STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence

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STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
Edition 1458                   February 6, 2020                 The soldiers’ newspaper

                                           SPECIAL EDITION
                               Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14

                                      STANDING
 Soldiers from 7RAR work
 with livestock specialist
 Grace Calder, Agriculture
 Victoria, to move a bale of
 animal feed within sight of
                                       STRONG
 a Chinook near Jackson’s
 Crossing and north along
 the Snowy River, Victoria.
 Photo: Pte Michael Currie
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
2         Operation Bushfire Assist

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The Editor, Army News,                           CO HMAS Albatross Capt Robyn Phillips RAN updates Maj-Gen Justin Ellwood on the local bushfire situation.                  Photo: Sgt Bill Solomou
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DISCLAIMER
Army News is published fortnightly by            Maj-Gen Justin Ellwood                   communities. While I say thank you          Maj-Gen Justin Ellwood meets workers
                                                                                          and good luck to those forces that          of the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park
the Defence News Bureau. It is printed
                                                 TO ALL commanders, soldiers,             have left or are leaving, it is important   while visiting ADF personnel on
by Spotpress Pty Ltd. The material
published is selected for its interest.          sailors, airmen and women: as the        to note the job is far from over. There     Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
The views expressed in published                 National Emergency Coordinator for       is still work to be done.                   Photo: Cpl Tristan Kennedy
articles are not necessarily those of            ADF’s response to the bushfire crisis,        This work is arduous, relentless
Defence or Army News. Every adver-               I want to thank Regular and Reserve      and can at times be exceptionally
tisement is subject to Defence News              members who have supported this          dangerous.
Bureau approval and the Bureau may,              vitally important endeavour.                  The environment we are working
at its discretion, refuse to accept an               At the start of my tenure I asked    in is unforgiving.
advertisement. The Bureau accepts no             you all to lean forward and support           We will continue to work with state
responsibility or liability in relation to any   our emergency management services        and national emergency and recovery
loss due to the failure of an advertise-         and the community.                       agencies to finish what we started.
ment to appear or if it appears in a form            I asked you to act, without being         While we will continue to respond
not in accordance with the instructions          prompted.                                to local emergencies as they arise,
received by the Defence News Bureau.                 I asked you to make a difference.    it is the national and state recovery
Defence does not endorse the                         To every man and woman, you          agencies that will lead the long-term
products or services published in                answered that call.                      recovery we now principally support.
advertisements.                                      I have had recounted to me and            We will have Regular forces and
                                                 have personally witnessed actions that   volunteer reservists continuing this
                                                 are too many in number to relay here.    important work, although we will
                                                     Actions that are extreme in their    continue to respond and provide relief
                                                 diversity of scale, some massive,        as emergencies arise.
OTHER ARMY AND                                   such as the evacuation of Mallacoota          This bushfire season is far from
DEFENCE CHANNELS                                 in Victoria, the recovery of downed      over.
                                                 aircraft in NSW and the provision of          Our job is not done until the
            army.gov.au                          drinkable water on Kangaroo Island       relevant state and national authorities
                                                 in South Australia, all the way to the   declare it so.
                                                 smallest acts of kindness, such as            Until that day, every day counts in
            facebook.com/                        helping people gain access to their      making a difference to our community.
            AustralianArmy                       properties or nursing injured koalas.         I thank you again for your service
                                                     Regardless of their scale, all       and I personally look forward to
            youtube.com/                         actions have been exceptionally          continuing our important work
            AustralianArmyHQ                     meaningful to our community.             supporting Operation Bushfire Assist.
                                                     I have received nothing but praise        There is no greater honour than
                                                 from our Emergency Management            serving our nation.
                                                 Services, who have done such                  Let’s continue to make our fellow
         ISSN: 0729-5685 (Print)                 amazing work, and of course our          Australians proud.
         ISSN: 2209-2218 (Online)
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
February 6, 2020                                                                         defence.gov.au/news/armynews   Operation Bushfire Assist                 3

                          Supporting the nation

    CA Lt-Gen Rick Burr               almost 3000 Reservists commit         support for as long as needed,
                                      to this national effort as a result   helping our communities in
    AS WE begin 2020, it has          of the Governor-General’s call-       their time of need.
    already been a busy year.         out on January 4.                         We will also review the 2020
        The bushfires across our          To everyone involved, I           program to ensure we main-
    country have demanded a           thank you for your personal           tain momentum, achieve our
                                      commitment and the support            priorities and that we provide
    significant response and I am
                                      and understanding of your fami-       opportunities to be with family
    proud of the contribution of our lies and employers. I trust that
    Army to that effort.              you are proud of your contribu-       and friends.
        At the peak of our support to tion to this national emergency.          Thank you for the work you                         CA Lt-Gen Rick Burr arrives on
    Operation Bushfire Assist, we                                           have done; you exemplify an                             board HMAS Adelaide during
                                          Alongside our Defence                                                                        Operation Bushfire Assist.
    had about 5000 Army people        teammates, you have demon-            Army in Motion, serving our
                                                                                                                                               Photo: AB Thomas Sawtell
    and significant equipment and     strated the very best of Good         nation and communities. Keep
    major capabilities from across    Soldiering as well as what it         at it. Stay focused and safe.
    our entire Army deployed.         means to be an Army in Motion.            Best wishes for 2020 and
        Notably, we have seen             We will continue to provide       Good Soldiering.

                                         CA Lt-Gen Rick Burr thanks members of
                                         the New Zealand Defence Force for their
                                         assistance to the Kangaroo Island community.
                                         Photo: LCpl Brodie Cross

Soldiers assist in unloading donated
goods at the Milton Showground within                                                                                             A Chinook from 5 Avn Regt
the Shoalhaven district, NSW.                                                                                                     about to be loaded with hay
Photo: Sgt Bill Solomou
                                                                                                                                  bales to deliver to remote
                                                                                                                                  bushfire-affected farms on
                                                                                                                                  Kangaroo Island.
                                                                                                                                  Photo: Cpl Tristan Kennedy
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
4           Operation Bushfire Assist

