FORCEAIRVol. 50, No. 5, April 3, 2008 The official newspaper of the Royal Australian Air Force

FORCEAIRThe official newspaper of the Royal Australian Air Force

NEW ERA FOR OTS

By LAC Aaron Curran

IT WAS an historic day for Air Force when it officially opened its new state-of-the-art Officers’ Train-ing School (OTS) at RAAF Base East Sale on March 14.

The humid weather didn’t damp-en festivities, with Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support Dr Mike Kelly MP unveiling the $60 million facility on the base, joined by CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd.

The OTS opening coincided with the base’s first Initial Officer Course graduation. Forty-five new officers – the majority of which were former airmen – graduated from the 16-week

New leader:Our next Chief

is announcedPage 3

Long last:Sydney II

discoveredPage 4

Going strong:Hercs’ fifth

year on ops Centre

course, which was divided between Point Cook and East Sale.

AIRMSHL Shepherd was the reviewing officer at the graduation, which was marked by a six-ship for-mation fly-over of the parade ground by the Roulettes.

OTS moved to Gippsland in January this year after being at Point Cook since January 11, 1961.

While the move was a new begin-

ning for the school, its origins were not forgotten, with timbers from Point Cook’s original flying boat jetty being relocated and set into a boardwalk between the theatre and learning centre at East Sale.

OTS’s heritage was also recorded in a large external mural on the school’s new theatre, which depicts the origi-nal 1914 pilots’ graduation, the four airmen awarded the Victoria Cross,

and core personal values of Air Force officers. On the western wall of the new learning centre, a mural depicts a range of aircraft from different eras of Air Force history.

“The murals and the jetty provide a real connection to Point Cook. It’s our Air Force home; our heritage, and we’ve always relied on what it offered us as a school,” OTS CO WGCDR Tony Dolin said.

“That said, the future of officer training is here at East Sale and we are very pleased to be part of an active and focused Defence team on this base.”

Following the OTS graduation, the new East Sale Combined Mess was officially opened by its namesake, former Vice Chief of the Defence Force, AIRMSHL Doug Riding (ret’d).

The AIRMSHL Doug Riding Mess has a purpose-built central kitchen serving officers, sergeants, OTS stu-dents and airmen.

The facility’s smart design has sig-nificantly reduced the costs of provid-ing Mess services on base. Continued Page 2

Air Force opens its ‘world-class’ officer training facility at RAAF Base East Sale

PART OF HISTORY: FLGOFF Chukwuma Meka, originally from Nigeria, was among

45 officer cadets to graduate on the day of OTS’s official opening at RAAF Base East

Sale. He is pictured in front of the school’s learning centre, which forms part of the new

$60 million training precinct on the base. Photo by LAC Aaron Curran

2 News AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

Air Mail Warrant Officer of the Air Force WOFF-AF Ray Woolnough, AM

AIR FORCE RANKSThe following explains the rank abbreviations, as featured in AIR FORCE News

ACM Air Chief Marshal

AIRMSHL Air Marshal

AVM Air Vice-Marshal

AIRCDRE Air Commodore

GPCAPT Group Captain

WGCDR Wing Commander

SQNLDR Squadron Leader

FLTLT Flight Lieutenant

FLGOFF Flying Officer

PLTOFF Pilot Officer

OFFCDT Officer Cadet

WOFF-AF Warrant Officer of the Air Force

WOFF Warrant Officer

FSGT Flight Sergeant

SGT Sergeant

CPL Corporal

LAC Leading Aircraftman

LACW Leading Aircraftwoman

AC Aircraftman

ACW Aircraftwoman

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DisclaimerAIR FORCE News is published fortnightly by the Directorate of Defence Newspapers. Printed by Capital Fine Print. The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising if it is deemed inappropriate and to change the size of the ad, print type or other specifications if material is not compatible with our system. The fact an ad is accepted for publication does not mean that the product or service has the endorsement of Defence or AIR FORCE News.

FORCEAIR FORCEAIRDirectorRod Horan: (02) 6265 4650rod.horan@defencenews.gov.auEditorSimone Liebelt: (02) 6265 2253simone.liebelt@defencenews.gov.auDeputy Editor/Sports EditorBarry Rollings: (02) 6265 7219barry.rollings@defencenews.gov.au

Senior ReporterAndrew Stackpool: (02) 6266 7611andrew.stackpool@defencenews.gov.au

Reporter/PhotographerLAC Aaron Curran: (02) 6265 1355aaron.curran@defencenews.gov.au

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SubscriptionsTrish Dillon: (02) 6266 7607tdillon@defencenews.gov.au

Fax: (02) 6265 6690

Commendation winnersGreetings Airmen and Airwomen of

the Air Force.I hope those of you who were able to

do so enjoyed a relaxing Easter break. I must say it was just the tonic I needed – and not the Easter eggs and hot cross buns.

While I did dabble in those treats, a good game of golf with some good friends quickly worked off the calories.

Anzac Day is fast approaching and I strongly encourage you all to get involved in some way.

In my last column, I mentioned a couple of issues that needed to be addressed. I am sure that we are all now better informed on the Executive WOFFs and the use of the chain of command.

This time I want to talk about the pro-motion courses that I have had the hon-our to address, not only here in Canberra, but also at RAAF Base Wagga.

I am impressed with the protocols shown on my visits, but I am much more impressed with the enthusiasm shown by the students.

The School WOFF, along with the SGT, FSGT and WOFF facilitators, are doing a fine job and I feel that the stu-dents realise that being in the Air Force requires them to be aware of many aspects associated with being in the mili-

Well done to our training gurusCAF Commendation – Gold SQNLDR Christopher Adam

Ellison – for his outstanding performance as senior executive officer at 36SQN and as senior engineering officer at 37SQN.

ACAUST Commendation – Silver SQNLDR Kate Elizabeth Thorne

– for her expemplary perform-ance as the engineering officer at 38SQN.

SQNLDR Leon Hilton Sallway – for his outstanding performance as the senior planning and logis-tics officer at 396 Expeditionary Combat Support Wing.

FLTLT Jaye McIntyre – for her outstanding performance as the training standards officer for the aeronautical trades at Headquarters Ground Training Wing.

WOFF Alan David Currie – for his outstanding performance as

From Page 1The new OTS headquarters building

is also an impressive addition to the base, featuring a number of environmen-tally sustainable design initiatives. These include grey water recycling, rainwater collection, provision of bike shelters, mixed mode climate control, solar hot water heating and motion sensor con-trolled lighting systems.

OFFCDT Naomi Brown, who received the Leadership and Military Qualities Award from the graduating course, was impressed with the school’s high quality facilities.

“At Point Cook, all the computers ran off a dish that was pointing towards Laverton, and being at the mercy of the weather, it regularly dropped out. Here [at East Sale], it’s a wonderful learn-ing environment with brand new class-rooms, computers, projectors and even surround sound in the theatre,” she said.

“Also, the accommodation here has ensuites between two rooms which makes life more comfortable for the students.”

Along with the new facilities, the other big advantage for students is being located on an operational base.

“You see all the happenings and

tary. For example – leaders understand and encourage their people on the use of the chain of command, understand and advise their people on code of behaviour requirements, and understand that they, as leaders, are expected to look after their people, both professionally and personally.

I attended the first Officers’ Training School graduation at RAAF Base East Sale on March 14, of which a large pro-portion of ex-airmen graduated as offic-ers. Well done to those members. A big-ger “well done” is deserved by all those on parade for graduating – especially when the conditions were 37 degrees-plus, and the warm dry wind was of no help.

After the parade, the new OTS facil-ity was officially opened and the new buildings are certainly very impressive.

No. 1 Recruit Training Unit is having its first graduation at RAAF Base Wagga on April 9, and I will be there to witness the graduation and official opening as well.

What an exciting time in the Air Force – new facilities and new locations.

I would like to congratulate the Air Force personnel listed at right for their well-deserved commendations.

’Till next time, keep on smiling.

the SNCO in charge of the 92WG engine build-up section.

FSGT Desmond Charles Byrnes – for his outstanding performance as the unit maintenance quality representative at 75SQN.

FSGT David Wayne Towerton – for his tireless efforts in sup-porting the introduction of an explosive detector dog capability to Air Force.

ACAUST Commendation – Bronze SGT Julianna Louise Maher – for

her outstanding performance as the orderly room sergeant at No. 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron.

OTS houses 60 instructors and staff and up to 120 offic-ers under training at any one time. The new training precinct is a mix of eco-friendly and low-maintenance construction, blended with appealing décor and external landscaping, including two huge embossed metal murals. OTS expects to train approxi-mately 300 PAF and Active Reserve officers in 2008.

New-look school

operational activities and you feel you would like to do this weekly, so it changed us for the better and gave us more motivation,” graduate FLGOFF Chukwuma Meka said.

“Point Cook was strictly training, but here we have operational squadrons, a clothing store, pool, medical facilities and an orderly room staffed with mili-tary members.”

Students left Point Cook for the

OTS leads the way

WARM RECEPTION: Above, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Support Dr Mike Kelly MP inspects the OTS graduates on parade during the 37C day at RAAF Base East Sale. Photo by CPL Col DaddSTEP BACK IN TIME: Right, graduates FLGOFF Chukwuma Meka and OFFCDT Naomi Brown admire OTS’s boardwalk, which was created from timbers salvaged from Point Cook’s original flying boat jetty. Photo by LAC Aaron Curran

Christmas break, returning to East Sale to find their new rooms ready to occupy and classes ready to commence.

“It was a very easy transition from Point Cook to Sale. It was arranged that we all arrived at the airport in Melbourne within 30 minutes of each other and we then got a bus to Sale. I was very impressed,” FLGOFF Meka said.

OFFCDT Brown agreed. “The move

was really good. We just packed our boxes, went on holidays, came here [to East Sale] and there it all was.

“We have been privileged as a course to have the benefit of the history of Point Cook, then coming here and experiencing the new side of things. I was definitely happy here with the new facilities, technology and being on an operational base with lots more aircraft around,” she said.

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3 NewsAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

LUCKY LEADERS: From the front, AVM Mark Binskin (CAF designate), followed by RADM Russell Crane (CN designate), LTGEN Ken Gillespie (CA designate), LTGEN David Hurley (Vice CDF designate) and CDF ACM Angus Houston after their appointments were announced. Photo by WO Steve Dent

ACAUST next CAF

AIR FORCE will have a new Chief on July 4.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced on March 19 that ACAUST AVM Mark Binskin will be promot-ed and assume the duties of Chief of Air Force. His promotion is in parallel with new Service chiefs in Navy and Army. The present CDF, ACM Angus Houston, has had his tenure extended for a further three years.

