AIR F RCE
Vol. 53, No. 8, May 12, 2011
The
Th
he official newspaper
new
wspaper of
of the
the Royal
Royal Australian
Australian Air
Air Force
C-17A GETS IN FIRST
AT TARIN KOT
MAKING AN
ENTRANCE: A 36SQN
C-17A gets the thumbs
up to taxi into position
at Multinational Base
Tarin Kot after landing
on the new all-weather
airstrip, which was
previously dirt. The USfunded multi-million
dollar upgrade was
coordinated by RAAF
airfield engineers.
Photo: SPC Edward
Garibay, US Army
An Aussie Globemaster landed pole
position on the new US$28 million
airstrip at Tarin Kot in Afghanistan
when it became the first heavy-lift
aircraft to touch down on the tarmac.
Read the full story on PAGE 2.
LANDING
ANOTHER
Eamon Hamilton
AIR FORCE will welcome an
additional C-17A to the 36SQN
fleet this September.
The fifth aircraft – which will
carry the serial A41-210 – is currently under construction on the
Boeing production line at Long
Beach in California.
Much like 36SQN’s existing
C-17As, this aircraft was originally intended for delivery to the US
Air Force, but has been released
for delivery to the RAAF.
The C-17A will be accepted
by Air Force in late August, but
will remain in the US to be fitted
with equipment before making
the delivery flight to Australia.
The original four C-17As at
36SQN were delivered between
December 2006 and March
2008. Delivery of this fifth C-17A
will allow 36SQN to sustain a
busy tempo of operations, especially as existing aircraft become
due for scheduled heavy maintenance.
OC 86WG GPCAPT Richard
Lennon said the new aircraft
would allow 36SQN to sustain
its routine efforts during periods
of high demand for the C-17A’s
airlift talents.
“This additional aircraft will
provide much-needed flexibility
to meet Australia’s requirement
for responsive global airlift,”
GPCAPT Lennon said.
“To date, the current fleet of
aircraft have been fully committed to supporting operations for
the ADF, with little capacity to
surge for unexpected and emerging events.
“When contingencies arise,
this lack of flexibility causes disruption to the 36SQN program,
which includes routine training
and other planned tasking.”
The efforts of 36SQN’s
C-17As are being felt not just by
the ADF, but across the world.
HERON BREAKS RECORDS IN AFGHANISTAN P3
2 News
AIR F RCE
May 12, 2011
Contacts
for culture
reviews
announced
BIG DAY: Flanked by many dignitaries, Uruzgan Provincial Governor Haji Mohammad Omer Shirzad cuts the ribbon to officially open the new
runway at Tarin Kot on April 14.
Photo: CPL Christopher Dickson
Airstrip opens
CPL Zenith King
A 36SQN C-17A became the first
heavy-lift aircraft to land on the new
US$28 million all-weather airstrip at
the Multinational Base in Tarin Kot,
Afghanistan.
The Globemaster touched
down on April 2, two weeks
before the official opening of the
airstrip, which attracted dignitaries from Kabul, including the
Uruzgan Provincial Governor,
Haji Mohammad Omer Shirzad,
and the Australian Ambassador to
Afghanistan, Paul Foley.
In a complex 12-month project,
the airfield was converted from a
1700m dirt strip to a 2225m concrete, all-weather airstrip capable of
handling heavy-lift aircraft.
The airstrip will eventually
become an asset of the provincial
government.
The airfield upgrade increases
the ability for operationally critical
sustainment flights to operate in the
area all year round and provides new
opportunities for Uruzgan.
A small team of RAAF airfield
engineers supported the US-funded
project.
One of those engineers was
SQNLDR David Fattore, who said the
airfield was crucial as the base relied
almost exclusively on air logistic support for resupply activities.
“Tarin Kot is not on the ring
route, which is the road connecting
all of Afghanistan,” he said.
FIRST LANDING: The C-17A which was the first heavy-lift aircraft to
land on the runway.
Photo: SPC Edward Garibay, US Army
“As a result it’s very difficult to
get here by road. It’s not impossible
but it takes a long time.
“Initially, the airfield had a dirt
runway that was capable of accommodating C-130 and C-17A aircraft,
but only if the weather permitted.
“It couldn’t be used in bad
weather because rain and snow
would degrade the runway condition
and aircraft would lose their braking
friction. This meant there were times
when aircraft couldn’t land, restricting our operational capability.”
SQNLDR Fattore said that during
the construction period only the C-130
could be used to resupply the base.
“The C-130 has a lower payload
than the C-17A, which was further
reduced due to weight restrictions
placed on aircraft to enable them
to take off and land on the reduced
strip,” he said. “This resulted in a lot
more C-130 traffic to keep the effort
up and supplies coming in.
“Now the strip is complete we
can have a C-17A carrying three
times the weight a C-130 can
carry.”
The project came about after a
request from the Afghan government
for the airstrip to be improved.
Tarin Kot will be one of the first
to be turned over to the government
and it wanted a C-17-capable strip
that could be used for both civil and
military purposes in all-weather conditions.
The plan was to take the existing dirt airstrip, increase its sub-base
strength and then construct a concrete runway in its place.
Coupled with the new runway
would be a larger helicopter area
and also a parking apron and cargo
handling area suitable for use by a
Globemaster.
SQNLDR Fattore said work
began on the airfield in April last
year when Australian combat engineers extended the perimeter walls
to allow for an extra 500m of runway.
“Once the perimeter had been
extended, concreting began at the
western end of the airfield,” he said.
Airfield manager CAPT Andrew
Snow, of the US 1/245th Airfield
Operations Battalion, said that during the work the number of aircraft
bringing in supplies and personnel
had been increased to meet operational demands.
“To get any kind of useable payload in and out of Tarin Kot, pilots
couldn’t do a normal take-off from
the runway,” CAPT Snow said.
“They were taking off at maximum power over the construction
areas. This, along with the weather,
made it very difficult.
“As a result we were turning aircraft away every day because they
just couldn’t land here.”
SQNLDR Fattore said that working on the upgrade was fulfilling
because the upgrade was important
for Uruzgan’s future, and the project
developed his professional knowledge base.
“This airfield will be left for the
people for Uruzgan, so it is a critical
piece of infrastructure for Tarin Kot
that will connect it to other major
areas in Afghanistan,” he said.
Super Hornets join Exercise Bersama Shield forces
AIR Force Super Hornets have joined
Navy units and armed forces from
Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand
and Britain in Exercise Bersama
Shield 2011 (BS11).
The exercise, the latest in the
Bersama series under the Five Power
Editorial team
Acting Director
David Edlington: (02) 6265 4650
[email protected]
Editor/Deputy Director
Simone Liebelt: (02) 6265 2253
Mobile: 0400 003792
[email protected]
Deputy Editor and sport
John Martin: (02) 6265 7219
[email protected]
Defence Arrangement (FPDA), started around the Malaysian Peninsula
and South China Sea on May 2 and
will finish on May 13.
The exercise involves nine guided-missile frigates, a submarine, 46
combat aircraft and various support
elements, and aims to enhance the
interoperability of the air, ground and
naval forces of the five countries.
Australian contingent commander
WGCDR Kenneth Robinson said
BS11 would develop and validate
doctrines and procedures for inter-
AIR F RCE
Chief of Staff
Graham McBean: (02) 6265 1161
[email protected]
Contact us:
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.defence.gov.au/
news/raafnews
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ons
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Tim Asher: (07) 3332 7651
Mobile: 0459 842551
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operability among FPDA nations'
navies, armies and air forces in a
combined, joint scenario.
A full round-up of the exercise will
be featured in the next edition of Air
Force News.
Disc
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irr FFo
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Air Force News.
CONTACT information for the
reviews into various aspects of
Defence culture has been announced.
Details on the reviews can be
found at www.intranet.defence.
gov.au/vcdf
General information about the
reviews is also available from the
Reviews Secretariat at cultural.
[email protected]
A separate, independent review
by legal firm DLA Piper will assess
allegations of sexual and other
forms of abuse received since the
ADFA Skype incident and make
recommendations on how these
allegations should be dealt with.
To preserve the option of offering information on a confidential
basis, it is important to contact the
team before submitting any information.
Review by Federal Sex
Discrimination Commissioner
Elizabeth Broderick
Email defence.review@humanrights.
gov.au
The Broderick reviews include:
Review of the treatment of women
at ADFA
Review of treatment of women in
the ADF more broadly, and
Review of pathways for women into
ADF leadership
Review of use of alcohol in the ADF
Email [email protected]
Review of impact of social media on
Defence
Email socialmedia.review@defence.
gov.au
Review of personal conduct in the
ADF
Email [email protected]
Review of treatment of women in
the APS
Email apswomen.review@defence.
gov.au
Review of the management of
complaints
Email [email protected] or call
1800 686 042
To make allegations of sexual or
other forms of abuse
Until June 10, contact the independent DLA Piper Review Team at
[email protected] or
[email protected]
or phone 1800 424 911 (Monday to
Friday, 2-9pm AEST).
RHINO
PRESENCE:
1SQN
pilot FLTLT
Shannon
Hudson, right,
and weapon
systems officer
FLTLT Tim
Nelson. Photo:
LACW Kylie Gibson
Air Force online
AirForce.gov.au
facebook.com/
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youtube.com/AirForceHQ
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feeds.feedburner.com/
RoyalAustralianAirForce
perations 3
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
TEAM EFFORT: Left, SQNLDR Michael Nygh conducts a mission from his desk in the Heron Intelligence Coordination
Centre in Kandahar; above, WOFF Trevor Dix pushes an RPA back into a hangar after completing a mission; above
right, Heron Roto 4 CO WGCDR Greg Wells.
Photos: SGT William Guthrie
Heron
records
tumble
Andrew Hetherington
PERSONNEL from the Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) Rotation 4 (Roto 4) deployed to Kandahar
Airfield in Afghanistan broke three records during March.
The tri-service detachment flew a
total of 475 hours, surpassing previous rotations’ monthly flying hours
record by 82 hours.
Heron Roto 4 CO WGCDR Greg
Wells said the two other records were
achieved by an individual within the
unit and by a team effort.
“One of our payload operators,
FSGT Sean McClure, surpassed the
BACK-TO-BACK
DEPLOYMENT: FSGT
Sean McClure who
broke the record for the
number of flight hours.
Photo: SGT Andrew
Hetherington
record of 500 flight hours and we flew
a total of 22 hours for one mission –
three more hours than our previous
record,” WGCDR Wells said.
“In the 22-hour mission we were
supporting Australian troops on the
ground and were asked to extend
our flight time to continue providing
assistance to them.
“This [monthly milestone] exceeds
the efforts of previous Heron rotations and means we have reached a
point where we are able to achieve a
significant amount of time on station
providing an all-important ‘eye in the
sky’ for our troops.”
WGCDR Wells said the success of
the Heron was a combination of both
smart technology and people.
“A typical Heron mission involves
a lot of work from a very small team
of specialists, ranging from engineers
to intelligence officers, imagery analysts and pilots,” he said.
“One of the big advantages of
Heron is that it can stay airborne for
a very long time. We deliver enhanced
situational awareness to our soldiers,
which is vital in helping them achieve
their mission on the ground.”
The Heron team comprises 28
Australian and New Zealand Defence
Force personnel and operates three
RPAs.
