Issue 8, 2010

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CONTENTSDefence

magazineeditor:

Michael WeaverPhone: 02 6265 7117

Defence Magazine is published with support from Public Affairs Branch.

ISSN 1446-229X

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editorialWriting the 300-or-so words that comprise this section is invariably the final task for each edition.

But I’m not going to state the bleeding obvious about marking the end of another year, which was in turn marked by another exceptionally busy 12 months.

You will get a very real feel for the rollercoaster ride that was 2010 in our end-of-year wrap-up, in which we could have easily filled double the seven pages allocated and still not have covered everything.

There are also the perspectives from our leaders – the Minister, Secretary, CDF and the Service chiefs, who have done their best to highlight the highs and lows of the year.

Instead, this is an opportunity to mark the sheer diversity of Defence, to which we’ve dedicated the ‘business end’ of this edition.

Like the many people featured, you may have just joined the organisation this year, or notched up a significant milestone in your career. You may have also moved from another country, moved from one side of the country to the other, or moved back to work after an illness.

Your section may have taken on a diverse array of tasks that has increased your workload, while at the same time making you and the organisation all the more efficient.

You may have helped someone move forward in their career, or simply taken a trek back in history to appreciate the sacrifices people have made so that we can be who and where we are today.

You will find articles that touch on one of these points, and no story is more or less important than the other – they are all simply part of what makes Defence the most diverse organisation in the public service.

So if you’ve righted a wrong, had a little victory (or even a big one), kicked a goal or perhaps let a few go through to the keeper, there is only one thing left to say.

Merry christmas and happy new Year!

– Michael Weaver, editor

PHOTO Of THe MOnTH:TIMe TO ReMeMBeR: An Australian Army Major with a Remembrance Day poppy in his hand prepares to place it on the Australian Memorial at Al Minhad Air Base, in the United Arab Emirates.

Photo: Able Seaman Imagery Specialist Jo Dilorenzo

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newsSnapshot 4-9Pictorial: the month in focus 10What all Defence people need to know about safer social networking 12Asbestos tiger team making work and homes safer 13ADF at Exercises Arnhem Thunder, Hamel and Bersama Padu 14

spotlight on reform: The Reserves stream + The Mortimer Review stream 16

YeaR In ReVIeW secTIOnReview: Defence Magazine’s wrap-up of 2010 18Minister for Defence 25secretary 26chief of the Defence force 27navy 28army 30air force 32Joint Logistics command 34feature: A tri-wheeled ‘tour de madness’ 35Defence science and Technology Organisation 36chief Information Officer group 38

DIVeRsITY secTIOn 40secretary: Opportunists take note – embrace diversity 41People: One employee’s story of returning to work after a stroke 42navy: The ultimate sea change – from Poland to the RAN 44security: You vet we can – Defence takes on whole-of-government vetting 46Defence signals Directorate: Strengthening our cyber armour 48navy: Culture will increase efficiency 50navy: Submariner’s communications centre goes west 51australian Hydrographic service: Charting in the electronic age 52Recruiting: Workforce diversity drives recruitment initiatives 54army: tbc 56Defence Materiel: Diverse range of careers in the DMO 58Defence support: CDF and Secretary Environment and Heritage Awards 59Defence support: Indigenous employment program at RAAF Edinburgh 60Indigenous affairs: Graduation marks Navy program’s success in Cairns 62Information Management: Taking the fight to information management 63History: Journey to Hellfire and back 64The Last Word: Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination, Elizabeth Broderick 66

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Meeting of minds in MelbourneAustralia and the United States have reaffirmed their commitment to the international effort in Afghanistan at the annual Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN).US Defence Secretary Robert Gates and the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, held talks on 8 November with their Australian counterparts, the Defence Minister, Stephen Smith, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, at Government House in Melbourne.

The talks marked the 25th anniversary of AUSMIN and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The talks also stressed the importance of close cooperation to decrease the threat to our military forces from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

While at the talks, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he believed it would be a “realistic” goal for foreign troops in Afghanistan to hand over responsibility for security to the Kabul Government by 2014.

Also raised at the AUSMIN were the US plans to enhance its presence not only in Australia but the Asia-Pacific region, which comes under the Force Posture Review.

“We welcome very much suggestions that the United States will enhance its engagement even further in our region,” Defence Minister Stephen Smith said.

“We cooperate very fully with the United States. We have joint facilities, they have access to our ports and the like. There’s a prospect that may be enhanced in terms of further and greater access. That’s a good thing.”

cent reduction in costs to Defence, elimination of a

20 per cent wastage rate, and elimination of a five-

week turn-around time for printing charts – without

any increases to staff or workload,” Mr Prince said.

