older, stronger, wiser - department of defence...women’s day event at the australian defence...

The soldiers’ newspaperEdition 1461 March 19, 2020

OLDER, STRONGER,

WISERINVICTUS GAMES

Athletes put to the test at training camp – PAGE 8

BUSHFIRE ASSISTThe ADF continues its support – PAGES 4-5

GENERATION EQUALITYInternational Women’s Day – PAGE 2, CENTRE

Army celebrates its 119th birthday

PAGE 3

Members of Australia’s Federation Guard stand at ease during Army’s birthday parade at Russell Offices, Canberra. Photo: Sgt Hamish Paterson

OUR TEAMDirector David Edlington

Managing Editor Richard Mihaich Editor Jessica Deotto: 02 6266 7067

Reporters Sgt Max Bree Sgt Dave MorleySgt Janine FabreCpl Sebastian BeurichCpl Veronica O’Hara Cpl Julia WhitwellLS Kylie Jagiello

[email protected] Editor, Army News, R1-GF-C039, PO Box 7909, Department of Defence, ACT 2600

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News2

LS Kylie Jagiello

A CALL to action to join forces across genera-tions formed part of the Generation Equality theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, focused on every girl and woman having equal opportunities to lead, learn and earn a decent liv-ing and to live lives free from violence and discrimination.

Defence’s key event for IWD was held at ADFA in Canberra on March 11 and was attended by more than 400 personnel from the ADF and APS.

Jennifer Wittwer, an international con-sultant on gender and Women, Peace and Security (WPS), was a keynote speaker at the event.

Ms Wittwer has recently published Against the Wind; how women can be their authentic selves in male-dominated professions.

In her speech, she defined equality as ensur-ing everyone, regardless of gender, has equal access to resources and opportunities. She said it was important to elevate women to a level play-ing field to their male counterparts.

“In an effort to address inequities, employ-ers taking action are making a difference,” Ms Wittwer said.

“More organisations are implementing poli-

cies or strategies to support gender equality or are promoting flexible working arrangements, or measuring pay gender gaps and taking action to close them.”

The event also included a Q&A ses-sion moderated by Dr Alan Ryan, Executive Director Australian Civil-Military Centre and

Defence Gender Champion. The panel included ADFA Academy Cadet Captain Midn Tiffany McCormack; ADFA Echo Squadron Divisional Cadet Off-Cdt Fran Di Carlo; ADFA Divisional Cadet Capt Ashleigh Streeter-Jones; Policy Officer, International Policy Division and Gender Equity Advocate, CJOPS Lt-Gen Greg Bilton; and Ms Wittwer.

The audience was particularly engaged around

some of the benefits of working in Defence as an organisation that has made significant progress in supporting and enhancing diversity.

Midn McCormack said the ADF continued to make advancements in providing opportunities for women.

“It’s based on the kind of person you are and the characteristics you display, opposed to your gender,” Midn McCormack said.

“Diversity and inclusion are important because people of different races and genders provide different perspectives.”

Off-Cdt Di Carlo said IWD was about understanding the women around you and learning what they had done in their lives, what they had to offer and how they had grown.

“IWD brings forward the passion that women have for what they want to do,” Off-Cdt Di Carlo said.This year’s theme is aligned with the UN

Women’s new multigenerational campaign, which marks the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, the Beijing Platform for Action is recognised as the most progressive roadmap for the empowerment of women and girls everywhere.

Equal opportunity

More International Women’s Day

coverage – CENTRE

‘Diversity and inclusion are important because people of different races and genders provide different perspectives.– Midn Tiffany McCormack, ADFA Academy Cadet Captain, Navy

Deputy Secretary DPG Justine Greig addresses attendees during closing remarks at the International Women’s Day event at the Australian Defence College in Canberra. Photo: LS Kylie Jagiello

IN THE wake of the World Health Organisation declaring Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) a pan-demic, Defence has implemented steps to mitigate the spread of the virus.

With symptoms similar to other respiratory viruses, including fever, cough, sore throat, headache and/or shortness of breath, person-nel are advised to be aware of the pandemic.

Defence is following whole-of-government guidance from the Department of Health. A dedi-cated effort during the coming months has been implemented under the direction of Secretary of the Department of Defence Greg

Moriarty and CDF Gen Angus Campbell.

To support this work, Lt-Gen John Frewen will lead the whole-of-Defence effort as the head of the Defence COVID-19 task force.

To address the risk of infection within Defence and the commu-nity, all ADF, APS and contractors working in Defence establishments who present with cold/flu-like symptoms must remove themselves from the workplace and notify their supervisor/chain of command.

For the protection of others, it is important personnel phone ahead of presentation to their near-est health facility.

Personnel can return to work

when they are symptom-free unless otherwise directed by their health-care provider or public-health unit.

All personnel returning from operations and exercises abroad are subject to quarantine and pro-tective measures as directed by Australian Border Force and the Department of Health.

Defence continues to monitor closely the COVID-19 situation in Australia and overseas, assessing the risk to operations and exercises.

With a small number of con-firmed cases emerging within Defence, it is important to remem-ber for most people, the illness will be mild or moderate and individu-als will make a full recovery.

Part to be played in prevention Basic measures to avoid spread

Wash hands frequently. Stay at least one metre

from anyone coughing or sneezing.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

Cough into a tissue or your inner elbow.

If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early.

Stay informed and follow advice given by healthcare providers.

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Cpl Julia Whitwell

ARMY celebrated its 119th birthday with great ceremony as it received the Theatre Honour East Timor 1999-2003 during a parade in Blamey Square, Canberra, on March 2.

Governor-General Gen (retd) David Hurley attached a streamer bearing the Theatre Honour to the Army Banner and said it represented the professional performance of Army personnel and units during warlike service in Timor-Leste.

“The operations conducted in

Timor are central to our profession-al development and identity,” the Governor-General said.

“This public recognition of Army’s achievements is the concluding act of a highly successful period of Army’s history.”

RSM Ceremonial WO1 Craig Cook said the criteria for a Theatre Honour to be awarded was stringent achievement for Army units on warlike service.

“The area of operation has to be significant and the Australian forces assigned to operations in that theatre,

their actions have to be noteworthy,” WO1 Cook said.

“Our involvement in East Timor from 1999-2003 was the largest com-mitment of Australian forces since WWII, even larger than Vietnam.

“It was not just about combat forces, it was about a humanitarian effort in support of the birth of a new nation.”

CA Lt-Gen Rick Burr said Army’s birthday was a fitting opportunity for the presentation as a time to remember those who had served and contributed to Army’s proud history and to focus

on the future. “This is a special day, this 119th birthday, as we celebrate the great story of our Army,” Lt-Gen Burr said.

“I pass on my sincere thanks to everyone who has worn our uniform, who has served and who has sacri-ficed. I thank those who support us, to do what we do.”

In keeping with Army tradition, the youngest member of AHQ, Pte Ethan Kelly, helped cut the Army’s birthday cake and was seated with the event’s VIPs for the parade.