Dubbed ‘Bluey’ by the
Australians, the Heron can fly for up
to 24 hours and is a key asset in the
conduct of intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance missions in the
Afghanistan theatre of operations.
It helps to protect Australian and
coalition forces, as well as Afghan
civilians, from insurgent activity,
including the laying of improvised
explosive devices.
Information collected by the
Heron is analysed and processed in
real time. This means the commander
has the benefit of having eyes on a target to build a more accurate picture of
the battlespace.
RPAs are operated from a ground
base by trained pilots and can withstand a range of weather conditions.
See Page 22 for more on the Heron.
500 hours (and counting) of saving lives
RECORD-breaker FSGT Sean McClure is serving on back-to-back
Heron deployments.
“I started working on Heron
Roto 3 and stayed on as one of the
members who was due to come
with Roto 4 couldn’t deploy,” FSGT
McClure said. “Usually a rotation
lasts between four to five months,
but I’ll be here for nearly eight.”
As a payload operator, he controls Heron’s sensors.
“I use the Heron’s cameras,
working with the imagery analysts to
find things of interest on the ground.
“Supporting the guys on the
ground would have to be the best part
of the job and it can lead to saving
lives. We’ve seen people planting
IEDs in the ground, have seen spot-
ters at future target sites and were
able to warn our soldiers on the
ground that they were there.”
Even though he’s spent almost a
year in Afghanistan he has enjoyed
the unique experience.
“I’d do it all again if I had the
opportunity,” he said.“This rotation
has a great bunch of people and they
took me in as a part of their family.”
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4
perations
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
SOUTH SUDAN:
Left, SQNLDR
Richard Harrison
visits an aircraft
graveyard in Sudan;
below, SQNLDR
Andrew Gibbs
conducts a safety
inspection on an
Mi-26 helicopter.
Leaving
Sudan
a better
place
THE future of the people of civil wartorn southern Sudan in Africa has taken a turn for the better, thanks in part
to the efforts of a team of Air Force
personnel.
Deployed as part of Operation
Azure, the ADF’s contribution to the
United Nations Mission in Sudan
(UNMIS), the team of four supported
the lead-up and conduct of a historic
referendum.
They have recently returned home.
After decades of civil war, the
people of southern Sudan went to the
polls in January to determine whether
to remain unified with the north of the
country. They voted overwhelmingly
in favour of forming a separate nation
of South Sudan, an event which will
occur on July 9.
The 17-strong ADF contingent
deployed in support of Azure comprises six military observers and 11
specialists in air movements, aviation safety, operations and logistic
support.
The Air Force team supported the
conduct of UN peacekeeping and
humanitarian missions by coordinating air movements and aviation safety,
as well as carrying out duties at the
force headquarters.
SQNLDR Richard Harrison,
of Headquarters Joint Operations
Command, who oversaw the daily
operations of UNMIS aircraft, said
the referendum period was a highlight
of his time in Sudan.
“It was a privilege to be able to
contribute to such an historic event,”
SQNLDR Harrison said.
“The mission had a mixed fleet of
45 aircraft, which were continuously
tasked with transporting voting material and electoral staff.
“Any delay or loss of an aircraft
due to technical problems had a
knock-on effect to other flights during
the day, and required constant management.”
The UNMIS aircraft ranged from
the Mi-8 helicopter to larger aircraft
such as the B-737.
SGT Colin Sherlock, of RAAF
Base Amberley, who was deployed to
the logistics base at El Obeid, said he
was “particularly struck” by the variety of aircraft he worked with.
“I had the opportunity to work
with new and unusual aircraft – predominantly Russian, ranging from
Mi-26 helicopters to Il-76 transport
aircraft,” he said.
453SQN’s SQNLDR Andrew
Gibbs, who was responsible for aviation safety, was similarly impressed.
“It was a thrill to be an Australian
on the flightline of Sudan’s largest airport, talking with Russian crews while
conducting a compliance inspection
on the largest helicopter in the world,”
he said.
As the operations warrant officer
in the military operations centre, SGT
Sue Boyd was responsible for maintaining and updating briefing information on the ground situation during the
lead up to the referendum.
“Working with the UN has shown
me how people from so many different countries and diverse cultural
backgrounds can work well together
in order to achieve a common objective,” SGT Boyd said.
HAVE A COFFEE - HELP A MATE
Purchase a coffee or any other item at any
Frontline or ACC canteen between
e
n
u
J
h
t
4
y
30th Ma
10% of all retail sales made during this week will go to help
flood affected Army & Air Force
rce families
The south east Queensland floods affected many
any
thousands of people, and while the ground mayy have
dried, the impact is still being felt.
JOB SATISFACTION: From left, SGT Colin Sherlock, SGT Susan Boyd,
SQNLDR Andrew Gibbs and SQNLDR Richard Harrison stand outside
the headquarters building of the UN Mission in Sudan.
A large number of Army and Air Force familiess lost
everything in the floods. We know that the Army
my and Air
eed to help
Force communities are at our best when we need
out our mates in times of trouble and hardship..
BRAND YOUR BREW MUGS
That’s why Frontline Defence Services and
Australian Commercial Catering are asking you
ou
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mate.
FULL COLOUR
TEAM DESIGNS
WITH INDIVIDUAL
NAMING
Shop in store from the 30th May - 4th June
and 10% of all retail generated sales will be
passed back to Army and Air Force for distribution
ution
to those flood affected families in the south east
st
Queensland area.
Let our designers
help you create the
perfect brew mug
for your workplace.
Low minimum order only 36 units
Frontline Defence Services is the trading name of the Army and Air Force Canteen Service (AAFCANS). Frontline is the Government Statutory Authority responsible for providing
on base canteen services. Australian Commercial Catering is a Joint Venture partner in the NSW, SA and VIC outlets.
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perations 5
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Tonga says
ays
thanks
LCDR Priya Chandra
TEN days of sweat, blood and hard work
in Tonga have come to an end for the
doctors, nurses, dentists, vets, technicians and engineers of Pacific Partnership
2011, the 10-week humanitarian aid mission sponsored by the Commander US
Pacific Fleet.
The team of Australian Navy, Army
and Air Force personnel is embarked
alongside its counterparts aboard USS
Cleveland.
During the Tongan visit, they conducted basic health checks, treated afflictions ranging from diabetes to aches and
pains, gave out reading glasses, issued
medications to ease pain, extracted
severely decayed teeth, and performed
surgery on animals large and small.
Thousands of patients, both the two
and four-legged variety, were seen at a
number of different sites around Vava'u.
Some of the remote island communities
do not see a vet often and so the availability of such a rare specialist service
was crucial to the agricultural industry in
the region.
The team also refurbished school
buildings, installed water tanks and renovated community centres.
The commander of the Australian
contingent on board Cleveland, CMDR
Ashley Papp, said the assistance of the
Tongan Defence Services had been invaluable, providing technical assistance and
local knowledge, guides, translators and
drivers.
“The satisfaction we have experienced from our short but significant
effort is overshadowed by the continuing
fortitude of the Tongan people and the
need of some of these remote communities for the basics of food and economic
security, good health and family support,” he said.
The hospitality and welcoming
attitude of the Tongan population was
overwhelming with locals providing the
Pacific Partnership members with voluntary translation services, traditional
feasts and even opening their homes as
make-shift veterinarian surgeries.
One of the Air Force members
to sample the local hospitality was
advanced medical assistant LACW
Benita Boucher.
“The last 10 days have been a very
rewarding experience, and one that I
will not quickly forget,” she said.
LACW Boucher
enlisted in 2006.
She was already a
qualified Enrolled
Nurse, having completed her training
at Bathurst Base
Hospital in NSW, but
said she was looking
to do something different.
“I really like doingg something out of
the ordinary that I couldn’t do in a civilian job,” LACW Boucher said.
“Helping out people who are so much
less fortunate than us is a really rewarding experience.”
There are currently 41 ADF engineers, doctors, nurses, technicians, a vet
and the Navy survey team deployed on
Pacific Partnership. Their next ports of
call will be Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea,
East Timor and the Federated States of
Micronesia.
The deployment will take four
months.
G
GUESTS
OF HONOUR: Above, advanced medical assistant LACW Benita
B
Boucher is thanked in traditional style by girls from Neiafu Primary School,
a
and left, Pacific Partnership members fill their plates at the feast provided
b
by the local community at the closing ceremony in Tonga.
Photos: LS Helen Frank
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6 Anzac Day
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Remembrance rises
BELGIUM: LACW Beth Brown, of
Australia’s Federation Guard, prepares
to rest on arms at Menin Gate.
Photo: SGT Mick Davis
SALE: Cenotaph Party member WOFF Mike Krcevinac, of 30
(City of Sale) Squadron, rests on arms at the War Memorial.
Photo: AC Oliver Carter
Andrew Stackpool
A
NZAC Day was commemorated around the world wherever
Australian and New Zealanders gathered, and especially
wherever members of the ADF were
based or deployed.
For many, the horrors of conflicts
past and present were clearly visible.
For the crew of a 34SQN BBJ, the
horrors of the Siam/Burma railway
were graphically reinforced when it
flew four former POWs, who worked
on the line, and Governor-General
Quentin Bryce to Thailand for Anzac
Day commemorations there.
The four men were Tom Uren,
Lex Arthurson, Bill Schmitt and Cyril
Gilbert.
The aircraft departed Fairbairn on
April 22 and flew to Bangkok.
On April 24, the four veterans and
the Governor-General’s party and
some of the 34SQN crew travelled to
Kanchanaburi.
Then on Anzac Day at Hellfire
Pass, hundreds of Australians, New
Zealanders and others joined Ms
Bryce at the dawn service as she
spoke of the bloody history of the
pass.
Later, the party travelled to the
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery for the
commemorative service and wreathlaying ceremony.
SQNLDR Ian Lane, 34SQN’s VIP
operations officer who also travelled
with the party, said it was a privilege
to fly the veterans to Thailand.
“The dawn service was extremely
moving and to get a personal
insight from the vets on the horrors they endured as POWs only
reinforced my admiration for all the
ex-POWs who worked on the Siam/
Burma railway,” he said.
“It was a further indication of true
Aussie mateship and digger spirit in
the face of real adversity.
“The vets were a fantastic bunch
of guys and I feel extremely grateful I
had the chance to meet them.”
THAILAND: Above, from
left, Burma Railway
veterans Tom Uren, Bill
Schmitt, Lex Arthurson
and Cyril Gilbert, who
travelled on a BBJ.
Photo courtesy 34SQN
CANBERRA: Left, the
crowd at the Anzac Day
parade in the capital.
Photo: Lauren Black
Meanwhile, across Australia,
Air Force personnel at all bases and
centres turned out for dawn services,
marches and ceremonies in the main
centres while others spread out to
provide catafalque parties and other
officials at smaller centres.
At the same time, Air Force aircraft took to the skies in a flypast
salutes to the veterans and the fallen.
In Canberra, CAF AIRMSHL
Mark Binskin, who was at Gallipoli,
was represented by his deputy, AVM
Geoff Brown, while in Sydney it was
Air Commander Australia AVM Mark
Skidmore who led the ranks of Air
Force blue.
In the MEAO, similar services
were being conducted, the blue being
replaced by combat uniforms but
without the cheering crowds lining
marches through the street.
Meanwhile, in Europe the primary
focus was at Gallipoli, Menin Gate in
Belgium and Villers-Bretonneux in
France.
