless that some were wearing uniforms and some weren’t,” Mr Stockwell said.

Defence has produced more than 1400 3D models of Med-Con’s mask-

making machines so that another three machines can be built by the Echuca-based company Foodmac, which manufactures automated packaging machines.

Mr Stockwell said the design of the mask machines went back almost 40 years and remained viable, but a few problems needed to be solved.

There were no contemporary computer-aided design programs with which to make new machines and the non-operational machine was urgently needed but missing parts.

“The Army mechanical engi-neers and their civilian colleagues at Bandiana were able to bring back the

third machine, which had been canni-balised over the years to within a mil-limetre of its life,” Mr Stockwell said.

“Our estimate to bring it back was around 12 weeks.

“These guys did it in less than two while at the same time completing a series of engineering drawings to aid with the manufacture of further machines.”

The Army team also contrib-uted to the production of more than 2.6 million surgical face masks, train-ing 21 new members of staff, sup-porting Med-Con’s supply chain surge planning and contributing to 24-hour operations.

Masks in the making

Cpl Sander Vloothuis prepares boxes to be filled with surgical

masks at Med-Con’s production facility in Shepparton.

Photo: Lt-Col Nathan Crowley

Cpl Sebastian Beurich

WITH face-to-face training restricted, Operation COVID-19 Assist pre-deployment and awareness training is being delivered online.

The course, delivered on ADELE, is designed to quickly prepare soldiers, sailors, airmen and airwomen without a medical background to conduct medical support tasks through the operation.

It ranges from general awareness of COVID-19 to some of the roles they may work in when assisting civilian agencies.

CDF Gen Angus Campbell said the training was an important step to preparing personnel for roles outside their normal duties.

“With these online training courses, ADF personnel will have the necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to assist in whatever tasks they may be called upon to support,” he said.

Course gives support personnel a med start

The training will also be offered to international partner forces.

More than 52,000 Defence personnel have completed the training to date.

Cpl Shane Dennis at the NSW Health COVID-19 Contact Trace Centre. Personnel are being prepared for such work through online training. Photo: Sgt Ray Vance

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COVID-19 Pandemic4

Leut-Cmdr Ben Robinson

D U R I N G W W I I , Wi n s t o n Churchill described army reserv-ists as “twice the citizen”, and this equally applies to Lt-Col Samuel Benveniste in the war against COVID-19.

As a combat engineer officer, Lt-Col Benveniste didn’t hesi-tate to offer his specialist plan-ning skills to support Operation COVID-19 Assist and one of its teams embedded within South Australia Health.

“The opportunity to serve domestically, providing support to the state in this crisis, is par-ticularly important to me,” Lt-Col Benveniste said.

In his civilian role, Lt-Col Benveniste is an orthopaedic and trauma surgeon at the Royal Adelaide and Calvary Adelaide hospitals, which gives him a unique set of transferable planning skills.

“With a reduction in the number of elective surgeries and a signifi-cant decrease in trauma surgeries as a result of people doing the right thing and staying at home, I can use my skills in other ways during this crisis,” Lt-Col Benveniste said.

He has served with the Army Reserve for 18 years and is cur-rently a senior planning officer in South Australia’s 9 Bde, based at Keswick Barracks.

Capt Taylor Lynch

FRESH off maternity leave and with an eight-month-old baby at home, Cpl Mandy Hage made her way to the COVID-19 frontline in Tasmania, where she is helping to provide medical services during a large-scale medical staff quarantine following a COVID-19 hospital outbreak.

As a dental assistant at Brisbane’s 2GHB, Cpl Hage has medical and hygiene-management skills that are vital in the largely undermanned North West Regional Hospital in Burnie, where staff fell victim to the virus.

Like many others, Cpl Hage has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and is proud to be helping with the recovery efforts.

“My sister and her partner have both lost their jobs due to COVID-19,” Cpl Hage said.

“It has affected my whole family. I have a new baby and none of my

family have been able to travel to see him. Everyone is suffering and I want to help Australia as much as I can in any way that I can.”

Coming off maternity leave, Cpl Hage hit the ground running with a few weeks of demanding medical and general hospital duties in Burnie, away from home and her family.

“I was expecting to work really hard and bond closely with the people I was working with,” she said.

Despite the dire circumstances, there was an element of anticipation for Cpl Hage.

She was prepared to get back into the action and be working alongside other services, transiting to Tasmania from RAAF Base Amberley in a C-130J Hercules.

“It was really exciting. I’d never even seen a C-130J and it was just cool going out to the RAAF base – I’d never been there before,” she said.

Skill set offers double value

New mum steps into the breach

Whether in his reserves uniform, above, or surgical scrubs, below, Lt-Col Samuel Benveniste has a valuable combination of skills to assist in the fight against COVID-19. Photos: Cpl Brenton Kwaterski

Cpl Mandy Hage prepares to board a C-130J at RAAF Base Amberley en route to assist with a COVID-19 outbreak at North West Regional Hospital in Burnie, Tasmania.Photo: Tpr Jonathan Goedhart

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April 30, 2020 COVID-19 Pandemicdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 5

Cpl Julia Whitwell

IN TRUE Anzac spirit, 3CER took time to check on hundreds of North Queensland widows regis-tered with Legacy Australia to see how they were coping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the course of a week, 3CER soldiers contacted 230 widows to see what they needed and if they could access support while in self-isolation.

CO 3CER Lt-Col Paul Pembroke said his regiment was keen to help.

“It’s about connection and being part of the

community. It was a large volume of people that needed to be contacted in a short period of time and we had the resources to do that,” Lt-Col Pembroke said.

“Our members really enjoyed being able to contribute that way.”

Lt-Col Pembroke, a Legacy board mem-ber, said the population of ADF widows in Townsville was disproportionate to the number of area volunteers.

“There are close to 500 widows here in Townsville who don’t have an assigned Legatee (designated Legacy volunteer),” he said.

“There’s a high concentration of widows here, whereas Legacy volunteers are more con-centrated near the cities.”

All of 3CER’s callers, including Cpl Max Martin, had a list of questions.

“We were asking if they needed anything and if they knew which was their closest medi-cal centre and what the phone number was,” Cpl Martin said.

“We had a checklist, so we could let Legacy know if they needed anything.

“Most were up for a chat and super easy to talk to.

“They all seemed either to be set up to look after themselves or to had family who were able to help them if they needed. It’s still the right thing for us to see how they’re going.”

Although it’s not something most people associate with combat engineers, Cpl Martin said the task was in familiar territory.

“As a section commander, a big part of my job is checking in on my soldiers. To me, this just an extension of that role, out to the broader community,” he said.

“They’re part of our ADF family, so it’s still our job to look out for them.”

A call to help

Soldiers of 3CER, from left, Cpl Max Martin and Sprs Angad Madaan and Cassandra Selfe conduct welfare checks on widows as part of the unit’s commitment to Legacy Australia. Photo: Pte Madhur Chitnis


MAJOR exercises have taken a break for the foresee-able future, as Army focuses on Operation COVID-19 Assist.

Hamel and the Sea Series are among the exer-cises postponed, with partner-run exercises such as RIMPAC are under review.

DCA Maj-Gen Anthony Rawlins said the decision to postpone non-essential training was made to ensure soldiers could prioritise their own and their family’s health.

“COVID-19 is forcing us to consider new ways to conduct training and operational preparation, but it’s also providing us the opportunity to be innovative and test or adjust our systems to meet our training demands,” Maj-Gen Rawlins said.

“Those deploying will still be prepared for their roles, we’re just considering new ways to conduct this training.”

FORCOMD G7 Col Nicholas Wilson said training would be planned and rescheduled, in conjunction with joint partners, when it became safe to do so, though this was unlikely to occur this year.

“Army’s training priorities are focused on main-taining essential capability requirements,” Col Wilson said.

“This includes ab-initio and initial employment training, as well as at-risk trade training and the main-tenance of critical safety, governance and operational skills.”

Planning is underway to ensure Army meets certi-fication and readiness requirements in the long-term.

A soldier from 2RAR fires at the enemy during a night contact at Shoalwater

Bay Training Area as part of Exercise Hamel 2018. Exercise Hamel is among the

exercises postponed for 2020. Photo: PO Jake Badior

Exercises on hold

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As part of our business continuity planning we have implemented a range of measures to meet these objectives which include:

• Restricted travel. Business related domestic and international air travel has been restricted. Travellers returning from overseas are self-isolating for 14 days in line with the government guidelines.