The production of charts has undergone significant

changes in the last 30 years. Since the mid 1970s,

Australia’s and Navy’s requirements for nautical

charts have been met by having them printed by

Army, then the Defence Imagery and Geospatial

Intelligence Organisation (DIGO), as part of an

overall Defence map and chart printing arrangement.

However, in 2002, DIGO refocussed its map production activities then relocated and closed down its large printing presses as part of the transition. This necessitated commercial printing of all nautical charts at a cost of more than $600,000 per year. This also meant that there were delays in printing, meaning that some charts were out of date even before they were issued.

“Printing on-demand means that the Navy gets all

of its up-to-date charts as soon as those changes

are published, and navigating officers no longer

have to update their charts upon receipt – which

was happening a little too often with the previous

system,” Mr Prince said.

These changes have been refined and now all charts

are printed on a just-in-time basis to meet specific

individual orders using up-to-date print files.

BeLOW: Australian Hydrographic Service charts before and LefT: after the ‘print on demand’ process was implemented, which created a 40 per cent reduction in costs to Defence and elimination of a 20 per cent wastage rate.

“We welcome very

much suggestions that the

United States will enhance

its engagement even further

in our region,” – Defence Minister Stephen Smith

JSOW firing marks milestone for 1 SquadronThe Air Force’s No.1 Squadron notched up another milestone with the first live international firing of Australia’s new AGM-154 C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW C) during a three-week bombing camp in South Australia.The JSOW C is an air-to-ground glide weapon with a range of up to 70 nautical miles or 130km, providing a stand-off precision strike capability against hardened targets.

The bombing camp trialed the F/A-18F Super Hornet’s air-to-ground weapons techniques, tactics and procedures for the first time since being accepted into service in March this year.

In addition, 1SQN also tested laser guided bombs, joint direct attack munition and the M61A2 gun.

The initial operational test and evaluation trials also tested 1SQN’s deployment capabilities, with five Rhinos and about 100 personnel supporting the bombing camp.

These trials have further assisted 1SQN in working towards achieving initial operational capability by December this year.

The selection to employ the Woomera Test Range for the Super Hornets first live trials marks a further milestone in the revitalisation of the range as Australia’s unique and highly specialised Defence systems test and evaluation capability.

The world-class test and evaluation facility is the largest such test range in the western world and one of the only ranges still big enough to fully test the new generation of aircraft and weapons coming into service during the next 30 years.

The weapon deliveries in January 2010 and the achievement of these key milestones are a major accomplishment for Project 5349 Phase 2 in supporting 1SQN’s goal of achieving Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the Super Hornets by December.

Project 5349 Phase 2 was established in 2007 to acquire the new weapons for the Super Hornet, including JSOW C, AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM and MJU-57/B infra-red flares through

Foreign Military Sales Cases with the United States Navy and Air Force.

The JSOW family of weapons is produced by the Raytheon Company, Tuscon Arizona USA. The JSOW C-1 introduces the ability to attack moving maritime targets and is expected to be available in 2012.

The Super Hornet trials successfully concluded on 15 September.

– By Flight Lieutenant Skye Smith

Navy maps out savingsNavy’s Hydrographic Service achieved efficiencies through cost consciousness by changing the way Navy prints nautical charts.“It came about through realising our current processes were expensive and not quite as efficient as they could be,” Director of Charting Services Mr Mike Prince said.

Mr Prince said that Hydrographic, Meteorologcal and Oceanographic Branch was the driving force to identify and implement print-on-demand, creating the means for all charts to be printed in-house at the Australian Hydrographic Office in Wollongong, rather than the previous, and very complicated, outsourcing process.

“The truly positive outcome is that we have a 40 per

In total, the Hydrographic Service distributes approximately 180,000 charts annually for Navy use and to meet Government obligations under the UN Convention on Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS). Being able to provide this service more efficiently and effectively than was previously possible is a significant outcome.

– By Annabelle Haywood

MTF-2 hits ground running in Uruzgan ProvinceMentoring Task Force – Two (MTF-2) has hit the ground running in Uruzgan, conducting mentored patrols with its Afghan National Army partners to disrupt insurgents’ activities, locate and destroy weapons and Improvised Explosive Device (IED) caches, and provide a more secure region.Building on the good work of MTF-1, MTF-2 and its Afghan partners have maintained the pressure on insurgents and been involved in several small arms contacts in recent weeks.

In one contact on 4 November, a patrol near a

change of command in east TimorThe Commander of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in East Timor, Colonel Simon Stuart, concluded his eight-month deployment, passing command of the joint Australian and New Zealand force to Colonel Mick Reilly on 9 October.