At Menin Gate, a small ADF contingent, which included members of
Australia’s Federation Guard (AFG)
who formed a catafalque party and
honour guard, joined a crowd of
Australians and Belgians to honour
the 6208 Australians who died during
the Battle of Ypres.
The AFG contingent also marched
through the streets of the town on
their way to the gate and later attended a small ceremony at the Toronto
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BRISBANE: 33SQN members marching.
Avenue Cemetery to commemorate
the 78 members of the Tasmanian 40th
Battalion who died nearby after the
battalion was subjected to a gas attack.
At Villers-Bretonneux in France, a
large crowd watched as the AFG members mounted a catafalque party and
honour guard at the dawn service at
the Australian National War Memorial
and later at a memorial service at the
town’s war cemetery.
Australian soldiers hold a special
place in the heritage of the town. An
Australian counter-attack prevented
the towns of Amiens and VillersBretonneux from being captured by
Photo: ACW Joanne Larsen
German troops during the Battle of the
Somme in August 1918 and several
streets are named after Australian cities.
France represented the end of
Australia’s involvement in the Great
War but thousands of kilometres
away, at Gallipoli, which helped shape
Australia’s sense of nationhood, CAF
and WOFF-AF JJ Millar led the ADF
contingent, which included the AFG
and the Air Force Band.
Crowds of more than 7000 joined
them for the dawn service at Anzac
Cove and later the commemorative
service at Lone Pine.
Anzac Day 7
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
with sun worldwide
AFGHANISTAN: Australian troops serving with the Mentoring Task Force 2 pay their respects during an Anzac Day dawn service at Patrol Base
Mirwais in the Chora Valley.
Photo: CPL Christopher Dickson
SYDNEY: A young spectator waves his Australian flag as Air Force
members pass through the city.
Photo: LACW Casey Gaul
LONE PINE: Australia’s Federation Guard Gallipoli contingent
commander LEUT Adam Simeoni greets CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin
before the service at Gallipoli.
Photo: CPL Raymond Vance
TINDAL: LAC Luke Garner conducts a reading at the
PERTH: A moment of reflection at the dawn service at the
dawn service at St Peter’s Chapel on base.
State War Memorial, Kings Park.
Photo: LS Nina Nikolin
Photo: LAC Terry Hartin
ADELAIDE: OFFCDT Ben Morgan watches the parade with his
young one Edison.
Photo: LAC David Cotton
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FRANCE: PTE Kyle Cranfield
and LAC Sean O’Gorman, of
Australia’s Federation Guard,
rest on arms at the dawn service
in Villers-Bretonneux.
Photo: SGT Mick Davis
perations
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Tarin Kot’s
new blood
bank opens
Link to the past
Photos: LAC
Leigh Cameron
CPL Zenith King
IT’S NOT unusual for deployed
members to carry mementos
around with them to link them
with home, but in SQNLDR
Wendy Walker’s case, it’s a link
to a distinguished ancestor.
SQNLDR Walker, above, who
is serving in East Timor as the
senior logistics officer with the
International Stabilisation Force
(ISF), has a piece of ribbon from
her uncle Jack Jeffrey’s WWI
Distinguished Conduct Medal.
Wherever she goes in East
Timor, SQNLDR Walker carries
with her the small piece of ribbon that reminds her to ensure
the ISF troops have all the supplies they need to do their job.
A NEW walk-in blood bank at Multinational Base Tarin Kot is allowing ADF
personnel to give blood during trauma
situations.
More than 150 personnel have signed
up to begin the screening process since
the blood bank was opened on April 10.
Senior Medical Officer MAJ Oscar
Aldridge said the aim was to provide
more blood than was currently held at
the medical facility and provide fresh
blood during trauma situations.
“While we do hold frozen stocks,
there is some evidence that, for people
who require massive transfusions, fresh
warm whole blood is best,” he said.
“The stored blood is separated into
three different components, but when
you mix them back together it is still not
the same as the fresh product.
“The only way for us to achieve that
is through a walk-in blood bank.”
MAJ Aldridge said due to the isolation of the base, the blood bank was
critical for supporting troops.
“When someone is identified with
major injuries, we will activate the
walk-in blood bank. That way, when
they arrive, we will have donors already
standing by to provide fresh blood for
transfusion,” he said.
“So far every patient who has arrived
alive at the Role 2 hospital has left here
alive. Part of that is due to our ability to
give blood transfusions as required.
“This is something we want to maintain.”
Nursing Officer LT Jasmine Poole
said all Defence personnel based at Tarin
LIFE SAVER: A nursing officer
takes blood from an ADF member at
the Role 2 hospital in Tarin Kot.
Photo: CPL Zenith King
Kot could sign up for the program, but
would need to be screened for suitability
before their blood could be used.
“We start the screening by asking
questions which are similar to those
asked by the Red Cross,” she said. “We
are trying to identify a low-risk population by selecting people who make a
declaration that they are not part of any
of the high-risk sub-groups.
“From there we call back anyone eligible to have a blood test done, and test
for HIV, hepatitis and other blood-borne
diseases.
“On the day when we actually take
the blood off people, there is a quick test
panel that gives us an answer within five
minutes to confirm those results are still
valid. That way we can ensure the blood
we use for transfusions in Tarin Kot is
just as safe as the blood supply back
home in Australia.”
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8
News 9
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Still going strong
Colleagues recently marked the achievement of WOFF Maeve Tennent,
of 23SQN, who has reached 45 years of service. Paul Lineham reports.
T
STORIES TO TELL: WOFF Maeve Tennent after being congratulated for
completing 45 years in the Air Force.
Photo: LACW Jessica Smith
HE year 1966 was a momentous
year in Australia.
Harold Holt succeeded
Robert Menzies as prime minister, the first group of National Service
conscripts flew out of RAAF Base
Richmond for Vietnam, Bob Dylan
made his first tour, decimal currency
was introduced, and a young Maeve
Tennent joined the WRAAF.
She had not been far from the
northern NSW town of Murwillumbah
when, on January 18, at the age of 18,
she moved to RAAF Base Amberley
to begin what has become the longest
period of service of any woman in the
Air Force.
At the time WOFF Tennent was,
she said, “a very frightened little
female.”
Service careers for women were
reasonably limited 45 years ago. She
chose to become a stewardess because
she enjoyed meeting people rather
than being cooped up in an office.
In just four years, she reached the
highest rank available to women at
the time, sergeant. She said it was not
until she was mixing with the men in
the Sergeants’ Mess that she realised
that, at the age of 22, she could be a
sergeant for the rest of her service life.
She worked in Air Force messes
until 1977 when the WRAAF amalgamated into the RAAF and the stewardess mustering was disbanded.
She then had the same job opportunities as her male counterparts.
In March 1987, personal reasons
resulted in her transitioning to the
RAAFAR and she joined No 23 (City
of Brisbane) Squadron at Amberley.
She said that she then touched a
weapon for the first time.
A major career change confronted
her in 2000, when Air Force disbanded
the steward mustering and outsourced
dining room and bar service. She
transferred to catering as a cook.
“My first preference was to be a
transport driver,” she said. “The fact
that I didn’t have a driver’s licence
made that choice a little problematic.”
Nevertheless, she could drive,
which she did during the 1974 floods,
ferrying vehicles at midnight out of
flood-threatened hangars at Amberley.
She said the recent Queensland
floods brought back strong memories
of those times.
Over the years WOFF Tennent
has been described as ‘an anchor’ at
23SQN, mentoring younger recruits.
She said she had witnessed a number of major changes in her 45 years in
the Air Force, some of which made her
wonder. Nevertheless, she still rates
the introduction of equal opportunity
for women as a highlight. Another
was serving some very interesting
people, particularly former GovernorGeneral Sir Roden Cutler VC, whom
she remembers with a great deal of
fondness.
Now, at the age of 63, WOFF
Tennent has 18 months to complete
before reaching compulsory retirement age. Will she then look to an
age extension and maybe 50 complete
years in uniform?
“I don’t know about that. I don’t
know if I could do my personal fitness
training for that long, thank you very
much,” she said.
She said when she did pass through
the Amberley gates for the last time as
a reservist she would think of all the
mates she had met, as well as the people she had helped with advice, with a
shoulder to cry on, and a great deal of
compassion and understanding.
As evidenced by the crowd at her
recent 45th anniversary morning tea,
when that time comes she will be
sorely missed.
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AIR F RCE
News 11
May 12, 2011
First-class care
OPEN FOR
BUSINESS:
The new
medical
facility at
Edinburgh.
Below,
AIRCDRE
Tracy Smart
at the official
opening.
Photos: LAC
Glynn Jones
Andrew Stackpool
RAAF Base Edinburgh’s new firstclass medical centre is now taking
patients.
At the opening of the facility on
March 30, Director General Garrison
Health Operations AIRCDRE Tracy
Smart said the “amazing” facility
was not only important for the base
but the wider ADF medical community.
“The opening of this facility is a
very important step in our health services reform program as it is the first
of our new health facilities purposebuilt to deliver health services under
the Joint Health Command banner,”
AIRCDRE Smart said.
“This is the first time we shall
see the integration of primary health
care, dental, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and mental-health services
under one roof for the 3000-plus
ADF personnel now in residence at
Edinburgh.”
Base personnel can look forward
to enjoying the latest in health-care
support 24 hours a day, seven days a
week at the centre.
The Senior Health Officer and CO
4 Expeditionary Health Squadron,
WGCDR Andrew Ormsby, said the
new centre resulted from discussions
that were part of the Hardened and
Networked Army concept that started
in 2006, prior to 7 Battalion Royal
Australian Regiment being relocated
to Edinburgh.
The centre comprises a 22-bed
inpatient facility, and is staffed by
about 70 to 80 personnel.
“They are a mix of Air Force,
Army, APS and contract health practitioners,” WGCDR Ormsby said.
“Currently we have 19 Air Force
personnel, including medical officers, nursing officers, environmental
health officers, medical assistants
and administration clerks.”
While it does not offer any new
services, its other core services are
being enhanced to meet the growing
dependency in Edinburgh.
AIRCDRE Smart said it was not
the new facilities alone that would
create an integrated health service
but the people who worked in the
centre.
“I therefore empower you all to
work together as a team to realise
Joint Health Command’s vision of
being a world-class military health
service,” she said.
ADF members
encouraged
to join OAA
MEMBERS of the ADF who have been
honoured to receive the Order of Australia have been invited to join the ACT
branch of the Order of Australia Association (OAA).
To mark the occasion, CDF ACM
Angus Houston, himself a branch member, delivered the inaugural OAA-ADF
Oration on April 19 at Russell Offices
in Canberra.
Civilian and military members
attended the historic occasion.
In his opening remarks, branch
chairman Len Goodman said he was
keen to see more military members join
the association, noting that AIRCDRE
Peter McDermott was recently elected
as Chair of the national council.
CDF said he believed that it was
relevant the association members in the
audience were aware of some of the
challenges the ADF was facing in terms
of Australia’s strategic environment,
how the ADF was preparing to face the
uncertain future, and the outstanding
work ADF men and women were currently doing on deployment around the
world.
CDF thanked those present for their
outstanding contribution to Australia as
evidenced by their membership of the
association, and also thanked the military members for attending.