• Remote access. We are continuing to use our remote access capabilities, allowing many employees to perform their tasks remotely as required.

Importantly, we will continue to closely monitor and be guided by Commonwealth government advice on how to operate during this period.

Banking from a distance. We understand that not all Members may wish to visit a branch in today’s environment so we remind members that Defence Bank provides a number of convenient options to manage their everyday banking without the need to visit a branch. These include:

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Pte Jacob Joseph

TECHNOLOGY that enables soldiers to monitor enemies while remaining undetected may be available to the ADF by the end of the year.

The Defence Innovation Hub has awarded South Australian company Silentium Defence a $2 million contract to continue to develop and test ground-based passive radar systems.

The Maverick M-series passive radar can track enemy manned and

unmanned vehicles and aircraft in real-time without creating an electromagnetic footprint.

Silentium Defence chief executive officer James Palmer said the ability to see without being seen using passive radar provided an advantage for the ADF and its allies.

“Traditional radar works by sending out blasts of energy and waiting for signals to bounce back off objects,” Dr Palmer said.

“ B y h a v i n g t h a t a c t o f transmission, you are obviously

generating a signature, which is not desirable in some cases.

“Passive radar uses existing energy in the environment as its transmission source.”

Its effective range would vary depending on the environment.

“However, passive radar delivers tactically significant detection ranges for both emitting and non-emitting objects,” Dr Palmer said.

Daronmont , another South Australian company, also has a contract with the Defence Innovation

Hub to develop another type of passive radar.

Both company prototypes have been designed to be lightweight, fit inside a soldier’s pack and be deployed by two people in minutes.

The awarding of the contract to Silentium Defence means both companies are now in the third phase of the Defence Innovation Hub technical development pipeline with the potential for systems to be available for purchase by the end of this year.

April 30, 2020 Newsdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 7


AS A teenager, Leut-Cmdr Amy Beal had a soft spot for the endangered glossy black cockatoo from Kangaroo Island.

Years later and now Joint Logistics Unit – West (JLU-W) OPSO, Leut-Cmdr Beal received a tasking for the unit to move Landcare SJ’s “cockatube” nesting boxes to bushfire-affected areas to replace some of the bird’s habitat.

“When I saw this come across my desk, I realised I was going to be helping a project I started working on when I was 13,” Leut-Cmdr Beal said.

“For about three or four years, I’d go out to Kangaroo Island with anywhere between 10 and 30 other school kids and would plant sheoak trees, which are the glossy black cockatoo’s main feeding source.

“I think a lot of people were looking at the loss of iconic Australian animals, like koalas and kangaroos, during the bushfires but not many stopped to think about the birds and reptiles we also lost.

“Looking at the affected areas on a map and remembering going into areas

to plant hundreds of trees and the huge effect the fires must have had on the local wildlife was really sad. They’re essentially back at the drawing board.

“Two decades ago, there were estimated to be 100 breeding pairs left. If they’ve now lost 75 per cent of their natural habitat, how many of the birds did we lose on top of that?”

The JLU-W team arranged transport, including palletisation, consignment and distribution, of the cockatubes to the Joint Logistic Units in South Queensland, Victoria and South Australia for movement to local conservation groups.

They will be hung in known areas at just under 3m, where the cockatoos should use them as nesting hollows, hopefully kick-starting their breeding.

“We might not have been directly affected by the fires, but for JLU-W to be helping with the distribution of something that’s going to help an endangered species nationally was a great opportunity,” Leut-Cmdr Beal said.

“We had no shortage of volunteers in the unit for the task.”

Cockatoo project feels like home

‘Passive radar uses existing energy in the environment as its transmission source.

– Dr James Palmer, CEO Silentium Defence

Seeing without being seen

The Maverick M-series passive radar system should allow real-time tracking and identification of objects without being detected itself.

Joint Logistics Unit personnel help move ‘cockatube’ nesting boxes for the glossy black cockatoo in

bushfire-affected areas. Note: this image was taken before social

distancing requirements.

LS Craig Walton

A FRONTLINE team of Australian and British medical professionals deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan, are working to protect the health and wellbeing of our troops.

At Camp Qargha, the westernmost out-post of Kabul, nursing officer Capt Karen Sharp and British Army senior medical offic-er Maj Seth Makin are leading a small coali-tion team to provide healthcare for the camp.

“We are an integrated multinational team and handle all medical circumstances that arise together,” Maj Makin said.

“In Qargha, we have almost a dozen nationalities in camp. In any given day we can be treating New Zealanders, supporting American vaccination efforts, training team medics and combat first-aiders or provid-ing the medical component of the Quick Reaction Force who respond to incidents around camp or in Kabul if needed.

“One team, one dream sounds a bit cli-ché, but it has worked and continues to work and that makes everyone in Qargha better for it.”

Joining the Army four years ago, Capt Sharp brings 30 years of civilian nursing experience to the team.

“I joined the Army to give something back to my country. To be given this oppor-tunity has been a highlight of my career,” Capt Sharp said.

She said to be in Afghanistan and work-ing alongside coalition partners was a hum-bling experience.

“We are a very cohesive team and our goals are exactly the same – the delivery of gold-standard care to promote the best out-come for our patients,” Capt Sharp said.

Gold standard of careNews8

The coalition medical team deployed at Camp Qargha in Kabul, Afghanistan, works on a simulated casualty during a medical training exercise. Note: this image was taken prior to social distancing requirements. Photo: LS Craig Walton

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THE SLOUCH HAT: OUR STORYAnzac Day special

An Australian Army khaki fur felt slouch hat sits in front of an Australian Light Armoured Vehicle at 1 Armd Regt compound, RAAF Base Edinburgh. Photo: Pte Luke Jones

April 30, 2020 Anzac Day defence.gov.au/news/armynews 9

FOR Anzac Day, personnel of 1 Bde participated in “The Slouch Hat: Our

Story” project. It tells their stories and

explores what the slouch hat means to them.

When personnel wear the hat, they honour the Anzac spirit, including those who sacrificed to protect and better the nation.

While they could not stand together this Anzac Day, 1 Bde personnel in Darwin and Adelaide connected to share their stories.

The project aimed to show solidarity in times of crisis, just as the Army and community have done during previous hardship or conflict.

April 30, 2020 Anzac Daydefence.gov.au/news/armynews10 11

Lt Zach Allen

FOR Victorian-born Gnr Macauley Longhurst, helping the community is why he joined the Army.

“It was always an aspiration of mine to be a part of the Army so that I could help out the wider community and do my fair share for the nation,” Gnr Longhurst said.

Hailing from Point Cook, Melbourne, he enlisted as an artillery command systems operator in 2017 and soon posted to Darwin’s 8/12 Regt, RAA.

Gnr Longhurst’s desire to join the military was also inspired by his great-grandfather, who served during WWI.

“My family still treasures the letters and photos that he sent to his parents during the Battle of the Somme,” Gnr Longhurst said.

These letters gave Gnr Longhurst an appreciation and understanding of what it meant to represent the nation and wear the iconic slouch hat.

“Whenever these letters had photos that showed a member of the Army, they would always be proudly wearing a slouch hat. It has become a symbol of honour, tradition and the resilience of the Australian people,” he said.

“The slouch hat has been worn by Australian soldiers through some of the toughest and nightmarish conflicts in our history.”

Gnr Longhurst believes it is important to remember the stories of those who have sacrificed.

“By remembering, we learn from our mistakes but also honour those who didn’t get to come home,” he said.

“Soldiers gave their lives so that future generations could live in a world of peace and prosperity.”

Gnr Longhurst aspires to carry on the traditions of his predecessors by acting as a symbol of integrity and righteousness for the community.

Assisting the community

Gnr Macauley Longhurst is an artillery command systems operator at 8/12 Regt, RAA, Robertson Barracks, Darwin. Photo: Gnr Adel Hejji

INFANTRYMAN Pte Cameron Roosenburg believes it is important to remember the Anzacs during the crisis facing the world, to draw strength from their efforts to better the nation.

“Australia’s people have always been willing to sacrifice themselves for the defence of our nation and the lives we now live. This should never be forgotten,” Pte Roosenburg said.

“Remembering their sacrifices can help us get through what we’re facing today.”

