New logistics unit hits the ground running

Soldiers from the 8th Operational Support Unit (8OSU) escaped the southern winter to conduct the unit’s first major exercise since it was raised earlier this year.

CAPTION: Army soldier Corporal Scott Christian, of 2nd Force Support Battalion, guides a forklift operator as they load rations onto a MAN 40M truck at Cairns airport, Queensland, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Warehousing, transport and maintenance specialists travelled from Timor Barracks in Sydney to take part in Exercise Austral Shield 2024 in Cairns and Derby in WA from July 12-28, providing combat teams from 11th Brigade and 13th Brigade with logistics support where embedded combat service support teams were unable to.

This included delivery of rations and fuel, transport tasks and facilitating maintenance for equipment, such as generators and refrigeration containers.

Vehicle mechanic Corporal Tim Lupton said working in a new unit to develop its capabilities was a new experience.

“It’s a different role for most of us posted in. It’s been a fast start to the year, setting everything up and then getting ready for this exercise, but it’s been good,” Corporal Lupton said.

The Cairns-based operational support team comprised soldiers from 8OSU and 2nd Force Support Battalion, who worked out of a warehouse at the airport, as well as four movements operators.

For Corporal Scott Christian, of 2nd Force Support Battalion, it was a welcome return to a place he called home nearly 30 years ago.

“It’s great to be back up here in Cairns. The weather is beautiful, certainly better than the Victorian cold,” Corporal Christian said.

A civilian underground mining safety training officer based out of Bendigo, Victoria, Corporal Christian has been an Army Reserve transport driver since 1990 and said it offered a unique experience.

“The comradeship, the exercises we go on, the vehicles and weapons we get to use, it’s not something you get to do in a civilian role,” he said.

“I think it’s good for character-building; it gets people out of their comfort zone and it’s just a different way of life.”

Team leader Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Ben Wells said the unit’s roles were providing logistics advice to Reserve brigades and forming a logistic element for Joint Task Force 629 to respond to any domestic operations.

“We are the first port of call when Joint Task Force 629 is called out, which can be short-notice-to-move, so it’s exciting to help out the Australian community when it is required,” WO2 Wells said.

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