Daily Sitrep Thursday 14/2/2019 - Team Rubicon Australia

Daily Sitrep Thursday 14/2/2019

Operation Name: Op Gordon
Operation Location: Townsville, Qld. Australia
Operational Period: Day 2
Compiled By: Chris Perrin Mission Commander ORT/Wave 1

Highlights:
   •   4 Strike Teams, 1 Damage Assessment Team & 1 Medic/Safety Team.
   •   11 Spon Vols received & deployed into the field in approx. 30 minutes.
   •   VQ attended morning spontaneous volunteer reception.
   •   Initiated STL using App based task tool that inputs TRA work into TCC Dashboard.
   •   Another 3 people put through abbreviated Core Ops, total of 18 new Greyshirts
       during Operation.
   •   Picked up donated goods from Workwear Discounts (Bernie Baz 0407 921 990), Hip
       Pocket Workwear (Amy 0402 651 951), Officeworks Hermit Park & Mitre 10 via
       GIVIT.
   •   Orange Sky Laundry doing pick up & delivery of laundry.
   •   Interview with Townsville Bulletin (Madura McCormack 0481 516 145).
   •   10 tasks completed & 11 DA’s completed.
   •   Spon Vol team & Greyshirts finished day at 1300 due to heat & humidity. Spon vols
       left sweaty, tired & happy.

Daily Narrative: Another hot day today, with the car temperature gauge reading 29o at
0430 on the way to the Ops Room. Safety was maintained by a thorough briefing including
distribution of document prepared by QFES (Reid Park Health & Safety Fact Sheet, this was
produced as a result of a Melioidosis diagnosis. We also received notification via. The teams
worked in & around the Rosslea area of Townsville which was heavily impacted by the
floods. The damage in this area, which has a high number of 65+ & a low socio economic
demography, was significant. The days was halted around 1330 due to the heat.

Personnel:
• Total Personnel On-Scene (Op Period): 20

• Number of TR Command and General Staff Personnel: 5 (plus 2 UAV)

• Number of Personnel Being Billeted Tonight: 23

Welfare: Teams are handling the heat & humidity, hydration schedule being adhered to &
Medic/Safety are continually monitoring teams. Morale is high even though the work is hot
& heavy. Greyshirts enjoying the interaction with spon vols.

Daily Metrics: Total Work Orders Received - N/A

 Damage Assessments complete 11

 Work Orders completed 10

 Work Orders on going N/A

 Spontaneous Volunteers managed 11

 Spontaneous Volunteers Hours: 55

 Greyshirts Hours: 186

 IMT/LO/UAV Hours: 103

 Greyshirts Labour Value - $4291.02        Op to Date - $7982.22

 Spon Vol Labour Value - $1268.85          Op to Date - $4844.70

 IMT/UAV Labour Value - $5578.65           Op to Date - $6085.80

 LO Labour Value -       $225.40

 Total Labour Value - $11363.92            Total Op to Date $24716.77

Media/Engagement: Greyshirts interviewed Townsville Bulletin ((Madura
McCormack 0481 516 145)in Ops room re who TRA is, what we do & our backgrounds.
Story & pictures to be in tomorrows paper & electronic media. Spoke to ADRA & passed
details onto Matt Kirby. WH&S Qld will attend briefing tomorrow morning, spoke with

Rikki Anderson (Senior Inspector 0488 724 065) who expressed her satisfaction with the
focus on health & safety of Greyshirts/spon vols & the safety culture within TRA.

Operational Objectives (Next 24 Hours)
      •   Demob plan continuing.
      •   Continue to deploy Greyshirts & spon vols safely to complete tasks & DA’s. Spon vol
          numbers expected to be 32.
      •   Begin to get one off tasks for traditional TRA work over & above spon vol
          supervision.
      •   Maintain equipment store for expected needs.

Planning Considerations/Safety:
      •   Spon vol numbers increasing to 40-45 over the weekend, planning in place for
          increased numbers.
      • Maintain medic/safety team to monitor Greyshirts/spon vols in the field.

Support Requests/Logistics:
Nil

In Kind Support:
GIVIT – Fuel vouchers ($500), $10K in Bunnings, Mitre 10 & RSEA Safety vouchers, tools &
equipment. Debbie Lea Trading 48 Drums 20 x vinegar, Bidfood (07 4779 700) 20 x boxes of
water, Officeworks printing, 1 Pallet of Squinch hydrolyte from Hip Pocket Workwear &
Safety (Amy Gutterson, Director), $1000.00 from Combat Support Association with another
truck load of Bunnings gear leaving Brisbane today or tomorrow. 30 pairs of gum boots from
Workwear Discounts (Bernie Baz 0407 921 990)

ANDREAS KASS (ANDREAS) – GREYSHIRT REFLECTION DAY 2

I joined the Army at 18 where I went to the Australian Defence Force Academy where I studied a

Bachelor of Arts (History) and Geography. After completing my time at ADFA, I moved on to and

successfully completed … at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Upon graduating from RMC I was

posted as a Platoon Commander in 5 The Royal Australian Regiment, in Darwin, Northern Territory.

In 2014, I left the Army at the rank of Captain where I somehow found myself in sales, then in 2017 I

took a year off work and I walked the Appelachian Trail. I had completed 1,700km of the trail before

injury set in so I stopped. I then went to Spain and walked 780km of the Camino Santiago. During my

walks I met a lot of ex-Marine Corp soldiers who talked a lot about Team Rubicon-USA and what

they do on a deployment.

I returned to Australia and saw Team Rubicon Australia (TRA) on my Facebook, so I submitted an

expression of interest. My gap year really gave me perspective about who I am and my future. I thought TRA

could be something I would really enjoy. I am on my first deployment and its hot, its sweaty but its honest

work. Its good to be with ex AJ’s who talk the talk and have a laugh together while working hard

together.

Working on deployment in difficult conditions leaves me feeling neutral, like a baggy arse digger

with no decision-making responsibilities. By the end of the day I feel like I’ve put in and worked hard

as part of a cohesive group. It’s like having a purpose and direction again, while having a laugh.