“I had a front-on view of the whole

parade, it was amazing,” Pte Kelly said.

“Apart from Army’s birthday being such a big occasion, having a Theatre Honour presented the year I am the youngest soldier here was like a dou-ble event that I was able to be part of.”

The streamer was pinned to the Army Banner where it will later be embroidered permanently.

The Guidons and Colours of the units that served in Timor-Leste during 1999-2003 will be emblazoned with the Theatre Honour.

Birthday honours

Defence Minister Linda Reynolds, Governor-General Gen (retd) David Hurley, Pte Ethan Kelly and CA Lt-Gen Rick Burr cut Army’s birthday cake. Photo: Cpl Sagi Biderman

Governor-General Gen (retd) David Hurley attaches a streamer bearing the Theatre Honour East Timor 1999-2003 to the Army Banner during

Army’s 119th birthday parade at Russell Offices, Canberra. Photo: Sgt Hamish Paterson

March 19, 2020 Newsdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 3

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Maj Cameron Jamieson

IN A rare peacetime activity, more than 40 Army clerks from across Victoria were brought together to reconcile the pay and allowances of personnel tasked on Operation Bushfire Assist.

The aim of the administration mis-sion was to ensure the veracity of data accumulated on more than 2100 permanent and reserve Defence members who served in the state with JTF 646.

In one of the biggest gatherings of Army clerks outside of a training establishment, they spent a weekend training and auditing at Simpson Barracks in late February.

Sgt Stephanie Moncur, of 8/7RVR, helped lead the event and said 4 Bde, which provided much of the command and many of the troops

assigned to JTF 646, was committed to ensuring the accuracy of pay and entitlements due to the thousands of deployed personnel.

Sgt Moncur said the 100 per cent audit was vital in reconciling and con-firming the masses of personnel data that accumulated during the frantic weeks that followed the call-out of Defence to the bushfire crisis.

“Now we need to track what we have in the system against physical data collated in the area of opera-tions by deployed clerks,” Sgt Moncur said.

“A lot of the raw data has been collated and analysed. Once we have a full grasp on all the information, we will compare the data and remediate it to show where each member was located to ensure the correct pay and entitlements are provided to each deployed member.”

The data collected provides an

Clerks balance books

Flg-Off Evita Ryan

NOT for the first time since the bushfire crisis began, the Army has come to the aid of the Bega Valley region.

Recent rainfall has brought welcome relief to the drought-stricken Bega Valley communities and the rolling hills that were devastated by bushfires have returned to a shade of green.

The rain, however, brought with it an unfortunate flow-on effect from the bush-fires, making the normally pristine water source for the north of the Bega Valley Shire undrinkable.

Bruce Powell is the Water and Sewerage Services Operations Superintendent at Bega Valley Shire Council.

“Sadly, after the fires went through the large catchment that feeds the Brogo Dam and heavy rainfall followed, the water in the river went from about 1 NTU to 600 NTU in 75 minutes,” Mr Powell said.

NTU (nephelometric turbidity units) of turbidity from a calibrated nephelometer is a key test of water quality.

“We need to keep our water under 5 NTU,” Mr Powell said.

“Since the fires went through and we’ve had heavy rain, we’ve got ash and other debris coming down the river, which has impacted the water quality from that catchment.”

Unable to purify the dam water, the Bega Valley Shire Council imposed Level 4 water restrictions and resorted to transport-ing drinking water from Bega to supply residents in the north of the shire.

“It’s an extremely expensive process,” Mr Powell said.

“We’re providing about one million litres a day of drinking water from the Bega supply to Brogo Tank One, around the clock, at a cost of approximately $30,000 a day.”

With the ability to provide a more sus-tainable solution, 2CER set up a water puri-fication and desalination system (WPDS) next to Brogo Tank One.

Capable of turning any water source into fresh drinking water, an Army WPDS is normally used to supply drinking water dur-

ing major ADF exercises and deployments. Each system can operate with raw water of up to 500 NTU and provide clean, chlorinated water at 0.2 NTU.

Running 24 hours a day since being installed, the Army’s WPDS has produced up to 400,000 litres a day to help supple-ment the shire’s drinking water supplies while the Bega Valley Shire Council works to establish a longer-term solution.

In the first week of operation, the WPDS produced more than 2.5 million litres.

A second WPDS has since been set up to further supplement the shire’s drinking water supplies.

Anthony McMahon, Director, Assets and Operations at Bega Valley Shire Council, emphasised the importance of the capability and what the WPDS meant to the Bega Valley community.

“This water purification system is the single most important thing the ADF will deliver for the Bega Valley Shire Council to assist in keeping our community safe,” Mr McMahon said.

Operation Bushfire Assist4

Clean drinking

Spr Trai Eising adds a product to the Army’s water purification and desalination system, which will help supplement the Bega Valley Shire’s drinking water supplies.

Bladders full of water, purified by the Army’s water purification and desalination system, are set up next to Brogo Tank One. Photos: Sgt Andrew Eddie

Clerks balance booksinteresting snapshot of the typical task-force member. The average age of a deployed person was 32 years and eight months, with an average deployment time of 31 days.

By January 17 the force had risen to more than 1800 ADF full- and part-time personnel, with a peak of 988 reservists deployed on January 9.

For Sgt Moncur, the Operation Bushfire Assist mission eclipsed her experiences on overseas deployments.

“My previous deployments involved up to a couple of hundred people,” she said.

“Dealing with thousands of deployed people is an opportunity I never expected to experience. To test my skills under these conditions is something I found professionally rewarding.”

Cpl Di Murray, right, of 4/19 Prince of Wales Light Horse, and Sgt Warwick Harvey, of the Army Compliance and Assurance Unit, conduct an audit of personnel data belonging to Defence members who have served in Victoria with JTF 646. Photo: Maj Cameron Jamieson

Maj Ian MacDougall

AS PART of Operation Bushfire Assist, sappers from 2CER helped to clear fallen trees along a fire-damaged trail in the Snowy Mountain region of Victoria – a region famous for its depiction in the classic Banjo Patterson poem The Man from Snowy River.

The sappers worked on pre-paring Harrington’s Track for a four-day horseback ride known as “Riley’s Ride”, named after Jack Riley from the poem. At the end of this ride, during the first days of April each year, the town of Corryong and the surrounding region celebrates The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival.

The ride attracts hundreds

of horseback participants and thousands of people camping out to celebrate the region’s culture of horseback cattle droving and breaking.

Unfortunately, the locals in the region suffered catastrophic losses during the 2019-20 bushfires, threatening this year’s festival.

Personnel deployed in January from Brisbane to Corryong pro-vided much-needed support to the local community in clearing roads, repairing fences and supporting recovery and donation centres.

As the region transitioned to recovery, the only remaining task was to support the local council in ensuring the festival would continue.

Lt-Col Colin Lingo, command-er of Task Group 646.7, part of Operation Bushfire Assist, noted the significance of The Man from Snowy River Bush Festival to the local community.