No job too
big or small

                                                               Strike teams in
Former beekeeper Tpr Daniel Byford, of 1 Armd
Regt, checks on beehives damaged in the
Kangaroo Island bushfires at the Hanson Wildlife
Sanctuary.                    Photo: Cpl Tristan Kennedy
                                                               the thick of it
Capt Carla Armenti
ALMOST 500 1 Bde soldiers have deployed to support
bushfire-affected communities in the south-east of the
country.
    The Darwin- and Adelaide-based soldiers flew in to
support local authorities, volunteer agencies and other
ADF personnel contributing to the effort.
    Commander 1 Bde Brig Ash Collingburn said there
was no shortage of willing bodies within the brigade
ready to support when the callout was received.
    “As Army’s high-readiness combat brigade we main-
tain personnel over the Christmas leave period on high
readiness to assist in the event of these types of short-
notice emergencies,” Brig Collingburn said.
    “While we had people on standby ready to go when
the call came, I had soldiers calling in asking to be
recalled from leave so that they could join the effort.
    “Like all Australians, our people have been watching
this crisis unfold as it has been reported in the media and
they have been shocked and deeply moved by the devasta-
tion caused.”
    Infantryman Pte Joshua Coleman, of 7RAR, wit-
nessed the devastation to the bush from the window of a
Singaporean Chinook.
    “We flew out to Combienbar and as I looked out the
window it was an eerie juxtaposition between the very
green lively coast and black dead forests,” Pte Coleman
said.
    Despite the devastation, another 7RAR soldier, Cpl
Todd Madden, said he was impressed by the Australian
fighting spirit amid the crisis.
    “There was a willingness from these men and women
[residents affected by fire] to not only continue to perse-
vere in the face of remarkable adversity, but an insistence
to help those worse off than others,” Cpl Madden said.         To make the job safer, a Bushmaster is used to pull down a tree near Wonboyn Lake (top) as Spr James Denton and
    While the majority of the soldiers worked to deliver       LCpl Stephen Bayliss, both of 5ER, cut it with a chainsaw. It was one of 2570 dangerous or fallen trees removed by the
essential supplies to townships and aid in recovery efforts,   regiment.                                                                                                    Photos: Sgt Max Bree
others assisted with caring and rehabilitating native ani-
mals whose habitats have been affected.                        Sgt Max Bree                           two days make huge progress                    Some tasks came through           show that the ADF and the rest
    Tpr Daniel Byford, who is on Kangaroo Island with                                                 on the task – he feels positive            formal command channels,              of the country has not forgotten
1 Armd Regt, called upon his previous beekeeping               AS 5ER Task Group moved                momentum and he can complete               while others were suggested           them.”
skills to help save some of the local bees after the fires     down the NSW south coast, they         the job. Instead of overwhelmed            by local councils. A number of            The task group also spent
destroyed about 800 beehives.                                  found areas reeling from recent        he feels empowered.”                       compassionate cases were also         about $56,800 buying local
                                                               bushfires, some still burning,             Numbering about 350 to 400,            identified by soldiers.               supplies, such as food and fuel.
                                                               others in danger of reigniting.        the task group is believed to be               Any tasks that would take less        Apart from medical and
   ORDER NOW FOR ANZAC DAY                                         “The community was worried,
                                                               you could feel it. We needed to
                                                                                                      the first centred on an engineer           than 24 hours could be assigned       logistics soldiers, the task group
                                                                                                      regiment.                                  at Lt-Col Kidson’s authority.         included a number of chaplains
                                                               provide immediate reassurance
               Sam Brownes                                     and help trigger the natural
                                                                                                          It comprised of three
                                                                                                      company-sized response teams.
                                                                                                                                                     “The hardest part was
                                                                                                                                                 prioritising; there were so many
                                                                                                                                                                                       who conducted 27 welfare
                                                                                                                                                                                       sessions with the community.
                                                               resiliency of the community,”          Some featured plant equipment              people who needed help,” she              The task group drew heavily
                                                               said task group commander              while some rode in Bushmasters             said.                                 from Army reservists called out
                                                               Lt-Col Renee Kidson.                   as chainsaw teams.                             “Needing to exercise              for Operation Bushfire Assist,
                        Douglas Leather                            Bringing with them a range of
                                                               plant equipment and chainsaws,
                                                                                                          Ranks of sappers were
                                                                                                      boosted by infantry and
                                                                                                                                                 judgement on what tasks we            but as the callout comes to an
                               Quality leather products                                                                                          could reasonably achieve was          end on February 7, operations
                                                               their task was to relieve fire-        cavalrymen from 5 Bde.                     always a difficult thing.             on the NSW south coast will
                                                               affected communities and assist            Soldiers conducted 174 home                “Maj-Gen Ellwood told us at       transition to full-time soldiers
                                                               civil response from Nowra to the       visits and delivered 72,000kg of           the start, ‘Let no asset go idle’ –   and reservists who volunteer to
                                                               Victorian boarder.                     fodder and 600 litres of diesel.           that never happened. We tried to      stay.
                                                                   They headquartered in Bega             Ta s k g r o u p b u l l d o z e r s   provide the greatest good to the          “It was routine for people
                                                               and callsigns were tasked in the       helped flatten and extinguish              greatest number.”                     to stop us as we were walking
                                                               first 48 hours, with initial patrols   smouldering mulch piles at the                 Giant water trucks belonging      down the street and thank us for
                                                               entering Cobargo and Quaama on         Eden woodchip mill.                        to the task group travelled the       our contribution – you can see
                                                               January 9.                                 Some community members                 region delivering 286,000 litres      in their eyes just how grateful
  ~   Military Sam Brownes and accessories                         Within the next 16 days they       thanked soldiers on the street             of non-potable and 50,000 litres      they are. And kids just love to
  ~   Handmade and custom sizing                               cleared 928km of road, removed         but in a more extreme case,                of potable water.                     be shown around a Bushmaster,”
  ~   Parade-ready polishing service      10% OFF              2570 fallen or dangerous trees         one sought refuge with sappers                 “I’ve heard of people using       Lt-Col Kidson said.
                                             Mention this
  ~   100% genuine Italian leather          advertisement      and repaired more than 14km of         isolated by fire in Eurobodalla.           their house water tank – down             “A man who owns a local
  ~   Available in black and brown        to receive a 10%
                                                               fencing.                                    “Among the evacuees a lady            to the last litre – to defend their   coffee van said that before we
                                            discount off all
  ~   Local family business              orders before the         “A landholder looking at           walked up to our tents and said            property and because of the           arrived, children would draw
  ~   Competitive pricing                  end of February
                                                               kilometres of damaged fencing          ‘I feel safe with you, will you            drought they had no water left,”      pictures of smoke, flames and
             www.douglasleather.com.au                         might feel overwhelmed,” Lt-Col        take care of me?’” Lt-Col Kidson           Lt-Col Kidson said.                   fire. But now they draw Army
         Facebook - @douglasleatherproducts                    Kidson said.                           said.                                          “But our water tankers have       trucks and Bushmasters and say,
             douglasleather@gmail.com                              “Yet one of our strike teams           “ We w r a p p e d o u r a r m s       been able to go to people’s           ‘Daddy, I want to be in the Army
                    0423 233 102                               can get in there and in just           around this lady.”                         houses, refill their tanks and        when I grow up’.”
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
February 6, 2020                                                                            defence.gov.au/news/armynews                               Operation Bushfire Assist                         5

International forces
Maj Cameron Jamieson                            countryside from the open side door of the
                                                NH90s as they criss-crossed over south-east
ROYAL New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)             NSW.
NH90 helicopters and their crews have               Cpl Cane transferred from the Territorial
provided sterling service in Australia, lift-   Army to the Air Force in 2017, and his ini-
ing their fair share of the load in the battle  tial ideas about life as an aircrewman have
against the bushfires.                          been surpassed.
    In the skies over Canberra, the NH90s of        “It’s been everything and more,” Cpl
RNZAF’s 3 Sqn could be seen delivering air Cane said.
mobile response teams from 7RAR to bush             “I wasn’t sure about what I would get
clearings in the surrounding native forests,    out of it, but the people I am surrounded by,
where the soldiers were clearing access         the jobs I’ve been able to go away and do,
tracks and helicopter landing points for the    and the people I have been able to help have
ACT’s Emergency Services Agency.                made it incredibly fulfilling.”
    The helicopters proved ideal for the task,      Cpl Cane was notified on a Saturday
capable of carrying 12 passengers or a mix-     afternoon that he was needed for overseas
ture of personnel and equipment.
                                                service, and on the Monday he was on his
    The helicopters also winched soldiers
and their chainsaws into overgrown landing      way to HMAS Albatross at Nowra on the
points for clearance operations.                NSW south coast.
    For 3 Sqn pilot Flt-Lt Loic Ifrah, the          He said the events that unfolded from
opportunity to serve in Australia was an        then were very powerful.
honour.                                             “The level of devastation south of Nowra
    “It’s great to help out our partners across was quite intense,” he said.
the Tasman,” Flt-Lt Ifrah said.                     “I know we are definitely doing what we
    The unfortunate circumstances of the        can – delivering fuel and fodder to isolated
aviator’s deployment brought extremely          communities.
challenging flying situations where every-          “We’ve also been taking 7RAR infantry
one’s skills have been taxed to the limit.
    “We’ve had conditions where visibility
has been reduced to almost nothing,” he said.
                                                into the forests to create firebreaks outside
                                                of Canberra.
                                                    “For me, the biggest thing has been meet-
                                                                                                               Watch video at:
                                                                                                                youtube.com/watch?v=v2fjJI6cSIU