For information on how to join the OAA,
visit www.theorderofaustralia.asn.au
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12 News
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
IN BRIEF
Photo: LAC Christopher Hall
Call on Catholics
THE Catholic Diocese of the ADF is
inviting ADF personnel and their family members to attend World Youth
Day, which will be held in Madrid,
Spain, from August 5 to 23. French
military chaplains have invited ADF
personnel to join them and an estimated 300 military personnel from
various NATO forces on a five-day
pilgrimage hike from Lourdes in
southern France, across the Pyrenees
Mountains, to the French-Spanish
border before travelling in a military convoy to the Spanish capital,
Madrid. There, personnel will be
hosted by the Spanish military for a
week of celebrations that will climax
with holy mass celebrated by Pope
Benedict XVI on August 21. For more
information, visit www.military.catholic.org.au/wyd2011
Training remaining
INTERIM basic flying training for the
ADF will continue at Tamworth after
BAE Systems Australia Limited was
awarded an $86.6 million six-year
contract to provide the training.
Under the contract, which starts
next January, BAE Systems will
continue to use the CT-4B training
aircraft, which have been upgraded.
The contract includes annual extension options for Defence, for up to a
further six years. While BAE Systems
will provide this training, a new pilot
training system is planned to be introduced during 2015-17 under Project
Air 5428.
Correcting record
IN DEFENCE Honours and Awards
Newsletter Issue 10 – April 2011,
included as an insert in Air Force
News on April 14, the rank of the CDF,
ACM Angus Houston, was incorrectly
shown as “Air Marshal” in the article
Inquiry into unresolved recognition for
past acts of naval and military valour.
The Defence Honours and Awards
Directorate acknowledges this error
and regrets any embarrassment this
may have caused.
Andrew Stackpool
HELPING Air Force colleagues who
are still struggling to rebuild their lives
after the Queensland floods will be as
simple as indulging your passion for
coffee, muffins or even bought lunches
from May 30 to June 4.
CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin is
asking you to shop on base at your
Frontline canteen over this time as
part of ‘Have a coffee – Help a mate’.
Ten per cent of all turnover will go
to the appeal, which is part of a forcewide ‘Help a Mate in Need’ initiative.
The floods have resulted in restoration and reconstruction costs estimated at more than $5 billion.
Air Force families in the Ipswich
and Amberley areas remain in need
of additional assistance in their flood
recovery and rebuilding efforts and,
despite assistance packages, continue
to find life difficult.
At least 45 Air Force personnel
have needs that vary from a few thousand dollars for the replacement of
white or electrical goods to amounts
of well over $400,000 for the rebuilding of houses.
AIRMSHL Binskin, in cooperation with Defence Frontline Services,
has launched the appeal as part of a
Eat,
drink,
lend a
hand
process of looking at ways to raise
funds that can be used to assist affected personnel.
CAF said many members who
needed assistance had turned out to
assist others in their disaster-impacted areas before they attended to their
own problems. Now, Air Force could
help them get back on their feet.
“Our colleagues and their families need our help and this is an easy
way to help through this initiative,”
AIRMSHL Binksin said.
AIRCDRE Ian Pearson, who
is the Air Force member of the
Frontline Defence Services Board of
Management, said buying a coffee,
muffin, sandwich, or anything else from
‘
Supporting Australia’s veterans,
peacekeepers and their families
Frontline during the appeal week would
generate significant turnover.
“A successful appeal week will
allow us to do much more to help
those who are so clearly in need, and
will send a powerful message that Air
Force people look after their own,”
he said.
The funds raised will be passed to
Air Force welfare agencies for distribution in accordance with those agencies’ identification of needs in their
areas.
Further information about ‘Help a
Mate in Need’ can be found at www.
frontlineds.com.au/helpamate.php or by
visiting your local base canteen.
Our colleagues and their families
need our help and this is an easy
way to help through this initiative.
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AIR F RCE
News 13
May 12, 2011
Geo strategy
tegy
in focus
PILOTS in the air, headquarters’ planning staff and intelligence analysts in
theatre all rely on geospatial support
to effectively do their jobs in the Air
Force.
Signed for implementation in
mid-December last year, the Defence
Geospatial Strategy 2010 (DGS2010)
outlines the development and coordination of Air Force’s geospatial capabilities for the next five years.
CAF AIRMSHL Mark Binskin has
endorsed DGS2010 and said its primary outcome was to build a Defence
geospatial domain that supported
Force 2030.
“This is an important undertaking
that will set the scene for Defence’s
geospatial information and services
requirements for the next decade and
beyond,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.
Air Force had long depended on
geospatial support to carry out navigation and targeting, as well as enhance
flight safety.
The Defence Capability
Coordinator for Geospatial
Information, Steve Merchant, said
DGS2010 was a unifying document
that outlined how Defence would
achieve its ambition to develop geospatial information superiority over its
adversaries.
“VCDF and I are keen for Defence
personnel to understand the importance of this joint capability and the
ramifications for us all if we do not
strive to achieve DGS2010’s vision,”
Mr Merchant said.
The Director of Targeting and
Network Analysis, GPCAPT Doc
Millar, said geospatial information and
services (GI&S) were critical enablers
for future Air Force training, operations and capability.
He said that 460SQN, which
resides within the Defence Imagery
and Geospatial Organisation (DIGO),
was one unit within Air Force that
depended on GI&S to deliver its mission.
“Air Force has had a long part-
ON THE FRONT LINE: Pilots and payload operators working
on the Australian Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft at Kandahar
Airfield in Afghanistan rely on geospatial support to do their jobs
effectively.
Photo: SGT William Guthrie
nership with DIGO and supports it
and Defence by providing a precision
strike capability,” GPCAPT Millar
said.
“Intelligence analysts in the Air
Force are heavily dependent on geospatial intelligence to support operations in Afghanistan. Future intelligence, surveillance and reconnais-
sance platforms will be reliant on the
guidance provided by DGS2010.
“The strategy provides a firm backbone for multiple activities and initiatives across Defence to ensure GI&S
is developed to meet war-fighter and
capability needs.
“This clear vision for future geospatial capability is supported by
Air Force through programs such as
Project Casper.”
Project Casper is a review of Air
Force intelligence musterings.
For more information on DGS2010, visit
http://intranet.defence.gov.au/isgroup/
ccgi.html on the DRN or email cc.gi@
defence.gov.au
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14
Centrepiece
AIR F RCE
May 12, 2011
M
15
For the first time, the Wedgetail
Airborne Early Warning and
Control aircraft and F/A-18F
Super Hornet participated in the
biennial exercise Aces South, as
FLTLT Skye Smith reports.
TEAMWORK: Fighter Combat
Controller students worked
closely with Fighter Combat
Instructors, who operated
Hornets during Aces South.
Photo: LACW Katharine Pearson
A career
highlight
FIGHTER Combat Controller
(FCC) student FLTLT Robert Vine
said being involved in integrating
new capabilities and seeing them
work together was a highlight of
his career.
THE NEW PLAYERS: Above, CPL Douglas Williams, a 1SQN avionic technician, does flight checks
on an F/A-18 Super Hornet during Aces South; right, 2SQN pilot FLTLT Nicholas Gilbert conducts
his pre-flight inspections on a Wedgetail AEW&C, while inset, SQNLDR Phil Wade prepares his
Photos: Amy Trebilco and CPL Clint McKay
work station inside the aircraft for the next mission.
A
IR Force personnel at
RAAF Base Williamtown experienced a
taste of the future air
force recently when,
for the first time, the Wedgetail
Airborne Early Warning and
Control aircraft and F/A-18F
Super Hornet participated in the
biennial exercise Aces South.
The exercise was the final
phase of the air-to-air segment of
No 31 Fighter Combat Instructor
(FCI) course.
The postgraduate course
is conducted by 2 Operational
Conversion Unit (2OCU) and provides experienced F/A-18 pilots
with extensive training in all air
combat related roles.
The course is undertaken in
eight phases over a five-month
period. They include an instructional technique phase, air-to-air
phase, an inter-agency visit,
advanced weapons employment,
air-to-surface phase, academics
and Exercises Aces South and
North.
The FCIs provide leadership in
the development of fighter tactics
and determine how those tactics can be used to enhance the
ADF’s joint war-fighting capability.
The Fighter Combat Controller
(FCC) and Fighter Intelligence
Instructor (FII) courses are conducted parallel to the FCI course.
CO 2OCU WGCDR David
Smith said the integration of the
Wedgetail and Rhino in the exercise provided Air Force with a
greatly enhanced network-centric
war-fighting capability, and, ultimately Australia’s preparedness
to protect our national interests.
“This is an exciting time not
only for the students and instruc-
ALL EYES ON
THE FUTURE
Students and instructors see what new capability will do
tors, but also for the Air Force as we
use new capabilities and develop
new procedures in simulated warfare
scenarios,” WGCDR Smith said.
“The Fighter Combat courses
put our members through some of
the most challenging and intensive
situations to ensure we can produce
our next generation of elite tactical
leaders.”
The Wedgetails were involved in
two vulnerability periods.
2SQN’s FCC Instructor, SQNLDR
Jason Brown, said the integration
with the fighter courses was to control ‘Big Picture’ and ‘Tactical Fighter
Engagement Zones’.
“The Wedgetail provided Link 16
information to the Blue Forces and
communication rebroadcast from
the Red Forces that were marshalling at a very long distance from
Williamtown,” SQNLDR Brown said.
That surveillance picture
greatly enhanced the fighter pilots’
situational awareness during the
sorties, which helped them to
improve their mission success rate.
Aircrews worked closely together
through the coordination, planning and execution phases of Aces
South, as well as the ongoing development of tactical standard operating procedures.
“There have been many learning
points and each mission enables
the operators of all these systems to
further refine their operating procedures,” SQNLDR Brown said.
“The Wedgetail has been performing well so far and specifically
adds additional radar coverage
and a communications horizon that
is otherwise lacking from groundbased sensors and radios.”
XO 2SQN SQNLDR Simon
Wildermuth said Wedgetail had
already demonstrated its usefulness
to the Navy when it participated in
Exercise Triton Storm earlier this
year, and was also working regularly
with the Super Hornet in Amberley
airspace.
“As the organisation grows to
be more network-centric, the value
of the only airborne command and
control player in the ADF inventory
will become more ingrained and
more critical,” SQNLDR Wildermuth
said.
Supporting the missions was the
2OCU maintenance workforce.
2OCU Warrant Officer
Engineering WOFF Craig Thomas
said the exercise proved to be a
great opportunity for maintenance
to operate in a simulated war-like
situation.
“Aces South provided an insight to
some of the challenges maintenance
crews may find themselves in during
an operational deployment,” he said.
The challenges included the
requirement to maintain a high
number of serviceable aircraft,
the staggered aircraft launches
over an extended period thereby reducing the available maintenance window, and supporting aircraft on different stages
of alert status.
“The reduced maintenance
time gave maintainers and their
supervisors exposure to how
accurate forward planning and
execution needs to be in order to
facilitate this type of operation,”
WOFF Thomas said.
“During Aces South we were
able to do just that by ensuring a
100 per cent launch-on-time success rate.”
With Aces South over, the
course now moves into the airto-surface phase. Both Hornet
types and the Wedgetail will join
Hawks in the Top End in June to
participate in the course’s final
missions during Exercises Aces
North and Dawn Strike.