One of the most iconic images from previous conflicts is the infamous slouch hat or “slouchy” worn by soldiers.

“When I think of the slouchy the image that comes to me is a soldier wearing a hat that’s so withered but still does the job, just like the soldier wearing it on the beaches of Gallipoli,” he said.

“It’s a symbol of a nation, of the Anzac spirit and of mateship in hard times.”

Pte Roosenburg always held military service in high regard and dreamt of a career in the Army.

“I never finished school despite being very academic; my heart was not set on being a person that went to university and studied,” Pte Roosenburg said.

“I wanted to be a person that made a difference.”

“Being in the Army has really given me the experience I was after – it’s challenging but all worth it at the end of the day.”

Since his enlistment in 2016, Pte Roosenburg has spent his regimental time at Darwin’s 5RAR.

Here he supported the community in recovery efforts following Tropical Cyclone Marcus in February 2018.

“I remember a lady coming out the front of her house and saying to her family, ‘It’s okay, the Army is here’, as if all her worries and pressures from the cyclone were gone at the sight of us helping,” Pte Roosenburg said.

“Seeing the community appreciate your assistance is always a humbling experience.”

The symbol of a nation

Pte Cameron Roosenburg, of 5RAR, at Robertson Barracks, Darwin. Photo: Pte Jack Lovatt

‘[The slouch hat] is a symbol of a nation, of the Anzac spirit and

of mateship in hard times.– Pte Cameron Roosenburg,

5RAR

SGT Tracey Knighton, signals platoon quarter master at 5RAR, has made friends all over the world throughout her 24 years of service as a logistician in the Army.

Despite a significant language barrier, the unlikeliest of friendships was struck during a game of charades while on Operation Slipper in Afghanistan in 2005.

Sgt Knighton deployed to Afghanistan with the first rotation of Special Air Service Regiment post 9/11 to set up the base for the coalition.

“I befriended a local Afghan man through the international language of charades,” Sgt Knighton said.

“I never learnt his name, however, through the game I did learn he was married with a son and had another baby on the way.

“We even exchanged Christmas presents. I gave him soap and chocolate and he gave me a sparkly green hair tie, which I still have.”

When Sgt Knighton deployed in 2012, she was fortunate to see her friend again.

“When I went back the second time, the base was huge, but the best part was I saw my Afghan friend,” she said.

“We hugged and he told me his baby was born healthy and was now at school.”

Sgt Knighton joined the Army in 1996, keen to make a difference, which she has had ample opportunity to do.

“I wanted to do a job where I could help people and be able to do an array of different things,” Sgt Knighton said.

In addition to Afghanistan, she has deployed to East Timor in 2001 and to the Soloman Islands in 2007.

Her experiences have made her proud to wear the slouch hat and to continue the tradition of service her family knows well – her grandfather, Robert Baker, served in WWII with 2/31 Australian Infantry Battalion; her great-uncle Ray served in Vietnam, her father

Ready to lend a helping hand to those in need

was a national serviceman and her stepfather deployed numerous times to the Pacific with the Navy.

Sgt Knighton sees the slouch hat as the link between our veterans and serving members, as well as a symbol of what it means to be an Australian soldier.

“You know when you see the slouch hat that you are looking at a soldier who will always lend a helping hand,” Sgt Knighton said.

She sees this every day in the Darwin community where she is posted.

Sgt Knighton believes it is important to tell the stories of those in uniform today so that people understand that the Army is a reflection of the community.

“As community needs and expectations change, so too does the Army who represents it,” she said.

Sgt Tracey Knighton, of 5RAR, stands beside a G Wagon at Robertson Barracks, Darwin. Photo: Pte Jack Lovatt

A STRONG military history runs in the family of Pte Grace Bailey.

Although she hails from Crib Point, Melbourne, her father and a number of her mother’s family, who are from the Torres Strait Islands, served in the military and now Pte Bailey hopes to inspire her younger siblings.

The driver enlisted in 2018 and is now on her first posting at Darwin’s 8/12 Regt, RAA.

“I am the first serving female in the family. It makes me very proud to come from a strong line of courage and bravery,” Pte Bailey said.

“It has always been a career that I’ve wanted to pursue and I feel fortunate to be a part of something so meaningful.

“I wanted to lead by example and inspire them [her siblings] to aim high and to never give up on what you want to achieve.”

As a driver at an artillery regiment, Pte Bailey spends most

of her time working with heavy vehicles and transporting 155mm artillery ammunition.

When she’s not out on field training exercises, she works in barracks where she wears the slouch hat.

The iconic headdress reminds Pte Bailey of those who sacrificed so much to make Australia what it is today.

“Wearing the slouch hat gives me a sense of pride in knowing that this same hat was worn not only by the soldiers before me but by many of my own family,” she said.

Pte Bailey believes the slouch hat embodies the spirit and service of the Anzacs and drives purpose in Australian soldiers today.

“The importance of remembering and sharing their stories is essential so that we may never forget their legacy,” she said.

Inspired and inspiring: Forging a path of respect

Pte Grace Bailey, pictured here and below, is a driver posted to Darwin’s 8/12 Regt, RAA. Photos: Gnr Adel Hejji

Capt David Coleman

WHEN on parade, Tpr Alexis Matthews, of 1 Armd Regt, proudly wears the iconic slouch hat, pictured above, just as her ancestors did.

Fortunately for her, Army modernised and the slouch hat no longer substitutes the soldiers’ helmet as it did for some mounted infantry in early 1900s.

“The slouch hat is a unique and very obvious symbol of the Australian Army, made famous during the world wars,” Tpr Matthews said.

“It defines the courage, respect, wisdom, intuition and, above all else, the mateship that the members who wore it before me engraved into our history.”

Of Torres Strait Islander ancestry and raised in Yeppoon, Tpr Matthews’s family has a history of service to the nation.

“My great-great-grandfather and two great-great-uncles all fought in WWII,” she said.

“I am extremely proud of my family’s past service.”

Just as every Anzac has a different story to tell, every slouch hat has one too – a story shaped by its owner’s experience,

position and corps affiliation. Slouch hats worn by the Royal Australian Armoured Corps can be seen from afar by their identifying mark: the emu plume.

Tpr Matthews said there are many different historical accounts of how the Light Horseman acquired their plumes.

“My favourite is where they would chase down an emu on horseback and pluck them from the running bird,” she said.

Since Tpr Matthews joined the Army in January 2017, she has spent her regimental time in Adelaide’s 1 Armd Regt where horses have been replaced by modern armoured fighting vehicles.

She joined to meet new people, learn new skills, travel to new places and challenge herself, physically and mentally.

In January, Tpr Matthews deployed alongside 6500 ADF personnel in support of bushfire-affected communities during Operation Bushfire Assist.

“It was the most rewarding task I’ve been sent on in my career,” Tpr Matthews said.

“Giving back to the local community and being able to meet the farmers we were helping was an amazing experience.”

Proud tradition continuesPhoto: Pte Luke Jones

Capt David Coleman

WHEN South Australian-born WO2 Michael Foster wears the slouch hat with the gold rising sun, he is reminded of his family who fought in WWII.

The 1 Armd Regt soldier said while the design may have changed over the years, the khaki fur felt hat and golden sun still symbolised tradition and links a soldier to the past.

“When we wear the slouch hat it represents what soldiers have achieved before us, allowing us to show pride in the Army’s past and our country’s history,” WO2 Foster said.

“Especially in an armoured unit where we add the emu plume to it, linking us to our mounted infantry forbearers.

“It is obvious we respect our history, how important it has been, and continues to be, to our organisation’s identity.”

Growing up in Naracoorte, WO2 Foster is the latest in a long line of family members to have served in the ADF.

For WO2 Foster, the choice to join Army over the other services was a simple one.

“My grandfather served in WWII, so signing up to carry on that family legacy was an easy choice,” he said.

Throughout his 16 years of service, WO2 Foster has had an interesting career, working alongside foreign militaries both in barracks and on exercise.

Visiting the New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle Program Office while posted to the Australian Light Armoured Vehicle Program – Capability Acquisitions and Group in 2017, remains one of his most memorable experiences.

“It was great to see first-hand how strong the bond of the Anzacs is between our two nations and how well we can still work together to achieve shared goals,” WO2 Foster said.

Although Anzac Day was very different this year, WO2 Foster recognised the lengths the community went to in commemorating from home or online.