    “They’re conditions we haven’t experi-      ing the people. In times like these it’s really
enced in New Zealand.”                          great to see the communities come together.”
    Cpl Bruce Cane, a 3 Sqn helicopter              Three RNZAF multi-role helicopters              RNZAF loadmaster Cpl Callum Waller, right, prepares LCpl Andrew Roberts, of 7RAR, for
loadmaster, has seen plenty of Australian       began arriving in Australia on January 7.           winching down from an NH90 helicopter in Canberra.                     Photo: Sig Robert Whitmore

                                                                                       Standing side by
                                                                                       side in time of need
                                                                                       Cpl Sebastian Beurich                      with Australia goes back a long way,”   to affected communities, protection of
                                                                                                                                  Maj Gwaibo said.                        critical infrastructure and communica-
                                                                                       MORE than 150 ADF and Papua                   “Our engineers have trained with     tions nodes and, importantly, com-
                                                                                       New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)           the soldiers we’ll be working with,     munity engagement to assist people in
                                                                                       engineers have been active in East         they’ve done exercises together, so     returning to normalcy,” Maj Jankalns
                                                                                       Gippsland during Operation Bushfire        we’re very comfortable operating with   said.
                                                                                       Assist.                                    them.                                       With months of firefighting efforts
                                                                                           Task Group Dingo is headed by             “For many years, Australians         remaining, Swift’s Creek ICC Deputy
                                                                                       Maj Benjamin Jankalns, of 3CER, and        have come to our aid in our time of     Incident Controller Emma Conway
                                                                                       Maj Gabriel Gwaibo, of the PNGDF,          need, so now we’re here to help them    said she was excited to have the
                                                                                       and is based out of Omeo, Victoria.        and we’re humbled and honoured to       Australian and PNG soldiers ready to
                                                                                           After travelling to Australia aboard   be part of the team helping out         help.
                                                                                       two RAAF C-130J Hercules aircraft,         communities.”                               “A lot of our secondary access
                                                                                       Maj Gwaibo said his contingent of             With the planning and com-           roads are closed – hundreds of
                                                                                       99 soldiers was “humbled and hon-          mand teams both being staffed by        kilometres of roads that need to be
                                                                                       oured” to be working with soldiers         Australians and Papua New Guineans,     assessed and cleared,” Ms Conway
                                                                                       with whom they had a long-standing         Maj Jankalns said previous experi-      said.
                                                                                       relationship.                              ences with disaster relief made for a       “Task Group Dingo is also going
                                                                                           “We have other disasters at home,      capable team.                           to be integrated into things like
                                                                                       but this is new for us. We know where         “Our jobs include supporting the     our vehicle maintenance schedules
Soldiers from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force check chainsaws                       we’re going to be working and what         incident control centre’s (ICC) road    and our medical and logistics
before heading to Omeo, Victoria.               Photo: Pte Madhur Chitnis             we’ll be doing and our relationship        clearance capability to enable access   capabilities.”

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STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
6         Operation Bushfire Assist

Toll hits close to home
Cpl Julia Whitwell
AMONG the almost 600 Army
Reservists called out to South
Australia and Tasmania for Operation
Bushfire Assist, the task was especially
                                                                                                                                  Watch an interview with Lt Kynan Lang at:
                                                                                                                                   youtube.com/watch?v=5MymcFUyXJs

personal for Lt Kynan Lang, a logistics
officer from 9CSSB.
    He had just learnt his uncle,
Richard “Dick” Lang, and his cousin,
Clayton “Clarrie” Lang, had been
killed in the inferno on Kangaroo
Island when he was called to assist
there.
    “I had an alert on my phone saying
that two people were killed in the fires,
and when my father rang to tell me it
was Dick and Clarrie, it all became
very real,” Lt Lang said.
    Dick and Clarrie Lang, who
Kangaroo Island residents described
as “larger than life”, had been in their
vehicle with a trailer and water tank,
helping farmers contain the fires, when
they became caught in the blaze.
    On Saturday night, January 4,
Lt Lang was called to duty, and the
next morning he was at Keswick
Barracks with a reserve force, headed                                                                                      Lt Kynan Lang kneels beside part of the melted remains of the vehicle
to Kangaroo Island.                                                                                                        his uncle and cousin were travelling in when they died; and above, the
    Lt Lang said he was approached                                                                                         makeshift memorial he placed at the site.          Photos: Cpl Tristan Kennedy
by locals there as soon as they realised
who he was.
    “They saw my name on my shirt,          on the other hand she had just lost   munity to restore their livelihoods.           “The fire was a faceless enemy         While on the island, he travelled
and knowing there was another Lang          everything. All I could do was hug    “We had soldiers fixing tractors for       that we couldn’t contain, so it was    to the scene of their deaths to erect a
around reduced them to tears,” Lt Lang      her back.”                            farmers after the tyres had melted off     great being able to support those      makeshift memorial.
said.                                          Lt Lang coordinated personnel,     the rims, and we had RAEME sol-            who could.”                                “They were helping the communi-
    “A farmer’s wife hugged me at           equipment and stores in support of    diers refurbishing the fire trucks as          Lt Lang said he was proud to be    ty and they were stopped from doing
the side of the road and it took me         the South Australia Country Fire      they came in for shift changes, so we      part of Operation Bushfire Assist on   what they wanted to do. It was nice
by surprise. Having the uniform on,         Service’s efforts to fight the        could refuel them and get them fit to      Kangaroo Island, to pick up where      knowing I could continue the work
you have to keep a stiff upper lip, but     ongoing fire and assist the com-      fight again,” he said.                     his relatives left off.                they died doing,” Lt Lang said.
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
February 6, 2020                                                                             defence.gov.au/news/armynews                                 Operation Bushfire Assist                                7

                                                                                                Proud to help

   Spr Aemon Kelly, right, drives a wedge into a chainsaw cut for
   Spr Tim Daniels to continue cross-cutting a fallen tree blocking
   Commission Road in Wollemi National Park, NSW.
                                                          Photo: Maj Cameron Jamieson

   Clearing the way for a
   safe journey through
   Maj Cameron Jamieson                       us, and I found we gelled well, we
                                              briefed well, and there was good
   A COMPOSITE troop of Army                  communication.”                                                                                                                        Pte Brodie Scott from
   Reserve engineers used bulldozers,             Out in the devastated fire-
                                                                                                                                                                                 Mallacoota, Victoria, hugs
   chainsaws and plenty of muscle to          grounds, the engineers made fast
                                              progress, with grateful responses                                                                                                     her parents, Kathy and
   help clear secondary roads in the                                                                                                                                            Marty Scott, upon returning
                                              from residents.
                                                                                                      