The six-month FCC course is
one of the most intense that Air
Battle Managers (ABMs) will face
during their training.
“It is a very challenging
course,” FLTLT Vine said.
“But integrating new capabilities such as Vigilare, Wedgetail
and Super Hornets has been extra
special.”
Previously, the ABMs only
had the ground-based Tactical Air
Defence Radars to work with; the
Wedgetail has provided them with
enhanced radar picture and communications links.
The FCC students worked
closely with the Fighter Combat
Instructor (FCI) and Fighter
Intelligence Instructor (FII) students.
“It has been great to work with
some of the best operators from
the three different communities,”
FLTLT Vine said.
“Aces South tested the full
spectrum of our ABM skills, not
only in controlling airborne assets,
but also managing the different
alert states for aircraft on the
ground as well.
“Responding to warnings of
impending strikes by red air and
deciding what alert states to have
aircraft set is something we don’t
get to exercise very often, so the
exercise was highly beneficial in
practising these skills and seeing it
play out in real-time.”
The FCC students also worked
on one of their course projects
during Aces South, which was to
develop tactics and procedures for
Link 16.
Link 16 is a tactical data link
that is being fully integrated into
ADF platforms and is used to
exchange real-time tactical data.
“During Aces South we used
Link 16 to fuse the radar data from
Vigilare, Wedgetail and the Hornets
into a single air picture and disseminate it to all players. Having a
high level of situational awareness
of the airspace picture allowed us
to make better decisions.
“It is not too often we get all of
our available aircraft airborne for a
single mission and in many cases
the number of enemy aircraft overwhelmed the number of friendly
aircraft that we had to deal with
the problem.”
LEARNING CURVE: FLTLT Robert Vine (top) at his station with fellow Combat Controller students during Exercise Aces South. The idea is to present them
Photo: LAC Mark Friend
with challenging scenarios that aim to test the aircrews’ understanding and execution of fighter tactics.
‘It’s nice to own your own home but
at least in our DHA home we don’t
have to worry about the usual
pressures - it’s given me one of the
most precious things - the time to be
with my family’
FLTLT SCOT BUGG, RA A F ON A WELL DESERVED RESPITE
After 22 years in the forces and a lot of time spent
away from the family, the Bugg Family are happy to be
together in Nowra, in their DHA home.
‘Nowra is a bit of a respite for us,’ says Scot Bugg.
‘When I’m deployed, I could spend six to eight months
OFTHEYEARAWAYFROMTHEFAMILYWHICHISDElNITELYHARD
on us all. Being in Nowra has given me one of the most
precious things - the time to be with my family.’
‘It’s true in more ways than one. We own our home in
Adelaide so coming here is also a respite from all of
that,’ says Mai Bugg.
www.dha.gov.au
139 DHA
‘It’s nice to own your own home and to be able to do
whatever you like - but on the upside, in our DHA home
we don’t have to worry about the usual pressures like
landscaping the garden, and if something breaks we
CANCALLSOMEONETOlXITSAYS-AI
‘We’ve got the best of both worlds at the moment –
we’re renting our home out so we’re able to save some
money; we’re receiving subsidised housing which is
helping us get ahead; and we now have more time to
focus our energies – it’s good,’ says Scot.
‘We know we’ll be back in Adelaide eventually, but for
now we consider ourselves pretty lucky.’
AIR F RCE
Flightline 17
May 12, 2011
JOB TO BE DONE: AC John-Davide
Greilinger next to an F/A-18 during
Exercise Triton Storm II at RAAF Base
Pearce.
Photo: CPL Casey Smith
H
HONOURING
THE PAST:
T
Left, former
L
Chiefs of Air
C
Force
during
F
tthe finale of the
Air Force’s 90th
A
anniversary
a
air
a pilgrimage
at RAAF Base
a
Williams,
W
Point Cook
– from left,
AIRMSHLs
Errol
McCormack,
David Evans,
Raymond
Funnell and
Barry Gration.
Photo: CPL Steve
Duncan
REMEMBERING THEM: Above, FLGOFF (AAFC) Linda Carlson pays her respects
at an Australian soldier’s memorial headstone at the Lone Pine Cemetery at Gallipoli
Peninsula in the lead-up to Anzac Day.
Photo: CPL Raymond Vance
BIRTHDAY MOOD: Right,
joining in the celebrations in
Darwin at a reception for the
Air Force’s 90th anniversary
are, from left, SQNLDR
Kay Wiseman, SGT Diane
Beningfield, CPL Racheal
Greenshields and SGT
Sharon Jager.
Photo: LAC David Cotton
Don’t Risk
Your Original
Medals!
Full ssiz
iz
izee rree plica
medals oonnly
$20.00
+m
ou
mou
ounntin
ingg ccoosts
We ssuupply aall l ffuu ll size aand
nd m
ib
miin ia
iatture me
medda ls, rrib
ibbbons,
cl
nd rrib
ib
claaps aand
ibbb on bbaars
RESPECT: CPL Carly Formosa
presents arms during the 90th
anniversary service in Adelaide.
Photo: LAC Glynn Jones
With every 3
or more full
sized replica
medals court
mounted
18 Personnel
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
File your
civil skills
s
IF YOU are an active reservist then
you probably have civilian skillsets
that the ADF is keen to know about.
All reservists are being encouraged to advise Defence of their civilian skills and experience through the
Civil Skills Data (CSD) project. All
active reservists, including those on
CFTS, have been sent an information pack asking them to complete an
online electronic survey.
Those who do so can claim half
a reserve day’s pay, in recognition of
the time taken to complete the survey.
The results will be recorded on
PMKeyS.
By uploading details of reservists’ civilian qualifications, skills and
experience into PMKeyS, Defence
will know what niche capabilities are
available. This information will then
help the services to identify people
with specific skills needed in peacetime or for operational deployments,
especially during Defence emergencies.
The Head of the CSD working
team, GPCAPT Carl Schiller, said
the use of members’ civilian skills
“acknowledges their talents and will
hopefully provide them with a greater
sense of fulfilment in their ADF role”.
He said the CSD was an exciting
initiative.
“The effective use of civil skills
may provide opportunities for deployment or more diverse service employment opportunities for our reservists,”
GPCAPT Schiller said.
“We say that reservists’ contribution is vital to Defence capability
and this is a fact. Now, recording this
information will allow reservists to
offer more to the organisation.
“Reservists know that there is a
fantastic array of experience among
their fellow reservists – yet relatively
little of this information has been
entered into PMKeyS.
“The CSD project is not just a
one-off snapshot – it will provide
longer-term solutions, with more
user-friendly access to help members
enter and update their entries, after
the initial e-survey.”
The information pack will be
followed by a reminder postcard to
reservists who have not yet registered
for the e-survey.
GPCAPT Schiller said the
initial phase of CSD would not
involve standby reservists nor
would payment for the time taken
to complete the survey be made to
reservists on CFTS.
Expressions
of Interest VALUED: Reservists such as LACW
Elena Mustard from 25SQN are being
encouraged to put their civilian skills on
file by completing the Civil Skills Data
(CSD) project e-survey. Full details are
available on the CSD website, left.
Photo: CPL Aaron Curran
To complete the e-survey, log on to
www.civilskillsdata.com and follow
the instructions.
Tell us about the
other hats you wear
All Reservists (Active and Specialist) should recently
have received mail asking about your civil skills (formal,
self-claimed, experience) for the Civil Skills Data e-survey.
It is very important that you complete this survey as it
helps the Australian Defence Force better identify people
with specific skills that can be drawn upon for emergencies,
exercises and deployments.
You will receive a half day pay for preparing and completing
the survey and it will also help your Reserve career.
It’s time to complete the Civil Skills Data e-survey
There’s still time for you to complete the survey. Make sure
you have all your paperwork ready – licences, degrees and
other qualifications – before you start.
If you have any questions about the survey, or any of the
information collected, please email your query and PMKeyS
number to [email protected]
You can complete the survey on your own or a Defence
computer, but you should complete it as soon as you can.
Visit www.civilskillsdata.com today
CIVIL
SKILLS
DATA
Skills in Reserve
Role: Remuster
to AEA
Closing date:
May 16
..........................
Role: Remuster
to ATECH,
FIREFTR,
GMEFITT,
GSEFITT
Closing date:
May 16
..........................
Role: SBIRS
Denver
Rank: CPL
Mustering:
ASOP
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: HQIADS
Rank: SGT
Mustering:
ASOP
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: AEWC
OPS – RAF
Waddington, UK
Rank: SGT
Mustering:
SIGSOP(T)
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: Staff
Officers
Rank: SQNLDRWGCDR
Specialisation:
ANYO
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: CI/TRG
FLTCDR OTS
Rank: SQNLDR
Specialisation:
ANYO
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: 1RTU TRG
Rank: WOFF
Mustering:
ANYA
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: General
Language
Training 2012
Spc/Muster:
ANYO/A
Closing date:
May 20
..........................
Role: Remuster
to FLTENG
Closing date:
May 23
..........................
Role: Remuster
to ELECTN
(Unqual)
Closing date:
May 23
..........................
For more
information,
log on to
People
Central on
the DRN.
Personnel 19
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Support all hours
ADF members who supervise Australian Public Service (APS) personnel can seek confidential advice and
support through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) and Managers’
HotLine.
Uniformed managers who have
APS personnel in their teams often
find that supervising civilians means
following different procedures to
those used when managing ADF
members.
For this reason, the Managers’
HotLine is available to provide a
confidential telephone consulting
service designed specifically for
managers, including ADF supervisors of APS employees, who require
practical advice about issues they are
facing in the workplace.
It is manned by psychologists
experienced in dealing with organisational and people management issues
and is accessible 24 hours a day,
seven days a week.
The Managers’ HotLine is a confidential and secure resource that can
help managers deal with:
employees with personal issues
or an employee who is underperforming;
conflict between two employees
or between the manager and an
employee;
an employee who is suspected of
alcohol or drug abuse;
employees who are not coping
with change; and
harassment issues.
The EAP provides early intervention on a range of issues, including
HERE TO HELP: ADF members
who have APS staff can seek
support through the Managers’
HotLine.
Photo: CPL Aaron Curran
stress management, relationship and
family problems, work-related concerns, bereavement, and financial or
legal issues, by offering free access
to professional counselling services
for APS employees, their managers
and their immediate family.
Emergency counselling services are also available to assist with
traumatic or crisis situations and are
WHO TO CALL
Managers’ HotLine: 1800 451 138
All Hours Support Line: 1800 628 036
Employee Assistance Program: 1300 366 789
accessible either by phone or a faceto-face meeting.
ADF supervisors of APS personnel are encouraged to make their
staff aware that the EAP is available
all hours and is used by hundreds of
APS employees every month.
Members of the ADF experiencing similar problems can contact the
All Hours Support Line – a confidential telephone support service for
ADF members and their families that
is available 24 hours a day, seven
days a week.
Revised MEC
system on
track for July
PREPARATIONS are well under way
for the introduction of the revised MEC
(Medical Employment Classification)
system in July.
A range of implementation strategies are in process including an
improved Defence instruction, training
package for health-care workers and a
rewrite of policy documents.
The overhaul of the system is
designed to better reflect the needs of
today's ADF health requirements and
will include a revised five-tier system
from the old four tiers, as reported in
Air Force News on March 17.