“Seeing the pride that the Australian community has in us as a Defence Force strengthens our resolve and reminds us how vital our role is, especially during these uncertain times,” he said.

Ties to our past and present

WO2 Michael Foster stands in front of a retired Centurion Tank used in Vietnam, at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Photo: Pte Luke Jones

Capt Philip Kennedy

NSW-born Cpl Todd Madden has had many challenging experiences in his nine years as an infantryman.

After enlisting in 2011, Cpl Madden posted to Adelaide’s 7RAR where he gained operational experience, at home and overseas.

“I deployed to Afghanistan as a part of Force Protection Element 6, where my team and I provided integral force protection [to Australian trainers] at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy at Camp Qargha,” Cpl Madden said.

Closer to home, he recently returned from assisting local communities throughout Victoria and South Australia as part of Operation Bushfire Assist.

This experience was deeply personal, as Cpl Madden’s hometown, Hawkesbury, endured some of the longest burning fires during the 2019-20 bushfire season.

“I’m still a volunteer firefighter

with the Wilberforce Rural Fire Service and during the bushfires I was part of the Ready Battle Group, which reacted to assist communities hit pretty hard by the fires,” he said.

When not deployed overseas on operations or assisting the local community, the 7RAR soldier focuses on his military combat skills as an infantryman.

In 2019 he represented the Australian Army Combat Shooting Team in Canada as part of the Canadian Armed Forces Small Arms Concentration.

“I had the opportunity to meet members from other militaries and got to see how they operate and what weapon systems they shot with, it was an awesome experience,” he said.

In the lead-up to Anzac Day, Cpl Madden reflected on his service and what meant to wear the slouch hat.

“It’s more than just a hat; it is a significant piece of history and an icon that is part of being in the Australian Army, being an Australian soldier,” he said.

More than just a hat

Cpl Todd Madden engages a target during the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meet in 2019 at Puckapunyal, Victoria. Photo: Cpl Jessica de Rouw

Capt Philip Kennedy

LONG before posting to 7RAR as a clerk, Pte Kbora Ali was born and raised in Janghori, Afghanistan.

In 2007, young Kbora’s father fled the war-torn country to Australia, where she and her family joined him seven years later.

“When we arrived in Australia we came to Parafield Gardens, Adelaide, and it has been my home ever since,” Pte Ali said.

Her parents taught her to be grateful for what opportunities she has had since making their new home.

Pte Ali said resources and certain freedoms were harder to come by in Afghanistan.

Motivated by a sense of wanting to “give back” to the community she had grown to love, she decided to enlist as a soldier in 2016.

“Australia has welcomed thousands of refugees, including myself and my family, with open arms,” Pte Ali said.

“It is my, and our, responsibility to give back to our country, however small or big it may be. I

enlisted in the hope to do exactly that.”

Despite not being raised in a country where children grow up knowing what the Anzac spirit means, Pte Ali has developed a keen understanding of it since joining the Army.

“Strength, teamwork, determination and a lot of sacrifices,” she said.

“These are values our soldiers, both men and women, who have served before us display, which I associate with the Anzac spirit.

“I take a lot of pride in wearing the uniform and serving with those men and women and being part of something bigger than myself.”

The young clerk often helps others who have, or are currently, going through what she once did.

“I have been given the recognition within my community to speak on behalf of those who may be struggling to find their voices, even today,” Pte Ali said.

“I now know how it feels to have the right to freedom, education and the privilege to work, but I know there are thousands of people who can only dream to have a glimpse of what we have.”

Responsibility to give back

Pte Kbora Ali, right, during the Ready Battle Group Parade at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Note: this image was taken before social distancing requirements. Photo: Cpl Shane Kelly

April 30, 2020 defence.gov.au/news/armynews10

Lt Zach Allen

FOR Victorian-born Gnr Macauley Longhurst, helping the community is why he joined the Army.

“It was always an aspiration of mine to be a part of the Army so that I could help out the wider community and do my fair share for the nation,” Gnr Longhurst said.

Hailing from Point Cook, Melbourne, he enlisted as an artillery command systems operator in 2017 and soon posted to Darwin’s 8/12 Regt, RAA.

Gnr Longhurst’s desire to join the military was also inspired by his great-grandfather, who served during WWI.

“My family still treasures the letters and photos that he sent to his parents during the Battle of the Somme,” Gnr Longhurst said.

These letters gave Gnr Longhurst an appreciation and understanding of what it meant to represent the nation and wear the iconic slouch hat.

“Whenever these letters had photos that showed a member of the Army, they would always be proudly wearing a slouch hat. It has become a symbol of honour, tradition and the resilience of the Australian people,” he said.

“The slouch hat has been worn by Australian soldiers through some of the toughest and nightmarish conflicts in our history.”

Gnr Longhurst believes it is important to remember the stories of those who have sacrificed.

“By remembering, we learn from our mistakes but also honour those who didn’t get to come home,” he said.

“Soldiers gave their lives so that future generations could live in a world of peace and prosperity.”

Gnr Longhurst aspires to carry on the traditions of his predecessors by acting as a symbol of integrity and righteousness for the community.



INFANTRYMAN Pte Cameron Roosenburg believes it is important to remember the Anzacs during the crisis facing the world, to draw strength from their efforts to better the nation.

“Australia’s people have always been willing to sacrifice themselves for the defence of our nation and the lives we now live. This should never be forgotten,” Pte Roosenburg said.

“Remembering their sacrifices can help us get through what we’re facing today.”

One of the most iconic images from previous conflicts is the infamous slouch hat or “slouchy” worn by soldiers.

“When I think of the slouchy the image that comes to me is a soldier wearing a hat that’s so withered but still does the job, just like the soldier wearing it on the beaches of Gallipoli,” he said.

“It’s a symbol of a nation, of the Anzac spirit and of mateship in hard times.”

Pte Roosenburg always held military service in high regard and dreamt of a career in the Army.

“I never finished school despite being very academic; my heart was not set on being a person that went to university and studied,” Pte Roosenburg said.

“I wanted to be a person that made a difference.”

“Being in the Army has really given me the experience I was after – it’s challenging but all worth it at the end of the day.”

Since his enlistment in 2016, Pte Roosenburg has spent his regimental time at Darwin’s 5RAR.

Here he supported the community in recovery efforts following Tropical Cyclone Marcus in February 2018.

“I remember a lady coming out the front of her house and saying to her family, ‘It’s okay, the Army is here’, as if all her worries and pressures from the cyclone were gone at the sight of us helping,” Pte Roosenburg said.

“Seeing the community appreciate your assistance is always a humbling experience.”

The symbol of a nation

Pte Cameron Roosenburg, of 5RAR, at Robertson Barracks, Darwin. Photo: Pte Jack Lovatt

‘[The slouch hat] is a symbol of a nation, of the Anzac spirit and

of mateship in hard times.– Pte Cameron Roosenburg,

5RAR

A STRONG military history runs in the family of Pte Grace Bailey.

Although she hails from Crib Point, Melbourne, her father and a number of her mother’s family, who are from the Torres Strait Islands, served in the military and now Pte Bailey hopes to inspire her younger siblings.

The driver enlisted in 2018 and is now on her first posting at Darwin’s 8/12 Regt, RAA.

“I am the first serving female in the family. It makes me very proud to come from a strong line of courage and bravery,” Pte Bailey said.

“It has always been a career that I’ve wanted to pursue and I feel fortunate to be a part of something so meaningful.

“I wanted to lead by example and inspire them [her siblings] to aim high and to never give up on what you want to achieve.”

As a driver at an artillery regiment, Pte Bailey spends most

of her time working with heavy vehicles and transporting 155mm artillery ammunition.

When she’s not out on field training exercises, she works in barracks where she wears the slouch hat.

The iconic headdress reminds Pte Bailey of those who sacrificed so much to make Australia what it is today.

“Wearing the slouch hat gives me a sense of pride in knowing that this same hat was worn not only by the soldiers before me but by many of my own family,” she said.

Pte Bailey believes the slouch hat embodies the spirit and service of the Anzacs and drives purpose in Australian soldiers today.

“The importance of remembering and sharing their stories is essential so that we may never forget their legacy,” she said.