   Hunter Valley, NSW.                                                                                          Watch video at:                                                   home as part of the ADF
       Based out of the Hunter Valley             For Cpl Nathan Lawley, an entry
                                              trail clearance of Commission Road                                youtube.com/watch?v=nZIHn8jKx7g                                          bushfire support.
   Fire Control Centre and under the                                                                                                                                                     Photo: Cpl Nicole Dorrett
   direction of the multi-agency Incident     in Wollemi National Park led to
   Management Team, the 39 soldiers           hearing about a narrow escape from
   of Composite Engineer Troop 4              an ex-soldier who stayed to defend                 Flg-Off Brent Moloney                        She transported diesel through-    to come back to keep fighting,
                                              his property.                                                                               out Mallacoota to run generators       they did.
   worked on making roads and tracks
                                                  “A man named Peter told us he                  A SOLDIER deployed on                    at the power station supporting the
   accessible to residents and emer-                                                                                                                                                 “They’re the reason our house
                                              had been trapped for about a week                  Operation Bushfire Assist had the        area, as well as to fuel ADF sup-
   gency services alike through Yengo         because of the damage to his access                                                                                                is still standing.”
   and Wollemi National Parks.                                                                   chance to reunite with her fam-          port vehicles and firefighting crew        Pte Scott’s mother, Kathy, was
                                              track,” Cpl Lawley said.
       Deputy Incident Controller Phil            “He had already tried to clear his
                                                                                                 ily, who had been trapped by the         vehicles.                              excited to see her daughter return
   Bryant, of the National Parks and          driveway but hadn’t been able to get               flames in the Mallacoota inferno.            The community was pleased          and had the highest praise for all
   Wildlife Service (NSW), said the area      too far. He was very happy to see us.                  Pte Brodie Scott, who became         to see her and all the other ADF       the agencies involved during the
   had been hit hard by the fires.                “He said when the fire came                    a Reserve driver specialist after a      personnel in town to help.             bushfires.
       “We tasked the Army to help clear      through, he could hear the roar of the             gap year in Army in 2017, returned           Local residents and fam-
   public roads and access trails so                                                             home as part of Victoria’s JTF646,                                                  “It’s been hard not having our
                                              fire through the valley.                                                                    ily friends of Pte Scott, Barb and
   people could get to their homes in                                                            the ADF-wide support to state            Drew Morland, live in one of           girls [Brodie and her sister] here,”
                                                  “The wind dropped just as it got
   the aftermath of the fire,” Mr Bryant      to his house, but if it hadn’t, it would           authorities.                             Mallacoota’s worst-affected areas.     Mrs Scott said.
   said.                                      have roared through and he wouldn’t                    Pte Scott, of 4CSSB, reflected           “My son and my husband were            “It’s been amazing having the
       “Basically, they worked to create      have survived.                                     on how great the chance was to           amazing,” Mrs Morland said.            emergency services around to
   safe passage for the people who use            “He said he would never hang                   get out and help, especially in her          “They stayed to protect our        assist.”
   those trails.                              around again; next time you will find              home town. “To know that mum             house until it was no longer safe,         Pte Scott’s father, Marty, said
       “They were keen to work with           him at the beach.”                                 and dad were still there during the      then headed down to the beach.         the family was “very proud that
                                                                                                 fires was terrifying,” Pte Scott said.       “When they saw an opportunity      Brodie put her hand up”.

                                                                                                                                               CALL US FOR A
A reserve of skills                                                                                                                             FREE QUOTE
Capt Cameron Jamieson
ARMY Reserve infantry soldiers
                                                                                                                                  We really love helping create unique
literally swung into action in south-
east NSW, thanks to their rapid call-
                                                                                                                                 medallions and after so many years of
up and some chainsaw training from
the School of Military Engineering.
                                                                                                                                 working with Army organisations our
    The soldiers had their skill-sets                                                                                         designers know just how to apply the official
                                                                                                                                badges to achieve outstanding results.
enhanced with a one-day chainsaw
course at the school in Holsworthy,
which qualified them in crosscut
operations before departing for the
coast.
    This training allowed them to cut
apart fallen timber so their teams
could haul away bushfire debris from
roads, tracks, fences and properties.
    Lt Aiden Frost, of 2/17RNSWR,
and team leader for the 5ER’s Task
Group Strike Team 3, Response
Team Alpha, said the crisis instantly     Pte Jake Jubelin, of 2/17RNSWR, cuts apart a fallen tree so that
focused the minds of all soldiers in      a new entry track can be cut on to a property.
the field.                                                                              Photo: Maj Cameron Jamieson
    “In the absence of normal coor-
dination, it was amazing to see peo-      erty was needed to circumvent          a pleasant area but the fire erupted
ple across the corps work together        the destroyed house, but the path      in just a matter of seconds, now
to make things happen and help the        was blocked by burnt-out trees.        it’s hell on earth.”
people affected by this tragedy,” Lt      That changed when Strike Team              Mr Humphries said that now
Frost said.                               3 arrived.                             he had a caravan he and his wife
    The dedication of the soldiers also      Mr Humphries said the pres-         could consider their options, as
gave a sense of hope to homeowners        ence of the soldiers was an unex-
who had lost everything.                  pected godsend.                        with so many of his devastated                                                  For more information visit
                                                                                                                                                              armyshop.com.au/coins
    Verona residents Jim and Enid            “ Wi t h o u t t h e m I ’d h ave   neighbours and community
Humphries lost their home to the fires    to be into this with a chainsaw        members.
north of Bega. They had been living       and that wouldn’t be pretty,” Mr           “We are just one of the many,
in a tent, but now have a caravan.        Humphries said.                        there’s a hell of lot in the same                                                 Army Shop at Military Shop
    A new access track to their prop-        “Before the fire, this was quite    boat, a hell of a lot,” he said.              A part of BrandNet           65 Kembla Street Fyshwick Canberra 02 6123 2960
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
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STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
February 6, 2020                                                                             defence.gov.au/news/armynews                                Operation Bushfire Assist                                9

                                                                                  A Bushmaster ambulance
                                                                                  is positioned within 1CHB
                                                                                 Role One medical facility at
                                                                                                                              Primary care a primary
                                                                                  Batemans Bay evacuation
                                                                                        centre in support of
                                                                                  Operation Bushfire Assist.
                                                                                                                              concern for soldiers
                                                                                           Photo: Sgt Bill Solomou
                                                                                                                              Cpl Sebastian Beurich                      which is the same recognition as
                                                                                                                                                                         doctors and nurses, which frees us
                                                                                                                              TWO soldiers found themselves in a         up to work with civilian patients,” Pte
                                                                                                                              unique position to use their skills to     Scanlon said.
                                                                                                                              assist a Victorian community during            “It hasn’t been possible in the past
                                                                                                                              the bushfires.                             because I haven’t had the registra-
                                                                                                                                   Nursing officer Capt Phil Barber      tion that allowed us to cross over.
                                                                                                                              and combat paramedic Pte Rod                   “It’s immensely satisfying and
                                                                                                                              Scanlon, both of 4CSSB, manned             rewarding being here, from the
                                                                                                                              the health centre in Bright after          responses we get from the local
                                                                                                                              nurses were ordered to evacuate due        population, who have been tremen-
                                                                                                                              to the looming bushfire threat.            dously grateful for our presence, to
                                                                                                                                   “Our role was primary health care,    being able to get involved and build a
                                                                                                                              or just general medical assistance,”       connection with the community.”
                                                                                                                              Capt Barber said.                              Their assistance was just another
                                                                                                                                                                         example of Australians’ love of help-
                                                                                                                                   “This definitely wasn’t on our
                                                                                                                                                                         ing their neighbours, according to
                                                                                                                              list of tasks for this deployment, but
                                                                                                                                                                         Capt Barber, who said Army had
                                                                                                                              we’ve had nothing but unlimited            become like the “fourth leg of a stool”

                                                         Watch video at:                                                     charity and support.”                      to the community.
                                                          youtube.com/watch?v=915SrDTbF3Q                                          The pair, along with much of              “We’re another element to support
                                                                                                                              the rest of Victoria’s 4 Bde, had          them, alongside the firies, the ambos
                                                                                                                              been on standby to help since early        and the police,” Capt Barber said.