AVM Binskin started his Service career in the Navy flying A-4G Skyhawks before transferring to the Air Force and flying the Mirage and F/A-18.

AVM Binskin is a qualified fighter combat instructor, tacti-cal reconnaissance pilot and Air Force F/A-18 demonstration pilot with more than 3500 hours in single-seat fighter aircraft to his credit.

In this last role, he represented Air Force across Australia as well as in Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore, and was also awarded the Order of Australia Medal (Military Division).

AVM Mark Binskin to take office

AIR FORCE is introducing its Facebook and YouTube web-sites to keep in touch with mem-bers and provide information on topical issues, changes and events.

Not every person has easy access to a DRN terminal but almost everyone has the internet at home. Now, with Facebook, DGPERS-AF will be able to dis-seminate information directly into the homes of Air Force personnel.

Facebook will allow the post-ing of photographs and video clips, networking and discussion between members of the group, recent news, as well as dedicated discussions boards on important personnel issues.

The new communication chan-nels will not bypass or replace the official communication channels

of chain of command, but will provide a more informal way of communicating with members of the Air Force family.

“The new sites are a great initiative for Air Force to drive personnel management into the future,” DGPERS-AF AIRCDRE John Hewitson said.

“It is important for members of the Air Force family to be able to keep in touch. That is some-thing that can be difficult with a workforce that is so mobile and dispersed. Facebook provides this capability for us.

“We have lost the prominence of the role that messes and mar-ried patches used to play in keep-ing families connected. Facebook can be the [new] married patch,” he said.

While the Air Force has excel-

lent support measures in place for the families of deployed person-nel, the Air Force Facebook will complement these services by pro-viding a medium where families will be able to communicate with other families all over the world.

Additionally, the YouTube channel allows Air Force to pro-vide videos of interest to the com-munity, while developing impor-tant statistics on what interests people. This will become crucial for recruiting targets in the future as recruitment and retention con-tinue to be the ADF’s highest pri-ority. The Air Force Headquarters web team encourages all members to join them on Facebook and YouTube. Visit: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=9147719110 and www.youtube.com/airforcehq

Air Force’s new online network

In 2003, AVM Binskin served as Chief of Staff at the headquarters of Australian Theatre in Iraq and then at the US Central Air Force Combined Air and Space Operations Centre – the first non-US officer to do so. He was award-ed a Commendation for Distinguished Service.

From 2004-2005, he served as Commander Air Combat Group.

In addition to these operational activities, AVM Binskin has served in many joint and single Service staff appointments, including Director-General Performance Management Audit and Director-General Capability Planning. AVM Binskin was appointed ACAUST on July 26, 2007.

On selection as the next CAF, he said: “These are exciting times for Air Force and it is always reassuring to be surrounded by great people doing a fantastic job.

“I very much look forward to lead-ing the team later in the year and feel honoured to be given that opportunity.”

CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd congratulated his successor.

“I know that [AVM Binskin] will enjoy the role and that you will all give him the support that you have given me over the last few years, particular-ly during my time as Air Commander Austra l ia and as your Chief ,” AIRMSHL Shepherd said.

“CDF has stated that [the Service Chief designates] are very experienced officers and have each proven them-selves in demanding previous appoint-ments.

“They each inherit Services that are in fine shape but have been chosen

because they have the qualities required to lead their Service and the ADF into a demanding future,” he said.

LTGEN Ken Gillespie has been appointed as the new Chief of Army, and RADM Russ Crane will be the new Chief of Navy.

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4 News AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By Andrew Stackpool

THE DISCOVERY of HMAS Syd-ney II has finally brought some com-fort to the families of six RAAF per-sonnel who went down with the ship in World War II.

On November 19, 1941, the cruiser encountered the German surface raider HKS Kormoran about 250km south-west of the WA town of Carnarvon. In the short, desperate battle that followed, both ships were sunk. The 645 members of Sydney’s ship’s company went down with their ship.

Included in their number were six RAAF personnel, assigned from 9SQN at Rathmines, NSW, to operate the cruiser’s Walrus amphibian aircraft. The Navy’s cruisers carried the aircraft for reconnaissance, gunnery spotting, search and rescue, and general duties.

They were FLGOFF Raymond Barrey, SGT Sidney Marley, CPLs Arthur Clarke and Roy Foster and LACs Richard Dodds and Keith Homard. The six men had embarked the ship while she was in Sydney earlier that year.

For 67 years, the circumstances around the loss of the ship and her rest-ing place remained a mystery, shrouded by claim, counter-claim and conspir-acy theories. Over the years, several impromptu searches were mounted, but, like the official ones in 1941, nothing was ever found.

On March 16, 2008, the chartered research ship Geosound reported she believed she had found the Sydney in 2470 meters of water, about 250km off the WA town of Carnarvon.

The discovery was offic ia l ly announced the following day, just two days after Kormoran was found on March 14. The two ships were only 22km apart. Initial reports indicated the ship was largely intact and sitting upright.

Chief of Navy VADM Russ Shalders said it was “an historic day”.

“This is a day that begins a period of closure for the families,” VADM Shalders said. “Our condolences are for those brave young men.”

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said that the ADF would now be contacting fam-

ily members. “They will make sure that the surviving family members of the crew of HMAS Sydney II are informed of this discovery as soon as is practi-cally possible,” Mr Rudd said.

While exploration of the two wreck sites will be conducted in attempts to determine the course of the action and the battle damage of the two ships, they will be designated as war graves.

CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd paid tribute to the six airmen.

“I add my congratulations to The Finding Sydney Foundation and the Royal Australian Navy in locating HMAS Sydney II,” AIRMSHL Shepherd said. “This discovery is also a significant and emotional event for Air Force.

“I hope that tracing the ship’s resting place provides a degree of comfort to the families of the six RAAF members and the Royal Australian Navy crew who served their nation with courage and died in this fierce battle,” he said.

Sydney mystery solvedChapter in RAAF history closes

HISTORIC DISCOVERY: HMAS Sydney II has been discovered 67 years after being sunk during WWII. She is pictured here launching her 9SQN Seagull V in Jervis Bay in 1939, while being followed in line astern by her sister ship, HMNZS Leander . Photo courtesy of the RAAF Museum

More information on HMAS Sydney IISince the announcement of the

discovery of HMAS Sydney II, many relatives of those lost on the ship have been seeking information. Further details, including a registration form for relatives, is now available at: www.navy.gov.au – follow the links to the HMAS Sydney II information page. The web-site will be updated regularly regarding upcoming events, including the planned

memorial services for both Sydney and Kormoran (detailed below). Relatives can also register their details by calling the toll free number 1800 005 687.

Navy is planning to lay a plaque and wreath at the Sydney site, while a national memorial service will be held in Sydney on April 24. A national com-memoration will be held on November 19 to mark the 67th anniversary of the loss.

Roll of honour FLGOFF Raymond Barker Barrey – pilot and detachment commander. SGT Sidney Marley – fitter E. CPL Arthur John Clarke – fitter armourer. CPL Roy Ebenezer Foster – fitter IIA. LAC Richard Dodds – fitter IIA. LAC Keith Homard – photographer.

5NewsAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By Barry Rollings

DEFENCE Occupational Health and Safety Compensation Branch (DOHSC) intends to design a De-fence-wide Personal Protective Equipment Management Sys-tem (PPEMS) for all PPE in its in-ventory after undertaking a holistic review of current practices.

It is not an implementation project but is intended to be a whole-of-Defence review of the relevant existing systems.

It is intended to identify a com-prehensive PPEMS model, which will be reviewed by the three Services for comment.

The Directorate of Defence Aviation and Air Force Safety (DDAFS) is reviewing the Air Force-approved PPE list process and coor-dinating Air Force input. Those who wish to provide comment on the current shortfalls and advantages of both the Air Force and overall PPEs should contact FLTLT Nigel Wood from DDAFS. The DOHSC review

THE South Australian Police are seek-ing assistance in relation to an incident that occured at 4:30pm on December 14, 2005 at Gepps Cross in South Australia.

A female aged about 28 years was seri-ously assaulted by a male in a motor vehi-cle on Grand Junction Road.

Four unknown males, believed to have been ADF members and possibly from RAAF Base Edinburgh, intervened to stop

the assault and to render assistance to the injured female.

SA Police are keen to identify and speak to these ADF members as the male is being prosecuted for the assault and the assistance of all witnesses is required. The ADF Investigative Service seeks assistance in identifying the four ADF members. Any person with information is requested to contact HQ ADFIS on (02) 6266 8518.

SA assault witnesses sought

Defence is calling for input on PPE practices

Get your fill of protection

will consider PPE specified, identi-fied and supplied via all means, in-cluding Defence publications, SDSS (Standard Defence Supply System), clothing store, EPU (Electronic

Payments by Unit) and the Air Force-approved PPE list.

Phase one of the DOHSC project will identify deficiencies in cur-rent PPE management practices. DDAFS will be consulted during the review, and it is also seeking brief comment on deficiencies or sug-gestions for improvement of PPE management, including selection, authorisation for use, procurement/supply, training in use, maintenance, replacement and disposal.

PPE is protective clothing or equipment that provides employees with protection from a particular hazard in a work area. PPE includes gloves, eye and face protectors, over-alls, aprons, spats, steel capped boots, hearing protectors, safety helmets and respiratory protection.

Phase one of the DOHSC project will be conducted in two stages, due for completion on May 14 and July 31 respectively. Send your comments on PPE in dot point form to FLTLT Nigel Wood at email: nigel.wood@defence.gov.au

NO MORE GAPS: Have your say on the current PPE system as part of a Defence-wide review. Pictured is LAC Kevin Armstrong from 382ECSS in PPE while refuelling a PC-9 at Point Cook. Photo by AB James WhittleNO FUMES HERE: Right, 87SQN photographer CPL Mark McConnell is ready to mix chemistry with a full face respirator. Photo by LAC Scott Woodward

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6 News AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

Air Force in Ex Croix de Sud

AIR FORCE is to continue with the acquisition of the F/A-18F Super Hornet and to phase out the F-111 by the end of 2010. It may also look at other variants of the Super Hornet.

The government announced the decisions following its con-sideration of the first phase of its review of air combat capability.

The review is being conducted in two stages. The first assessed: Australia’s air combat capabil-ity requirements for the period 2010-2015; Feasibility of retaining the F-111 in service beyond 2010; Comparative analysis of air-craft available to fill any gap left by the F-111’s withdrawal; and The status of plans to acquire the Super Hornet.The second phase will now

examine trends in air power in the Asia-Pacific region out to 2045 and the relative capabilities of current and projected fourth and fifth generation combat aircraft, including the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). That review will also examine the case for and against acquiring the F-22 (Raptor).