“I am really proud of the ANZAC team who comprise the ISF, for all of their dedication and hard work over the past eight months. They have been quiet achievers and have done a sterling job by any measure,” Colonel Stuart said.

Colonel Reilly said he is looking forward to continuing the effective work of the previous ISF rotations.

Throughout October more than half the 400 Australian troops in East Timor will be replaced after successfully supporting the Government of East Timor and the United Nations in maintaining a stable and secure environment for the ongoing development of the country.

Meanwhile, for the first time since 2002, the Australian Defence Force deployed an Army Reserve force element of company size to East Timor.

The 160-strong Reserve contingent will assist in the provision of security and reaction tasks in support of the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) and East Timorese Government.

1000th nulka decoy delivered The delivery of the 1000th Nulka anti-ship missile decoy to Defence occurred on 20 October.

The Nulka decoy is one of the most successful Electronic Warfare projects undertaken in Australia. It uses a unique combination of a hovering rocket and electronic warfare technologies to mislead or attract enemy missiles away from the target ship.

There are almost 140 ships protected by Nulka, with plans to increase that number to more than 180 ships during the next few years.

Nulka remains Australia’s largest regular Defence export.

Defence scientists receive international awardsMinister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren Snowdon, has presented international awards to 13 Australian defence scientists whose research has significantly enhanced Defence capabilities.

The awards are presented annually under the auspices of The Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) which brings together defence scientists from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand to collaborate on technology development.

In particular, Loris Molent won the 2010 Minister’s Award for Achievement in Defence Science for his work on developing solutions to determine the fatigue life of aircraft and their structural components for the past 26 years.

Loris has also undertaken significant research in fatigue crack growth in metallic materials, and in his career has published more than 100 DSTO scientific reports, 30 papers in scientific journals and publications and 40 conference papers.

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forward operating base in the Baluchi Valley was

engaged by insurgents with small arms. The soldiers

quickly defeated the insurgents with a combination

of small arms and Australian 81mm mortars. No

Afghan soldiers, Australian soldiers or civilians were

killed or wounded in that engagement.

The Afghan and Australian troops have also

disrupted the insurgents’ ability to plan and conduct

attacks by locating 11 IEDs and five weapons caches

during a two-week period.

Commanding Officer of MTF-2, Lieutenant Colonel

(LTCOL) Darren Huxley, has visited MTF-2 soldiers at

forward operating and patrol bases across Uruzgan

Province to gain an appreciation of the conditions

under which they live, fight and train with the

Afghan National Army.

“It’s extremely important for commanders to speak

with their soldiers and team leaders on a regular

basis. I gain a faster appreciation for the issues of

significance to them,” LTCOL Huxley said.

“It’s also a great opportunity for me to update the

soldiers on our operational plan and to congratulate

them for the great work they’re doing since arriving

here.

“MTF-2 soldiers have a tough job ahead but I’m in

no doubt our soldiers are up to the task.”

SAFETYMAN TransitionThe Defence Safety Manual (SAFETYMAN) is set for an overhaul that will see it fall into step with OH&S regulations across the country.SAFETYMAN has begun the transition to a national Work Health Safety (WHS) Manual, reflecting ‘harmonised’ OH&S legislation to be adopted by all states and territories in 2012.

The timely change has provided an excellent opportunity for SAFETYMAN to be given new life, with updates expected to make the manual easier to read and understand.

DGOHS Lindsay Kranz said for most service personnel day-to-day changes will be minimal.

“Changes to the legislation will need to be incorporated into work instructions, bench level instructions and orders that are issued by commanders, supervisors and managers,” Mr Kranz said.

“We’re currently waiting for the regulations that deal with very specific safety concerns such as electrical safety, the handling of dangerous goods, hazardous chemicals, explosives and radiation.

Heron hits 2500 flying hoursThe Heron Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) detachment in Kandahar took time out from their busy operational tempo recently to celebrate the significant milestone of 2500 hours of flight. Heron has provided support to Australian and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) troops on the ground in Afghanistan as well as providing vital information to commanders.

The occasion was marked with a barbecue at Camp Baker in Kandahar. The Heron Detachment Commander, Wing Commander Robert Morris, said: “This marks a significant milestone for Australian RPA operations. The Heron continues to make a positive difference to our troops on the ground.”

The Heron RPA provides direct operational support in the provision of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) effects.

“The Heron is an essential component to the modern battlefield with its capabilities and assists in saving lives by identifying threats to soldiers on the ground and providing them with vital information,” WGCDR Morris said.

Australian personnel have been training and flying operational missions with the Canadian Forces since 2009. Royal Australian Air Force Heron operations began in January 2010.

The Heron Detachment comprises mainly Air Force personnel, and includes a small number of Army and Navy members.