Duty of care
                                                                                                                              November.                                      “Everyone on social media says
                                                                                                                                   Although not normally allowed         ‘what can I do to help’ and for some
                                                                                                                              to treat civilians while in uniform,       that’s donating money, or for oth-
                                                                                                                              Pte Scanlon said the system had            ers it’s dropping water off at the
                                                                                                                              matured in recent years, allowing          Foodbank, but we all love to give and
                                                                                                                              both military and civilian health ser-     help our neighbours.
                                                                                                                              vices to recognise their qualifications.       “For us it’s helping to staff the
                                                                                                                                   “Paramedics have only just been       hospital, but almost everyone is offer-
                                                                                                                              registered with the Australian Health      ing assistance and asking what they
Sgt Max Bree                               The detachment includes a            destroyed, they were quite dis-
                                                                                                                              Practitioner Regulation Agency,            can do, which I find amazing.”
                                       doctor, two nurses, two medics           tressed from that,” Cpl Smith said.
STORIES of burnt-out homes and         and an Army chaplain to provide              “They just wanted to talk, then
shattered lives have been shared       counselling.                             go from there. They wanted an
with Army medics, in a departure           During the first day of opera-       external ear rather than the hospital
from the usual tales of soldiers’      tion, patients spoke to duty medic       or mental health team.”
illnesses and injuries.                Cpl Leigh Smith.                             The detachment could also con-
    The medics are part of a nine-         “I took any notes, observations      duct resuscitation and stabilisation,
person primary healthcare team         and got their medical history,” Cpl      and had a Bushmaster ambulance
from Army’s 1CHB, which arrived Smith said.                                     for evacuations or extractions from
at the Batemans Bay evacuation             “If they needed the doctor, I’d      isolated areas if requested by state
centre on January 7.                   send them through. If it was minor,
                                                                                authorities.
    They’ve treated a trickle of       I’d give them something.
patients since setting up, but             “We don’t normally deal with             The Army detachment worked
detachment commander Capt Kaiya the elderly or young unless we do               alongside an Australian medical
Chen said most weren’t physically      a hospital placement. It’s different     assistance team, which has posi-
hurt.                                  from fit soldiers aged about 20 to       tioned doctors, nurses and a field
    “I had a lady one morning, vir-    40, but doing placements gets you        hospital at the evacuation centre.
tually in tears, just wanting to have used to it.”                                  “Any Australian would feel they
a chat about the things that she’s         Other than a woman with smoke        want to help out,” Capt Chen said.
seen after losing her home. A lot of inhalation, most of Cpl Smith’s                “We all know the impact the                 Combat paramedic Pte Rod Scanlon, left, and nursing
the people have a story to tell and    cases involved mental health             fires are having on our communi-                officer Capt Phil Barber at the Alpine Health Bright
they just want someone to tell it to,” matters.                                 ties, so we’re all keen to come out             centre, Victoria.                Photo: Cpl Sebastian Beurich
Capt Chen said.                            “Two had their houses                and support.”

Fingers
on the
pulse
Maj Cameron Jamieson
WHILE the machinery and muscle
power of the ADF’s support for the

                                                                                                                                   WHO IS
national bushfire emergency has
received broad coverage, plenty of
smaller activities are also having

                                                                                                                                   HELPING YOU
a significant impact on devastated
communities.
    In the NSW Snowy Valleys
region, medical personnel from

                                                                                                                                   WITH YOUR
1CHB are offering primary medical
services while public services are
re-established.
                                         Pte Brenden Walker provides a complimentary check-up to Jay

                                                                                                                                   FINANCE GOALS
    Besides offering a walk-in clinic,
they have a resuscitation capability     Twemlow inside a Bushmaster ambulance during a health visit to
and can evacuate patients to outlying    Batlow, NSW.                         Photo: Maj Cameron Jamieson
hospitals using local paramedics.

                                                                                                                                   IN 2020?
    The small detachment deployed            For Army medic Pte Brenden         opening up and talking. We found
from Brisbane in January, with stays     Walker, the opportunity to serve       out there were people in need, so
in Batemans Bay, Eden and Cooma          the people of the region was an        we got some addresses and deliv-
before arriving in Tumbarumba.           honour, but it came with the stark     ered some water.
    To further their work, they are      realities of the bushfire emergency.      “People had lost their homes
undertaking community engage-                “On the first day, people were     and were living out of their cars
ment at the nearby town of Batlow        just glad to see us,” Pte Walker       and vans, and we were able to                         Contact us to get started today!
using an ambulance-variant of the        said.                                  help them and offer medical assis-                          Call 1300 784 246                                      Credit Licence
Bushmaster protected mobility vehi-          “The next day we weren’t get-      tance.                                                                                                               #476980
cle, reaching out to people in need,     ting many inquiries, so we visited        “It’s an honour to be able to
whether it be with medical assistance    people at the RSL club.                come down and help out. I’m glad
or the delivery of water and other           “We started chatting with the      that I was there when the call went                      1300 784 246 or visit www.spect.com.au  
goods.                                   locals and they in turn started        out for people to be deployed.”
STANDING STRONG - SPECIAL EDITION Operation Bushfire Assist: Pages 2-14 - Department of Defence
10       Operation Bushfire Assist

New life marks
new beginning                                                                                                                   Army medic
                                                                                                                                Cpl Kristie
                                                                                                                                Connell,
                                                                                                                                of 8CSSB,
                                                                                                                                holds baby
                                                                                                                                Ivy Tyrrell.
Sgt Max Bree                            house for three days from New Year’s        but she did not think it was the onset      Photo:
                                        Eve, but the home was spared thanks         of the birth.                               Sgt Max Bree
A WOMAN tore into the Cobargo           to lucky winds and the efforts of her           “All of a sudden it hit, but the con-
relief centre on January 21, grabbing   husband Byron, who defended the             tractions were fairly distant. Then they
towels and saying her daughter was in property with a water pump.                   were two minutes apart. I was getting
labour.                                     “We found Sarah sitting on a beach      nervous that it was going to be a home
    LCpl Archibald Fallon called an     chair. She was calm and we got her on       birth.”
ambulance, but he knew it wouldn’t      to the couch,” Pte Brimmer said.                Police arrived, but there was no
be able to reach the mum-to-be at           “It was good knowing she wasn’t         sign of an ambulance.
Upper Brogo on the NSW south coast crowning, but being the sixth child, it              Because of patchy phone reception,
in time.                                could come very quickly, going from         troop signaller Pte Murray Richey set
    “I got on our radio to call up Army zero to 100.”                               up satellite communications equip-
medics, knowing the ambos coming            Pte Brimmer tried to remember the       ment. After about 30 minutes, an
from Bega would take a lot longer to    emergency birth checklist normally on       ambulance appeared.
get there than we would,” LCpl Fallon his desk.                                         On the way to hospital, Pte
said.                                       “You get the pregnant woman on          Brimmer rode in the front passenger
    A nearby medic, Cpl Kristie         her back or in a position that’s most       seat, while Cpl Connell assisted the
Connell, was called in to respond to    comfortable,” he said.                      paramedic in the rear of the ambu-
the situation.                              “If she gets the urge to push, just     lance.
    “I was told to grab my kit, jump    push, don’t try and fight because that          “Sarah felt pressure on her pelvis,
a fence and wait by the highway for     can hurt the baby.                          and because of previous quick deliver-
pick-up because there was a lady in         “You also think about alternative       ies, it was lights and sirens on,” Cpl
labour,” Cpl Connell said.              positions in case there are any breech      Connell said.
    Despite more than eight years as    problems or the umbilical cord is               Midwives took Ms Tyrrell from the
an intensive care nurse, Cpl Connell    showing.”                                   ambulance when they arrived at Bega
had only limited experience with            Ms Tyrrell was on a couch with          hospital and about five minutes later,
births. She was joined by Pte Nicholas towels tucked around her, contractions       baby Ivy was born.
Brimmer, who had helped deliver five were timed and an off-site medical                 “I’ll definitely enjoy telling this
babies – but only over the phone as an officer prepared for a video call if the     story. It’s not every day you have
ambulance dispatcher.                   baby came suddenly.                         the Army turn up to make sure your
    They formed part of a team that         The medical officer also advised        [baby’s] arrival is safe,” Ms Tyrrell
took a winding dirt road through fire-  Cpl Connell in the event of imminent        said.
ravaged hills to the home of soon-to-be labour.                                         “They made sure everything ran
mum-of-six Sarah Tyrrell.                   Ms Tyrrell said she woke that day       smoothly. I couldn’t have asked for
    Fire burned around Ms Tyrrell’s     “with a couple of little niggling pains”,   better help.”