The review will also assess complementary options to the JSF, including unmanned aerial combat vehicles.

The review team is being guided by a steering group comprising senior Defence officers, Treasury, Finance and Deregulation officers, and Prime Minister and Cabinet senior exec-utives.

Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon has asked the com-mittee to report to him by the end of April.

Among other matters, the first phase found that the Super Hornet is an excellent multi-role aircraft.

It also found that cancelling the Super Hornet would bring significant financial penalties and create understandable tensions between the contract partners.

Additional capabilities, such as specialist electronic warfare variants, will be considered as part of the Super Hornet acquisi-tion.

These additional capabilities will be more fully considered under the second stage of the Air Combat Capability Review.

Flying the fl ag for 75SQN

Super Hornet is backed in air combat review

A 75SQN F/A-18 pilot connects with a B707 pod during air-to-air refuelling practice near RAAF Base Tindal. The training was in preparation for Exercise Red Flag, a realistic multi-nation combat training exercise being held in Alaska, USA, from April 5-19. The training also marked the final flight of the B707 to Tindal before it is retired later this year. Photo by LAC Casey Smith

THREE 38SQN Caribous are playing an important role in Exer-cise Croix Du Sud 2008.

The five-nation exercise, which is controlled by the French armed forc-es based in New Caledonia, started on March 28 and will finish on April 12.

The exercise aims to enhance the capability and interoperability of the

armed forces of Pacific countries in response to a regional emergency.

Assets from France, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Vanuatu are participating. Other Australian assets include HMAS Kanimbla and Wollongong, and an infantry com-pany from 1 Brigade. AIR FORCE News will report on the exercise in an upcoming edition.

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7 NewsAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

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By Barry Rollings

DELIVERIES, planned and im-promptu, have played a significant role in the recent life of CPL Jer-emy Watson, whose wife Cheryl gave birth to their third son in the rear of their new van en-route to hospital on February 23.

The special delivery of their little bundle of joy, Zack, was all but carried out by CPL Watson – a CISCON with the Joint Electronic Warfare Operat ional Support Unit (JEWOSU) at RAAF Base Edinburgh – in a service station parking lot, with station patrons blissfully unaware of the miracle of life taking place nearby.

The drama began convention-ally enough around 10.40pm when Mrs Watson’s waters broke and she and CPL Watson set out from their Greenwith home for Calvary Hospital in North Adelaide, about 40 minutes away, in their recently-delivered family van.

About halfway to hospital, Mrs Watson realised she could feel the head and told her husband, who

pulled into the service station and phoned the ambulance service through 000.

CPL Watson suddenly found himself introduced to the unfamiliar world of midwifery – or should that be midhusbandry? The van turned out to be a godsend, offering more space for the delivery than the con-ventional family sedan.

By this time his wife had moved to the rear of the van, while CPL Watson, mobile in one hand and baby’s head resting in his other, was talked through the necessary steps by an ambulance officer.

“I could see his little fingers and asked if I should continue through to the full delivery but was advised not to,” CPL Watson said.

“I handed over to the ambulance officer when she arrived, and was getting a bit worried because it was cold and 11.30 at night. He was blue and giving a few little cries, cough-ing and spluttering, so I was getting a bit anxious.

“The ambulance was about six minutes away so though it did not take them long to arrive, it seemed

like an hour at the time. They were pretty calm and cool.”

Mum and bub spent four days in hospital before returning home to get their feet back on the ground. CPL Watson said his sons Connor, 9, and Jaxon, 4, were enjoying hav-ing the latest arrival home and play-ing big brothers to him, but the two had not fully grasped the drama sur-rounding his arrival.

“I suppose it hasn’t really sunk in for both of us either,” CPL Watson said.

“At the time I didn’t think it was really stressful and I think I kept a fairly cool head on the phone to 000. Cheryl’s waters broke and Zack was born 40 minutes later; there was not much time for anything.

“There was no one else to do it, so you just do what you have to do. It was about an hour later in hospital that the reality set in and I felt the effects a little.”

CPL Watson said there was noth-ing unconventional about the births of the first two, even though Connor was about 11 weeks premature.

Dad delivers the goods

OH, BABY: CPL Jeremy Watson from JEWOSU, RAAF Base Edinburgh, had to deliver his third son, Zack, in the back of the family van after wife Cheryl started giving birth on the way to hospital. Zack was delivered in a service station parking lot. Photo by Connor Watson

MEMBERS of Air Force’s Aircrew Sustainability Project began visiting bases this week to gain input to the plan and will continue visits until early May.

The Director Aircrew Sustainability Project, GPCAPT Anne Borzycki, said it would provide another means by which personnel could feed in ideas and com-ments.

The Aircrew Sustainability Project is an Air Force initiative designed to create a long-term sustainability model for the pilot and air combat officer categories, which not only includes remuneration but Air Force structure and employment con-ditions as well.

The project’s scope has been expand-ed to include airman aircrew and the remuneration of Army and Navy air-crew. Although the project is considering a complete system for aircrew sustain-ability, the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT) is expecting the case of aircrew placement within Graded Officer Pay Scale (GOPS) and Graded Other Ranks Pay Scale (GORPS) to be put to it in the first half of 2009.

“It’s the objective of this project team to develop a sustainable, deliverable and affordable workforce ‘system’ for ADF aircrew – officers and other ranks,” GPCAPT Borzycki said.

“Air Force is going through a period of

intense change as we introduce many new and exciting platforms. Across the ADF, we are seeing aviation in general taking a quantum leap into the future.

“This future cannot be achieved with-out the right mix of experienced people to deliver capability,” she said.

“One dimension of such a system is the remuneration package and, to this end, we will be developing options to take to the DFRT around June 2009 so that officer and other ranks aircrew can be placed within their respective graded pay structures.

“Remuneration is only one of the three key elements to our project. The ‘employ-ment package’ comprises non-financial as well as structural dimensions, and the team will be examining everything.”

GPCAPT Borzycki said it was a great opportunity for the ADF to look at its aircrew resources and pull together all the elements of the employment package to build a system that will be sustainable into the future.

“We will aim to keep members informed as the project unfolds, especially as we reach key milestones,” she said. For more information, including the base visits schedule, view: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/raafweb/sites/ASP/comweb.asp?page=98476

Air Force’s Aircrew Sustainability Project is doing the rounds

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8 News AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By FLTLT Skye Smith

AIR Force Cadet Emmanuel Ellis-Yolmen got a glimpse of his future as an AP-3C pilot during a recent visit to RAAF Base Edinburgh as part of a program for indigenous youth.

The inaugural ‘Seeking the Heights’ program, hosted by 11SQN pilot, FLGOFF Adam Cox, provided Emmanuel and fellow school mates, Tyson Henley and Jarrod Simpson, with the unique opportunity to board an AP-3C and F/A-18.

The visit provided the indigenous students with a full experience of life in the Air Force, with tours of Aviation Medicine, Aerospace Operational Support Group (AOSG), the 92WG flightline and the 292SQN advanced flight simulator.

Emmanuel, Tyson and Jarrod joined ‘Student Matters’, a Centacare Program co-ordinated by Ross Tanimu, which was formed to ‘close the gaps’ for indigenous youth.

‘Student Matters’ have helped more than 200 indigenous students realise their dreams over the past two years.

Ini t iat ives such as 11SQN’s ‘Seeking the Heights’ help to make dreams come true for indigenous youth who otherwise may have never had the opportunity to experience life in the Air Force.

“There is tremendous potential with the youth we are engaged with, giving positive direction to achieving their dreams through community support, such as the Air Force, to enhance self-esteem and build positive community relationships,” Mr Tanimu said.

“The program attempts to close the health, education and domestic gaps for indigenous youth by applying modern strategies and creating pathways for students all over South Australia.”

The Student Matters program has meant a vast improvement in school retention and employment prospects for its students, according to Mr Tanimu.

11SQN joined forces with the pro-gram objectives of breaking the barri-ers through mentoring and supporting indigenous youth.

Tyson Henley said gaining an inside perspective into life in the Air Force opened his eyes to a whole new world

UPFRONT: Above, from left, 11SQN pilot FLGOFF Adam Cox with Emmanuel Ellis-Yolmen, Tyson Henley and Jarrod Simpson in the cockpit of an Orion.THANK YOU: Below, 11SQN CO WGCDR Warren McDonald presents prints of the Orion to Tyson, Jarrod and Emmanuel during their visit. Photos by AC Vasilis Solomou

Reach for the sky

he never thought he would be a part of. “This program has now given me the goal of becoming a technician on the Orions and work towards finishing high school,” Tyson said.

Emmanuel wants to become an Air Force pilot, while Jarrod is looking for-

ward to flying the Tiger helicopter fol-lowing his visit to AOSG.

Emmanuel thanked 11SQN for the opportunity to get an insight into the Air Force and for an experience he’ll never forget.

9 NewsAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

What a leap of faithWOFF follows calling to chaplaincy thanks to a new training scheme

NEW PATH TO FOLLOW: DP-AF GPCAPT Bob Rodgers promotes WOFF Kevin O’Sullivan to PLTOFF Chaplain before he leaves for theological training. Photo by LAC Al Bencke

By Barry Rollings

A FOCUS on people led PLTOFF Kevin O’Sullivan in the direction of pastoral care when he found himself at a career crossroads recently.

The former WOFF received his new rank slides on February 22 from Director Personnel-Air Force GPCAPT Bob Rodgers to appoint him as a ‘chaplain-in-training’.

He had been with DP as a person-nel manager for the past three years and was the posting delegate for air-men within the intelligence, security and discipline musterings.

After his commissioning cer-emony, PLTOFF O’Sullivan posted out to undertake civilian schooling at the Catholic Theological College in Melbourne under the in-service ADF chaplaincy training scheme.

He said he came from a strong Catholic background and the career change was something he had thought about for a long time.

“I have had interactions with the chaplains over a long time,” he said.

“I have been fortunate because the lay chaplaincy scheme – to be headed up by Chaplain Peter O’Keefe – has been approved but not introduced to the ADF as yet. So, in a sense, I am the trail blazer.”

PLTOFF O’Sullivan said the ADF scheme was modelled on that of the

Canadian Defence Force, which had introduced pastoral associates to com-plement ordained ministers or priests.

“It’s something I wanted to do for a while,” PLTOFF O’Sullivan said. “Originally I was looking at the mar-ried diaconate, who, from a Catholic perspective, have been serving in the ADF for some time.

“I am unsure if the married diaco-nate is where I am being called, how-ever, this may still yet be my voca-tional calling.”

He said last year he was looking at options for the rest of his career in Air Force because he liked the Service and did not want to leave.

“Some chaplains told me the ADF were looking at this program so I spoke to CHAP O’Keefe late last year,” he said. “It snowballed quite quickly and now it’s all happening.