Information provided by Joint
Health Command (JHC) said the
revised structure had clearly delineated deployable and non-deployable
categories with a number of new MEC
sub-classifications within each level.
The overarching personnel policy
that directs the MEC system – DI(G)
PERS 16-15 – is currently processing
through Defence Legal.
JHC is finalising the policy and
procedures to support the transition of
the revised MEC system by the time
DI(G)PERS 16-15 is released.
A comprehensive training package to support the revised system is
being prepared and will be in place
well ahead of the implementation date
to ensure that all ADF health personnel are trained and familiar with the
revised system.
20 Personnel
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
AIR
Departure Lounge
SCRATCHING
YOUR HEAD?:
You may have
regularly heard
the terms SRP
and AFI over
the past two
years but are
you confused
about how they
fit together?
The AFI team
tries to clear up
the confusion
below in a new
series focused
on Air Force
reform. Photo: LS
Paul Berry
Who’s leaving after 20+ years’ service
Name
WOFF Douglas Bathelson
WGCDR Brett Darnley-Stuart
WOFF Gary Sawtell
LAC Steven Hill
WOFF Geoffrey Rennie
WGCDR Paul Millett
FSGT Bruce Dwyer
SQNLDR Raymond Fowke
SGT Leslie Micallef
FSGT Jonathon Green
SGT Dean Worsley
SGT Adele Townley
SGT Geoffrey Hudd
SGT Russell Martin
SQNLDR Christopher
McBurnie
Must/Spec
CISCON
ARMENG
ATECH
GHAND
MOV
ELECTR
AVTECH
ELECTR
SUP
SUP
ATECH
CISCON
CETECH
ATECH
PLT
Last day
Apr 6
Apr 10
Apr 25
Apr 29
Apr 3
Apr 10
Apr 12
Apr 4
Apr 6
Apr 27
Apr 17
Apr 3
Apr 26
Apr 26
Apr 1
Years
33
32
32
31
29
28
28
26
24
23
23
21
21
20
20
Making
sense of
reform
Your crew
Life Insurance
It’s nice to know that your crew on the home front will be looked after if anything happens to you. Because life is full
of uncertainties no matter how fit and healthy you might be now. So if you have people who depend on you financially,
then consider Defence Health Term Life Insurance for their protection. It will even cover you on warlike operations if you
take it out before you know you are to be deployed. Don’t delay.
For a quote, brochure or application form call Defence Health on 1800 335 425 or visit www.defencehealth.com.au
This information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider your personal
circumstances and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement in deciding whether to acquire this product. You may wish to seek independent advice. This product is
underwritten by Asteron Life Limited (ABN 64 001 698 228, AFSL 237903) and Defence Health receives remuneration of 11.78% of all premiums you pay to Asteron
Life Limited. The Financial Services Guide and Product Disclosure Statement may be obtained by calling the Defence Health Member Service Centre on 1800 335 425
or downloaded from www.defencehealth.com.au
OVER the past two years, Air Force personnel will
have heard the terms Strategic Reform Program (SRP)
and Air Force Improvement (AFI) many times and undoubtedly have some idea of what they are about.
But what does it all mean – and how do the AFI
regional teams fit into the programs?
The teams have been established in Canberra and
at RAAF Bases Edinburgh, Amberley, Williamtown,
Richmond and Williams, Laverton.
The best analogy to clarify the programs and roles
of the teams is to compare them with a family wanting
to purchase a new motor vehicle.
You currently have a Commodore but have decided
that it is time to increase the family’s transport capabilities. You convince your partner that the family
really needs something like a Toyota Prado.
Your partner agrees to the new ‘capability’ purchase, but you both realise that the family will now
need to tighten its belt (that is, be careful with expenditure) for the next 10 years to cover the costs of the
new vehicle and its ongoing maintenance and insurance costs.
That is the SRP.
Your family’s first step would be to identify innovative and sustainable ways to live within its new
budget but without foregoing your current lifestyle or
the safety of your family.
That is the AFI program.
You are not completely sure where to start [such as
a program or budget] so you call on a friend who has
training in this sort of thing and can teach you how to
identify opportunities for improvements in your life
that will in turn reduce your costs.
For Air Force, they are the AFI regional teams.
The AFI regional teams are a resource for members to approach because of the qualifications and
experience that they have in delivering continuous
improvement tools and techniques in support of SRP
and the AFI.
The teams can provide training, mentoring and
assistance to you so that your team is able to identify
opportunities for improvements that will generate a
more efficient and effective workforce that is focused
on customer requirements.
The long-term goal is to have a culture of continuous improvement in the Air Force where members
review whether they are performing tasks in the most
effective manner and embrace improvement suggestions in the workplace.
This culture will assist in reducing frustrations in
the workplace and offers the opportunity of a greater
work/life balance.
For further information or assistance, contact one of the
following AFI team OICs:
Amberley, Darwin, Townsville: FLTLT Todd Byron
(07) 5461 2722.
Russell, Fairbairn: SQNLDR Mia Clapton, (02)
6265 1489.
Edinburgh, Pearce: FLTLT Scott Schultz , (08) 8393
2120.
Richmond, Glenbrook: FLTLT Miles Le Ray, (02)
4587 2155.
Williams, East Sale: FLTLT Kim Williams, (03)
9256 2285.
Williamtown, Tindal: Jeff Head, (02) 4034 9874.
AIR F RCE
Personnel 21
May 12, 2011
Workplace case
Where to find out more
More information on the WRA is on the
Defweb at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/pac/
and click on the link “Workplace Remuneration
Arrangement (WRA)”. Email contributions and
comments on the consultation phase of the
WRA 2011-13 to [email protected].
AFHQ will collate all feedback and pass it on
to DMSA-P for consideration in formulation of
the WRA 2011-13.
PRESENTATIONS
RAAF
F Base Edinb
Edinburgh,
rgh
P3 Room, BLD 733 at
10am, Monday, May 30.
RAAF Base Pearce, base
cinema at 10am, Friday,
June 3.
RAAF Tindal, base
chapel at 1pm, Monday,
June 6.
RAAF Base Darwin,
Truscott Club at 10am,
Tuesday, June 7.
RAAF Base Townsville,
auditorium at 10am,
Friday, June 10.
RAAF Base Amberley,
cinema at 10am,
Tuesday, June 14.
RAAF Base
Williamtown, cinema at
10am, Friday, June 17.
RAAF Base Richmond,
cinema at 10am,
Monday, June 20.
RAAF Glenbrook,
Heritage Room at 1pm,
Monday, June 20.
RAAF Base Wagga,
cinema at 8.30am,
Tuesday, June 28.
RAAF Base Williams,
cinema/conference room
10am, Wednesda
Wednesday,
at 10am
July 6.
RAAF Base East Sale,
cinema at 10am,
Thursday, July 7.
HQJOC Bungendore,
theatrette at 10am,
Thursday, July 14.
Campbell Park, CP35-004 & 005 at 2pm,
Thursday, July 14.
HMAS Harman
(all lodger units),
HMAS Harman cadet
classrooms at 10.30am,
Friday, July 15.
Brindabella Park,
Alistair Swayne Theatre
at 10.30am, Monday,
July 18.
Russell Offices, R1
theatrette at 10am,
Tuesday, July 19.
Photo: LAC Bill Solomou
Mayy 12: The Ceremonial Band will support the O
OTS
graduation parade at RAAF Base East Sale from
11.30am.
May 13: Force 10 will support the SATC 30th anniversary celebrations at RAAF Base East Sale from
6pm.
May 14: The Ceremonial Band will support the
annual AAFC parade at Point Cook.
May 19: The Ceremonial Band will support the
historic 2AFDS Governor-General’s Banner consecration and presentation parade at RAAF Base
Amberley from 11am.
May 24: The Ceremonial Band will support the
SATC Governor-General’s Banner presentation
parade at East Sale from 10am.
May 25: The Ceremonial Band will support the
1RTU graduation parade at RAAF Base Wagga from
11am.
To confirm dates and timings, contact WOFF
Stephen Bate at the Air Force Band on (03)
9256 2514.
Have you had your say?
Timor-Leste Family Study
MEMBERS will have the opportunity to share their
views on the next Workplace Remuneration Arrangement (WRA) when presentations are held around
Australia from the end of this month.
A WRA team, which has been set up within
Defence to prepare the new case for the next WRA,
will visit most major bases and units until July as
part the consultation process.
The presentation team will have industrial
relations representatives from AFHQ and a member
of the WRA project team.
ADF pay setting arrangements, the nature of the
Defence Employment Offer, the Strategic Reform
Program and the specific pay proposals for the next
WRA will be covered in the presentations.
The new WRA case will be considered by the
Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT) in
September. The old WRA expires on November 3.
Consultation with ADF members to seek
suggestions, gain their views and assess the measure
of support for the WRA proposals is an integral part
of the ADF case which will be put to the tribunal.
To assist this process, updated information will
be published on the Defence intranet, which seeks
suggestions, general messages and a focus group.
The WRA is the means by which all ADF
members up to the rank of GPCAPT receive regular
increases in pay and salary-related allowances
(Service Allowance for example).
Part of the package is regular pay increases
in return for productivity and organisational
improvements by the ADF.
Information provided by the Directorate of
Military Salaries and Allowances-Policy (DMSA-P)
said that following approval by the DFRT, the new
arrangement should start on November 4 with the
first pay increase on November 10.
The WRA team will visit units and bases at the
dates/times shown below.
AIR FORCE BAND
Because families deploy as well...
If you have received an invitation to participate in the
Timor-Leste Family Study, but have yet to accept,
we would really like to hear from you!
To participate, please go to the webpage that is shown in your email
or paper invitation and follow the instructions.
We would also like to remind ADF members to help us invite your
current or former partners to the study–to do this, just fill out your
partner’s details on your consent form.
You and your partner’s participation will contribute to a broader
understanding of the deployment experiences of families.
For more information about the study, please contact the study team:
1800 708 335
[email protected]
ADFA (Cadets, lodger
units & ADFA staff),
Adams Hall at 11.30am,
Wednesday, July 20.
A study under the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Family Study Program
ADC Weston Creek
(ACSC & CDSS invited),
Weston Creek theatrette
at 12.30pm, Wednesday,
July 20.
Centre for Military and Veterans’ Health
cmvh.org.au/families
22 Training
AIR F RCE
May 12, 2011
5FLT training
ng
down underr
FLTLT Skye Smith
Air Combat Group (ACG) has
successfully completed Heron
Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA)
training in Australia for the first
time.
The training was conducted
at the Woomera Test Range in
March.
Operators have previously
undertaken their training in
Canada.
ACG’s No. 5 Flight manages
the Heron capability.
Made up of a handful of members, the unit is responsible for
the selection, force preparation
and operational Heron flying
training of RPA operators and
support personnel before they
deploy to Afghanistan.
CO 5FLT WGCDR Lyle
Holt said training personnel in
Australia was “another major step
forward to ensuring our personnel are highly skilled and prepared for International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) operations in Afghanistan”.
The one-tonne aircraft is capable of medium-altitude, long-
endurance flights. Equipped with
infrared and optical sensors, RPAs
can fly for up to 24 hours at a
range out to 250km, downloading video imagery to Australian
troops.
“RPAs are rapidly becoming
indispensable as surveillance and
intelligence gathering capabilities in the fight against terrorism,”
WGCDR Holt said.