                                                           3.1kms a day for 31 days
                                                           Walk 96kms, the distance of the Kokoda Trail, in March 2020.
                                                           Sign up on your own or with a team, to raise awareness and
                                                           help prevent veteran suicide.

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                                                           For more information scan the QR code,
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February 6, 2020                                                                           defence.gov.au/news/armynews                        Operation Bushfire Assist                   11

                                                                                                                                 Pte Jake Jubelin, of 2/17RNSWR, cuts up a fire-damaged
                                                                                                                                 tree on the road to the dairy farm of Tim Salway, near
                                                                                                                                 Cobargo, NSW.

    Relief during
    tragedy
Sgt Max Bree                                        Strike teams, such as those commanded
                                                by Lt Frost, are working to assist communi-
A RAGING inferno killed Tim Salway’s            ties in south-east NSW in the wake of the
brother and father when bushfires tore          bushfires.
through the family dairy farm near Cobargo,         His team has 26 soldiers from Army’s
NSW, on New Year’s Eve.                         5 Bde, mostly infantrymen and combat engi-
    As Mr Salway returned to their ravaged      neers, supported by a medic and signaller.
240ha property, milking came first.                 Four of the infantrymen completed an
    “I knew my old man and brother were         Army chainsaw course while the team was
lying there just over the hill, but we had to   staging at Holsworthy.
get the cows in,” Mr Salway said.                   “One minute we’re helping fix fences to
    “You can’t afford to miss it, because they stop cattle getting on the road and the next
start getting udder issues.                     minute we’re out doing engineer tasks such
    “That was the hardest milking I’ve ever     as inspecting culverts and bridges, or felling
had to do, but you couldn’t just stop and say   and cutting up trees,” Lt Frost said.
‘that was a bad fire’.”                             “Even if it is just basic, manual labour,
    About 170 of the Salways’ 350 cows were the team is really glad to be able to help.”
lost in the blaze.                                  The Salways’ farm provides milk to
    Help arrived in the fire’s wake, including  Bega Cheese, the same company that makes
an Army strike team to clear and pile up fall- canned cheese for Army ration packs.
en trees from the paddocks, saving the family                                                      Above: Lt Aiden Frost with dairy farmer Tim Salway and his wife Leanne. Below: Cows
                                                    The company couldn’t process the
an estimated month’s work.                                                                         singed by fire at the Salways’ dairy farm.                              Photos: Sgt Max Bree
                                                Salways’ milk for 10 days after the fires,
    “They ripped in with chainsaws, they
smashed through, their bosses kept asking me meaning it had to be dumped, but Bega
‘what next?’,” Mr Salway said.                  Cheese still paid for it. The company also
    “We’re able to get back in these paddocks, provided the family with generators to keep
we’re able to work the land again. In time      things running until power was restored.
we’ll be able to burn these heaps [of wood].        “We take for granted where everything
    “They cleared our driveway and just driv- comes from,” Lt Frost said.
ing in makes you feel better. Things like this      “Guys like these farmers provide milk to
keep you going, as tough as it is for our       make cheese for ration packs or the super-
family.”                                        market; everyone knows the struggles they’ve
    Lt Aiden Frost, of 2/17RNSWR, com-          had.
manded the strike team that arrived for two         “Then to have a fire devastate your farm
days of work on January 14.                     and lose family members is the last thing any
    They also brought water and an Army         of these people needed. At least we can show
chaplain to counsel the Salways.                them that the people of Australia and the
    “The intensity of the fire basically ripped Army care about them.”
all of the trees out of the ground and created      When the team finished at the Salways’
huge amounts of debris, which rendered the      property, Tim’s family had worked for 15
paddocks sort of unusable,” Lt Frost said.      days straight to recover, with no end in sight.
    “The farmers have been overwhelmed.             “It wasn’t a fire, it was a monster, like a
We can’t solve the whole problem, but in a      tornado. It’s something I don’t want to see
couple of days our guys were able to clear      again,” Mr Salway said.
significant amounts of the property, which          “I’ve been trying to say it’s not that bad,
will eventually allow their cattle numbers to   but when the Army turns up to help you it
recover.”                                       must be pretty bad.”
12         February 6, 2020                 defence.gov.au/news/armynews                                                                OPERATION BUSHFIRE ASSIST                                                                                 13

 A Chinook from 5 Avn Regt supports
 Victorian CFS with evacuations of people
 and animals from the Omeo and Mt
 Hotham areas of Victoria who were under
 threat from the Bruthen bushfire.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Soldiers from 5ER
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        assist in unloading
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        donated goods
                                                                                                                                    Chinooks from 5 Avn Regt deliver hay bales to remote                                at the Milton
                                                                                                                                    bushfire-affected farms on Kangaroo Island, South                                   Showground within
                                                                                                                                    Australia, during Operation Bushfire Assist.                                        the Shoalhaven
                                                                                                                                                                     Photo: Cpl Tristan Kennedy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        district of NSW.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Photo: Sgt Bill Solomou

                                                                                                                                                                                            Soldiers and medics unload Red Cross
                                                                                                                                                                                            food parcels and supplies from a Republic
                                                                                                                                                                                            of Singapore Air Force Chinook to the
                                                                                                                                                                                            fire-isolated community of Chandlers
                                                                                                                                                                                            Creek, Victoria.       Photo: Pte Michael Currie

                                                         Pte Jaya Delaterre, of
                                                         2/17RNSWR, breaks up
                                                         a burning log as part of
                                                         an effort to prevent spot
                                                         fires in Jerangle, NSW.
                                                         Photo: LCpl Brodie Cross

Soldiers from 16RAR
Emergency Support
Force, help feed Koala
joeys at Cleland Wildlife                                                            Cpl Jaaziel Robertson, of 12/40RTR, breaks
Park in the Adelaide Hills,                                                          apart roofing from a home on Kangaroo Island
South Australia.                                                                     that burnt down in the bushfires.
Photo: Nicole Mankowski                                                              Photo: LCpl Brodie Cross
14        Operation Bushfire Assist

                                                                                                                                Building
                                                                                                                                bridges
                                                                                                                                 Sgt Max Bree                             they are 20 to 30-plus years old. They
                                                                                                                                                                          handled the fires pretty well with
                                                                                                                                 MOST motorists won’t pay much            some minor or moderate maintenance
                                                                                                                                 attention to a bridge as they drive      required.”
                                                                                                                                 over it.                                     The pair report their findings
                                                                                                                                     But a pair of combat engineers       to local councils, which prioritise
                                                                                                                                 from 5ER have become familiar with repairs or further inspections.
                                                                                                                                 dozens of bridge undersides in south-        Despite a background in concrete
                                                                                                                                 east NSW following bushfires that        bridges, Cpl Lorenz said there was
                                                                                                                                 swept the region.                        some crossover with the wooden
                                                                                                                                     One is LCpl Rick Williams, a civil structures.
                                                                                                                                 engineer and surveyor when not serv-         “There are some idiosyncrasies in
                                                                                                                                 ing with the Army Reserve.               wooden bridges,” he said
                                                                                                                                     “We’re looking to see how deep           “But our work is about knowing
                                                                                                                                 fire has burned into the hardwood, to what aspects of the bridge accomplish
                                                                                                                                 see if there’s any structural issues,”
                                                                                                                                                                          and how much load is going through
                                                                                                                                 LCpl Williams said.
                                                                                                                                                                          them. Then we assess how much
                                                                                                                                     “It’s amazing to see how fire
                                                                                                                                 gets into a structure. A lot of ember    damage they can sustain while still
                                                                                                                                 attacks got into termite-eaten wood      being functional.”
                                                                                                                                 and just burnt through it.                   Despite most of the region’s
                                                                                                                                     “With steel, we’re looking to see    bridges  being made of wood and
                                                                                                                                 if the fire has been hot enough to       steel, the sappers did get to inspect
                                                                                                                                 twist or warp the steel members.”        one concrete structure, which was out
                                                                                                                                     For the most part, bridges in the    of the fire zone but slightly stressed
                                                                                                                                 region held up well, according to Cpl due to a heavier route being closed.
                                                                                                                                 Ross Lorenz, a civil engineer whose          “We were inspecting it for over-
                                                                                                                                 resume includes bridge-building          load damage. It held up quite well,
      Cpl Ross Lorenz, left, and LCpl Rick                                                                                       projects on the Pacific Highway and      but it did have some maintenance
      Williams, of 5ER, inspect a fire-                                                                                          Hunter Expressway.                       issues,” Cpl Lorenz said.
      damaged bridge in Cobargo, NSW.                                                                                                “One extreme example was                 Although there is scope for 5ER
                                  Photo: Sgt Max Bree                                                                           charred remains at the bottom of a       sappers to make temporary fixes for
                                                                                                                                 gully, but overall the bridges are look- some bridges, major repairs will be
                                                                                                                                 ing good,” Cpl Lorenz said.              done by local council specialist
                                                                                                                                     “A lot of the bridges look like      contractors.

