Posted by Mike Hughes, Author at CONTACT magazine

Army environmental health officer Lieutenant Joel Bright, of the 3rd Health Battalion, at his field laboratory during Exercise Rhino Run at Cultana Training Area, South Australia. Story and photo by Sergeant Matthew Bickerton.

Health officers play a crucial role

25/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1042 Views 0 Comments 3rd Health Battalion, Army Reserve, environmental health officers (EHO)

Sometimes feared and often misunderstood, environmental health officers (EHO) work to reduce gastrointestinal illnesses, vector-borne diseases and other non-combat-related injuries.

Army's Corporal Samuel Smith is grateful for the experience to deploy to Bahrain on Operation Manitou. Story by Lieutenant Ben Page.

ADF People Overseas

Army signaller excels in maritime operations

25/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1604 Views 0 Comments 1st Signal Regiment, Combined Maritime Forces, Middle East, Operation Manitou

When Corporal Samuel Smith, of the Army’s 1st Signal Regiment, found out he was deploying on Operation Manitou, he didn’t

Lieutenant Kirby Watts trains for rowing events during the Warrior Games 2024 Team Australia training camp at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra. Story by Flying Officer Tina Langridge. Photo by Chief Petty Officer Paul Berry.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing

Vying for Ultimate Champion title

21/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 971 Views 0 Comments Warrior Games

Lieutenant Kirby Watts will tell you herself that she only knows two speeds – full throttle or nothing at all.

Team Australia's Ben Owens, right, moves past Jamie Adam Smyth during a wheelchair rugby training session in preparation for the Warrior Games 2024. Story by Flying Officer Tina Langridge. Photo by Flight Sergeant Christopher Dickson.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing Veterans

Ready to tackle wheelchair rugby at Warrior Games

21/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1331 Views 0 Comments Invictus Games, Warrior Games

Ask Ben Owens which event he’s looking forward to most at the upcoming 2024 Warrior Games and he’ll give you

Warrior Games 2024 Team Australia conducts wheelchair rugby training at the ESPN Athletics Centre in Orlando, Florida. Story by Simon Paton. Photos by Flight Sergeant Christopher Dickson.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing Veterans

Warrior Games showcases Defence resilience

21/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 975 Views 0 Comments 4th Brigade, Invictus Australia, Warrior Games

The Australian 2024 Warrior Games team have arrived in Orlando ahead of this year’s games, hosted by the US Department

Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chief of Defence Force Warrant Officer Ken Robertson talks with Chief of Defence Force General Angus Campbell. Story and photo by Sergeant Matthew Bickerton.

ADF People

Doors open wider to enlisted personnel

21/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 641 Views 0 Comments Chief of Defence Force, Senior Enlisted Advisor to Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) (SEAC)

Senior enlisted sailors, soldiers and aviators now have more opportunities than ever to study abroad, experience new cultures and build

The general public enjoys festivities at the Gallipoli Barracks open day, Enoggera, Brisbane. Story by Captain Cody Tsaousis. Photos by Private Andrew Shaw.

Australian Army News

Army on public display in Brisbane

21/06/202422/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1323 Views 1 Comment 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, 6th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, ADF Red Berets, Army Explosive Detection Dogs, Australian Army Band, Boxer CRV, Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles, C-27J Spartan, Gallipoli Barracks, M113AS4, M1A1 Abrams

Thousands of people from the south-east Queensland community passed through the gates at Gallipoli Barracks for its open day at

Air Force aviators reunite 40 years after graduation. Rear, from left: Squadron Leader Michael Spencer, Squadron Leader (retd) Geoffrey Menzies, Wing Commander (retd) Gavin Small, Flight Lieutenant (retd) Russell Lucas, Group Captain (retd) John Heinrich and (front) Wing Commander Michael Hicks. Story by Corporal Melina Young.

ADF People History

21/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 760 Views 0 Comments Military Reunions, RAAF East Sale

Last month, a contrast unfolded in the art of navigation. CAPTION: Air Force aviators reunite 40 years after graduation. Rear, from

Army nursing officer Lieutenant Kelsie Brodribb, of the 4th Health Battalion, at the Role 1 Light Manoeuvre on Exercise Brolga Run treating a simulated casualty. Story and photos by Captain Nicholas Marquis.

Australian Army Health and Wellbeing News

Medical treatment at the front lines

18/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1578 Views 1 Comment 4th Health Battalion, Exercise Brolga Run, G-wagon, Role 1 Light Manoeuvre

As a 9-liner came in over the radio, the treatment team of the Role 1 Light Manoeuvre prepared for the incoming

Australian Army soldier Sergeant Matthew Reid, of Combat Training Centre's Jungle Training Wing, participates in the French Foreign Legion Jaguar Course in Kourou, French Guiana. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers.