“I have always been very people-focused, especially from 2003 where I was a counsellor with the Alcohol Rehabilitation and Education Program at 3 Combat Support Hospital at RAAF Base Richmond.

“I had two years working there and then posted to Canberra from the beginning of February 2005. So it has been very people-focused and this is another extension of that.”

In his new calling, PLTOFF O’Sullivan said that he would have to meet the requirements a chaplain

was required to fulfil and complete a Degree in Theology.

At the end of a minimum of two years’ pastoral experience, he will require the approval of Catholic Military Bishop Max Davis to min-ister.

“He endorses me and provides me

with an ecclesiastical office to perform my role as a Catholic chaplain. With his endorsement to the ADF, they can appointment me as a chaplain.”

PLTOFF O’Sullivan said he will minister “wherever”.

“The main difference from a church perspective is that I won’t be able to

perform certain sacraments. However, with the bishop’s endorsement, I may be able to preach, baptise, marry and bury.

“From a chaplain’s perspective, I will do, and go, and be a full chaplain in whatever capacity the ADF wants me to be,” he said.

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10 News AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

THE Defence Force Welfare Asso-ciation (DFWA) has changed its name and constitution to include all ADF per-sonnel.

Vice-President of the DFWA, Terry Jones, said the former name of Regular Defence Force Welfare Association (RDFWA) led some to believe that only regular serving personnel could become members.

“We support all ADF personnel who qualify for assistance under the DFRB (Defence Force Retirement Benefits fund), DFRDB (Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits fund), MSBS (Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme) and the Veteran Entitlements act,” Mr Jones said.

“We not only assist reserves but also ex-ADF personnel who are not even members of our association.”

For almost 50 years, the DFWA has devoted resources to review service con-ditions for the welfare of serving and former members of the ADF and their families.

DFWA will continue representing ADF personnel and encourage reserves to join the association and contribute to recent debates.

MAJGEN Warren Glenny (ret’d) rep-resented the Reserves Association at the national executive meeting to discuss issues of common interest.

Concern was raised with the treatment of pension entitlements for reserve per-sonnel on full-time service in receipt of a Service pension.

“It is a confusing issue that has led to some reserve members being severely disadvantaged,” Mr Jones said.

“The military pension system has been subjected to a comprehensive review and significant changes are contemplated.

“This will probably be the most important issue we will have to face in 10 years and we must get it right.”

ADF personnel should read the recent review of service superannuation arrange-ments, including the proposed changes at www.defence.gov.au/militarysuperreview For more information, visit the DFWA website: www.rdfwa.org.au

New name for ADF welfare support

THE search is on for those who were at the fore-front of the recruiting line-ups for the Citizen Mili-tary Forces (Army), and Citizen Air Force (RAAF) in 1948 and the RAN Reserve in 1950.

A colour booklet is to be published commemorating the occasion 60 years ago when the part-time Navy, Army and Air Force came into being after the end of World War II. The booklet’s author, David Cooper, is looking for material, in the form of photographs and memories, for the booklet. If you have a story for the booklet, contact David Cooper on (02) 9144 2867. A list of unit associations for both Reserve and National Service organisations and their contact details are on the Reserve Forces Day Council website: www.rfd.org.au

Winners of GPCAPT Bob Rodgers’ EP, Postcard from Iraq, were CPL Julian Bussey from 38SQN, RAAF Base Townsville, and SQNLDR Bruce Graham from HQ Reserve Training Wing, RAAF Base Amberley. They were randomly selected from entries which correctly named ‘The Rodeo Clowns’ as GPCAPT Rodgers’ band.

Historical search

Postcard from Iraq winners

Walk of lifeFAMILY SUPPORT: Former petty officer, Bob Wilson, with his son, C-130J loadmaster SGT Stuart Wilson from RAAF Base Richmond, and wife Carol. Bob was diagnosed with cancer last year and is walking from Coolangatta to Canberra to raise money for research. Photo supplied by SGT Stuart Wilson

By Barry Rollings

A FORMER Navy submariner and his Air Force son hope to raise a significant amount for cancer re-search with a walk from Coolan-gatta to Canberra in May-June.

Bob Wilson, 62, formerly served as a petty officer. He served on HMS Alcide (during training in UK) and HMAS Oxley, Otway, Ovens and Onslow in Australia. Now a resident of Brisbane, he was diagnosed with cancer on June 28 last year, coin-cidentally the birthday of his son and RAAF Base Richmond C-130J loadmaster, SGT Stuart Wilson.

“During his many visits to the Princess Alexandra Hospital he has met and seen many children with cancer and has been touched by their situations,” SGT Wilson said.

“That’s why he decided to organ-ise a fund-raising event for kids with cancer and send the proceeds to the Children’s Hospital Brisbane and

the Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney.”

Bob is a member of the Submarines Association of Australia and has gained support from them.

The walk from Coolangatta to Canberra, over the months of May and June, is planned to be staged over seven legs, ranging from 82km to 288km in length and two to seven days in duration.

The 1200km walk is planned to end on June 2 to coincide with the annual meeting of the Submarines Association in Canberra.

Bob says he plans to rally his ‘crusty ol’ submariner mates’ to join in the fund-raising walk.

A website has been set up (www.walkforkidswithcancer.com) to gath-er interest, support, and sponsorship and track the walk as it happens.

Bob calculates they will need about 50-60 rotating walkers to complete the route without any-one “busting a boiler” and he plans

to recruit most from the ranks of retired submariners.

“Many of us have been person-ally touched by cancer and we all live in awe of the courage shown by those so young,” Bob said.

He and wife Carol keep up a brave face as this ‘crusty’ subma-riner affectionately known as ‘Tug’ to his mates, centre their thoughts on others throughout his personal battle with the disease.

“We’ll have no trouble recruiting the walkers,” Bob said.

“Now we’re looking for sponsors to assist us on our way, host towns to welcome us and conduct their own fund-raisers to boost the coffers and give us lots of love and encour-agement.” Anyone interested in supporting the walk should visit the website or contact Bob Wilson on (07) 3200 8016 or email: dolfin66@virginbroadband.com.au

11NewsAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

AIR Commander Australia (ACAUST) AVM Mark Binskin joined a number of ADF assets in Hobart to celebrate the Royal Hobart Yacht Club’s 170th regatta recently.

Three F /A-18s f rom No . 2 Operational Conversion Unit thrilled the crowd, and a single-ship display flown by FLTLT Aaron Ward received the tick of approval from spectators.

The C-17 gave an impressive dem-onstration above the regatta ground and many callers expressed their admiration for the support the ADF provided to the event.

The [Army parachute team] ‘Red Devils’ made a number of spectacular descents onto the regatta ground, exit-ing from a 38SQN Caribou and Squirrel helicopters from the RAN’s 723SQN performed their ‘Dancing Squirrel’ rou-tine, while a Navy Augusta 109 helicop-ter provided a wet-winching demonstra-tion over the Derwent River in front of the main grandstand.

During his visit to Hobart, ACAUST presented an award and a commendation to one local Air Force member and one Australian Air Force Cadets member.

SQNLDR (AAFC) Debbie Coulson received the citation for the Australia Day Medallion awarded to her for her “diligent and exemplary per-formance as a senior member of No.

5 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets (5WGAAFC)”.

SQNLDR (AAFC) Coulson joined the Air Training Corps (now Australian Air Force Cadets) as an instructor in 1989, and since then has undertaken a wide range of instructional and adminis-trative duties.

Senior Air Force Officer Tasmania and Air Force Liaison Officer to 5WGAAFC, WGCDR Charles Hill, said that her contribution to competent and efficient administration of 5WGAAFC headquarters had “significantly contrib-uted to the effectiveness of the wing and had greatly enhanced the experience of almost a generation of cadets”.

SGT Julie Maher, the orderly room sergeant at 29SQN, received an ACAUST Bronze Commendation for “outstanding support for a range of administrative functions to support personnel and structural changes to the squadron, and for exceptional support overall to the full range of Air Force activities in Tasmania”.

WGCDR Hill, who is also 29SQN CO, said SGT Maher’s “meticulous adherence to good governance and pro-fessional administration” played a large part in 29SQN’s “healthy report” fol-lowing the squadron’s 2006 manage-ment and audit branch audit.

By SGT Dave Morley

NOT EVEN the heat could stifle the enthusiasm of 45 recruits as they wait-ed their turn to fire the Steyr rifle at Kapooka range on March 13.

The 40 male and five female recruits, all members of Recruit Course 2/2008, had spent nearly two weeks undergoing training on the F88 Steyr at RAAF Base Wagga.

As the temperature soared into the high 30’s, the recruits waited in a dusty shed as each detail of 10 shooters made their way to the firing point.

Recruit Course 2/2008 was the first batch of Air Force recruits to use the new range facility at the Army Recruit Training Centre on Wagga’s outskirts.

Eighteen-year-old recruit ACW Chantel Boon said she had never fired a rifle before. “I’m looking forward to fir-ing the Steyr,” she said. “I’m a little bit nervous, but also excited.”

SGT Paul Ashby of 1RTU was the OIC practice. Recruit Course 2/2008 will graduate on April 9.

In our own fast lane

By LAC Aaron Curran

TINTIN fans would be taken by surprise if two men, one in uni-form, came into the room and in-troduced themselves as “Thompson and Thomson”.

To us they are Principal Air Chaplain – Anglican (AIRCDRE) Royce Thompson and secretary of the RAAF Welfare Trust Fund, Russ Thomson.

To comic fans who ‘click’ onto it, they are, in name, similar to Thompson and Thompson, the two moustachioed bumbling detectives made famous in Herge’s Tintin com-ics from the early 20th century. They may not be identical like the two characters, but they share a com-mon interest, and that is the RAAF Welfare Trust Fund (RWTF).

When asked how the name came about, AIRCDRE Thompson said, “CHAP Russell Avery (from RAAF Base Richmond), is responsible. He

rang and told me that he dobbed us in.

“It just goes to show the mis-chievous nature of chaplains. Very mischievous, but not surprising,” he said.

“I hadn’t heard of Tintin until now. We run the RWTF smoothly so there’s no bumbling here,” added Russ Thomson. AIRCDRE Thompson looked at Russ, laughed and said, “We are the well-spoken duo.”

They oversee the RWTF and lend a helping hand to whoever needs it. Last year, the RWTF lent more than $9 million, with close to 60 per cent of loans going to the ranks of CPL and below.

“The RWTF is going exception-ally well, although we couldn’t do it without the chaplains and their goodwill. They take it on as an extra duty and do a tremendous job. They really deserve the credit,” AIRCDRE Thompson said.