“One of the first things a local police officer discussed with me when we arrived was the impor-tance of this festival, both as a cul-tural activity and as an economic boost,” Lt-Col Lingo said.

“I knew then that once we had conducted the immediate relief and response tasks, I would look at how we could support the res-toration of Riley’s Ride and con-tribute to the economic recovery of the region after the devastating bushfires.”

2CER’s 13 Troop, commanded by Lt Joshua Paynter, deployed from the Corryong staging area to Tom Groggin cattle station to fell and remove dangerous trees along Harrington’s Track in support of Forest Fires Management Victoria.

Sappers carried chainsaws, axes and stores several kilometres at a time to clear the way, ensur-ing the Riley’s Ride event can go ahead safely in the coming weeks.

The support provided by 13 Troop has ensured the ongo-ing success of Riley’s Ride. The task was also significant in that the engineers worked in an area deeply embedded into Australian culture, one that rarely sees an ADF presence.

Clearing a way forwardSappers from 2CER make the final push to clear the Riley’s Ride horse trail on Operation Bushfire Assist. Photos: Tpr Jonathan Goedhart

March 19, 2020 Operation Bushfire Assistdefence.gov.au/news/armynews 5

‘One of the first things a local police officer discussed with me when we arrived was the importance of this festival, both as a cultural activity and as an economic

boost.– Lt-Col Colin Lingo,

Commander Task Group 646.7

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Cpl Sebastian Beurich

THE Land 121 fleet of vehicles have shown their mettle during the first deployment, in support of Operation Bushfire Assist.

Deployed to both NSW and Victoria, the vehicles added much-needed cargo space to the emergency services’ response to the disaster.

After deploying to Eden, NSW,

aboard HMAS Adelaide in early January as a task-organised Force Support Team, soldiers from 9FSB quickly set to work using the fleet to distribute water, food and fuel around the local communities.

“We didn’t have any issues coming onto any of the loading platforms, and coming onto boat ramps in different harbours went really smoothly,” Sgt David Mackay said.

“We initially had some issues with

oversize permit requirements, but they were quickly resolved by the local and state governments issuing us a blanket exemption.

“The main issue we faced was with older bridges that had been damaged by fire.

“We couldn’t take larger vehi-cles or equipment over them, but the G-Wagon variants could make it across.”

The vehicles were used in a vari-

ety of different tasks, including assist-ing with the recovery of a NSW RFS water-bombing helicopter that had been ditched into a dam.

The youngest driver deployed with 9FSB, Pte Josh Armitage, who com-pleted his IETs in August last year, helped rig-up a rope to flip the heli-copter and drag it out of the water.

“I haven’t done anything like that before,” Pte Armitage said.

“We were based at a showground

for a bit and heaps of people would come over, so we’d let them go through the trucks and have a look around.

“The younger kids found them really cool.”

The roll-out of Land 121 vehicles continues with the Hawkei Protected Mobility Vehicle – Light, which is expected to complete its reliability acceptance testing in the middle of this year.

Soldiers load HX77 heavy rigid vehicles with fodder prior to their

departure from Cooma, NSW, in support of Operation Bushfire Assist.

Photos: Sgt Brett Sherriff

New fleet up to the task

A FIVE-year, $5 million initiative to develop and sustain Electronic Warfare-related (EW) skills in the Defence sector is being estab-lished at Flinders University, South Australia.

A partnership between Defence and Flinders University will result in the establishment of a Chair of EW at the University’s Tonsley campus.

At the same time, a memo-randum of understanding is being signed between Flinders University, the Defence Science and Technology Group, Joint Capabilities Group and industry group DEWC.

Chief Defence Scientist Prof Tanya Monro said this initiative exemplified Defence’s strategy of co-investing with universities and industries to grow research capacity and training pathways

Future of warfare is here

in identified areas of national pri-ority. Flinders University’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Colin Stirling said this initiative was evidence of Flinders’ research strengths in Defence.

“Flinders University has a national and international reputation in this area, and we are pleased to be partnering with Defence,” Prof Stirling said.

DEWC T&E CEO Glenn

Murray said this strategic partner-ship could build on shared expertise in delivering EW-related skills that are fundamental to building a work-force capable of supporting major defence projects, the ADF and Defence industry nationally.

“The partnership will utilise DEWC’s School of Information Operations EW expertise to support the building and delivery of educa-tion and training,” Mr Murray said.

CEO DEWC Glenn Murray, left, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Flinders University Prof Robert Saint, Chief Cyber and Electronic Warfare Division, DST, Dale Lambert and Director Joint EW Paul McMahon.

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News8

The best they can beSqn-Ldr Amanda Scott

IT’S an environment where everyone has overcome adversity and knows what the others have been and are going through.

The spirit of understanding and togetherness was palpable at the wheelchair training camp for Australia’s Invictus Games athletes, in Townsville from March 5-9.

Competitors training for wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby were joined by the Townsville Cyclones, including a number of previous Invictus Games competitors who are now mentors for new competitors coming through the Adaptive Sports Program.

Team Australia physiotherapist Maj Joanne Shepherd was on hand to keep the competitors playing, ensuring they were safe to play, working through any injuries and sometimes stopping them from playing if they were at risk of further injury.

“I want to make them the best team they can be so they can compete to the best of their abilities,” Maj Shepherd said.

“In the wheelchair sports it’s mainly muscular injuries, tight shoulders and tight traps.

“The key priorities between now and the games for the competitors are keeping a healthy diet, training regularly for their specific sports and self-care, including using their foam rollers, trigger balls and stretching.”

The Invictus Games is an international, adaptive multi-sports competition for current and former military personnel who have been wounded, injured or become ill during their military service.

Team Australia will compete at the fifth games in The Hague, Netherlands, from May 9-16.

The Australians will be among 500 competitors from 20 nations, taking part in individual and team sports, including archery, athletics, indoor rowing, the Jaguar Land Rover Driving Challenge, powerlifting, road cycling, sailing, sitting volleyball, swimming, wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby.

For more information on this year’s team visit defence.gov.au/events/invictusgames or follow the team at facebook.com/team.invictus.australia twitter.com/aussieinvictus and instagram.com/aussieinvictus

Team Australia physiotherapist Maj Joanne Shepherd works on a member

of the Invictus Games team during a training camp in Townsville.

Inset: Wheelchair rugby player Lenny Redrose (centre) fights to keep

posession of the ball during training.Photos: LS Jayson Tufrey

Sgt Janine Fabre

TASMANIA’S Army Reserve sol-diers gave up the most blood to win the Australian Red Cross Service’s Lifeblood Teams initiative in that state.

Lifeblood Teams encourages workmates, friends and teammates to donate blood together. The award is state-based and all three services in Tasmania got involved as part of the 2019 Defence Force Challenge.

Army won the Tasmanian chal-lenge with 253 donations, which can save 759 lives.

Army was also the highest-ranked Lifeblood Team nationally in 2019, potentially saving more than 31,000 lives through donations.