                                                                        George Walters, of the South Coast Rural
                                                                        Relief charity, checks a load of fodder with
                                                                        Sgt Mathew Maynard, left, prior to their
                                                                        departure from Cooma, NSW, in support
                                                                        of Operation Bushfire Assist.
                                                                        Photo: Sgt Brett Sherriff

                                                                                                                                          Ged Gross delivers the coffee while his Kelpie pup Tuna
                                                                                                                                          delivers the smiles for Capt Alisha Reeves, of 5ER Task
                                                                                                                                          Group, in Bega.                      Photo: Maj Cameron Jamieson

                                                                                                                                          Coffee fuels positivity
                                                                                                                                          Maj Cameron Jamieson                  “That’s important, because
                                                                                                                                                                            there is a lot of anxiety among
                                                                                                                                                                            businesses.”
             Watch video at:                                                                                                             MOST soldiers would jump at
                                                                                                                                          the chance to replace ration-         Things also changed when
              youtube.com/watch?v=sdsWD1-y7CQ                                                                                                                               Mr Gross and his wife took their
                                                                                                                                          pack coffee with the freshly
                                                                                                                                          brewed variety.                   children to an Army kids’ day
                                                                                                                                              In Bega, NSW, it’s one exam- event.

Hayday for communities
                                                                                                                                          ple of how troops are contribut-      “After playing with the Army
                                                                                                                                          ing to local businesses following for a day, they changed from
                                                                                                                                          nearby bushfires.                 ‘playing fighting fires’ to ‘playing
                                                                                                                                              For Ged Gross, who runs       Army’,” he said.
                                                                                                                                          mobile coffee business More           “The children’s change shift-
Sgt Dave Morley                              assistance of the Army has been a mas-     Gin, up past Bundaberg, so I know                                                   ed everyone else’s attitude back
                                                                                                                                          Than Beans, troops are helping
                                             sive boost,” Mr Walters said.                                                                                                  towards what’s going on now.”
                                                                                        how tough farmers are doing it,” Pte              reverse financial losses caused       But the soldier/coffee-vendor
WHILE people and native wildlife left            “Some sheep, cattle and horses         Whitehurst said.                                  by the fires.                     relationship is not all one-way.
devastated by the bushfires are increas-     haven’t had anything for days.                “It’s a privilege to be able to get out            “Their presence means there       Mr Gross brings his Kelpie
ingly being cared for, livestock on              “We are now reaching farms and         and help – being here makes me proud              is a fair bit of hope,” Mr Gross  pup “Tuna” with him.
farms haven’t necessarily been receiv-       properties that desperately need assis-    to wear the uniform.”                             said.                                 “The pup has been a hit with
ing the same attention.                      tance.”                                                                                          “We’ve lost a considerable    the soldiers, with all the chaos
                                                                                           A convoy of road trains loaded with            number of contracts and jobs
   Local Cooma farmer George                     Pte Shaun Whitehurst, a                                                                                                    that went on and not knowing
Walters has gone all out to fix this by      Rheinmetall HX77 driver from               hay from Western Australia arrived in             over the summer, however, the     what they would be doing next,”
forming South Coast Rural Relief, an         Brisbane-based 7CSSB, took on a load       Cooma on January 22.                              soldiers bring positivity to the  he said.
organisation that aims to get fodder to      of hay in Cooma on January 15.                Army vehicles will continue to                 whole area, because it shows          “They would play with her
farmers who need it most.                        He said people were doing it tough     assist in distributing this much-needed           that there is going to be an      and walk her when we pulled
   “The whole community has gotten           after the fires.                           fodder to farms across the NSW south              injection to keep the economy     up. It’s good for them and good
behind the relief efforts, but to have the       “I’m from off the land at Gin          coast.                                            going.                            for her too.”
2019
                  RUNOUT
                                              SALE

                                                                           Quoted prices include:
                            Finance                          Rego            CTP               Fuel                 Maintenance                         Insurance

               Volkswagen Golf                                             Mitsubishi Eclipse                                   Skoda Octavia
                                                         save              Cross Exceed                save                                                      save
               110TSI Highline                                                                                                  RS 180TSI Wagon
                                                     $   2,726             Wagon 1.5T             $   3,630                                                  $   4,564
                                                   on purchase price
                                                                   †
                                                                                                on purchase price   †
                                                                                                                                                          on purchase price†

                  $
                      402* PER FORTNIGHT                                     $
                                                                                 454* PER FORTNIGHT                                $
                                                                                                                                       480* PER FORTNIGHT
                  INC. $141 OF RUNNING COSTS                                 INC. $162 OF RUNNING COSTS                            INC. $177 OF RUNNING COSTS

               Volkswagen Tiguan
                                                         save
                                                                           Skoda Kodiaq
                                                                                                       save                     Looking for
               132 Comfortline                                             132TSI Sportline
                                                     $   2,638                                     $   5,074                    a different
                                                   on purchase price   †
                                                                                                on purchase price†              car?

                  $
                      522* PER FORTNIGHT                                     $
                                                                                 550* PER FORTNIGHT                             Request a quote on a car you love
                                                                                                                                to see how much you could save!
                  INC. $192 OF RUNNING COSTS                                 INC. $188 OF RUNNING COSTS

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         *Based on the following assumptions: living in NSW 2560, salary: $70,000 gross p.a., travelling 15,000 kms p.a., lease term: 60 months, using the Employee Contribution
         Method for FBT purposes. Images shown may not be the exact car that the calculations have been based on. All figures quoted include budgets for finance, fuel,
         servicing, tyres, maintenance, Vero by Suncorp comprehensive motor insurance, Hydro Platinum Pack and re-registration over the period of the lease. Also includes,
         for Suzuki, Audi and BMW models only, 2 year Platinum Warranty insurance. Vehicle residual, as set by Australian Taxation Office, payable at the end of lease term. The
         exact residual amount will be specified in your vehicle quote. Vehicle pricing is correct at the time of distribution but may be subject to change based on availability.
         †
             Negotiated Smartleasing buying power discount on chosen vehicle may vary.

Smartleasing ad_ARMY_2019 Runout_Jan 2020.indd 1                                                                                                                          20/12/2019 3:23:11 PM
16        Australia Day honours

Going above and beyond
Personnel awarded Australia Day honours for their distinguished service and outstanding devotion to duty.