As well as the welfare loans, the RWTF runs the Group Life Insurance Scheme, which costs one dollar per pay. It helps the members’ families with an immediate payout in the event of their death.

“Money is an important aspect of life, so being able to help peo-ple in these two areas is fulfilling,” AIRCDRE Thompson said.

A new scholarship, the RWTF Educational Assistance Scheme, hands out grants of $1000 a time to secondary school children of Servicemen who have died in serv-ice. The scheme has been operation-al for two years and the number of grants is growing.

Asked for a final word on their Thompson and Thompson label, AIRCDRE Thompson said with a wide grin, “We’re working on a nickname for the chaplain who set us up; he need not apply for a welfare loan.”

There’s mo’ mischief

1RTU recruits test Army range

ADF visits Tassie for Royal Hobart’s 170th regatta

THANKS, SIR: ACAUST AVM Mark Binskin presents SGT Julie Maher from No. 29 (City of Hobart) Squadron with an ACAUST Bronze Commendation during the Royal Hobart Regatta. Photo supplied by SQNLDR Alan Robertson

WE’RE ON THE CASE: Principal Air Chaplain – Anglican AIRCDRE Royce Thompson and RAAF Welfare Trust Fund secretary Russ Thomson have been labelled ‘Thompson and Thompson’ after the two bumbling detectives from the old ‘Tintin’ comics (left). Photo by LAC Aaron Curran

SHARING SHOOTERS: ACW Chantel Boon from 1RTU recruit course 2/2008 prepares to fire the Steyr for the first time at Kapooka, near RAAF Base Wagga. The course was the first batch of Air Force recruits to use the Army’s new range facility. Photo provided by SGT Dave Morley

The ‘BMW boys’ meet 2OCU F/A-18 pilots, FLTLTs Peter Weekes (left) and Aaron Ward, who are busy signing autographs at the Grand Prix Formula 1 event in Melbourne. The Roulettes and an F/A-18 provided aerial displays to turn the crowd’s attention from the track to the sky in the lead-up to the race. See full story page 19. Photo by WOFF Don Kenny

12 Centrepiece AIR FORCE April 3, 2008 13

WATERWORKS: 2ATHS environmental officer FLGOFF Sean Walden tests the quality of water at the Aussie Hercules detachment.

HAPPY TO BE HERE: Above, 37SQN maintenance coordinator FSGT Phil Stagg returns from the flightline after completing a pre-flight service on a Hercules from the Airlift Task Group, while top, aircraft technician LAC Robert McLaren cleans the cockpit windows on one of the squadron’s aircraft.LOCK, STOCK: Right, supply specialists LAC Paul Sloey (right) from 382ECSS and CPL Luke Bickerstaff from 381ECSS register stock into the task group’s warehouse in the MEAO. Photos by FSGT John Carroll

CARRY ALL: Above, medical and ground staff carry a patient to a waiting C-130 on the flightline while practising aeromedical evacuation (AME) procedures as part of routine training. The Aussie detachment is highly respected by the coalition for its AME missions, which are exercised regularly within the MEAO.ARE YOU BEING SERVED?: Right, 37SQN aircraft technician LAC Donald Issa conducts pre-flight servicing on a C-130, while across the tarmac, a fellow technician works on another 37SQN Hercules.

AME READY: Above, CPL Carleen La Rosa, a medical assistant from Health Services Flight, Pearce, checks the blood pressure of a fellow C-130 detachment member at the task group’s medical facility. CPL La Rosa’s role involves assisting in aeromedical evacuations within the MEAO.SPARKS FLY: Left, ground mechanical engineering fitter, CPL Simon Dent from Combat Support Unit, Richmond, manufactures parts needed for minor repairs to ground support equipment within the Airlift Task Group’s compound.

1212 CentrepieceCentrepiece

Hercs on a highDESERT CAMO

REQUIRED: Left, a C-130H is among three 37SQN aircraft

located in the Middle East as

part of the Airlift Task Group.

The aircraft was photographed flying over the

desert during an airlift mission.

By FLTLT September Clare and FLTLT Gavin Carpenter

A MAJOR RAAF milestone has been reached with five years of C-130 opera-tions being celebrated in the Middle East.

Currently, the Airlift Task Group comprises three C-130 aircraft and more than 155 RAAF personnel, and provides intra-theatre airlift and sustainment support to operations Catalyst and Slipper.

After arriving in the area in 2003, the C-130s conducted sustainment missions for both the Hornet deployment and Special Forces. Since then the Hercules have remained in theatre as part of the two operations.

Over the past five years, the C-130H and J model of the Airlift Task Group have made an outstanding contribution to ADF operations, carrying millions of pounds of cargo and tens of thousands of passengers.

Additionally, the task group has supported hundreds of tactical and strategic aeromedical evacuations for Australian and Coalition troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

At the beginning of the deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations, personnel worked and slept in tents, reflecting the expeditionary nature of the task. However, with every rotation there has been a steady investment of effort and time to improve facilities.

The Australian efforts in support of Operation Catalyst and Slipper have been made in cooperation with the multinational coalition air effort, and Australia’s contribution has been, and remains disproportionate to, the actual size of our deployment.

Air l i f t Task Group Detachment Commander WGCDR Adam Williams said the task group had the opportunity to celebrate “five years of endeavour” in the Middle East on January 13.

“We took some time out to host a bar-becue for our coalition partners, where I congratulated our folks on their ability to achieve such excellent serviceability and mission completion rates, and the character they have shown in working in such an envi-ronment,” WGCDR Williams said.

“I also took the opportunity to thank all of our coalition partners for their coopera-tion and, in particular, the US Air Force for their support over our five years’ sojourn.

“I presented the Deputy Combined Forces Air Component Commander (Major General Maury Forsyth) and the Vice Commander of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing (Colonel Larry Martin) with mounted slouch hats as a uniquely Australian token of our appreciation for the spirit of ‘com-mon endeavour, camaraderie and friend-ship’ that has characterised out time here in the desert.”

In a major milestone for Air Force, the Airlift Task Group has C-130 operations in the Middle East.

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14 Cadets Corner AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

BULLETIN BOARDAir Force BandApril 3: The band’s Sydney Detachment will support the RAAF Base Williamtown Air Force Week cocktail party. April 3: The Air Force Wind Quintet will support the RAAF Base Glenbrook Air Force Week cocktail party.April 5: Force 10 will support the Aviators’ Ball, which is part of the Albury Wodonga Rotary Air Show. The ball will be held in an aircraft hangar at the Albury Airport.April 5: The band’s Sydney Detachment will perform at the Simpatico Youth Jazz Festival at the Italian Forum, Leichhardt, Sydney.April 6: The band’s Sydney Detachment will perform as part of the Thirroul Festival at Thirroul Beach in Illawarra.

April 6: Force 10 will perform at the Albury Wodonga Rotary Air Show from 10-11am. April 6: The Brass Quintet and LAC Brendon Lukin on organ will perform at a collation service at St Paul’s Chapel, RMC Duntroon, from 9.30am.April 9: The Ceremonial Band will support the first 1RTU graduation for 2008 at RAAF Base Wagga from 11am.April 12: The band’s Sydney Detachment will support a country reception at Government House in Sydney.April 13: The Ceremonial Band will support the Maltese Association wreath-laying ceremony and march at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne.April 17: The band’s Sydney Detachment will support the RAAF Base Richmond Sergeants’ Mess ball.

THANK YOU: Above, CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd presents Neville Currey with a CAF Commendation for his dedication and work with the AAFC. Photo by Bryan DohertyPASSES READY: Top left, Air Force cadets from No. 5 Wing AAFC and Army cadets board a 36SQN C-17 prior to their familiarisation flight over Hobart during the recent 170th Royal Hobart Regatta. Photo provided by SQNLDR Alan RobertsonGENERATIONS: Left, ACAUST AVM Mark Binskin and FLTLT Aaron Ward from 2OCU with Air Force Cadets (from left) CCPL Zivorad Stepanovic, CDT Kyle Dennis, CDT Maria Callister and CDT Anastasia Busscher. The cadets from No. 5 Wing AAFC inspected Hornet, Hawk and Caribou aircraft on static display at Hobart Airport in support of the 170th Royal Hobart Regatta. Photo provided by SQNLDR Alan RobertsonTAKING OFF: Right, CCPL Luke Shearman of 217SQN AAFC is presented with his flying scholarship by AIRCDRE Roger Harrison, DG Cadets – Air Force. Photo courtesy of the Bayside Bulletin, QLD

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15 FlightlineAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

MOVING ON UP: CPL Scott MacCallum, an avionics technician from 76SQN, receives his PLTOFF rank slides from FSGT Paul Karo (left) and SQNLDR Todd Winterford after being commissioned to pilot. He will commence basic flying training at Tamworth after he graduates from Officers’ Training School at RAAF Base East Sale. Photo by LACW Veronica McKenna

MERITED: WOFF Calvin Holmes and SQNLDR Phillip Pender with their Bronze Stars awarded by ADM Mike Mullins, USN. Photo by LS Yuri RamseyWINGS CLIPPED: Right, WGCDR Trevor Owens from RAAF Base Amberley gets one last haircut from retiring hairdresser Sherrie Czilowski (right) while new manager Leisa Holland watches on. Photo provided by WGCDR Trevor Owens

QUALITY: FSGT Scott Biddell from 36SQN receives a CAF Commendation for his outstanding service as Senior NCO in charge of the squadron’s quality management cell. Photo by LAC Scott Woodward

GASSED UP: LACW Jodie Cocks, an aircraft technician from 1SQN, carries out nitrogen replenishment duties prior to the launch of an F-111 deployed to RAAF Base Tindal for Exercise Jabiru. Photo by LACW Melina Mancuso

16 Personnel AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By WGCDR Brock McKinlayDirectorate Personnel – Air Force

DEPENDING on when you read this article, the annual airman and of-ficer promotion messages are about to be, or may have already been, re-leased.

As with previous years, all pro-motees will be publicly recognised in AIR FORCE News. Keep an eye out for this and make sure you congratu-late those who have been recognised as superior performers within the speciali-sation or mustering.

The purpose of this article is to advise Air Force personnel of a number of changes to promotion conditions which flow from the key changes pub-lished in AIR FORCE News last year (‘Breaking down the Barriers’, Page 2, September 6, 2007).

Additionally, this article explains to those who have not been identified for promotion where and when they can access their promotion board com-ments, how to interpret those com-ments, and where they can find out more about the promotion board proc-ess.

Promotion conditionsMembers identified for promo-

tion should understand the conditions attached to the offer, as they will affect the timing of and their continuing eligi-bility for promotion.