Receiving the award on behalf of Army’s Tasmanian teams, CO 2FSB Lt-Col John Moore said the success was largely attributable to the Red Cross setting up at the depot on

Wednesday parade nights.

“It was important members who other-wise couldn’t travel into town to give blood still had the opportunity to do so,” Lt-Col Moore said.

“The majority of Army personnel in Tasmania are SERCAT 5, which is a significant com-mitment from people who are probably also giving blood in their civilian capacity.

“Army’s commit-ment to many Defence initiatives is something we are proud of, noting this all occurred at the same time as we were contributing to Operation Bushfire Assist and we also had people on Christmas Island.”

Some soldiers gave blood many times, attending centres in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie.

Red Cross group account manager Ann Harvey said Lifeblood Teams was for communities that wanted to make a difference.

Winning numbers roll up

Lt-Col John Moore accepts the Lifeblood Teams Tasmania award on behalf of Army from the Red Cross’ Ann Harvey.

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Capt Jesse Robilliard

A RETIREE from north Brisbane has dedicated more than 30 years to helping schoolchildren in Papua New Guinea and is continuing to improve school resources with plen-ty of community support.

Colleen Neville has been work-ing with 1 Sig Regt and Air Force to prepare about 2000 donated text books for delivery to PNG schools this year.

“In May 2019, my family and I were able to deliver 200 boxes of story books, teachers’ reference books, school supplies and soft toys for the babies and children in the hospitals in PNG,” Mrs Neville said.

S h e r e c e n t l y v i s i t e d 3 0 Queensland schools that were about to upgrade to computers and was swamped with about 2000 super-seded text books as a result.

“The teachers are so happy to cull their libraries and give to us rather than send them to the tip,” Mrs Neville said.

She sought support from the Department of Foreign Affairs in Queensland and HQ 1 Div/DJFHQ at Enoggera.

Wg-Cdr Brent Taylor, of DJFHQ, got the call.

“Noting the Air Force involve-ment with the PNGDF, both with the support to the air transport wing and rotation of personnel in and out

of the Highlands, we are able to capitalise on opportunity space dur-ing our transits to PNG,” Wg-Cdr Taylor said.

Army’s 1 Sig Regt provided soldiers and a truck to pick up the books from Mrs Neville’s Brisbane residence.

WO2 Nick MacKenzie, of 1 Sig Regt, said it was a rewarding task.

“Once the books were loaded onto the back of the truck, they were transported to RAAF Base Amberley in preparation for depar-ture to PNG,” WO2 MacKenzie said.

“All of the soldiers who had conducted this task felt very proud to have completed it knowing that it was all for a good cause.”

Wg-Cdr Taylor said the books would help improve the lives of students in Milne Bay.

“Every child deserves the opportunity to be educated and pro-vided with the necessary skills to directly improve their prospects of employment and therefore indirect-ly support the growth and wellbe-ing of their community,” Wg-Cdr Taylor said.

Combined strength

Soldiers from 1 Sig Regt load boxes filled with textbooks onto the back of a truck in Scarborough, Queensland. Photo: Cpl Jessica de Rouw

Capt Jarrad Baldwin

AUSTRALIA has delivered a new amenities centre to the Afghan National Army’s Officer Academy (ANAOA) in Kabul.

The centre’s construction, which began in February last year, was underwritten by Norway through the NATO ANA Trust Fund Organisation.

CO Australian Mentoring Team at ANAOA Lt-Col Mark Smith said the centre was designed by an Australian Project Management Team (PMT) in collaboration with ANAOA staff, Australian advisers and the Afghan Garrison Support Unit.

“The amenities centre provides an area for cadets to relax during low-tempo periods in training – enjoy a

movie, play table tennis, get a haircut or buy a coffee/chai from the centre’s cafe,” Lt-Col Smith said.

“The PMT provided oversight of the construction team and conducted final assurance testing prior to the handover of the building to the Afghan Garrison Support Unit.

“The ANA has now assumed full responsibility for the ongoing

maintenance and operation of the centre.” Lt Dawson Courneya, a pro-ject engineer from JTF 633’s PMT-B, which manages a number of projects within the Qargha and wider Marshal Fahim National Defence University (MNFDU) precinct, oversaw the final stages of the centre’s construction in December last year.

“As engineers, we are incredibly

fortunate to be able to deliver a project like this and leave behind a physical asset for future use,” Lt Courneya said.

The official opening on January 29 was attended by senior ANA repre-sentatives from the MNFDU alongside representatives from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The centre will be used by the 900 officer cadets in training at ANAOA.

Australian Defence Attaché to Kabul, Afghanistan, Col Amanda Fielding, with Maj Fatima, OC Zarghona Tolay, as she cuts the ribbon to signify the opening of the Afghan National Officer Academy amenities centre in Qargha, Kabul. Photo: LS Craig Walton

Asset for the future

NEGOTIATING the middle ground between her faith and service, Pte Nargis Fatima is helping update Army’s uniform to include modesty options for Muslim women.The 22-year old, her twin sister Pte Zahra Ba-

tool and fellow Muslim woman Pte Hasiba Sahar joined Army on the same day in June 2018, and were the first women in Army to wear a hijab with their Army uniforms.

Pte Fatima explained “hijab” means dressing for modesty rather than referring to a particular item of clothing, although it is often used to refer to a headscarf.

“It may vary from one person to the next within our religion, but we share the underlying principle of staying covered,” Pte Fatima said.

Pte Fatima covers her body to her ankles, wrists and chin, and she first faced uniform challenges when she joined the Army Pre-Conditioning Pro-gram (APCP).

“I was wearing thermals with my T-shirt and

shorts for PT, because that’s all they had that would keep me covered, until I could get my mother to send me lighter-weight layers,” Pte Fatima said.

During Pte Fatima’s recruit course, RI Cpl Jarryn Walters researched the uniform policy to help set her up for success.

“Even before she came into my platoon, while she was in APCP, I saw her KFF wasn’t sitting properly on her hijab, so I stopped her and helped her fix it up,” Cpl Walters said.

“Once she was in my platoon, I did some research to make sure her dress and bearing were compliant with Defence policy. It was just part of my job.

“It was for my own reassurance, to identify what her left and right of arc were, and also if anyone questioned her I could defend Pte Fatima’s standard of dress without hesitation.”

The Army Dress Manual (Chap 3 Para 87) stipulates that the hijab is to be tan to mid-brown in colour, tucked neatly inside the collar of the

uniform and provided at the member’s responsibil-ity and expense.

Since marching out of Kapooka, though, Ptes Fatima, Batool and Hasiba have been assisting Clothing SPO in developing various items of reli-gious clothing as part of the issued uniform. SO2 Diversity and Inclusion Maj Annemarie Chapman said this has helped pave the way for other Muslim women and for Army.

“These women have been very accommodating of the fact Army hasn’t had a uniform appropriate for their religious requirements, and they’ve been open and forward-leaning in finding a solution with us,” Maj Chapman said.

“They’ve been really keen to help us develop suitable clothing options to which will ensure that all Army women of Muslim faith will have a functional and well-fitting uniform they are proud to wear.”

