"We have lost many soldiers in June and they will not be the last. But the Allies know that the cost of walking away before the job
is done would be far higher. We must – and will – complete the job we have started."
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.

Pics ADF

Click here to download a high-res .pdf of this whole spread - which includes an embedded video.
CAUTION: This file is 12meg. Also, if your pdf reader has security concerns, click "trust this file' then click on the bottom left image on the third page to start the video.

Sappers Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith,
Privates Tim Aplin, Ben Chuck and Scott Palmer,
and Private Nathan Bewes
all killed in action in the reporting period since the June issue.
And all six reports in .pdf format are linked to the picture at left.

Pic ADF

A collection of short reports from the ongoing Operation Astute...
Advanced weapon course - kicking-in-doors;
Health delivery - monthly medical civil action program;
Baucau patrol - hearts and minds on city streets;
Last Creado - an old warrior laid to rest;
An inspirational soldier - Sudanese-emigrant Private Biar Ezra Chol serving with 8/9RAR;
Engineering a future- expanding the capacity of military engineers; and,
Tapping potential - down to basics on plumbing course.

It’s a hot July day in Darwin and the strain of the past month is etched on Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston’s face. Houston is in Darwin to attend the funeral of 2 Commando Regiment operator Private Scott Palmer when he is forced to hold yet another media conference. He eyeballs the assembled cameras and announces the IED inflicted death of 6RAR’s Private Nathan Bewes.

Words Matt Black
Pics Black collection and ADF

Identifying your adversary and understanding the capabilities of his weapons has always been important regardless of whether you were a Frenchman facing English longbows at Agincourt, or Allied intelligence faced with Hitler’s V2 rockets and heavy water program during WWII. Over recent years a new crop of military acronyms and terms has emerged – WTI (weapons technical
intelligence); WITs (weapons intelligence teams); SSE (sensitive site exploitation); battlefield forensics and biometrics.

Words Matt Black
Pics Black collection

Reports on the inaugural Paralympic Sports Program (PSP) and Wounded Digger Forum in ARMY newspaper highlight a welcome and
sensible development on the Army ethos of old – looking after our own. If it is the way of the future that the Army will continue to look after wounded and injured soldiers who in the past would have been discharged, we are genuinely glad to be a part of it.

Words Sergeant Brian Hartigan, ARMY newspaper
Pics Sergeant Brian Hartigan, ARMY newspaper

A relatively new addition to Phillip Island's list of attractions is the National Vietnam Veterans Museum in Newhaven.
There are more than 25,000 items of memorabilia, photographs and artefacts to compliment the major exhibits as well an interesting range of merchandise, which includes a large selection of books about the war in which 501 Australians died.

Words Ken Wright
Pics National Vietnam Veterans Museum

In a gruelling two-day competition at Randwick Racecourse in May, more than 100 of Australia’s and New Zealand’s fi ttest male and female athletes competed for a chance to represent our region at the world games in the US in July.
At Randwick, as in the US, the athletes were sorely tested in a variety of workouts. But, true to CrossFit form, none of them knew what disciplines they would be tested in over the weekend, with the details of individual tests not announced until a couple of days
before the event – which means athletes must train across a wide range of activities and can’t target favourite specialties.

Words Brian Hartigan
Pics Brian Hartigan

To me, movement meant safety. It meant we kept them guessing and made it harder for the bad guys to plot and plan. Out of all of the tasks asked of us while in Somalia, there was one I always felt uncomfortable doing – VCPs (vehicle check points). We were stationary, had little or no cover and, unlike the water-point sleep-over’s, we were up on the main roads for the whole world to see.

Words AJ Shinner
Pics AJ Shinner collection

CADET CORNER

4Wing - best in the business.
Cadets meet air-race hero - Matt Hall.
Tassie's sweet easter treats - Adventure Training Award.

Plus...

• Cam paint for service weapons
• Abrams in Auscam
• Sarbi coming home
• Competition Giveaways
  • 5x3-book packs from Big Sky Publishing - Willingly into the Fray; Crumps and Camouflets; and, Beyond Adversity.

Plus our regular columns;

• The Big Picture - Super Hornet super fast
  
• Heads up - latest snippets from Australia, New Zealand and around the World
• Military Fitness by Don Stevenson
• Military Self Defence by Major Travis Faure
• Just Soldiers by WO1 Darryl Kelly
• The Job's Market" with Jonathan Ryan
• The Gear Insider