ON OUR SELECTION: Senior NCOs at RAAF Base Townsville scan airmen and women’s PARs at the 2008 airmen promotion board on the base. Photos by SGT Craig Sharp

Promote yourself

Promotion conditions are detailed in the promotion messages, which are also posted on People Central under the heading ‘Hot Issues’ on the front log-in page.

An explanation of promotion condi-tions also has been distributed to com-manding officers and local administra-tive officers and are summarised below.

Promotion timingsWhile most promotions offered in

2008 will be realised at the beginning of 2009, some members may be pro-moted earlier or later to accommodate service requirements or their personal wishes.

Importantly, there is no final date by which promotion must occur, and pro-motion cannot precede promulgation via the Air Force postings and promo-tions website.

Promotion earlier than January 2009 will normally occur where a member is already in a position of higher appoint-ment or they are posted earlier to meet a capability requirement.

Promotion after January 2009 may occur: at the member’s request, because the member cannot be

released, or because there are no vacant posi-

tions at higher rank (potentially as a result of restructuring or lower than forecast separation rates).

Promotion delayed at mem-ber’s request

Rather than reject a promotion offer and compete for promotion the follow-ing year, there is now greater scope to defer promotion.

For example, where a member iden-tified for promotion is unable to be posted to a position of higher appoint-ment in their current location in the upcoming posting cycle and locational stability is a higher priority than pro-motion, the member may ask to be left in their current location.

Promotion will be deferred where the request can be accommodated by the member’s personnel manager (hav-ing regard to capability requirements, health of mustering and the competing desires of others). This approach seeks to balance the wishes of members and the needs of the Service, and may be repeated in later years.

Where promotion is deferred, mem-bers will retain the same seniority asso-ciated with their original promotion offer (January 1, 2009 for those iden-tified by the most recent promotion boards) but will not be considered for further promotion until they have been promoted to the next rank.

Competitiveness for promotion to higher rank will be impacted by report-ing history following promotion, and members must understand that they compete for posting to a position of higher appointment in competition with a new peer group each year without any guarantee of success (that is, they may not be posted to a particular posi-tion they have targeted in their current location).

Promotion deferment is not avail-able to GPCAPTs and above because they are identified for promotion to fill specific positions.

FeedbackFrom April 7, 2008, promotion

board comments will be available on the personalised section of the front log-in page of People Central under the heading ‘Promotion Board Results and Comments’.

The purpose of these comments is to provide a basic understanding of your competitiveness for promotion relative to others in your promotion pool, rather than detail areas of per-formance where you can improve or how to draft a better Performance Appraisal Report (PAR).

Before reading your promotion board comments, make sure you famil-iarise yourself with the 2008 Airmen and Officer Promotion Board Briefing Material, which will be distributed widely by email and will also be avail-able in the ‘Promotions’ section of People Central.

A new standardised coding system for officers is being trialled in 2008, which seeks to provide a broad assess-ment of promotability in terms of ‘Performance’, ‘Profile’ and ‘Potential’. Also, the standardised codes used in 2007 for airmen have been amended slightly.

Most importantly, members should understand that the promotion board’s assessment will not always align with that of their assessor because their assessor comments upon their perform-ance relative to agreed goals, duties and expectations, whereas the promo-tion board assesses reported perform-ance relative to the reported perform-ance of everyone else in the promotion pool.

Improve your prospectsWhen seeking additional guid-

ance on how to improve your promo-tion prospects, you should speak to

your part 2 and part 3 assessors or unit administration officer first. DP-AF staff may also be able to pro-vide some assistance. Regardless of where they obtain guidance, mem-bers should temper it against their own expectations and experiences. Promotion is not guaranteed in a com-petitive promotion environment. The primary determinant for promotion is reported potential and performance.

Key conditionsThe key promotion conditions are:

There is no longer a requirement to formally accept your promotion offer or to commit to 12 months service, but you must be able to serve a minimum of 12 months at rank in the PAF from the date of your promotion.

Your promotion will not be con-strained by a ‘Not Before Date’ linked to seniority because the dele-gate has agreed with the promotion board recommendation that you are now ready for promotion.

Promotion will be authorised as soon as, but no earlier than, the date upon which DP-AF posts you to a position of higher appointment provided that you also meet the promotion pre-requisites specified in the promotion message. In cer-tain circumstances, promotion may be delayed indefinitely for personal or capability reasons.

Promotion is conditional upon maintaining a high standard of work performance and conduct. Members who do not continue to meet performance and conduct expectations may have their pro-motion offer withdrawn or their promotion delayed.

Promotions will be published in the next edition of AIR FORCE News.

Changes to assist career choices

Members should ensure that they understand conditions attached to offers of promotion. They are detailed on promotion messages and on People Central.

Service requirements and per-sonal choices will influence your promotion date.

Scope for promotion deferral for personal reasons has been increased.

Deferral requests will consider Service requirements.

Members who defer promotion will not be considered for future higher promotion until they have been promoted to the next rank.

Competitiveness for subsequent promotion will be impacted by post-promotion reporting history.

Promotion board’s comments will be available on People Central.

The board’s and assessor’s assessments will not always align because of different criteria.

There is no requirement to for-mally accept a promotion offer.

Members must be able to serve for 12 months at the new rank.

Promotion will no longer be con-strained by a ‘Not Before Date’ linked to seniority.

Promotion is conditional upon maintenance of high standards of performance and conduct.

Members should seek guidance on improving their prospects for promotion.

FOR THE RECORD: CPL Wade Petersen from the Defence Force Recruiting Unit at Townsville with some of the personnel files from the 2008 Airmen promotion boards held at RAAF Base Townsville.

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17 HistoryAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By FLGOFF Gavin Briggs

WHAT do Air Force surface finish-ers do in their spare time?

For seven days last November, four Reserve finishers with No. 25 (City of Perth) Squadron at RAAF Base Pearce voluntarily turned their skills from painting fast jets to repainting a replica Mk 16 Spitfire aircraft.

The Spitfire, which is displayed on a pylon at the front of the Royal Australian Air Force Association (RAAFA) Aviation Heritage Museum at Bull Creek, Western Australia, had

Face lift for Spitfi re endured more than two decades out in the harsh Western Australian weather and needed a complete repaint.

That was where WOFF Ron Pease, SGT Tom Bradley, CPL Ian Burgoyne and LAC Vince Pedulla came in.

“These guys gave their time to give our Spitfire a much-needed paint job as it has been on display in the weather for many years and was in desperate need of a face lift,” Ken Pittman, a volunteer with the RAAFA and former Air Force pilot, said.

Local business Cameleon Paints

donated all the paint for the task. They also gave employee LAC Pedulla the necessary time off work to participate in the project.

“We fully support Vince and the work he does with 25SQN as part of his service with the Air Force Reserves,” Colin Sanfilippo, manager of Cameleon Paints, said.

The Spitfire replaced an original Mk 22 Spitfire, which was purchased by the RAAFA in 1958. That aircraft had been built in September 1945 and served with the RAF until being retired as “non-effective stock” in August, 1953.

In 1957, the RAAFA decided to acquire a Spitfire as a memorial to the 1100 airmen from that state who died during World War II. The Spitfire arrived in Fremantle in June, 1959. It was mounted on a pylon outside the headquarters building and dedicated as a memorial.

In 1970, the association sold its building and the aircraft was taken down and stored at Jandakot airport. It was repainted during this period. Meanwhile, the association had acquired its new premises at Bull Creek.

In March 1971, the Mk 22 Spitfire was mounted on a display pylon but by 1984 it had deteriorated to the point where it required major restoration, despite refurbishment and repainting

in 1977 and 1981. It was taken down and initial stabilisation and corrosion removal was carried out by museum volunteers before it was transported to RAAF Base Pearce where Air Force volunteers completed its restoration.

It is now displayed inside the muse-um.

To replace it, the RAAFA purchased

the replica Mk 16 Spitfire from New Zealand in 1985.

It is not the first time that Pearce has provided surface finishers to paint some of the heritage aircraft housed at the Bull Creek museum. Mr Pittman said that the base has painted other aircraft in their collection, including a Macchi jet and a Lancaster bomber.

LICK OF PAINT: Top, as the work progresses, 25SQN’s SGT Tom Bradley turns his artistic talents to the Spitfire’s starboard side. Left, the painting completed, the Spitfire shows off its full glory. Photos by Ken Pittman

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18 Lifestyle AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

Ensure online securitySMART MONEY

THE Internet provides some great benefits to consumers, making find-

ing information, paying bills, shopping and keeping on top of finances much easier, cheap-er and faster. As with any new technology, with all the new advantages come a few disad-vantages. But these can be min-imised by taking a little time to protect yourself.

Online banking More than 8.5 mill ion

Australians bank online, accord-ing to the Market Intelligence Strategy Centre.

Online banking services allow you to easily track your savings and make payments. Paying bills and transferring funds can be done at any time and from any location.

However, some sophisti-cated Internet scammers use harmless-looking emails to load viruses on to computers. These viruses can extract information from your computer and even trace your keystrokes.

Following some simple tips can make online banking safer:

Never respond to an email asking you for your PINs or passwords.

Never use your bank account to transfer money to some-one you don’t know.

Never click on a link or open an attachment in an unex-pected email, even if it looks like it comes from your bank, credit union, financial institution or other company.

Always type in your bank’s website address – do not click on a link to your bank from an email sent to you.

Keep your credit card and ATM cards safe. Do not share your PIN with anyone.

Secure your computer with up-to-date computer protec-tion software and make sure you keep this up-to-date.

Always log out of your bank website and Internet brows-er when you’ve finished.

Never send your financial details, BSB or account numbers by email.

Don’t bank onl ine a t Internet cafes or libraries – these computers are regu-larly infected with viruses.

Beware of Internet scams, writes Tony D’Aloisio, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Chairman.

PhishingPhishing is when scammers

gain personal information for identity theft purposes, using deceptive email messages that appear to come from legiti-mate businesses. Phishing

emails often use the names of real companies to lure you. Sometimes they have fake secu-rity warnings, use company logos and official-looking fine print. They pretend to be from your bank, credit card company

or some other service you use – even the Australian Tax Office.

Web links within phishing emails may also take you to fake websites, and when you enter your details, those who set up the fake site can then steal and misuse your personal information.

If you receive one of these emails, just hit ‘delete’. A legit-imate bank or financial insti-tution will never ask you to respond by email for any veri-fication purposes. If in doubt, ring your bank and check for yourself.

Share tipsThere are many Internet

sites that offer market advice or share tips.

While these sites add to the general information available about investing, information on a website could be wrong or misleading. Other times it could be part of a ‘pump and dump’ scam. This is where a scammer pumps up the price of a relatively worthless stock then sells his or her shares before the stock returns to its normal lower value.