March 19, 2020 International Women’s Daydefence.gov.au/news/armynews10 11

Generation equality was the theme for this year’s International Women’s Day, with an Army private taking this focus to the next level, Cpl Julia Whitwell reports.

PAVING THE WAY

Sophie Jerapetritis

AUSTRALIAN nurses are an in-tegral part of the Army and have displayed great skill and care in their work and bravery under fire. During WWI, when women were limited in their opportuni-ties to serve, as nurses they exceeded all expectations.

A rare combination of Australian nursing medals will be temporarily on display in the Office of the Chief of Army, as a timely reminder of the dan-gers and trauma nurses faced, despite being excluded from frontline service and not being afforded military rank.

These Military Medal and Royal Red Cross (ARRC) (2nd Class) belonged to Alicia Kelly. She was among seven Aus-tralian Army Nursing Service (AANS) Sisters who were award-ed the Military Medal along with Sisters Dorothy Cawood, Clara Deacon, Mary Jane Derrer, Alice Ross-King, Rachael Pratt and Pearl Corkhill.

Sister Kelly, pictured, enlisted as a staff nurse in the AANS, embarking from Sydney in April 1915.

She travelled to Egypt with reinforcements for 1 Australian General Hospital (AGH) where she received thousands of wounded soldiers and assisted with transporting men home to Australia.

Posted to France in 1916, she joined the 29th Casualty Clearing Station in Rouen before

being promoted to sister in April 1917. Sister Kelly transferred to 3 Australia Casualty Clearing Station (3ACCS) at Brandhoek near Ypres soon after. It was at this posting that she won her Military Medal.

3ACCS was vulnerable to at-tack and during the week of July 21, 1917, it experienced some of its worst shelling.

The final day of shelling had the most devastation and all nurses were ordered to shelter in the dugouts. All except Sister Kelly who later said, “I couldn’t leave my patients”.

Alone in the ward, she sought to comfort and protect the men by giving them enamel bowls to cover their heads. Aware these would not protect them from shrapnel, the simple act of staying and remaining calm strengthened the men’s morale and saw them through the raid.

The Matron-in-Chief of the AANS said, “[Sister Kelly’s] quiet courage and clever resourceful-ness enabled these nerve-shat-tered men to come through the ordeal of the bombardment with a cheery confidence”.

Sister Kelly was presented with her medal on October 16, 1917, at Buckingham Palace, before continuing to serve at 3AGH.

Her service and bravery throughout WWI is emblematic of the courage shown by all Aus-tralian women who served, and continue to serve, with the Army.

A show of courage and bravery in WWI Diana Thorp

AS WE celebrate International Women’s Day, we reflect on one of Army’s earliest examples of women serving in the military: the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS), with more than 24,000 women joining during WWII.

In 1942, the peak of the war in the Asia Pacific, Ailsa Hale, pictured, joined the Army. But when she enlisted as a teenager, she didn’t know she was to become one of the biggest and, until recently most secret, weapons.

After leaving home and attending a training camp at Bonegilla, Victoria, Ms Hale was posted to Central Bureau in Brisbane.

Originally based in Melbourne, Central Bureau was an Allied signals intelligence organisation supporting the south-west Pacific during WWII. Its title was deliberately vague so as not to alert people to its work.

“You never got bored because there was always a twist somewhere,” Ms Hale said.

“If we had good weather it was great. When we had bad weather, you could be at least an hour and a half to two hours trying to get one message through because you had to work it out. And if you didn’t know Morse Code you wouldn’t have been able to do it.”

Before starting, Ms Hale had to swear she would keep her work secret, an oath she kept for decades.

Signals intelligence played a pivotal role in the Asia Pacific War. To keep the operation secret, the workers were told not to talk about their work, even to colleagues or families. Consequently, workers knew only the pieces of the puzzle they were working on, not the whole picture.

Ms Hale, who became a staff sergeant during her time with Central Bureau, is not surprised that people today are interested in her work from more than 70 years ago.

“Well I was fascinated with it at the time I was doing it,” she said.

As a Typex operator, the work was 24 hours a day, with three shifts a day and the occasional day off.

“There were always messages there that you had to try that were never solved and you did your best to see what you could do with them,” Ms Hale said.

“The shifts never altered. We had the same shift, the same girls the whole time and that was very good because you knew one another, there was no problem.”

She said the end of the war was a relief. “We were jolly glad to get rid of it, actually. It was over,

we’d done our job.”

The women of signals intelligence

Photo: Cpl Julia Whitwell

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Features12

THE Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival had another successful year, with 157 ADF personnel, APS members, fam-ily and friends in attendance.The Defence contingent proudly marched

down Oxford Street with more than 200 other groups and floats on February 29, united in their support of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ community.

Leading the parade was Gp-Capt Michael Jansen and WO-N Deb Butterworth, followed by three service contingents led by Cmdr Linda

Morris, Lt-Col Anthony Chambers and Flt-Lt Joseph Monteith.

DCA Maj-Gen Anthony Rawlins and First Assistant Secretary People Services Lisa Phelps walked proudly with the Defence public servants and Defence LGBTI Information Service family and friends group.

Held every year since its formation in 1978, what began as a protest against oppression and discrimination has evolved into a vibrant, col-ourful celebration of creativity, culture and

inclusion, with this year’s theme being “What Matters”.

ADF members have marched in the parade since 1996, marching for the first time in uniform in 2013, under the authority of VCDF.

ADF OIC of the Parade, Sqn-Ldr Nathan White said participation in the parade showed support for the LGBTIQ+ community and rein-forced Defence’s commitment to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.

“Participation in iconic cultural festivals such

as the Mardi Gras enables us to publicly demon-strate a workforce that reflects the diverse com-munity we serve. By doing this, we promote the values of respect and inclusion within Defence,” Sqn-Ldr White said.

“It highlights that Defence capability is reli-ant on our capacity to attract and retain the best possible workforce.

“The contest of ideas that underpins better innovation and decision-making is stronger when we support and celebrate all of our people.”

Celebrating what matters

Army participants wave their flags of support during the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade.

Photo: Megan Popelier

Lt-Col Robin Smith

ARMY has established an office within the Future Land Warfare Branch of Land Capability Division to increase its adoption of disrup-tive technologies.

The role of the Robotic and Autonomous Systems Implementation Coordination Office (RICO) is exploration, coor-dination and concept development using disruptive technology.

Director General of Future Land Warfare Brig Ian Langford said the RICO was “consistent with the CA’s vision of being future-ready by looking for opportunities to inte-grate technology as well as becom-ing a more intelligent customer”.

The aim of the office is to build on the momentum of Army’s suc-cesses with disruptive technology last year. This included the dem-onstration of the Ghost Robotics ground robot and the concept of optionally crewed combat vehicles (OCCVs).

The RICO will use specialist personnel with Army’s total workforce model to advance knowledge in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, robotics and autonomy.