ADF People Australian Army Overseas

Aussie soldier passes French Foreign Legion jungle test

18/06/202420/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 3204 Views 0 Comments French Foreign Legion, Jungle Training Wing

Up to his waist in mud, with a pack and the oppressive Amazon jungle humidity weighing him down, Sergeant Matthew

AIM Defence employees operate the AIM Defence counter-UAS directed-energy weapons system during a demonstration at the Puckapunyal Military Area, Victoria. Story and photos by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

Australian Army News Science & Technology Sovereign industry

Defence tests anti-drone laser

18/06/202420/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2244 Views 1 Comment counter-UAS directed-energy weapons system, Fractl Portable High Energy Laser, Puckapunyal, Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation and Coordination Office (RICO)

At a Puckapunyal range, where tanks and explosions are commonplace, last month a new type of weapon system was put

Electronics technicians Able Seaman William Clayton, left, and Leading Seaman Matthew Jarman inspect a component in a radar room following a damage control scenario aboard HMAS Adelaide. Story and photo by Corporal Jacob Joseph.

ADF People Royal Australian Navy

Crucial role of ‘greenies’ aboard navy ships

18/06/202420/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1302 Views 0 Comments HMAS Adelaide

If the operations room is the heart of the landing helicopter dock, it could be said that electronics technicians are

Petty Officer Darren Trewern speaks with a member of USS Emory S. Land during a tour of Fleet Support Unit – North during a port visit to Darwin. Story by Lieutenant Commander Rebecca Williamson. Photo by Petty Officer Leo Baumgartner.

News Royal Australian Navy

Coonawarra welcomes US submarine tender

14/06/202419/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1507 Views 0 Comments Fleet Support Unit – North (FSU-N), HMAS Coonawarra, HMAS Gascoyne, Nuclear Powered Submarines, US Navy

A United States submarine tender received a warm welcome to Darwin, as the first stop in a busy schedule of

ADF People Australian Army

Heavy weapons on target

14/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1680 Views 0 Comments 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, DFSW, Exercise Brolga Run

Members of 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment’s Direct Fire Support Weapon (DFSW) Platoon, have been subject to a range

Sub-Lieutenant Richard Pirrie has been honoured at the Normandy Memorial Wall during commemorations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Story by By Lieutenant Commander John Thompson.

ADF People History Lest We Forget

D-Day commemorations: honouring those who served

14/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1045 Views 0 Comments D-Day, France, WWII

Sub-Lieutenant Richard Pirrie, who served in World War 2, has had his name added to the Normandy Memorial Wall during

Saurabh Sibal, assistant project officer for NSW SES, shows Flying Officer Phillip Davies equipment loaded onto an SES vehicle during Exercise Cannonball at RAAF Base Richmond. Story by Flying Officer Madeleine Magee. Photos by Sergeant Dan Pinhorn.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Honing skills with help from the SES

14/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1424 Views 0 Comments Air Mobility Training and Development Unit (AMTDU), Exercise Cannonball, State Emergency Service (SES)

NSW State Emergency Services (SES) recently joined Air Mobility Training and Development Unit (AMTDU) for Exercise Cannonball – an annual

Laurie Wallace walks his family dogs Patch and Zelda around their north Brisbane suburb. Story by Major Evita Ryan. Photo by Lance Corporal Luke Donegan.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing Veterans

Marching for a cause

14/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 817 Views 0 Comments 6th Brigade, 7th Brigade, Army Reserve, Kokoda Track, Soldier On

Walking the 96km Kokoda Track has always been on Laurie Wallace’s bucket list. CAPTION: Laurie Wallace walks his family dogs Patch

The first Royal Australian Air Force MQ-4C Triton arrives in its new hangar at RAAF Base Tindal, NT. Photo by Sergeant Andrew Eddie.

News Royal Australian Air Force Science & Technology

Arrival of RAAF’s first MQ-4C Triton

14/06/202418/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2365 Views 0 Comments Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG), MQ-4C Trition, RAAF Tindal, Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS)

The first MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft (AUS 1) will soon arrive in Australia following the successful delivery and installation

An Army soldier exits the underground command post bunker during Exercise Brolga Run at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Story by Captain Brittany Evans. Photos by Trooper Dana Millington.

Australian Army News

Brigade builds bunker with all the mod cons

12/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1764 Views 3 Comments 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, Exercise Brolga Run

Members of 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment completed construction of an underground command post during Exercise Brolga Run at Townsville Field

HMAS Cairns sailors cross a swamp marsh on their way to Agulogo on day three along the Kokoda Track. Story by Corporal Melina Young.

News Overseas Royal Australian Navy

Sailors conquer Kokoda Track

12/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1378 Views 1 Comment HMAS Cairns, Kokoda Track

Wading through waist-deep water didn’t faze five sailors as they pushed through their first river crossing on day one of