OFFICER (AO) IN THE MILITARY           and leadership and significantly        in personnel management, instruc-       General Train Advise Assist               Brig Wade Stothart
DIVISION                               enhancing the operational effects       tional leadership, executive events     Command – South in Afghanistan            For distinguished performance
                                       and capabilities of the ADF.            coordination and ceremonial event       from September 2017 to February           of duties in warlike operations
Lt-Gen Gregory Bilton                                                          management in the ADF.
                                       Col Andrew McBaron                                                              2019.                                     as Director Joint Plans and
For distinguished service in
                                       For exceptional service as              WO1 Roger Read                                                                    Assessment, HQ Combined Joint
the appointments of Deputy                                                                                             DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
                                       the Director of Officer Career          For meritorious service as the                                                    Task Force – Operation Inherent
Commanding General of the US                                                                                           CROSS (DSC)
                                       Management – Army, Career               Information Systems Engineer, Force                                               Resolve from December 2017 to
Army in the Pacific, Deputy Chief of
Joint Operations and Commander         Adviser for General Service Officer     Installation Team 31 from 2017 to       Col Michael Say                           December 2018.
ForComd.                               Lieutenant Colonels and Staff Officer   2019.                                   For distinguished command and             Col B
                                       Grade One Establishments.               WO1 Andrew Shore                        leadership in warlike operations          For distinguished performance
MEMBER (AM) IN THE MILITARY            Lt-Col Alyson Auliff                    For meritorious service as the          while deployed as Commander of            of duties in warlike operations as
DIVISION                                                                       Regimental Sergeant Major               TGT-7 in Iraq during 2018.                Director Strategy and Plans, HQ
                                       For exceptional service to the ADF in
Maj-Gen Andrew Freeman                 malaria research.                       3RAR and Royal Military                 Lt-Col R                                  Combined JTF – Operation Inherent
                                                                               College – Duntroon, and Career                                                    Resolve from January to September
For exceptional service to the ADF                                                                                     For distinguished command and             2018.
as Commander 17 Bde, Director          MEDAL (OAM) IN THE MILITARY             Adviser in the Directorate of Soldier   leadership in warlike operations as
General Land Operations and            DIVISION                                Career Management – Army.               Commander of a Special Operations         Col Stephen Gliddon
Director Logistics – Army.             Capt John Land                          WO1 Julie Whittaker                     Task Group in Iraq from June to           For distinguished performance
Brig Michael Ashleigh                                                          For meritorious service as the          December 2018.                            of duties in warlike operations as
                                       For meritorious service as the Army                                                                                       Chief of Future Operations, North
                                       Conservator Australian Army History     Senior Technical Trade WO and
For exceptional service as Director                                                                                    DISTINGUISHED SERVICE                     Atlantic Treaty Organisation Resolute
                                       Unit in support of the protection of    Career Adviser for Army Ammunition
Logistics – Army, Director General                                                                                     MEDAL (DSM)                               Support Mission, Afghanistan, from
Strategic Logistics and Commander      Army’s heritage.                        Technicians.
                                                                                                                                                                 November 2017 to January 2019.
Australian Army Cadets.                                                                                                Col Stuart Kenny
                                       WO1 Joshua Andrews                      BAR TO THE DISTINGUISHED                                                          Col Gavin Stanford
Brig Stephen Jobson                                                                                                    For distinguished leadership in
                                       For meritorious service in achieve-     SERVICE CROSS (DSC and Bar)             warlike operations as Chief of            For distinguished performance
For exceptional service as             ment and exceptional commitment         Brig John Shanahan                      Plans for Train, Advise, Assist           of duties in warlike operations
Commandant Army Recruit Training       to the continuous advancement of                                                Command – South Operation                 as Chief of Future Operations
Centre, Commander 16th Avn Bde         Army’s Geospatial Intelligence          For distinguished command and
                                                                                                                       Resolute Support Afghanistan from         within Operations Directorate
and Commander JTF646.                  capability.                             leadership in warlike operations as
                                                                                                                       January 2018 to January 2019.             of HQ Combined Joint Task
                                                                               North Atlantic Treaty Organisation
Col Nicholas Foxall                    WO1 Brian Moore                                                                                                           Force – Operation Inherent Resolve
                                                                               Resolute Support HQ Chief of            Bdr Michael Cobb                          from November 2017 to November
For exceptional service in command     For meritorious performance of duty     Operations and as Commanding             For distinguished leadership in          2018.
                                                                                                                        warlike operations as Australian         Maj Joshua Higgins
                                                                                                                        Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems
                                                                                                                        Detachment Commander, HQ                 For distinguished performance of
                                                                                                                        JTF633, while deployed to the            duties in warlike operations as the
                                                                                                                        Middle East Region from October          OC Training Team Victor, TGT-7 in
                                                                                                                        2017 to June 2018.                       Iraq from May to November 2018.
                                                                                                                                                                 Capt D
                                                                                                                       COMMENDATION FOR                          For distinguished performance
                                                                                                                       DISTINGUISHED SERVICE                     of duties in warlike operations as
                                                                                                                       Brig Peter Connor                         the XO and OPSO for a Special
                                                                                                                                                                 Operations Task Group while
                                                                                                                       For distinguished performance             deployed to Iraq on Operation Okra
                                                                                                                       of duties in warlike operations as        in 2018.
                                                                                                                       the Commander of Task Group
                                                                                                                       Afghanistan while deployed on             Cpl Daniel Flynn
                                                                                                                       Operation Highroad from November          For distinguished performance
                                                                                                                       2017 to September 2018.                   of duties in warlike operations as

                                                                                                                        Out of the
                                                                                                                        ordinary
                                                                                                                        LS Kylie Jagiello
                                                                                                                        WHAT some people might see as just doing their job is
                                                                                                                        actually going above and beyond for someone else.
                                                                                                                            This was the case for Cpl Lachlan Mitchell who
                                                                                                                        received a Commendation for Distinguished Service in
                                                                                                                        the Australia Day Honours.
                                                                                                                            “I didn’t feel that I did anything out of the ordinary
        Posting soon or just posted to a new location?                                                                  while I was deployed, however am honoured for the
                                                                                                                        nomination,” Cpl Mitchell said.
        Is your partner looking for work?                                                                                   “I didn’t really have a measure to go by so I just did
                                                                                                                        the best job that I could and I guess someone noticed.”
        Help is available through the Partner Employment Assistance Program.                                                While deployed to Operation Highroad from
                                                                                                                        February to August 2018, Cpl Mitchell was a force
        In each posting location, partners of ADF members can apply for up to                                           protection section commander for Train Advise Assist
        $1500 funding to contribute towards employment-related initiatives such as                                      Command – Air.
                                                                                                                            As section commander, Cpl Mitchell distinguished
        resume preparation, job search and job interview techniques, as well as job                                     himself through his performance, leadership and pro-
        placement advice. It can also assist with professional re-registration costs                                    fessionalism and was an instrumental member to his
        when moving from one state or territory to another.                                                             team.
                                                                                                                            “We were working 24/7 over there and I just tried to
                                                                                                                        use every moment I could to help out,” he said.
                                                                                                                            Instead of relaxing in his spare time, Cpl Mitchell
                                                                                                                        prefers to help train others in combat shooting tech-
                                                                                                                        niques, both inside the security of the base and outside
                                                       Want more information?                                           at range.

                                       Visit www.defence.gov.au/dco, call 1800 624 608
                                        or email defencefamilyhelpline@defence.gov.au                                   Commendation for Distinguished Service recipient
                                                                                                                         Cpl Lachlan Mitchell, right, is presented with the
                                                                                                                            OSCMAR trophy for best endurance by DCA
                                                                                                                         Maj-Gen Anthony Rawlins during the Gloucester
 DCO 073-2018                                                                                                                           Cup at Singleton, NSW, in 2019.
                                                                                                                                                       Photo: Cpl Sebastian Beurich

  073-2018 ADV PEAP.indd 1                                                                  12/12/2018 11:25:52 AM
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