You can do your own checks on the price of a listed invest-ment, for example, with the Australian Securities Exchange.

If someone offers you

an investment or other finan-cial service, ask for his or her Australian financial services licence number. You can check that they hold a licence, which they must hold, on ASIC’s free register at: www.asic.gov.au

Trading onlineWhile buying and selling

shares with an online broker is a relatively low-cost option, consider these tips: Do your own homework/

research before buying and selling.

Check that the broker is licensed with ASIC.

Compare the fees and serv-ices of different online bro-kers.

Ask questions about how the trades are made – don’t sign up until you fully understand their systems.

Make sure they have a con-firmation procedure for your trades.

Check privacy statements. The ADF Financial Services Consumer Council has provided this column. To suggest topics of interest, email: ADF column@asic.gov.au or to obtain free financial tips and safety checks, visit the ASIC website at: www.fido.gov.au or call 1300 300 630.

HANDLE WITH CARE: Stay switched on when banking online. Photo by LAC Aaron Curran

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19 LifestyleAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

A grand time at the GP

REV UP

TECHNICAL TALK: LEUT Han Yu, 723SQN, chats with Chris Dera about the engine of an Agusta A109 E helicopter at the 2008 F1 Grand Prix.

STREETS AHEAD: Lewis Hamilton, seen through a trackside fence, on his way to winning the F1 race. Photos by CPL Andrew Hetherington

KIT A HIT: Red Beret CPL Joshua Morgan-Brown shows his parachute to Kevin Caldera, 13.

SUPER EFFORT: V8 Supercar winner Garth Tander on his way to victory.

AERIAL DISPLAY: A 2OCU Hornet carves through the sky on a high-speed pass over the crowd.

THE 2008 Formula 1 (F1) rac-ing season got off to a blistering start at the sun-drenched Albert Park road circuit, with Lewis

Hamilton dominating the race from start to finish in temperatures reaching a scorching 37C.

For my first visit to an F1 Grand Prix (GP), it was what I expected – glitz, glamour, extremely fast cars and expen-sive fast food.

Not to mention an extraordinary dis-play of wealth; hundreds of millions of dollars are invested in the 22 F1 cars and 11 teams that strive for the top place on the podium.

Every season and every race, teams and their drivers vie for constructors’ points worth millions of dollars, pit lane kudos and the right to shower the crowd with champagne. Wherever I walked around the circuit I could see, smell and (if I was quick enough) touch the money invested in the marvellous metal crea-tions on show.

Only six cars finished the 100-minute event out of a field of 22. The driv-ers found themselves in a race against mechanical reliability, rather than in a race against each other.

However, over the four-day event, crowds weren’t only entertained by the grid of precision-built, unattain-able super cars, which are capable of 300km/h-plus and 500kW-plus. Multi-million-dollar pieces of ADF equipment and personnel were also out in force, capturing the imagination of revheads and future recruits.

The Army’s Red Beret parachuting team descended on the fields of Albert Park every day from high over the cir-cuit, dazzling onlookers with their brand of highly-skilled, formation para-jump-ing; trailing red smoke and oversized Australian flag.

One spectator, Kevin Caldera, 13, of Yallambie, was so impressed he was considering an Army career. “I wouldn’t mind doing that,” he said. “I’d probably like to join the Army and become a para-trooper to do what they do.”

Red Beret and parachute training

school instructor WO2 Jamie Osborne, after making his 1006th jump, said it was always a buzz jumping at events such as the F1 Grand Prix.

“This is my second time here and it’s fantastic. This type of event is a highlight for the rest of the guys on the team as we get great opportunities to interact with the public, particularly with the school kids. We also get to draw them to the Defence Force Recruiting stand, one of the main aims of our team,” he said.

At the other end of the scale of flight, the Air Force put on a formida-ble, high-powered display of aerobatics and aerial mastery. Three F/A-18s and the Roulettes, flying their PC-9s, buzzed spectators, buildings and the F1 grid, claiming the Melbourne CBD airspace and at the same time preparing the city for the power about to be unleashed on the streets below.

For the record, each F/A-18 produces more power with its two GE F404-GE-400 turbofan engines than the combined 22 engines on the F1 race grid.

Navy put on a performance of aerial ballet with a pair of Squirrel helicopters mirroring each other’s graceful move-ments. On the ground, a static display of a Seahawk from 816SQN and an Agusta from 723SQN proved popular with crowds.

LEUT Han Yu, a pilot from 723SQN, said: “Thursday and Friday were our busiest days here, with between 500-600 people coming through asking ques-tions about the aircraft and about how to become a Navy pilot.”

Race organisers didn’t forget all of the V8 Supercar fans – just as well because from what I saw many in the crowd attended primarily for the V8s. Garth Tander from the Holden Racing Team took top honours, winning all three races.

The 2008 F1 GP had something for everyone, whether fans of the F1s, V8 Super Cars, GT cars or Porsches. And it was definitely worth looking away from the track now and then at the high-pow-ered show going on in the background, courtesy of the ADF.

As well as the Formula 1 action, crowds at the Melbourne Grand Prix enjoyed the ADF displays, CPL Andrew Hetherington writes.

20 Lifestyle AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

PHYSICAL FACTORS

Hands-on benefitsLast edition, we looked at the cor-

rect technique for the push-up and the muscles involved. But there are still other areas that we

must cover. Is there a difference if my hands are narrow or wide? Let’s find out.

Hand width: By altering hand widths, we alter the effect on the mus-cle groups involved and their range of motion.

The wider your hands go, the more the emphasis is placed on the pectoralis and deltoid (chest and shoulder).

The narrower your hands, the more the triceps work. All muscle groups are still used to varying degrees. The main reason for this is ‘The Length – Tension Curve’, which means the greater the range of motion employed by the mus-cle, the greater tension it will develop.

With hands wider, there is less elbow bend but more range of motion through the shoulder. Therefore, the muscles responsible for movement at the shoulder are worked harder than those responsible for movement at the elbow.

However, the reverse also applies. The wider you take your arms, the less your total range of motion, although one is still greater than the other. At extremes, the total range is decreased.

The best placement for an overall training effect is a position in which your elbow is directly above your wrist in the lowered position (elbows facing out to the side).

Hand position: Facing your fingers out to the sides can cause wrist prob-lems.

The bones of the lower arm can only move to a position of about 90 degrees to the wrist. The main action of the push-

up involves moving off the upper arm out to the sides to form a straight line from elbow through the shoulders to the opposing elbow.

If the fingers are facing outwards, they then follow the tracking of the elbows and if the elbows pass the vertical position above the wrist, the angle across the wrist increases, causing shearing.

You will notice that if you have your fingers facing forward, the pressure on the wrist is considerably less.

One foot over the other: The great debate. Some claim that this makes the exercise harder, others claim it makes it easier.

With one foot resting across the other, only one leg utilises its hip flexors and, although the load is greater, it is not real-ly noticed by these fairly strong muscles – so it is easier.

However, maintaining balance is now more difficult as there are only three points of contact on the ground and other stabilisers are worked harder – so it is harder.

To put the debate into perspective the debate, I would ask the question: “If a person takes a cup of water from the sea will they change the water level?” Technically yes, but as the difference is so small, who cares?

Remember, for your own training, pick and choose, but for the BFA both feet must be on the ground (ATI 6 – 1 Para 6 a and b).

Foot width: The only difference in foot width relates to the increasing need for adductor (inner thigh) stabilisation as the feet go wider apart. There is also a greater tendency to stick the hips up in the air.

LT Rob Orr shows you how to get the most from push-ups with different hand and feet positions.

EVEN HANDED: Placing your hands closer together (left) during a push-up enlists the triceps. Staggering the hands (right) will increase the load on one side of the upper body and create more stabilisation demand from the core muscles. Photos by LAC Aaron Curran

BALANCING ACT: Resting one foot over the other (below) may feel easier, but it is harder to stay balanced. If the feet are placed wider (right), there is an increased need for inner thigh stabilisation.

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21SportAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

STANDING Orders – AKA the rules – were suspended and also stretched a little when the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC) rugby club locked horns with their political masters from the Par-liamentary Rugby Club on March 10.

Before he led his team on to RMC Oval, the Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon decreed that the rules of the game were to include that his team was to win.

Given that pre-requisite, no amount of strategising by the theorists at ACSC could wriggle their way around the inevitable result that duty commanded – a 17-14 win to the Pollies after 60 minutes of rugby in 30-degree temperatures.

Before kick-off, the usual toss of the coin, handshakes and photos were under-taken in the presence of Mr Fitzgibbon, CDF ACM Angus Houston and Secretary of Defence Nick Warner.

The Parliamentary team included a number of current and former serving politicians and their staff, among them the Minister for Defence, Science and Personnel Warren Snowdon.

“The ACSC squad included about 30 course members and staff from across the Australian Defence College,” ACSC Rugby Club president MAJ Dick Halloway said.

A crowd of about 100 supporters attended, including many families, most of the ADF leadership and sponsor repre-sentatives.

“The day was a tremendous opportuni-ty to further enhance Defence relationships and get re-acquainted with some muscle groups we forgot we had,” he said.

THIS year’s Air Force Rugby Union (AFRU) calendar will be the busiest yet, with an inten-sive lead-up program aimed at having the squad primed for its two main goals of the season.

The first of these, the Burns Merz Trophy Test, (annually contested between the RAAF and RNZAF) will be held in Auckland over the Anzac holiday period. The main feature of the Services’ rugby calendar is the Australian Services Rugby Championship (ASRC).

The AFRU plans to continue building on last season’s performance. AFRU head coach SQNLDR Ben Sweeney said the structure of the events this year, in particular, having a trial match and then the Burns Merz, will ensure the squad is much better prepared and match-hardened for the ASRC.

High importance has also been placed on development camps using top-level coaching. “We believe this strategy will give us a great lead-up to the main carnival,” SQNLDR Sweeney said.

Behind the scenes, the committee is working diligently to guarantee the squad has the sup-port to ensure the best possible performances. Recruitment and sponsorship topped its list of priorities at the AFRU annual general meeting held late last year.

Newly-appointed AFRU president AIRCDRE Tim Owen said recent operational tempo had hurt the number of AFRU players available for training camps and matches, but that Air Force was very competitive in 2007 compared to recent years.