“This technology gives our
ground commanders a comprehensive understanding of the situation around them both day and
night.”
The Heron’s primary roles are
unarmed offensive air support,
and intelligence, reconnaissance
and surveillance.
Its capability helps to protect
Australian and ISAF personnel,
as well as Afghan families, from
insurgent activity such as the
laying of improvised explosive
devices.
“The Heron's vital mission is
to support our Mentoring Task
Force and Special Operations
Ta s k G r o u p a s w e b u i l d
Afghanistan's capacity to protect
itself,” WGCDR Holt said.
“The RPA capability is about
helping to save the lives of our
soldiers, our ISAF partners and
the Afghan population.”
The Australian Heron detachment is drawn from across the
Navy, Army and Air Force. The
deployed team includes vehicle operators (remote pilots),
payload operators, intelligence
officers, geospatial imagery analysts, warfare staff, engineers,
operations, communications,
administrative and logistics personnel.
“The RPA and its operators
have proven to be highly effective as one of the ADF’s integral
network-centric warfare capabilities,” WGCDR Holt said.
The Heron commenced operations in Afghanistan in January
2010, and during its first year of
operations has flown more than
4000 hours.
See page 3 for an update on RPA
operations in Afghanistan. For
more information on the Heron
detachment, visit www.defence.gov.
au/op/afghanistan/info/factsheet.
htm
FORCE PROTECTION: A Heron RPA prepares to take off on another mission from
Kandahar in Afghanistan. Its operators will now be trained in Australia. CO 5FLT
WGCDR Lyle Holt, above inset, says the capability is becoming indispensable.
Photos: AB Jo Dilorenzo and ACW Joanne Larsen
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History 23
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
GERMAN TARGETS: Former FLTLT Kenneth Giles’ Lancaster went on a
bombing raid to Essen.
Lancaster
pilot’s day
of high
drama
Andrew Stackpool
K
ENNETH Giles, who turned
100 on April 28, knows what
it’s like to fly a crippled
aircraft with five tons of high
explosive under his feet.
He did that in 1943 in a Lancaster
bomber and he and all his crew lived
to tell the tale.
Later, he was awarded a
Distinguished Flying Medal by King
George VI.
Former FLTLT Giles, who took
part in this year’s Anzac Day march
in Adelaide, was a member of
460SQN RAAF in WWII.
He flew 30 missions, including in
the iconic ‘G for George’, which is
now at the Australian War Memorial.
“When I arrived at 460SQN, it
had just become a Lancaster squadron
comprising many Australians, who
were held in very high esteem by the
British people,” Mr Giles said.
“It was a great squadron to operate
from.”
He enlisted in the RAAF on April
28, 1941.
“The war was a necessary evil and
unfortunately many lives were lost,
but Hitler’s dominance in Europe had
to be stopped,” he said.
On the night of April 3, 1943,
the then SGT Giles joined a 348-aircraft raid on the Krupp works at the
German city of Essen. The crews
called Essen Happy Valley because of
its strong anti-aircraft defences.
The aircraft carried five tons of
bombs, including a 4000lb ‘Cookie’.
The mission proceeded without
incident until the aircraft steadied on
its bombing run.
“There was a terrific noise like a
sledgehammer. Tracer bullets were
flying up in front of us with hits up
NEARING HIS CENTURY: Above, Kenneth
Giles enjoys this year’s Anzac Day parade in
Adelaide, three days before his birthday.
Photos courtesy of Monique Fitjer
FLASHBACK TO WWII: left, in uniform; right,
with his Lancaster crew (Mr Giles is the first on
the left). His crew refused to bale out and leave
him even though the aircraft carried five tons of
bombs, including a 4000lb ‘Cookie’.
through the tail, the wing, and the left
port engine,” FLTLT Giles later said.
“I knew it was a fighter, so I broke
away (from the bomb run).”
As well as flak, Essen was
protected by the 1st Night Fighter
Wing (NJG1), which flew the
Messerschmitt Me-110 fighter.
The engine exploded into flame,
and the aircraft was lit up with searchlights.
“We must have looked like a moth
in the light,” Mr Giles said.
To make things more difficult, the
gunfire had destroyed the rudder trim
tabs, meaning SGT Giles had to keep
the aircraft flying straight by putting
his entire weight on the rudder bar.
He turned back to the bomb run. Now,
the crew discovered that the bomb bay
doors would not open; another round
had pierced the hydraulic pipeline that
operated the doors and the oil had run
out.
Also, the hand pump would not
work.
SGT Giles told the crew to pour
their coffee down the pipe and then the
contents of the urinal in the hope that
would work; it didn’t and he realised
they would have to abort the mission.
“I told the boys: ‘Well, we offered
them a cookie and coffee. At least we
peed on them; let’s go home’.”
As the battered Lancaster headed
home, SGT Giles discovered another
round had punctured the port main
landing wheel.
If he landed, the aircraft would
probably ground-loop, with the very
real danger of the bombs exploding
on impact.
As they neared the aerodrome,
SGT Giles told his crew to bale but
they refused to leave him.
Then, for the next 90 minutes he
circled the field while options to get
him down were considered.
The command suggested he fly
back to the coast and bale out; however, SGT Giles pointed out that as
soon as he took his foot off the rudder bar, the aircraft would probably
swing around and crash in England.
Finally, he lined up for a landing.
As he touched down, the wheel collapsed and the aircraft ground-looped.
The bomb bay doors burst open
but the bombs stayed in place.
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Careful does it
When King George VI presented
SGT Giles with the Distinguished
Flying Medal at Buckingham
Palace in London on August 17,
1943, the banter led to a longstanding joke.
SGT Giles was presented to
King George VI by squadron CO
WGCDR Chad Martin, who told
the king about the incident and
pointed out that the bomb load
included a 4000lb ‘Cookie’ bomb.
His Majesty asked SGT Giles:
“Was the bomb any good after
that?”
This resulted in a joke in the
squadron that from then on crews
flying with the bomb were to “take
care of George Rex’s bomb”.
24 Health
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Chew the fat on fads
Digesting everything that’s been written on diets may be biting off
more than you can chew. CPL Dean Cook provides some basic
truths you can sink your teeth into.
M
(BMR) is the daily rate of energy
expenditure of a person involved
in a given form of activity or
comparative inactivity. It is a
pivotal part of the human weightmanagement function.
When you start exercising or
Although some diets contain
basic truths, there are often down- increase an existing regime, your
body responds to the new stimusides as magazines look for the
next big thing to attract a reader’s lus. Weight training is a perfect
example.
attention.
By putting a muscle under
Even recognised diets such
pressure the body says, “if you
as the high-protein, low-carb
keep this up I’m going to start
Atkinson diet can lead to adverse using your energy reserves”.
effects because carbohydrates are
The body then starts directing
an essential ingredient in effecmore energy into an increasing
tive daily energy generation.
number of motor units – “parBy the same token, it is possible cels” – that consume energy.
to have an occasional treat – even a
Those extra parcels all use
hamburger or a can of soft drink –
energy at the same rate, so extra
without stacking on weight.
energy is expended – even watchThere are some general rules
ing television. If you consume
that will help you chew through
the same amount of calories, then
the fat and into a balanced diet/
your girth will respond.
exercise lifestyle.
ILLIONS of words
have been written
about diets and nutrition. Fads come and
go, but unfortunately the girth
often just gets larger.
Avoid bad habits
Work your muscles
A basic fact about diet and
nutrition is the more you exercise
your muscles, the more efficient
they become in using stored
energy.
The basal metabolic rate
Healthy diet is not just about
what you eat, but how you take
in calories. A lot of people incorporate things that do not go well
with the BMR.
Irregular meals or trying to
lose weight through starving
only triggers the body’s primitive defences against starvation
and drops the body into a state
of energy economy. By missing
meals you induce lethargy.
Eating the wrong meals can
trigger high amounts of energy
levels in the blood system, but
these levels decrease just as
quickly and can leave you with a
lethargic, empty feeling, which
forces you to eat again, increasing your daily calorie intake.
From nutritional aspects you
need to make sure you do not affect
the BMR heavily in the way of ups
and downs. You want to keep it
ticking away through regular meals
of protein, carbohydrates, fruit
and vegetables that keep the body
slowly digesting.
The problem people have with
the BMR is that they tend to think
they need to starve or reduce certain components that are looked
upon unfavourably.
Carbohydrates have copped a
bad rap over recent years. If you
want to lose weight, you need to
include carbohydrates to maintain
a training format.
For more dietary information, visit
www.nhmrc.gov.au/node/1227
ONE WITH THE LOT: Eating the wrong meals can leave you lethargic. Photo: LS Paul Berry
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Sp rt 25
AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
AIR Force women’s coach WOFF Andrew Giacomo has nothing but praise
for the way his heavily outnumbered
players performed at the Australian
Services Australian Football Association (ASAFA) tri-service titles in Melbourne last month.
“They played out of their skins and
tackled their hearts out,” he said.
History will show that the Air
Force women were thrashed at the
carnival.
Air Force did not score at all
against Army and only scored one
point against Navy.
But that does not tell the whole
story.
In a game where 22 players is the
full complement of players on each
side, Air Force went in against Army
and Navy with only 15 players (and lost
one to injury in the first quarter of the
Army game). Further, two of the Air
Force players were public servants who
had never played the game before.
“We played reduced numbers in
the forward line and our intent was
to try and play towards the boundary
line,” WOFF Giacomo said.
“From there we could re-group
with our on-ball players and then try
to force the ball forward.
“Our players did this quite well in
game two (against Navy), however,
in game 1, the Army set up a wall of
free players a kick behind the play,
which basically had the play rebound
into our back line.”
Air Force did have some silver linings.
Team captain SGT Katie Staines,
who is a veteran of eight carnivals,
was also named as the ASAFA Most
Valuable Player in the Air Force team.
FLGOFF Kylie Wilson was named
Air Force’s Most Valuable Player
and she was also named to represent
the ASAFA women’s All Stars side.
Down but
not beaten
Others picked to represent the ADF
in the ASAFA All Stars side were
FLGOFF Aimee Slocombe, LACW
Emily Currer and CPL Trudi Lines.
SGT Staines was unavailable for the
All Stars team as were SQNLDR Mina
Roberts, FLTLT Debbie Herberz and
OFFCDT Bayleigh Potter, who were
also strong contenders for further honours.
Navy went on to win the ASAFA
title by beating Army by two points.
Air Force fared better in the men’s
division, though it lost to both Army
and Navy.
Army beat Navy by 19 points to
claim back-to-back titles.
CPL Nigel Peacock was awarded
the ASAFA award as Air Force’s best
player of the carnival.
CPL Jebal Williams, CPL Shannon
Burke, OFFCDT Nick Downward,
LAC Glenn Meulendyks, LAC Jadan
Morton, SQNLDR Anthony Calliess,
CPL Jacob Berry were named in the
ASAFA All Stars men’s team.
WOFF Giacomo, who became
coach of the women’s team after serving as team manager last year, started a
recruiting drive in early February and
had 23 keen players lined up to play.
That was whittled away because
DOWNFIELD TARGET:
TARGET CPL T
Trudi
di Li
Lines.
Photos: LS Paul McCallum
of work commitments and personal
reasons and he approached the other
services to play 16-a-side games, but
that did not succeed.