Inspired and inspiring: Forging a path of respect

Pte Grace Bailey, pictured here and below, is a driver posted to Darwin’s 8/12 Regt, RAA. Photos: Gnr Adel Hejji

Capt David Coleman

WHEN on parade, Tpr Alexis Matthews, of 1 Armd Regt, proudly wears the iconic slouch hat, pictured above, just as her ancestors did.

Fortunately for her, Army modernised and the slouch hat no longer substitutes the soldiers’ helmet as it did for some mounted infantry in early 1900s.

“The slouch hat is a unique and very obvious symbol of the Australian Army, made famous during the world wars,” Tpr Matthews said.

“It defines the courage, respect, wisdom, intuition and, above all else, the mateship that the members who wore it before me engraved into our history.”

Of Torres Strait Islander ancestry and raised in Yeppoon, Tpr Matthews’s family has a history of service to the nation.

“My great-great-grandfather and two great-great-uncles all fought in WWII,” she said.

“I am extremely proud of my family’s past service.”

Just as every Anzac has a different story to tell, every slouch hat has one too – a story shaped by its owner’s experience,

Proud tradition continues

Capt David Coleman

WHEN South Australian-born WO2 Michael Foster wears the slouch hat with the gold rising sun, he is reminded of his family who fought in WWII.

The 1 Armd Regt soldier said while the design may have changed over the years, the khaki fur felt hat and golden sun still symbolised tradition and links a soldier to the past.

“When we wear the slouch hat it represents what soldiers have achieved before us, allowing us to show pride in the Army’s past and our country’s history,” WO2 Foster said.

“Especially in an armoured unit where we add the emu plume to it, linking us to our mounted infantry forbearers.

“It is obvious we respect our history, how important it has been, and continues to be, to our organisation’s identity.”

Growing up in Naracoorte, WO2 Foster is the latest in a long line of family members to have served in the ADF.

For WO2 Foster, the choice to join Army over the other services was a simple one.

“My grandfather served in WWII, so signing up to carry on that family legacy was an easy choice,” he said.

Throughout his 16 years of service, WO2 Foster has had an interesting career, working alongside foreign militaries both in barracks and on exercise.

Visiting the New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle Program Office while posted to the Australian Light Armoured Vehicle Program – Capability Acquisitions and Group in 2017, remains one of his most memorable experiences.

“It was great to see first-hand how strong the bond of the Anzacs is between our two nations and how well we can still work together to achieve shared goals,” WO2 Foster said.

Although Anzac Day was very different this year, WO2 Foster recognised the lengths the community went to in commemorating from home or online.

“Seeing the pride that the Australian community has in us as a Defence Force strengthens our resolve and reminds us how vital our role is, especially during these uncertain times,” he said.

Ties to our past and present

WO2 Michael Foster stands in front of a retired Centurion Tank used in Vietnam, at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Photo: Pte Luke Jones

Anzac Daydefence.gov.au/news/armynews 11



SGT Tracey Knighton, signals platoon quarter master at 5RAR, has made friends all over the world throughout her 24 years of service as a logistician in the Army.

Despite a significant language barrier, the unlikeliest of friendships was struck during a game of charades while on Operation Slipper in Afghanistan in 2005.

Sgt Knighton deployed to Afghanistan with the first rotation of Special Air Service Regiment post 9/11 to set up the base for the coalition.

“I befriended a local Afghan man through the international language of charades,” Sgt Knighton said.

“I never learnt his name, however, through the game I did learn he was married with a son and had another baby on the way.

“We even exchanged Christmas presents. I gave him soap and chocolate and he gave me a sparkly green hair tie, which I still have.”

When Sgt Knighton deployed in 2012, she was fortunate to see her friend again.

“When I went back the second time, the base was huge, but the best part was I saw my Afghan friend,” she said.

“We hugged and he told me his baby was born healthy and was now at school.”

Sgt Knighton joined the Army in 1996, keen to make a difference, which she has had ample opportunity to do.

“I wanted to do a job where I could help people and be able to do an array of different things,” Sgt Knighton said.

In addition to Afghanistan, she has deployed to East Timor in 2001 and to the Soloman Islands in 2007.

Her experiences have made her proud to wear the slouch hat and to continue the tradition of service her family knows well – her grandfather, Robert Baker, served in WWII with 2/31 Australian Infantry Battalion; her great-uncle Ray served in Vietnam, her father

Ready to lend a helping hand to those in need

was a national serviceman and her stepfather deployed numerous times to the Pacific with the Navy.

Sgt Knighton sees the slouch hat as the link between our veterans and serving members, as well as a symbol of what it means to be an Australian soldier.

“You know when you see the slouch hat that you are looking at a soldier who will always lend a helping hand,” Sgt Knighton said.

She sees this every day in the Darwin community where she is posted.

Sgt Knighton believes it is important to tell the stories of those in uniform today so that people understand that the Army is a reflection of the community.

“As community needs and expectations change, so too does the Army who represents it,” she said.

Sgt Tracey Knighton, of 5RAR, stands beside a G Wagon at Robertson Barracks, Darwin. Photo: Pte Jack Lovatt

position and corps affiliation. Slouch hats worn by the Royal Australian Armoured Corps can be seen from afar by their identifying mark: the emu plume.

Tpr Matthews said there are many different historical accounts of how the Light Horseman acquired their plumes.

“My favourite is where they would chase down an emu on horseback and pluck them from the running bird,” she said.

Since Tpr Matthews joined the Army in January 2017, she has spent her regimental time in Adelaide’s 1 Armd Regt where horses have been replaced by modern armoured fighting vehicles.

She joined to meet new people, learn new skills, travel to new places and challenge herself, physically and mentally.

In January, Tpr Matthews deployed alongside 6500 ADF personnel in support of bushfire-affected communities during Operation Bushfire Assist.

“It was the most rewarding task I’ve been sent on in my career,” Tpr Matthews said.

“Giving back to the local community and being able to meet the farmers we were helping was an amazing experience.”

Proud tradition continuesPhoto: Pte Luke Jones

Capt Philip Kennedy

NSW-born Cpl Todd Madden has had many challenging experiences in his nine years as an infantryman.

After enlisting in 2011, Cpl Madden posted to Adelaide’s 7RAR where he gained operational experience, at home and overseas.

“I deployed to Afghanistan as a part of Force Protection Element 6, where my team and I provided integral force protection [to Australian trainers] at the Afghan National Army Officer Academy at Camp Qargha,” Cpl Madden said.

Closer to home, he recently returned from assisting local communities throughout Victoria and South Australia as part of Operation Bushfire Assist.

This experience was deeply personal, as Cpl Madden’s hometown, Hawkesbury, endured some of the longest burning fires during the 2019-20 bushfire season.

“I’m still a volunteer firefighter

with the Wilberforce Rural Fire Service and during the bushfires I was part of the Ready Battle Group, which reacted to assist communities hit pretty hard by the fires,” he said.

When not deployed overseas on operations or assisting the local community, the 7RAR soldier focuses on his military combat skills as an infantryman.

In 2019 he represented the Australian Army Combat Shooting Team in Canada as part of the Canadian Armed Forces Small Arms Concentration.

“I had the opportunity to meet members from other militaries and got to see how they operate and what weapon systems they shot with, it was an awesome experience,” he said.

In the lead-up to Anzac Day, Cpl Madden reflected on his service and what meant to wear the slouch hat.

“It’s more than just a hat; it is a significant piece of history and an icon that is part of being in the Australian Army, being an Australian soldier,” he said.

More than just a hat

Cpl Todd Madden engages a target during the Australian Army Skill at Arms Meet in 2019 at Puckapunyal, Victoria. Photo: Cpl Jessica de Rouw

Capt Philip Kennedy

LONG before posting to 7RAR as a clerk, Pte Kbora Ali was born and raised in Janghori, Afghanistan.

In 2007, young Kbora’s father fled the war-torn country to Australia, where she and her family joined him seven years later.

“When we arrived in Australia we came to Parafield Gardens, Adelaide, and it has been my home ever since,” Pte Ali said.

Her parents taught her to be grateful for what opportunities she has had since making their new home.

Pte Ali said resources and certain freedoms were harder to come by in Afghanistan.

Motivated by a sense of wanting to “give back” to the community she had grown to love, she decided to enlist as a soldier in 2016.

“Australia has welcomed thousands of refugees, including myself and my family, with open arms,” Pte Ali said.

“It is my, and our, responsibility to give back to our country, however small or big it may be. I

enlisted in the hope to do exactly that.”