Overall, there is a very positive outlook throughout the AFRU camp. For full details of the 2008 calendar, visit the AFRU website at www.airforcerugby.asn.au

Pollies rule, winAFRU out for ’08 win

POLITICAL AFFRAY: Top, Minister for Defence, Science and Personnel Warren Snowdon (2nd from the right) and Liberal Backbencher Tony Abbott (red headband) engage in the maul during the Parliamentarians vs Staff College rugby match. WELL PLAYED: Right, CDF ACM Angus Houston congratulates Minister for Defence Joel Fitzgibbon after the game, while Warren Snowdon shakes with a non-political opponent. Parliamentarians won the 60-minute rugby game 17-14. Photos by LAC Aaron Curran

Air Force surfing team selectedThe Air Force team for the NSW tri-Service surfing championships from April 7-11 is: SGT Murray Stabler

(Captain) LAC William Burnett

(Vice Captain) SQNLDR Matt

Hetherington

MAJ Michael Young (USAF)

FLTLT Tim Smith FLTLT Anthony Blunden FLGOFF Nathan

Cranney FLGOFF Scot Partridge WOFF Peter Kaak CPL Darren Lampard CPL Russell Huxley

CPL Jamie Levin CPL Brett Davison CPL John Burn LAC Stuart Johnson LAC Luke Moore LAC Nathan Abberton LAC Justin Abberton LAC Sheldon Davies LAC Danny Hawthorne LAC Brad Spencer

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22 Sport AIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By WO1 Ian Marston

ORGANISERS hope a change of format will encourage a greater Air Force and small-er unit presence in 2009 at the Kapooka 12s Australian football competition in Wagga.

It was an all-Navy final on March 15 with HMAS Albatross pipping defending champion HMAS Cerberus by three points with a goal just before the siren.

The premier Defence 12-a-side Australian football competition produced a fitting finale with Albatross winning 4.6 (30) to 4.3 (27).

The coach of HMAS Albatross, PO Darren Gration, said the final was a tough uncompro-mising game.

“It’s always great to win an Army competi-tion and walk away with the trophy,” he said.

“All up, the day was a fantastic team effort on the field, ably supported behind the scenes.”

In the women’s competition, the Navy team routed the ADFA team in the three games they played.

Navy also dominated the sideshow events.LEUT Dane Williams (HMAS Albatross)

and Amy Butler won the ‘longest kicks’ com-petition.

LS Andrew Mazey (HMAS Albatross) and LS Candice Freeman (HMAS Newcastle) picked up the prize money in the sprint races.

By LT Paul Sylvester

THE RIVERINA ADF Rugby Club won the annual K10 rugby championship at Kapooka on March 8, beating the Vikings 29-14 in a hotly-contested Cup final.

Eleven teams faced off this year in the 10-a-side event for the three trophies on offer.

Army’s rugby union head coach LT Damien Cahill was impressed with the preparation of all teams and the differing features of each game.

“Each team claimed it was the ‘dark horse’ and all games were fiercely contested providing a won-derful display of guts and skill,” LT Cahill said.

CPL Ricky Dumigan of the Vikings snatched the Defcredit best and fairest prize of $250 from CPL Matt Percy of Riverina with an out-

WHEN CAPT Michael Adams urges his ADF Air Force colleagues to be in touch, he is not expecting correspondence, a phone call or an email.

The North Queensland Defence Touch Association’s POC for the sport is simply asking them to consider touch football as their sport of choice in 2008.

Each region has some form of competi-tion and conducts selection trials usually around the middle of the year to choose teams to vie for higher honours.

CAPT Adams says competitions and selection trials can lead to regional repre-sentative honours in a number of different age divisions, and ultimately, Australian rep-resentation.

The regions contest the ADF champion-ships towards the end of each year. At the end of the national titles, teams are selected to represent the ADF.

Those in younger age groups compete the following year in the NSW championships with the chance to progress to national level. Those 30 years or older can represent the ADF in the National Touch League.

Touch also requires referees, coaches, tour managers, medics and physiotherapists. POC’s are: South Qld, CAPT Phil Corkeron, (07) 3332 4688; Northern Territory; FSGT Shane Boden, (08) 8973 6260; Sydney, FLTLT Glenn Bruhn, (02) 4587 3946; ACT/NSW Country, WOFF Sean Jones, (02) 6937 4939; Southern states, Gavin Schneider (08) 8393 3553; North Qld CAPT Michael Adams (07) 4753 6302.

Players, officials urged to choose touch for sport

GAME PLANFootball and netball The football and netball teams

at HMAS Harman are seeking uniformed and civilian personnel to join their teams.

For more information, contact: President, Scott Owen, 0417 477886; AFL, Cambell Griggs, 0410 015546; netball, Kylie Cawse, 0412151134.

Fishing The RAAF Base Williamtown

Fishing Club’s clubhouse is open at 4.30pm on Wednesdays. The club has three boats for hire and runs a range of social activities as well as fishing competitions. It is an all-ranks and Defence civilian club with a membership fee of $20 per person or $40 a family.

standing performance in the Cup grand final.

In the lesser results, the team from HMAS Cerberus took home the Bowl by beating The BARC (Border Army Rugby Club) 24-5, while the South Queensland Barbarians won the Plate 45-15 against HMAS Albatross in a high-scoring affair.

At the conclusion of the event, Commandant of the Army Recruit Training Centre, COL Bill Hanlon, thanked the sponsors for their involvement as well as the Services and the Southern Inland Rugby Referees’ Association.

“I would like to specially thank the players who make the competi-tion such a spectacular event and I look forward to seeing you here next year (on March 7),” COL Hanlon said.

Kapooka changes

Cup stays home in the Riverina

SCRUM-PTIOUS: The scrum engages during one of the many games at the Kapooka 10s. Riverina ADF Rugby Club won the Cup final. Photo provided by Fiona Foster

HIGH-FLIERS:The big men

fly high for the mark at

the Kapooka 12s Australian

football carnival won by HMAS

Albatross. Photo by LS Yuri

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23 SportAIR FORCE April 3, 2008

By MAJ Darren Kaehne

THE SIX Foot Track – say it quickly and without thinking and it sounds like no big deal.

In reality, The Six Foot Track is described as the toughest off-road marathon in Australia, if not the world, and is held in March each year. It is an ultra-marathon of 45km from the historic ‘marked tree’ at Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves.

A composite team from the three Services finished third in the teams event – an improvement of nine places on 2007 – when it contested the 25th anniversa-ry running of the Six Foot Track marathon on March 8.

During the event, competitors run along the Six Foot Track, a bridle trail originally cut in 1884.

First home for the Defence Athletic Club (DAC) team was Army’s CPL Wayne Heath in 3:55, followed by PTE Rob Downton in 4:11, then CPL David Slowiak in 4:14. Other team members included: WGCDR Matt Hegarty, FLTLT Ben Allen, FLTLT Terry Sing Lee, Mr Craig Ambler, LCDR David Gayford, SIG Peter Lisle, LEUT Jeff Rayner, LTCOL Richard Mallet, CPL Colin O’Donnell, MAJ Darren Kaehne, and CPL Travis Heath.

This was a significant increase in numbers from last year with 14 official runners from Defence, up from last year’s seven.

There were a number of other competitors from within Defence who did not compete under the DAC banner.

DAC organisers strongly encourage these athletes to consider running with its members in 2009 with a view to advancing up the ladder.

This year’s event was run in excellent conditions, which led to a record time for Barry Keem from Wollongong in 3:23.

This year it attracted international entrants from Singapore, New Zealand, Scotland, Finland, Germany, France, Korea and the United States.

Trackingsuccess

AIR FORCE had two players selected in the representative team when the competitive atmosphere of the ACT/SNSW Inter-Service Tenpin Bowling Championships on March 14 brought out the best in the com-petitors.

Entrants competed at Canberra International Bowl in Tuggeranong for berths in the ACT Combined Services team, which will compete at the ADF National Tenpin Bowling Championships to be staged by the ACT at Tuggeranong from June 2-6.

The team has been selected by order of merit, based on pinfall over nine games.

The team comprises 12 members and two reserves, with the top two Air Force, Army, Navy and APS bowlers gaining automatic selection.

Air Force had CPL Keiran Wyllie and FSGT Brett Byers selected.

The team is: Mark Jordan (APS), Richard Wdowik (APS), SMN John Viney (Navy), FSGT Byers (Air Force), CPL Wyllie (Air Force), WO2 Steve Ritchie (Army), Elaine Wdowik (APS), Graham Bond (APS), Maria Haw (APS), CAPT Toni Hogan (Army), LEUT Andrew Calderazzo (Navy), LS Deanna Turner (Navy), LS Malcolm Callaway (Navy), and Cathie Willis (APS).

With a maximum of 300 achiev-

able during one game, the high games bowled included a 258 and 224 from SMN Viney, 225 and 245 from Richard Wdowik, 226 from Elaine Wdowik, 222 from CPL Wyllie, and 229, 242 and 234 from Mark Jordan.

Mark Jordan (Directorate of Honours and Awards) finished top qualifier with an average of 194 over nine games. Top bowlers for the respective services were: Navy, SMN Viney; Army, WO2 Ritchie; and RAAF, CPL Wyllie. Pictured at right is CPL Keiran Wyllie, SMN John Viney and WO2 Steve Ritchie, who will contest the ADF national titles in Canberra in June. Photo by LS Yuri Ramsey

ACT-NSW for tilt at tenpin

BROTHERS IN ARMS: CPL David Slowiak links up with another Six Foot Track runner. Photo by Marathon Photos

SPORT Inside: ■ Rugby ■ MarathonApril 3, 2008

NET GAIN

By CAPT Stephanie Roe

RAAF Base Edinburgh played an influential role in the success of the South Australian Combined Services (SACS) team at the Kapooka sevens netball competition on March 15 at Wagga.

All services were involved and met with varying degrees of success when an unseasonal heat wave created extremely challenging conditions for the 13 teams from five states who competed.

SACS, which had a strong com-plement from RAAF Base Edinburgh,

including uniformed and civilian person-nel, squeaked home in the mixed com-petition.

SACS found 176 Air Dispatch Squadron tough opponents in the grand final before it edged home 12-11.

LT Kate Porter of 176 Air Dispatch said the South Australian team came pre-pared with a professional approach.

“We played well enough but some of the boys were still learning the rules in the grand final,” she said.

Navy won the women’s competition and Army finished runner-up in both the women’s and the mixed competitions.

The HMAS Cerberus women com-pleted the round-robin on top to enter the grand final against the defending cham-pion, Kapooka.

After 11 preceding matches, HMAS Cerberus established an early lead that ARTC was unable to bridge and it won 13-8.

Matches were hard-fought and score lines did not necessarily reflect the effort of the participants. The 2009 competition is scheduled for March 14.

See Page 22 for full coverage of the Kapooka competition.

Edinburgh netballers hot stuff at Kapooka

SOUTHERN STARS: SA Combined Services player, FLGOFF Mya McCutcheon from JEWOSU, RAAF Base Edinburgh, prepares to pass the ball during a game against the home side in the Kapooka 7’s netball competition.Photo by LS Yuri Ramsey