This year has been an eventful one. We have witnessed a great deal of discussion in the public forum about Australia's role in Afghanistan, the investiture of the second Australian Victoria Cross and the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The purpose of this brief is to highlight the achievements and challenges faced by a task group that, due to the nature and its role and accompanying security-classification challenges, normally maintains a very low profile.

Words Lieutenant Colonel G, Commander SOTG December 2010 to June 2011
Pics ADF

As the Royal Australian Navy celebrates its 100th anniversary, the professionalism and preparedness of its minor vessels has never been greater. But keeping this diverse organisation at the required level of readiness to protect Australia’s massive coast and off-shore interests doesn’t come easy. Rehearsals, shakeouts and numerous exercises combine with real-life experience to
keep our sailors – and the vessels they live on – in peak shape.
One such shakeout is the annual Minor War Vessel Concentration Period – a set of escalating exercises, revolving around realistic scenarios that may reasonably be encountered on real operations.

Words CONTACT in cooperation with Navy
Pics Leading Seaman Andrew Dakin and Able Seaman Lee-Anne Mack

One of the best known, most respected and oldest institutions in Australia – the Royal Military College Duntroon – is celebrating its 100th anniversary throughout 2011 with a range of events and activities.
Significant among these celebrations was a Trooping of the Colours and exercising of the college’s freedom of entry rights to the city of Canberra on June 11.

Words Corporal Glen Power and Sergeant Brian Hartigan
Pics RMC and ARMY Newspaper
Reproduced with permission from ARMY Newspaper

More than 1000 soldiers from Darwin’s 1st Brigade spent two weeks in Shoalwater Bay Training Area near Rockhampton, Queensland, gearing up for the biggest military exercise of the year – Talisman Sabre 2011. The 1st Brigade soldiers used their
own Exercise Predator’s Strike to fine tune their readiness and combat skills, combining mechanised infantry, tanks, cavalry, combat engineers, artillery and support services to respond to a range of threat scenarios before rolling in to TS11 with the Yanks over the same terrain.

Pics ADF

The Australian Defence Force Academy racing team, Academy Racing, is a university-based project for midshipmen, officer cadets and other students at UNSW@ADFA in Canberra. Just one of many interesting voluntary extra-curricular activities available at ADFA, allowing future ADF officers to participate in a competition known generally and world-wide as Formula SAE.

Words Officer Cadet Matthew Rosenthal

Australian Air Force Cadets 70th Birthday Parade - inaugural Defence Youth Engagement and Development Congress - inaugural National Cadet Council (Navy) - Australian Air Force Cadets Corporals' graduate.

UNIT PROFILE - Riverwood Squadron Australian Air League.

RIP

On Monday 23 May 2011, Sergeant Brett Wood MG paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of his nation – struck down by an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan. The 32-year-old from the Sydney-based 2nd Commando Regiment leaves behind a
loving wife and family who will treasure his memory forever.

RIP

Lance Corporal Andrew Gordon Jones was killed during operations in Afghanistan on 30 May 2011, the victim of a rogue Afghan soldier with whom he was working. Twenty-five year old Lance Corporal Jones, a cook, was from the 9th Force Support Battalion home-based at Amberley, Queensland, but on rotation with Mentoring Task Force 2 in Afghanistan when he was shot by the Afghan soldier who, apparently, acted alone.

RIP

Lieutenant Marcus Sean Case was killed in a helicopter crash during operations in Afghanistan on 30 May 2011. Lieutenant Case, 27, was on his first deployment to Afghanistan, as a Heron UAV operator. He was from the Sydney-based 6th Aviation Regiment. The youngest of six children, Marcus Case was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1984. He leaves behind his parents and five siblings..

RIP

Sapper Rowan Jaie Robinson was serving with the Special Operations Task Group when he was tragically killed in action on Monday 6 June 2011. Twenty-three year old Sapper Robinson was from the Sydney-based Incident Response Regiment (IRR) and leaves
behind his loving mother, father, sister and two brothers.

RIP

Sergeant Todd Matthew Langley was killed during operations in Afghanistan on 4 July 2011 while deployed as a commando section
commander – on his fifth operational deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations. Sergeant Langley is survived by his loving
family, including a brother who is a corporal in the Australian Army.

Plus...

• "Defender of the Faith" book extract Chapter 2
  

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• The Big Picture - 7.62mm back at the front
  
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