New office to oversee disruptive technology

The office will also focus on alternative power and energy, such as hybrid drive and additive manu-facturing, along with autonomous leader-follower trucks and increas-ing experimentation with OCCVs.

“The opportunities presented by disruptive technology have to

be understood early if we are to exploit our capability edge,” Brig Langford said.

More information can be found at collab/army/hq/lcd/flw/lfd/SitePages/Army%20RICO.aspx or at the Land Power Forum at army.gov.au/our-future/aarc/blog

A Ghost Robotics unmanned ground vehicle supports Army soldiers conducting an enemy position clearance during an autonomous systems showcase at the Majura Training Area, Canberra. Photo: Cpl Tristan Kennedy

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Features14

While helping bushfire-affected communities, 3CER remembers another devastating disaster 12 months on, Cpl Julia Whitwell reports.

SINCE assisting with two of the country’s most extreme weather crises over the past 12 months, it seems nothing fazes 3CER’s soldiers and command.

Cpl Sefanaia Namoa, of 3CER, said the Townsville-based unit sprang into action to help protect local residents when their homes came under threat from the rising floodwaters in February 2019.

“We had pretty much just finished our mandatory training when we got stood up

to help out the Townsville community,” Cpl Namoa said.

“We were evacuating people out of their homes and sandbagging houses.

“After all the water receded we helped with the clean-up.”

Eleven months later, Cpl Namoa and his unit were called on to help with the Victorian bushfires.

“As engineers, we are always on alert or recall for any natural disasters. We’re never really surprised by these types of

things. We’re ready to go, every year,” Cpl Namoa said.

“This was the first time we did anything to do with fires. Usually it’s cyclones and floods.”

The engineers helped Parks Victoria and VicForests to clear firebreaks and access routes.

“We don’t often fell trees other than during our IETs. For our soldiers to go and be able to use our skills to help the community was a rewarding experi-ence,” he said.

CO 3CER Lt-Col Paul Pembroke said 3CER offered a capability that extended beyond a military context.

“We’re becoming more aware of the important role 3CER has in the broader community,” Lt-Col Pembroke said.

“We’re equipped with skills and training that set us up to be able to negotiate a range of challenges, and I’m proud of the professional attitude our members demonstrate when they’re out in the community, getting done what needs to be done.”

Ready to lend a hand

Members of 3CER and 1RAR fill sandbags and load them onto trucks for distribution around the Townsville area in preparation for the rising flood waters in February 2019. Photo: Pte Brodie Cross

Cpl Sefanaia Namoa, of 3CER, assists State Emergency Service Victoria with clearing landslide debris on the Great Alpine Road in support of Operation Bushfire Assist. Photo: Pte Madhur Chitnis

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March 19, 2020 Personneldefence.gov.au/news/armynews 15

ENHANCED leave provisions have been introduced across the three ser-vices to provide greater support and flexibility to members.

The initiatives already finalised include increasing parental leave from two to four weeks; allowing additional carer’s leave to be approved at unit level, with the scope broadened to include care of a close relative; and the reducing minimum period for long ser-vice leave to seven days.

In other initiatives, greater removal entitlements are being provided due to seagoing postings and extra provisions have been put in place for reunion travel.

Director Military Recruiting Col Phillip Hoglin said the carer’s leave pro-visions were invaluable when his sons, Ara and Seti, were born two months premature.

“I really needed to use all of the available ADF leave and care provisions while my boys were in intensive care,” Col Hoglin said.

“The longer period of parental leave gave me extra valuable time to spend with the boys and to help with the tran-sition from intensive care to home.”

PO Stacey Parker said the new parental leave had been a massive suc-cess and relieved so much stress.

“Spending the first four weeks with our baby girl is something that will never be forgotten. The ability to make every appointment and being able to spend time with our son while juggling a new born are some of the benefits we have experienced.”

The provisions are among a number of initiatives introduced by the ADF Retention Initiatives Working Group, which was established in May 2019 to develop and implement people policies to promote retention, innovation and efficiency.

The Working Group was established with the three services, Defence People Group, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Defence Families Australia and Defence Housing Australia.

People policies aimed to promote retention, innovation and efficiency were developed and implemented as a result of collaboration between these stakeholders and feedback canvassed during Navy’s retention workshops.

Deputy Secretary DPG Justine Greig said the Working Group, which would transition to the ADF People Working Group this year, would continue to develop longer-term initiatives.

“The Retention Initiatives Working Group has accomplished excellent results in a short space of time,” Ms Greig said.

DCN RAdm Mark Hammond said he was pleased with the Working Group’s outcomes.

“I have been especially impressed with the agile and effective way in which the Working Group came together in 2019,” RAdm Hammond said.

“The drive-through changes to Conditions of Service directly result in retention of personnel across the three services and therefore allow us to meet operational needs.”

Leave provisions focus on retention

Cpl Julia Whitwell

FORMER prime minister John Howard has endorsed study under-taken by Koori man Sgt Robert Wilson for his thesis on improving Defence’s Indigenous recruitment strategies.

Exploring the recruiting efforts for Australian, New Zealand and Canadian Indigenous Defence members, Sgt Wilson said his research was about sharing learnt experiences.

“ T h e s e o t h e r n a t i o n s ’ Indigenous populations have many of the same cultural markers as ours, but we don’t share informa-tion,” Sgt Wilson said.

“We’re making the same mis-takes and learning the same les-sons from scratch, but not actually sharing ideas on a regular basis. I’m interested to see what we could learn if we did.”

His research explores some suc-cessful strategies – such as giving Indigenous military members ser-vice options that incorporate more

of their heritage and traditions – as well as some differences in the way the Indigenous communities inter-acted.

“Maori people are very unit-ed as a community, whereas the Australian Indigenous population is made up of about 300 nations that differentiate themselves from each other; Canada’s First Nations people are somewhere between those two ends of the spectrum,” Sgt Wilson said.

“It means that, especially in regional Australia, Indigenous recruits are proud to defend their part of the country but don’t iden-tify with a new area they might be posted to, and that doesn’t really work in our current service model.”

As part of his research, Sgt Wilson has applied to be appointed to the Army Indigenous Cultural Advisory Board. He has conducted qualitative interviews with several Elders, Aunties and Uncles, and Mr Howard, who said the study would be of great national interest.

Sgt Wilson said his thesis topic was a passion for him.

“Last year I was having a rant about how we can do things bet-ter and I was advised to put pen to paper. Next thing I knew, I had a doctorate proposal in front of me,” he said.

This thesis will count towards Sgt Wilson’s PhD in Public Leadership, for which he was granted a scholarship for from UNSW.

Sgt Wilson said he would keep striving towards further education.

“I only started studying once I joined the Army at age 30,” he said.

“It started with a diploma in 2007 and I have worked my way through an advanced diploma, bachelor’s degree and my masters.

“As far as I know, I’ll be the first Indigenous person to progress through to a PhD in Defence. My next goal is to apply later this month for the Chief of Army schol-arship and hopefully be the first sergeant to receive it.”