Despite not being raised in a country where children grow up knowing what the Anzac spirit means, Pte Ali has developed a keen understanding of it since joining the Army.

“Strength, teamwork, determination and a lot of sacrifices,” she said.

“These are values our soldiers, both men and women, who have served before us display, which I associate with the Anzac spirit.

“I take a lot of pride in wearing the uniform and serving with those men and women and being part of something bigger than myself.”

The young clerk often helps others who have, or are currently, going through what she once did.

“I have been given the recognition within my community to speak on behalf of those who may be struggling to find their voices, even today,” Pte Ali said.

“I now know how it feels to have the right to freedom, education and the privilege to work, but I know there are thousands of people who can only dream to have a glimpse of what we have.”

Responsibility to give back

Pte Kbora Ali, right, during the Ready Battle Group Parade at RAAF Base Edinburgh. Note: this image was taken before social distancing requirements. Photo: Cpl Shane Kelly

Cpl Veronica O’Hara

WHETHER he’s in Australia or overseas on Anzac Day, for Gnr Kendall Breitenstein it’s about tak-ing time to honour and reflect on those who have served in wars and modern conflicts.

This year, a select few from Australia’s Federation Guard participated in the nationally televised Anzac Day Commemorative Service at the Australian War Memorial.

Gnr Breitenstein was part of the catafalque party in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

“Usually we’d conduct a number of services throughout the country and overseas, but due to the COVID-19 restrictions we were the only ones there,” Gnr Breitenstein said.

“I was panelled to represent at Villers-Bretonneux, France, which had to be called off.

“Visiting where a lot of Anzac traditions origi-nated and representing the ADF in another country would have been a fantastic opportunity.”

Gnr Breitenstein’s grandparents served in Air Force for a short period – his grandfather was an aircraft mechanic in the Vietnam War.

Gnr Breitenstein is the first in his family to join Army, inspired by a desire to serve his country and do more than “just your average job”.

Hailing from Townsville, he grew up watching or attending Anzac Day services.

“Joining Army put the commemorations into perspective with what’s happening overseas and throughout the wars,” he said.

Last year, Gnr Breitenstein participated in a dawn service and played Two-Up afterwards at an RSL. However, this year was very different.

“I think the #StandAtDawn initiative was a great way for the wider community to feel involved in Anzac Day during this time of restrictions,” he said.

Anzac Day 12

Moment of reflection


WHEN she was performing the national anthem on Anzac Day, the Royal Military College Band’s Musn Rachel Shead was singing to the smallest audience of her career, but with the most people watching.

It was the second Anzac Day performance at the Australian War Memorial for the singer, origi-nally from the Blue Mountains.

The size of the audience didn’t matter, according to Musn Shead, who said the day’s significance was about marking the fallen.

“For me, Anzac Day means remembering the people who gave their lives so we can have the lives we do today,” she said.

“It’s always a huge honour to

be singing our national anthem, but particularly now at a time when it’s easy to forget; it was an honour to be part of a service that remembers.”

Along with previous perfor-mances at the Australian War Memorial, Musn Shead has also sung at national services in Belgium in 2017 and 2018, something she said was a huge privilege.

“Preparations for Anzac Day this year were a lot more lonely than usual,” she said.

“It has been less obvious how many people were involved, but doing the things we could in person and virtually, in the ways that we could, was still a reminder that there were lots of people who commemorated this important day.”

Musn Rachel Shead lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial. Photo: Cpl Sebastian Beurich

An honour to be singing


LONELY sounds of the Last Post echoing across the Australian War Memorial had special significance for the Royal Military College Band’s Sgt James Duquemin this Anzac Day.

The bugler, originally from the Sunshine Coast, played at a national ceremony for the second time, something he said was an “excellent experience”.

“Anzac Day is always very important, especially because my father was a Vietnam veteran and served for 24 years in the Army,” Sgt Duquemin said.

“When I play the bugle call, it’s to honour his service and his memory.”

Although playing to a much smaller physical audience, Sgt Duquemin said it was a great hon-our to be selected to play at the Australian War Memorial.

“Preparations this year have definitely changed. It was a lot less busy than normal,” he said.

“Usually we’re running about left, right and centre to schools in the lead up to the day but obvi-ously we couldn’t do that this year.

“There was a lot of individual practice focused on the ceremony to make sure that we got it right.”

Sgt Duquemin previously played the Last Post at Tarin Kowt, Afghanistan, during the last Anzac Day ceremony before the camp closed.

Gone but not forgotten

Sgt James Duquemin sounds the bugle at the Australian War Memorial. Photos: Cpl Sebastian Beurich

Sgt James Duquemin stands-fast.

Gnr Kendall Breitenstein took part in the national Anzac Day Commemorative Service at the Australian War Memorial. Photo: Cpl Veronica O’Hara

The story of an Australian infantry battalion, told by the men who fought with it, including excerpts from war diaries, personal diaries and letters, supported by over 100 illustrations, including colour maps and wartime photos. They fought the Italians in North Africa, the Germans in Greece and Crete, and finally the Japanese in the most treacherous campaign of WW2, along the Kokoda Track. Veterans describe the action of close-in jungle fighting in gut wrenching detail. In New Guinea, their prowess as deadly jungle fighters and reputation as warrior soldiers is sealed, as they drive the Japanese Imperial Army back into the sea.

The Making of Warriors

Author: Graham J Smith

(ex-member of the ADF - Aust Int Corps)

Published by: Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd

www.rosenbergpub.com.au

Size: 272 pages

RRP $34.95

Available online through leading book stores

WHEN a series of rockets hit Camp Taji in Iraq in mid-March, two Army medics were among the

Taji Medical Treatment Facility staff who stepped up to help save the lives of injured coalition members.

Blasts from the rockets, on March 11 and 14, resulted in the deaths of three coalition members and many more wounded.

Medics Cpls Sarah Nixon and Ashlee Liversedge recalled events on

the night of one attack. “We heard a round hit close. It felt like it was just 50m away. It was loud, the building shook. We hit the ground and put on our body armour,” Cpl Nixon said.

“Other Camp Taji medical staff ran in and said to expect casualties.”

The two medics ran to a nearby tent to grab medical stores and prepare the resuscitation room while rockets continued to hit the camp.

In the following hours, both corporals provided critical medical

support as casualties came through the tent.

Cpl Liversedge said they were part of a team that treated the significant injuries.

“The whole team played an integral role, providing medical assistance to casualties in times of increased threat,” Cpl Liversedge said.

“The gravity of the situation was felt when our first patient arrived and it was one of our coalition medics.”

For almost two hours, casualty

numbers grew and medical staff prioritised treatment across those with major injuries, minor shrapnel wounds and concussions.

They worked through the night to treat wounded coalition personnel, a few of whom had to be evacuated by helicopter for further treatment in Baghdad.

Task Group Taji 10 Commander Col Nick Foxall praised the heroism of the two corporals.

“Cpl Nixon and Cpl Liversedge

showed exceptional care and courage during both attacks,” Col Foxall said.

“The actions of these two soldiers almost certainly saved the lives of the injured coalition members.

“They had only been in-country for a short time when they were called on to do their job and, in doing so, displayed nothing but the highest of values when representing the Australian and New Zealand Task Group.”

During two terrifying nights in Iraq, a couple of corporals showed skill and bravery in treating the casualties of rocket attacks on their own camp, Capt Roger Brennan writes.

Care and courage

Task Group Taji 10 Commander Col Nick Foxall said the actions of medics Cpl Ashlee Liversedge, left, and Cpl Sarah

Nixon “almost certainly saved lives”. Note: this image was taken before social distancing requirements.

Photo: LS Craig Walton

April 30, 2020 Featuresdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 13

GROWING up years apart, two Granite Belt locals are now serving together in Afghanistan.

Lt-Col Lachlan Sear le , 46, of Ballandean, and Pte James Dachs, 22, of Pozieres, are both from Stanthorpe, Queensland.

Lt-Col Searle works as an adviser and mentor to the senior leadership of the Afghan National Army Officer Academy in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Proud to be helping develop and train the Afghan instructors, Lt-Col Searle said contributing to institutional capacity-building would allow the Afghans to maintain a high-quality academy into the future.

“The Afghans are very interested in learning from Australian and other coalition mentors,” Lt-Col Searle said.

“They are highly committed, very resilient and aspire to deliver a stable and secure Afghanistan.”

