Dear editor, I would like a chance to clarify several points made by the author of the above-mentioned article. I fear the basic infantry soldier reading that article may go away thinking “what chance do I have in the realm of combat if all of this information is true”. While the author makes many good points, some of the comments are a little sweeping to say the least and one or two are simply incorrect.
Before I go any further, you may be asking yourself who am I to pass judgement. Well, I am a Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) who has spent the past 20 years serving in the SASR. I have completed three tours in Timor, two in Iraq (one of those with UK SF) and am currently on my eighth trip to Afghanistan (one of those also with UK SF in Helmand province). I have also studied and taught on numerous close-quarter battle (CQB) courses and urban combat (UC) courses over the years. That said, in preparing this response I have discussed this article with many other members of the SASR.

Words WO2 W
Pics ADF

Following are extracts from a paper and statement on Afghanistan presented by Defence Minister Stephen Smith, 23 March 2011.
As I said during last year’s parliamentary debate on Afghanistan, “there can be no more serious endeavour for any country or government than to send its military forces into confl ict”. That is why it is appropriate that Australia’s commitment to Afghanistan
is the subject of ongoing parliamentary and public scrutiny. As part of this, the government and I are committed to providing regular reports and updates on Afghanistan, including to the parliament. My report on this occasion includes the recent NATO and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Brussels.

Words Stephen Smith
Pics ADF

Looking at images and footage of ADF troops on the ground in landlocked Afghanistan, you could be forgiven for thinking it was an all-Army affair. But that’s not always the case.
Working in the deserts and green zones of Afghanistan is a far cry from working under water, but for Navy clearance diver Richard Brickacek, that’s exactly what he did for most of 2010. Richard, a lieutenant in the Royal Australian Navy, worked as an explosive
ordnance disposal member with the 1st Mentoring Task Force in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan.

Words Lieutenant Todd Austin
Pics ADF and Brickacek collection

A Royal Australian Artillery detachment concluded a unique series of attachments of artillerymen to British operations in Helmand Province in April, bringing to a close an exchange that has drawn the highest praise from British counterparts over several years. In the months leading up to the end of mission, the Aussie gunners continued their valued and respected efforts by providing fire-support missions in support of coalition and Afghan National Security Forces. Fifteen gunners from Brisbane-based 1st Field Regiment were attached to the British 7th Parachute, Royal Horse Artillery (7 Para RHA) and operated from a new patrol base at Lashkar Gah Durai, in northern Helmand province.

Pics ADF

RIP - Sapper Jamie Ronald Larcombe was 21 years old and from the Darwin-based 1st Combat Engineer Regiment. He had just passed the third anniversary of his enlistment into the Army.

Words ADF and Larcombe family

At the back end of 18 months at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, tomorrow’s army officers are put through two final field exercises before graduation – the largest of which is designed to test and hone their skills and push their mental and physical boundaries to the limit. Known as Battle Block One Alpha, the penultimate exercise is primarily a stability-activities shakeout for 1st Class RMC cadets, exposing them to a wide range of army operations, from green-role war fighting to civil/military operations in a complex environment.

Pics ADF

The year 2011 may very well go down in history as a year of great natural disasters, and East Timor was among the many nations in the Pacific Region hit by Mother Nature – specifically with flooding rains in early February. The Australian-led International
Stabilisation Force (ISF) undertook emergency repairs to several roads, culverts, drains and a school in Dili, after receiving a late-night request from East Timor’s President Jose Ramos-Horta.

Words Captain Cameron Jameson
Pics ADF

On the eve of Anzac Day, the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment – 3RAR – marked the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Kapyong, with a ceremonial parade at Holsworthy in Sydney. The event held considerable significance this year as it was the final time 3RAR will conduct this commemorative parade at Holsworthy, before relocating to Townsville early next year.

Pics Tony Blake and Bill Cunneen

The Australian International Airshow at Avalon south of Melbourne served up the sights and especially the sounds of another great air show in March. Mother nature was much kinder than last time too, with the warm sunshine and relatively kind winds having much to do with what turned out to be record crowds. Airshow CEO Ian Honnery said the weekend public attendances were particularly pleasing, with numbers up by more than 30 per cent compared to the Saturday and Sunday public day sessions in 2009.

Words and pics Brian Hartigan

Three soldiers, a Navy clearance diver and an RAAF physical training instructor demonstrated tremendous courage, determination and prowess at the US Marine Corps Paralympic Trials in February. The five, who are part of the Australian Defence Force Paralympic Sports Program, shocked their military counterparts from the United States, Canada and Britain when they took away 12 gold medals, 11 silver and 1 bronze. In fact, at one point, their opponents were said to have been quite fearful that the Aussies would take out all the gold available for swimming – and they came very close, hauling 10 gold from the pool.

Pics ADF

As so many Australians made their annual before-dawn drive/walk to their nearest cenotaph on 25 April, the crew of HMAS Ararat paused from normal operations to welcome their own dawn and remember all who served before them.

Pics ADF

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• Giraffe radar coverage in TK
• "Defender of the Faith" book extract
  

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