Shared culture

THE ATO is making changes to the way employers report salary and wage information.

The changes are part of a Single Touch Payroll (STP), which was legislated in September 2016 as a part of the government’s commitment to streamline employer reporting obligations.

Defence is implementing STP and will begin automatically providing payee earnings and wage information to the ATO every fortnight. This information will be available to personnel on myGov from pay day March 19.

Defence and Australian Signals Directorate payees will be able to check year-to-date earnings, tax and superannuation information through myGov at any time during the financial year.

Reportable Fringe Benefits Amount (RFBA)

information will be available at the end of the year.

Defence will no longer issue Payment Summaries at the end of a financial year. Instead, you will be able to access an income statement via myGov after the end of the finan-cial year.

Existing processes for ADF members who served in a Tax Zone during the financial year remain unchanged. Member Tax Zone details will continue to be reported to the ATO directly by the member.

For more information about the changes, visit the Single Touch Payroll page, contact 1800 DEFENCE or email [email protected] Those who do not have a myGov account can sign up at my.gov.au

Salary and wage reporting

Sgt Robert Wilson meets with former prime minister John Howard to discuss his PhD thesis.

THE new Training Opportunities for In-service Trade Transfers web page is now live.

On the new page, you’ll find infor-mation on: available training positions for transfers; how many members are already on the wait list; a range of

resources necessary to submit an appli-cation (PE166-1).

Vis i t the IET Oppor tuni t ies Webpage on the DPN: http://drnet/A r m y / D C M I A / Pa g e s / Tr a i n i n g -Oppor tun i t i e s . a spx o r con tac t [email protected]

New IET opportunities

People16

Inspector General Eberhard Zorn, of the German Armed Forces, left, tests the sights of the .338 Blazer Sniper Rifle with Cpl Joske Nettle, of 8/9RAR, during a tour of Gallipoli Barracks, Brisbane. Photo: Pte Jacob Hilton

Sig Tara Knight talks to students during a tree-planting ceremony at the Parndana school on Kangaroo Island during Operation Bushfire Assist. Photo: LS Shane Cameron

Sig Ruby Hoye enjoys a game of barefoot bowls at the Kingscote Bowls Club, Kangaroo Island, during Operation Bushfire Assist. Photo: LS Shane Cameron

Commander Combat Training Centre Col

Matthew Richardson and Pte Belinda

Nielsen cut a cake at Lavarack Barracks for

the commemoration of Army’s 119th birthday.

Photo: LCpl Allan Firth

1. In what country did carving jack o’ lanterns originate?

2. What is a baby puffin called?

3. If you suffer from triskaidekaphobia, what are you afraid of?

4. How many major time zones does the Earth have?

5. The plant and skin of what fruit can cause contact dermatitis and other symptoms of poison ivy?

6. Where was Elephant Point in WWII?

7. What was Sri Lanka previously called? a. Spice Islands; b. Mandalay; or c. Ceylon

8. What is the only number spelt out in English that has the same number of letters as its value?

9. How many US states border the Gulf of Mexico?

10. Which sea is located in Israel and Jordan?

Answers

1. Ireland. 2. A puffling. 3. The number 13. 4. 24. 5. Mango. 6. Burma. 7. c. Ceylon. 8. Four. 9. Five. 10. Dead Sea.

Quick-fire questions In what country did carving jack o’ lanterns originate (Q1)? Photo: David Menidrey on Unsplash

ADF ARRTS ProgramIt’s on again! Applications are now open for ADF ARRTS Program 20.1, which will run 17 May -13 June 2020 at the University of Canberra, in a rank and uniform free environment.

This innovative arts-based program assists permanent ADF and Reservist personnel facing health and well-being challenges, or seeking to ‘re-set’ themselves by rebuilding their confidence and resilience.

The four-week residential program comprises three artistic streams: visual arts; music and rhythm; and, creative writing.

Applications close 13 April 2020

For an application, email [email protected] or visit www.defence.gov.au/jcg/arrts

Sgt Janine Fabre

EAST beat West for the second year running when the best cricketers from Socomd’s past and present ranks contest-ed the annual Memorial Warrior Cup in Sydney on Australia Day.

Team East got the better of Team West in the T20-format match, played on the shores of Sydney Harbour in front of a large crowd of families, friends and other supporters.

The match grew from an initiative by Wandering Warriors ambassador and Team East captain Luke Statton when he was serving in 2 Cdo Regt.

“Australia Day is one of those days when everybody has time to come togeth-er so we organised a charity match in Sydney,” Mr Statton said.

“Last year, Wandering Warriors came on board to support the day and they’ve really ratcheted up the fundraising efforts to support their work helping veterans.”

Wandering Warriors provides ADF vet-erans with education opportunities to sup-port their transition into civilian life, as well as employment services, mentoring and respite opportunities such as the cricket match and entering a yacht in the Sydney to Hobart race.

Wandering Warriors chief operating officer Dan Parker was pleased with the day and the support from veteran-owned

businesses Omni Executive and Stripe International, and Defence industry organi-sation Safran Pacific.

“It was a fantastic event to start the cal-endar year, to bring families and the vet-eran community together along with our members, supporters, sponsors and educa-tion partners,” Mr Parker said.

“Education plays a big part in the transi-tion and welfare of veterans and the gener-ous donations will go towards supporting our education programs.”

Commander Special Forces Brig Craig Shortt was impressed with the sense of community at the match.

“Socomd is fortunate to have several significant ex-service organisations that support our people, both while they’re serv-ing and after they’ve left,” Brig Shortt said.

“It’s really pleasing to see that support and the connection across the Socomd fra-ternity on days like the cricket match.”

Team West captain, ex-SASR veteran and cricket tragic Harry Moffitt was plot-ting his revenge by the end of the day.

“Team East can be pleased they’ve got their name on the trophy again but my mind has already switched to how we can achieve a turnaround performance next year,” Mr Moffitt said.

For more information about the Wandering Warriors and the Memorial Warrior Cup go to wanderingwarriors.org

Connecting for a cause

A Team East batsman plays a pull shot during Socomd’s Memorial Warrior Cup match, while, below, a Team West bowler sends down a delivery.


THE heat was on in more ways than one when the small central Victorian town of Omeo hosted a cricket match between its own team and a combined Australian and Papua New Guinean Defence Forces team from Task Force Dingo on Australia Day.

A hot day made for sticky conditions on the field and a tip-and-run ending resulted in a close win to the home side.

Omeo local Jamie said it was “good to just get out there and swing”.

“I’m sure a lot of them don’t play cricket, but that’s a bit like us – we don’t play either,” he said.

The game followed a mandatory Australia Day sausage sizzle, put on by the local branch of the Country Fire Authority.

The locals were particularly inter-

ested in rookie umpire Lt Mathilda Connell’s officiating skills, along with her creative interpretation of standard cricket hand gestures.

“There were a lot of arm movements that aren’t really included in cricket umpiring but I think I made it work,” Lt Connell said.

“All on the field were really good sports. Luckily, the umpiring didn’t hinder the game and the locals getting the win.”