Advisers at the academy have been drawn from Denmark, Great Britain, New

Zealand and Australia. Pte Dachs is part of Force Protection Element 13 (FPE-13) supporting Australian and coalition advisers.

His team is one of those assigned with a range of security tasks, including base security, quick reaction forces and adviser force protection.

“I fulfil two roles here, one as a crew commander for the Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle, and as a guardian angel, providing close protection for mentors during their daily tasks,” Pte Dachs said.

“It has been very rewarding to see all the skills I’ve learnt in Australia being utilised on operations.”

Pte Dachs is a member of the Darwin-based 5RAR, which makes up FPE-13.

“The best thing about the job is making life-long mates with everyone in the platoon,” he said.

“Together we ensure that the adviser team have the security they need to do their job of developing the officer academy.”

Granite Belt connection in Afghanistan

Lt-Col Lachlan Searle, left, and Pte James Dache at Camp Qargha in Kabul, Afghanistan. Note: this image was taken before social distancing requirements.

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AN ALTERCATION beside a busy Brisbane road might have turned deadly if not for the actions of

Maj Brendan Rowe.While Maj Rowe’s family was

stopped at an intersection in their car, his wife saw a heated exchange between a couple with a pram and another woman.

“As I looked over, a fairly big man grabbed a woman by the top of her hair and flipped her on to the street in front of traffic,” Maj Rowe said.

Maj Rowe turned across traffic

and parked in front of the woman to stop other vehicles.

“I threw my phone to my wife and said, ‘Call the police’,” he said.

“I got out of the car and stood between the man and the women on the road and started trying to de-escalate things.”

The women got up and tried to lunge past Maj Rowe to lash out at the man but knocked his pram and baby over.

“This incensed the man. He growled a bit, reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife that was about 8-10 inches long. He

started saying things to her like, ‘I’ll cut your throat’. I kept thinking, ‘I can’t believe this man is considering stabbing someone on the street in a busy place’. It all seemed surreal,” Maj Rowe said.

“I was saying, ‘Mate, are you going to stab us? We’re in the mid-dle of a main road with everyone here’. I made sure there was a bit of distance between us.”

After a minute, the man calmed down. He put the knife away and left with his partner and baby.

Maj Rowe convinced the other woman to stay and give a statement

to police. Meanwhile, people on the street started approaching him, offering to make statements and thanking him for stepping in.

Almost five years later, a Commendation for Brave Conduct was announced for Maj Rowe on March 31.

“I don’t consider what I did to be anything out of the ordinary. I’d like to think anyone else faced with that situation would’ve done the same thing. You don’t want to be awake at night thinking about what you should’ve done,” he said.

Maj Brendan Rowe has been commended for calming a knife-wielding man.Photo: Sgt Max Bree

A brave soldier steps forward in a time of need, Sgt Max Bree reports. ‘I don’t consider what I did to be anything out of the ordinary ...

You don’t want to be awake at night

thinking about what you should’ve done.

– Maj Brendan Rowe

April 30, 2020 Featuresdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 15

Extraordinary service

ENSURING you don’t come down with the flu should be a personal health priority, according to JHC.

ADF Surgeon-General RAdm Sarah Sharkey said getting the 2020 vaccination was the best way to stay safe and significantly reduce your risk of contracting the flu.

“Outbreaks on bases, ships, deployment or exercises directly affect capability and the last thing Australia needs at this time is a serious flu out-break,” she said.

“Staying fit is important, but so is staying healthy. By getting vaccinated against the flu, you will contribute to force protection at a time when it’s vitally important.

“Together, we can help prevent the flu becoming an additional burden on our health system at this critical time.”

Members should contact their local health centre to arrange for a flu jab or participate in a scheduled vaccination parade.

Get vaccinated this flu season

Navy nursing officer Leut-Cmdr Anne Allica administers an Influenza vaccination to Brig Craig Schramm, Director General Garrison Health/Army Heath at Campbell Park, Canberra. Photo: Lauren Larking

Personnel16

AUSTRALIA is experiencing one of the toughest times in recent memory due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 heath crisis.

With a difficult employment market and increased numbers of people competing for available jobs, Defence has made changes to the Partner Employment Assistance Program (PEAP) to help support Army partners.

Defence understands there are many part-ners who may find themselves out of work due to business closures. PEAP provides up to $1500 to eligible Army partners for employability initiatives when they relocate on posting, or when their member transitions from the ADF for medical reasons.

Previously, partners could only access PEAP funding if they had relocated with their member to a new location in the past two years.

These changes open up eligibility, mean-ing partners of ADF members can apply for PEAP funding at any time during the posting cycle and regardless of how long they have been in location.

Deputy Director National Operations David Cadden said this will allow more ADF partners to access the program, supporting those families with partners who may be out of work at the moment due to the COVID-19 health crisis.

The PEAP provides access a range of employment-related initiatives such as devel-opment of a professional resume or resume coaching, identification of transferable skills, employment options and job placement advice, job search techniques and strategies, and development of an online employment profile.

Funding can also be used to help partners with responding to selection criteria and writing applications, as well as coaching in job interview preparation and presentation. Partners can also access funding for man-datory fees for professional re-registration required under legislation.

Find out more about the program on the Defence Community Organisation website at defence.gov.au/dco or by calling the 24/7 Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.

Making a change for the better

Sgt Janine Fabre

A SENIOR soldier was due for transfer to reserves in less than 48 hours. He had a letter-of-offer from a civilian employer, but the company suddenly shut for an indefinite period.

Maj Brenton Pearce, SO2 Transfers, said the soldier had a young family with a stay-at-home wife.

“His employment future ceased but we were able to immediately withdraw his transfer application without any pay detriment,” Maj Pearce said.

“The member now has certainty as he is in a service residence and he is still getting a good Defence wage.

“He has financial stability until that company is able to open up again and then he will be able to step out to that civilian employment when he is ready.”

Any soldier worried about leaving Army during an uncertain economy and with a pending application to transfer can withdraw their application or have the dates amended.

With more than 1500 personnel in the process of transferring from full-time service into an uncertain labour market, Maj Pearce said any of those soldiers unsure about their financial future should immediately talk to their chain of command.

“If you are in any doubt as to the ongoing stability of yourself and your family, make the decision to stay in to buy yourself that time,” Maj Pearce said.

“It is as easy as sending an email through your chain of command with the commanding officer’s endorsement, then through to our group email box here at voluntary transfers. We generally will start to action it within 24 to 48 hours.”

Maj Pearce said it was important for Army to provide options for soldiers.

“If the employment market isn’t out there, we don’t want people transitioning out into that uncertainty,” Maj Pearce said.

“We don’t want their families or the member themselves going through financial hardship as a result of making a decision that may have worked for them three months ago, which won’t work for them now.”

There may be a temporary pay disruption that will be reimbursed if the soldier misses a pay cycle cut-off.

They should only be affected for one pay cycle so it is encouraged to put requests in as soon as possible.

“We will go outside our normal business rules to try to protect the member so impact is kept to a minimum,” Maj Pearce said.

“We will do what we can to have it fixed as quickly as possible.”

Maj Pearce recently actioned more than 120 withdrawal of transfer applications, the majority being soldiers transferring from SERCAT 7 to SERCAT 3 or 5.

“What they are requesting is to remain in full-time service for at least the next six months,” Maj Pearce said.

“Without knowing what the economy and the job market is going to be like in the immediate future, they would prefer the security of remaining in full-time service, which is SERCAT 7.”

You can request to withdraw your Application to Transfer (AC853) by emailing [email protected] Your email requires an endorsement from your CO or supervisor.

Stay in and stay secure

Classmates from ADFA and RMC-Duntroon listen to a talk during a counter-terrorism demonstration by Tactical Assault Group – East in Majura Training area, Canberra, in September 2019. Photo: Pte Nicole Dorrett


YOU might have received a call from your boss a few weeks ago, saying you will, or are encour-aged to, work from home for the foreseeable future.

For some, this arrangement may work well, for others – especially those with kids – having near-constant distractions may make it difficult to concentrate.

While it’s important you don’t completely ignore what’s around you, there are a few things you can do to help you work more efficiently.

First, try to maintain your normal routine. This doesn’t mean get dressed into your uni-

form and sit in front of your computer at exactly 7.30 every morning.