“Both services, however, were
very supportive after the event to try
and help us recruit numbers for future
tournaments. I think we just have to
advertise more and ensure we get the
message out,” he said.
SLIP-SLIDING
SL
AWAY: Glenn Meulendyks scrambles
for the ball in the wet. CPL Stuart Bond lurks behind.
“Some ladies feel intimidated to
play football, thinking it is a hard
game or they aren’t good enough.
However, once new people come into
the side they have been welcomed
with open arms.
“The girls have an awesome positive outlook and love their footy. I
would say they are very passionate
about it.”
RESULTS
St Albans Oval, April 12 – Women: Army
14.7 (91) b Air Force 0.0 (0); Men: Army
12.15 (87) b Air Force 6.11 (47).
St Albans Oval, April 14 – Women: Navy
18.8 (116) b Air Force 0.1 (1); Men: Navy
14.18 (92) b Air Force 11.2 (68).
Whitten Oval, April 18 – Women: Navy 5.3
(33) b Army 4.7 (31); Men: Army 12.7 (79) b
Navy 8.12 (60).
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AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Pumping along
SGT Lance Purdon, whose illustrious
sporting career was thrown into jeopardy in
2003 when he had a pacemaker fitted, added to his achievements by finishing a close
second in the ADF 10km men’s veterans
road race on April 6.
SGT Purdon, of Canberra, won the silver medal with a time of 39min 35sec, for
an average speed of 15.16 km/h, which
was only 83 seconds behind WO1 Kevin
Muller.
SGT Purdon was formerly captain of the
Air Force Australian football team. A talented midfielder, he also played for the ADF
team.
He was forced to retire prematurely
when he became sick with heart problems.
In 2003, one day after his 31st birthday, he
was fitted with a pacemaker and was told
by doctors that it was the end of contact
sport for him.
That meant a change of focus – but it
has certainly not stopped him.
His name has figured in a multitude of
results, including triathlon, marathon running, cross-country and now this event in
atrocious weather at Jervis Bay Air Field.
“I gave this race every ounce of energy
and I am proud of the gutsy finish, as I
pipped CPO Ray Winkler in a 400m sprint
to the line, after running shoulder to shoulder from the 2km marker,” he said.
SGT Purdon said he was in good shape
for the race at Nowra, having competed in
the New Zealand Ironman in March, which
bodes well for his next quests for glory.
“I ran this race for Air Force and to
help my preparation for the Arafura Games
half-marathon and the Olympic Distance
SILVER
MEDAL:
Left, CPL
Jessica
Robson
was glad
of her lastminute
decision to
run.
RESULTS
Veteran
men: WO1 Kevin
Muller
(38:12)
V t
K i M
ll (38
12)
1, SGT Lance Purdon (39:35) 2,, 3. CPO
Raimund Winkler (39:36) 3, FLTLT Simon
Kerr (40:40) 4.
Open men: LEUT Scott Baxter (37:47),
1, MIDN David Vaugh (39.25) 2, LS Luke
Heckenberg (40:35) 3.
Open women: SBLT Megan Hoare (41:39)
1, CPL Jessica Robson (43:09) 2, MIDN
Lara Carr (55:26) 3.
Veteran women: CPO Annie Schofield
(50:36) 1, MIDN Kara Eaton (53:46) 2,
SGT Suzanne Scragg (58:00) 3.
Masters’ men: CAPT Andrew Whittaker
(43:17) 1, LEUT Richard Bosdyk (44:30)
3, CAPT Paul Bradford (44:40) 3.
Triathlon in Darwin in May,” he said. “I
am also in training for the Gold Coast
marathon, which is also an ADF event,
after running in it last year.”
SGT Purdon’s result was not the only
success for Air Force at Jervis Bay.
CPL Jessica Robson, of Canberra, finished second in the open women’s section,
and SGT Suzanne Scragg, of 462SQN,
claimed bronze in the veterans’ women’s.
CPL Robson was only 90 seconds
behind SBLT Megan Hoare.
“I was happy to get a place because
my decision to run was a last-minute
one,” CPL Robson said.
She is also an accomplished long-dis-
NEED A
HOLIDAY?
BRONZE
MEDAL:
Right, SGT
Suzanne
Scragg
finishes
the veteran
women’s
10km race.
tance runner and was really only hitting
her stride by the end of the 10km race.
“The last race I trained for was a
100km road race I ran in New Zealand in
February, while my next event will be the
Gold Coast 100km in June.”
SILVER MEDAL: SGT Lance Purdon finishes second in
the veteran men’s section.
Photos: AB Justin Brown
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AIR F RCE May 12, 2011
Netball award surprise
CPL Rachael Gorton said she was
surprised to be awarded the runner-up
Most Valuable Player (MVP) after the
ADF beat the Royal New Zealand Defence Force (RNZDF) in a three-test
Anzac women’s netball series.
The RNZDF’s AWTR Shivonne
Kuita was named MVP.
“The girls I was playing with are
of a very high standard and everybody played exceptionally well,” CPL
Gorton said.
Of RAAF Base Edinburgh,
CPL Gorton was one of four Air
Force players in the team. The others were FLGOFF Catherine Ferry,
C P L We n d y H o l t a n d L AC W
Lisa Merriman, all of RAAF Base
Williamtown.
RESULTS
First test at Randwick, April 18: ADF
46 lt NZDF 48.
Second test in Albury, April 21: ADF 51
d NZDF 43.
Third test in Adelaide, April 24: ADF 49
d NZDF 38.
Although the ADF and RNZDF
have not played each other for several
years, it was the first time the ADF
had won the Trans-Tasman trophy
since 1998.
After losing game one at Randwick
Barracks by two points, the ADF rallied to post an eight-point victory in
Albury and a convincing 11-point
win for the final game in Adelaide.
The final match was played
as a curtain-raiser for the ANZ
Championship match between the
Adelaide Thunderbirds and Waikato
Bay of Plenty Magic at ESTA Park.
It was the first time the ANZ
Championship had had a curtainraiser match, with the ADF benefiting from some vocal crowd support
as the stadium filled for the main
event.
About 800 people, including
national players from the Australian
Diamonds and New Zealand Ferns,
watched the ADF win the final game
and the series trophy.
CPL Gorton, who has played ADF
netball on and off since 2004, was
thrilled.
“Having the deciding match in my
home town, on my home court and
before a televised Thunderbirds game
was a fantastic experience,” she said.
“Not everyone gets the chance to
play internationally let alone play in
your home town where your friends
and family can come and watch.”
ADF team captain LT Sally
Williamson said the matches were
very physical but good camaraderie
was built between the two sides after
travelling and spending Anzac Day
together in Adelaide.
“It was just a great opportunity
for us. We don’t get to do this very
often and netball as a sport is growing
across Australia and across Defence
so we were very excited to have the
New Zealanders come over,” she said.
NZDF captain WO2 Waiheke
Cross said the experience had been
great for the Kiwis.
“It was awesome,” she said. “The
ADF girls were fantastic. The travel,
the uplifting; we had no problems at
all.
“We are very friendly off the court,
but we get on the court and it’s all
on.”
The two sides are looking forward
to facing off next year in NZ in what
they hope will be an annual event.
Gearing up for alpine ski titles
FSGT Tony Benfer hopes to mix it with
able-bodied skiers at the Air Force Alpine Snowsports Downhill Championships at Mt Hotham from July 31 to
August 7.
FSGT Benfer, who won a gold medal
in downhill slalom at the Canadian
Soldier On competition in March, hopes
he and other members of the ADF
Paralympic team will be allowed to contest their respective service titles.
“We have to work out the fine
details,” he said.
Primed by
hard yakka
and hakas
THE Air Force Rugby team had a nice
little warm-up for the Australian Services
Rugby Championships (ASRC), which
starts in Canberra this week.
It played in the inaugural ANZUS
Trophy tournament in Brisbane in late
April against teams from the US Air
Force and the Royal New Zealand Air
Force.
The competition was won by the
Kiwis who returned home not just with
the ANZUS Trophy but also with the
Burn-Merz Cup for their 29-16 win
against the RAAF.
The tri-service championship in
Canberra will be conducted from May 15
to 21 at Viking Park, Wanniassa.
Men and women from the three services will battle it out to claim the championship trophy. Senior teams will also
be selected from serving members of the
ADF.
DRAW
Sunday, May 15: RANRU v AFRU, RANU
women v AFRU women (10s), RANRU Old
Salts v AFRU Veterans.
Wednesday, May 18: AARU v AFRU.
Saturday, May 21: AARU v RANRU, AARU
women v RANRU/AFRU women, AARU
AROBA v RANRU Old Salts.
WAKE UP TO FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE TODAY.
RITUAL: The Royal
New Zealand Air
Force Rugby team
perform the haka
before taking on the
RAAF for the BurnMerz Cup.
Photo: LACW Rosaleen
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To find out more about Merici College
see our WEbsite at www.merici.act.edu.au
or contact the Enrolment Officer Ms Trish Ryan on (02) 6243 4102
or by email: [email protected]
For more information about the Air Force
titles, email Katrina Babic at katrina.
[email protected]
$6* a day buys you coffee...
OR...
A hot investment property.
For more information, visit www.
servicerugby.asn.au
s is a quality, affordable non-government secondary school,
educating girls in a Catholic environment
sISRENOWNEDfor its strong focus on pastoral care
sHASTARGETEDSUPPORTfor !$&FAMILIESWITHAn
ADF mentor on site
sOfFERSAWIDEANDVARIEDCURRICULUMINa
technology rich environment
sHASDIRECTBUSESTOTHE#OLLEGEFROMMOSTSUBURBS
and neighbouring NSW centres
The Air Force championships will
be followed by the ADF inter-services
championships from August 7 to 12.
A PTI at RAAF Base Wagga, FSGT
Benfer, lost his lower right leg in a hitand-run accident in Queensland in 2007.
He got back on skis only last year
as part of an ADF Paralympic Sports
Program in the Snowy Mountains.
For details, a flyer and an
itinerary, please visit
www.longtantrek.com
and click on
2011 tour details
This Program provides opportunities to
students to experience the ADF or
Defence APS as an employer of choice.
Send enquiries to:
[email protected]
Or Visit:
www.defence.gov.au/workexperience
http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dsg/sites/workexperience
SP RT
All systems
snow as
amputee
eyes titles
P27
May 12, 2011
BURN-MERZ
CUP PROVIDES
ENTRÉE FOR AIR
FORCE’S
TRI-SERVICE RUGBY
TILT
P26
PACEMAKER
FAILS TO STOP THIS
RUNNER
Our
star,
our
series
P26
THRASHED, BUT
THESE WOMEN
HAVE HEART
P25
IT’S OURS:
Above, CPL
Rachael Gorton
has control of the
ball in the first
test in Sydney;
right, FLGOFF
Catherine Ferry
gets a warm
hug from her
NZ opponent
after the first
cliffhanger.
Photos: LS Paul
Berry
WHEN the dust finally settled in our favour after a torrid
three-test women’s netball series between the ADF and New
Zealand Defence Force, CPL Rachael Gorton had extra reason
to savour the victory. CPL Gorton, of RAAF Base Edinburgh,
was named runner-up Most Valuable Player. A Kiwi player
won the top individual prize but the ADF won the series; the
clincher coming in front of CPL Gorton’s emotion-charged
home crowd in Adelaide.
Full story, Page 27