Lt Connell said everyone at the game agreed it was an “awesome way to spend Australia Day”.

“A good game of cricket after a sausage sizzle is always a good way to spend the day,” she said.

The final score was minus-10 to minus-eight points in favour of the Omeo side.

All smiles on a sticky wicket

Lt Mathilda Connell officiates in her own creative way in the cricket game between Omeo and a combined Australian and Papua New Guinean team from Task Force Dingo. Photo: Pte Madhur Chitnis

Sportdefence.gov.au/news/armynewsMarch 19, 2020 17

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Cpl Veronica O’Hara

INTRODUCING a systematic decision-review process in the Australian cricket team has earned one Defence civilian the nickname of “Dr DRS”.

Obaid Rehman noticed the Australian cricketers were reviewing incorrectly and had lost matches because of this.

Growing up in Pakistan where “everyone plays or likes cricket”, he feels he knows the game better than most.

The Australians’ failure to challenge Shaun Marsh’s dis-missal at a key moment during a match against India in 2017 triggered Dr Rehman to do something about the problem.

The governance and process improvement specialist for the Test and Evaluation Directorate in ADF HQ Force Integration

Division designed a computer solution and systematic pro-cess in his spare time which “cracked the code” of the deci-sion review system (DRS).

“I had to work hard to find the useful data, digging into the commentary of matches and watching about six months of DRS videos before making a simulation app, to understand the ball trajectory then how umpires and players see an lbw,” he said.

In November, Dr Rehman contacted Australian head coach Justin Langer, who was keen to see the system.

He said the coach felt the team had been more “clinical and systematic and getting it right more often” since intro-ducing the system.

The four factors in Dr Rehman’s theory are commu-

nication, controlling emotion, confidence in calling the review and developing intuition.

He said lbw decisions caused 70 per cent of reviews and umpires got it wrong only 5 per cent of the time for cer-tain conditions – misjudging the height of the ball or the ball missing leg stump.

“A captain needs to consider these. If it’s a height issue, most likely the person at point has the best view of the batter and trajectory, and if it’s miss-ing leg stump, it’s the keeper,” he said.

“He’ll also consult the bowler but has to be careful, as they come with emotion.”

He said having the “right inputs” and analysing the infor-mation correctly gave captains the confidence to call it without emotion.


YEARS of experience as an armoured troop sergeant and SSM have translat-ed into the skills required for a senior coaching role with the AFLW for WO2 Chris Clifton.

WO2 Clifton joined an almost brand new coaching team, as midfield line and senior assistant coach, with Collingwood at the start of this year’s AFLW season.

“I guess I was given the opportu-nity to fulfil the coaching roles to cre-ate that sense of ‘toughness’ and men-tal resilience around how we play the game,” he said.

“I’ve also been trying to foster a winning mindset in the team and bringing my skill sets of team building

and getting them to work towards one goal.”

As the senior assistant coach, WO2 Clifton said he was responsible for challenging the ideas presented by the other staff to help the team develop the best strategies.

“Senior NCOs are constantly pro-viding a commander support and chal-lenging their thoughts and processes, in turn developing the group and each other,” he said.

“All of the coaches got together in the pre-season to discuss structures and game plans and I was doing the same thing – constantly challenging their thoughts and ideas and playing opposition.

“We really pride ourselves on mak-ing sure we get the basics right, which

is probably the right thing for the AFLW at the moment because so far it seems to be working.”

WO2 Clifton was approved to take up the AFLW coaching position as an elite sports participant under Army Training Instructions and his Canberra-based unit agreed to flex-ible work arrangements so he could be based in Melbourne for Collingwood’s pre-season and the AFLW season.

After finishing playing football at 38, WO2 Clifton relearned the funda-mentals of the game by coaching jun-ior groups, from under-8 to under-18, all the while learning the development stages of players.

He has held coaching positions at the Northern Territory Thunder Academy, in senior and junior grades

with the Northern Territory and Canberra football leagues, and with 1 Bde Women’s team, the ACT state team and the GWS Academy. He has also been the Army Women’s senior coach since 2018.

“Training at the elite level, such as the AFLW, is looking to get an extra small percentage of performance out of a team and player during a season,” WO2 Clifton said.

“This is due to the players already having an elite fitness level and AFL skills, whereas at the state levels you’re looking at anywhere from 10 to 30 per cent improvements over a season in some cases.

“It’s a lot of small things that make a lot of sense – things like warm-ups and how we prepare our AFLW play-

ers is completely different to what we do for men.

“That’s all knowledge that I’m learning and bringing back into Army, not only for our AFL teams but for general injury prevention as well.

“I’ve got some PTIs looking at how we prepare for our training ses-sions and, in particular, how an elite sporting environment prepares women for physical activity prior to its com-mencement.

“This is with the intent of putting thought into how we prepare our sol-diers when we do PT and possibly separating men and women when they warm up.”

Match details for upcoming AFLW games can be found at womens.afl.matches/2020

On track with the decision doctor

Obaid Rehman has helped the Australian cricket team by ‘cracking the code’ of the decision review system. Photo: Cpl Veronica O’Hara

A touch of tough and rumble

WO2 Chris Clifton with the Collingwood players during the quarter-time break in a game against Carlton in Melbourne in February. Photo: Sgt Janine Fabre

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Sportdefence.gov.au/news/armynewsMarch 19, 2020 19

A swell time had by allTHIS year’s ADF Surf Riders Association women’s development camp was a big hit with the 24 ADF personnel who participated.

Held in February at Burrill Lakes near Ulladulla, NSW, the camp’s surf lessons were led by former world champion and hall-of-fame inductee Pam Burridge.

With participants ranging in expe-

rience from beginner to proficient, each lesson began with learning to read the surf conditions, yoga-style stretching to limber up and pop-up drills.

During the camp, the surfers also spent a day attending a surf rescue course, run by Surfing NSW, to help promote confidence in the water.

The camp fostered camaraderie

and confidence among the partici-pants, providing a unique opportuni-ty for women of all ranks, skill level and ages to connect with people from a wide range of backgrounds.

Participant Pte Rachel Neale said there was combined laughter and smiles among the group regardless of what stage they had progressed to, whether it was knee surfing, popping

up and standing, or nose diving and wiping out completely.

“I was continuously inspired by and in awe of the more experienced surfers carving it up on the green waves,” Pte Neale said.

“Cheers were shared when group members caught waves.”

She said the more experienced surfers inspired the novices. ‘I was continuously inspired by and in awe of the more experienced surfers.– Pte Rachel Neale

Participants in the ADF Surf Riders Association women’s surf development camp at Narawallee Beach, Mollymook, NSW. Photo: CPO Cameron Martin

March 19, 2020

SPORTMemorial

Warrior Cup brings together Socomd’s best

cricketers

Page 17

A Team East batsman in action during Socomd’s Memorial Warrior Cup match.

IN FULL SWING

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older, stronger, wiser - department of defence...women’s day event at the australian defence...

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