But if you’re used to doing PT three times a

week, from 7.30am to 8.30am, make sure you still do that – don’t just sit around in your PJs.

Second, give yourself a dedicated work area at home. This could be your normal computer desk or a spot at the dining room table, but you’ll want to make sure it’s, mostly, distraction free.

If the weather is cooperative, consider work-ing outside. You might find a spot of sunlight and a fresh breeze keeps you on track.

It’s also important not to be distracted while you’re trying to work. The seasoned work-from-home professional may be able to resist the siren call of the washing machine finishing, or multi-task watching TV with work, but if you’re new to this, it’s a bad idea.

If you’re in an area that might otherwise distract you, try a “signal” for work time – for

example, turn on a lamp or flip over a marker on your table during work hours to draw a mental distinction.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take breaks. For instance, a quick walk around the backyard to stretch your legs can help clear your mind, but remember to set time limits on your breaks.

Most importantly, being isolated can be lone-ly, so it’s important to keep in contact with the people you would usually see every day.

There are many ways to achieve this: a phone call, Skype on the DPN or even messag-ing apps such as Signal. The important thing is to keep things as normal as possible.

With a few routines in place, before long you – and your family – will settle into a comfort-able and productive groove.

Working from

home

Cpl Sebastian Beurich enjoys one of the benefits of working from home – getting some sunshine.

April 30, 2020 Peopledefence.gov.au/news/armynews 17

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Quick-fire questions

Answers

1. Which two planets in our solar system are known as “ice giants”?

2. For which NBA team did the late Kobe Bryant play?

3. What shape is farfalle pasta?4. How long is the River Thames in England?

a. 246km; b. 346km; or c. 446km5. Myology is the study of what?

6. In what year was the Titanic’s first and last voyage?

7. What is the first name of Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series?

8. What is the English translation of Volkswagen?

9. How were singers Whitney Houston and Dionne Warwick related?

10. A “rhumba” is a group of what?

1. Neptune and Uranus. 2. Los Angeles Lakers. 3. Bow tie (or butterfly). 4. b. 346km. 5. Muscles. 6. 1912. 7. Severus. 8. People’s car. 9. Cousins.10. Rattlesnakes

How long is the River Thames? (Q4) Photo: Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

Pte Rachael Byrne, of 11CSSB, and Olivia Colley, from the Discharge Management Unit in Brisbane, make phone calls to civilians under mandatory quarantine as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist. Photo: Tpr Jonathan Goedhart

Cpl Brittany Bright, of 1CCER, practises crash scene response techniques.

Photo: WO2 Leon Hocking

Cpl David Maclaurin works the phone in the NSW Health COVID-19 Contact Trace Centre. Photo: Cpl Chris Beerens

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Cpl Julia Whitwell

IF YOU’RE self-isolating and need inspiration to keep fit from home, PTI Cpl Scott Williams has you covered.

Cpl Williams has included four simple exercises you can use to stay in shape that don’t require any equipment, and why they’re great for you.

1. Burpee A fantastic full-body conditioning movement incor-porating both lower and upper-body, and when com-pleted in repetition and with correct form, it builds effective muscular endurance and cardiovascular base.

Correct form: From a standing position, move into a squat position, place your hands on the ground and shoot your feet rearwards so your body is in a push up position with your arms fully extended.

Lower your body so your chest touches the ground, then return back to the squat position by jumping your feet back towards your chest, and jump up with power. Repeat.

Hot tip: Ensure your hips don’t sag in either the downward or upward movement, which can place unwanted stress on your lower back. Always engage your core and slow the movement down to perform correctly.

2. Push up An excellent full-body movement incorporating activation of the chest, shoulders, abdominals, arms, back, legs and glutes.

Correct form: Ensure you effectively engage your core and glutes so your hips don’t sag, to eliminate poor form and posture.

Hot tip: Conduct cadence pushups to improve overall strength and endurance. This doesn’t allow a break in form such as during a BFA (rest position).

It also elevates your upper body and core strength conditioning.

3. Body-weight squatThis lower-body movement requires the hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes to work effectively in unison and improves hip mobility. When performed correctly and with intensity, it can be a fantastic conditioning exercise.

Hot tip: Place feet shoulder-width apart, to pre-vent the knees collapsing inward therefore eliminat-ing the body coming forward on to the toes, instead of the heels.

4. Bulgarian split squat Another excellent lower body movement, specifically focusing on each individual leg.

It’s a fantastic alternative for those with poor hip mobility, and back-related issues. It can improve your range of motion, reduce muscle imbalances and recruit your stabiliser muscles.

Correct form: Balance your rear foot on a chair, bench or couch, while your front foot comes forward into a comfortable position (ensure your front knee doesn’t come forward of your toe).

Engage your core, chest out and shoulders back. Slowly move through the downward phase without placing any load on the back leg.

Drive back up to the standing position by push-ing through your front heel, use your quad and glute strength to return to the upright position, before repeating this movement.

Hot tip: Resist leaning forward to prevent placing unwanted pressure on your front knee and driving up through your front toe, which often means your front leg is too close to the bench.

For resources on how to keep fit and healthy during self-isolation, or how to keep fit from home, visit http://drnet/Army/DAH/PTC/Pages/Physical-Training-Resources.aspx

PT at home

1. 2.

3.

4.

Sport18

Pte Jacob Joseph

SOLDIERS who lift high-intensity weights perform better in military specific exercises, such as pack marching and battle runs, research by Army and James Cook University has found.

The 15-week study examined effects of high-intensity resistance training on soldiers’ combat fitness and used an exercise program designed by ADF Physical Training School PTI Sgt Dale Gormann.

“The results were pretty clear and we were always confident that was going to be the outcome” he said.

“Anecdotally, we knew what we were doing was working.

“However, the study was our first opportunity to objectively validate the data.”

The study followed 49 soldiers from 1RAR for about five months.

“We split them into three groups and introduced different resistance training protocols to two groups, using the third as a control,” JCU PhD student and reservist Lt Brian Heilbronn said.

At the end of the study, soldiers were assessed on their ability to complete job-specific exercises such as fire and movement and resistance exercises such as deadlifts.

“It didn’t matter which resistance training program they used, they got better improvements in both general strength and military-specific fitness outcomes than the group that didn’t

Sportdefence.gov.au/news/armynewsApril 30, 2020 19

Lifting ahead of the pack

A soldier from 1RAR participates in a study that shows high-intensity resistance training puts him ahead of his peers in military-specific fitness.

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use resistance training,” Lt Heilbronn said.

The study accommodated for a soldier’s day-to-day activities, showing resistance training was beneficial even when interrupted by an Army unit’s battle rhythm.

“We had people on guard duty, on courses, they went out field twice and had leave periods in the program,” Lt Heilbronn said.

“We’ve proved it’s a program that works within a real-time unit with the

difficult changes of attendance that happen with day-to-day training.”

The exercise plan, known as the Advanced Operator Conditioning Program (AOCP), was based on a specialised program developed by Sgt Gormann for the 1RAR Duke of Gloucester Cup squad in 2017.

“Each session works towards enhancing one of the components of military fitness: strength, endurance and mobility,” Lt Heilbronn said.

The AOCP combines energy

system training, strength training, occupational mission-profile sessions and con t inua t ion o f unarmed combative skills and recovery methods over five days.

“We thought it was a really exciting program because it was very different to what they were used to doing, by the fact that they were using the high-intensity resistance training, so we asked if we could do a study on it,” he said.

Sgt Gormann said support from

1RAR’s chain of command enabled the progression in the physical training approach and the research project to support the findings.

“The unit was provided the resources and autonomy required to deliver that model of training to 600-plus soldiers,” he said.

Lt Heilbronn hoped his research would inform future ADF training.

He said the AOCP had been rolled out across 3 Bde and some 7 Bde units were doing a similar program.

Tpr Ryan Argent, of Australia’s Federation Guard, resting on

arms as part of the Catafalque Party during the Anzac Day

dawn service at the Australian National Memorial at Villers-

Bretonneux War Cemetery in France on Anzac Day 2018.

Photo: LS Jake Badior

An Australian Army slouch hat and boots stand in a field of handcrafted poppies at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Photo: Cpl Nunu Campos

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Edition 1464 April 30, 2020 The soldiers’ newspaper WE ...€¦ · Edition 1464 April 30, 2020 The soldiers’ newspaper The Slouch Hat: Our Story – Special lift-out Anzac Day