The Heron RPA provides the ADF with an operational¬ ISR capability that enhances the operational capability of our ground forces. The Heron is in high demand around the Kandahar region in support of both ADF and ISAF ground forces.

Testing, testing…certification achievedThe Australian Defence Test and Evaluation Office (ADTEO) Quality Management System (QMS) has been certified as a reputable self-regulating body that audits its own operations to achieve best practice, also known as ISO 9001:2008 compliant.

The certificate was presented to Director General

Test and Evaluation Colonel Greg Downing by

the Chief of Capability Development Group Vice

Admiral Matt Tripovich at an informal ceremony

earlier this year.

The certification covers the ADTEO QMS for

the provision of test design, trial planning,

management and evaluation of test results and

trial reporting.

Two ADTEO members attended internal quality

auditing courses and obtained certification to

conduct internal audits. All ADTEO staff actively

contributed through rigorous interviews and

examinations of their work by an external industry

auditor to attain the certification.

COL Downing said that ADTEO processes need

to be reliable, scientific, repeatable and above all

safe.

“Certification, and particularly external

certification, was sought to minimise the risk of

accidents on Defence trials, and also to reduce the

likelihood of an accident occurring with Defence

equipment or procedures that have entered service

based on the recommendations of an ADTEO Trial

Report,” COL Downing said.

“We will also enhance the office’s reputation as

leading Test & Evaluation (T&E) agency amongst

others that are already externally accredited.

“This reinforces to defence industry the impartiality

and professionalism of ADTEO trials, particularly

where trials are used to differentiate candidate

equipment during DMO tenders and acquisitions,

such as the LAND 121-3 Vehicle Comparative Trial.

“This also facilitates foreign military acceptance

of ADTEO co-managing trials in Australia that

access our unique test ranges or combinations of

environmental conditions.

The certification process required the ADTEO QMS

to be documented, tested, measured and assessed

regularly through a combination of internal

compliance auditing, independent peer auditing,

and external compliance auditing.

ADTEO was created out of the former Directorate

of Trials in 2007. Since then its mission has been

to deliver independent T&E support to Defence.

aBOVe: Regimental Sergeant Major of the Mentoring Task Force – Two, Warrant Officer Class 1 Craig Howe greets Australian soldiers as they return from a patrol in the Chorah Valley region of southern Afghanistan. Photo: Leading Seaman Paul Berry

“There may be strengthening is some areas, but in the

main service personnel will see very little difference.”

Based on best practice research, the revised OH&S

Act will continue to cover all Defence employees and

anyone who comes into contact with Defence work.

“The new Act will impose responsibilities on every

person who’s undertaking a business activity including

responsibilities for anybody that comes into contact

with those activities,” Mr Kranz said.

“For example it includes people walking past a

Defence establishment who happen to be on Defence

land and are injured by a Defence activity.

“We think it’s important that people get advice from

their own Group or Service particularly about how

they should do a particular type of work.

“In the main, any new training needed will be

incorporated into the current regime.”

All Australian workplaces will ‘click’ over to the

new WHS manual on 1 January 2012, after agreed

changes to the OH&S Act are officially passed in

parliament.

To access SAFETYMAN or for further OH&S guidance,

go to the OHS Branch intranet page through accessing

the People Strategies and Policy Group site.

– By Leonie Gall

aBOVe: The Australian Defence Test and Evaluation team – (back L-R): Ms Karen Edwards, Major Tom Basan, Miss Missy Olliek, Major Graeme Tilley, SQNLDR Bill Ngyuen; (front L-R): Wing Commander

Keith Joiner, Lieutenant Colonel Chris West, Mrs Catherine Thompson, Colonel Greg Downing, Wing Commander Brady Cummins, Major Brenton Wynen.

Details of the winners are below:

2010 TTcP award recipients Detail of award

Dr Shari Soutberg, Dr John O’Neill, Dr Paul Gaertner and Ms Thea Clarke

For the innovative application of systems engineering to support operations and Defence acquisition

Dr Bruce Hinton, Mr Peter Trathen, Dr Grant McAdam and Dr Alan Wilson

For developing predictive sensors designed to monitor the structural health of military aircraft

Dr Geoff Hugo and Dr Cayt Harding

For developing methods to measure the reliability of non-destructive inspections of structural defects in Defence platforms

Dr Arthur Provatas For developing environmental tolerance values for the sustainable management of Defence sites contaminated by munitions and propellants

Dr Scott Moss For significant advances in the exploitation of novel alloy technologies for Defence applications

Colonel Peter Murphy For 20 years of research leadership in military human resource issues including survival psychology

senior Taliban leader killed in uruzganA successful Afghan National Security Force and Special Operations Task Group operation against insurgents in Central Uruzgan was conducted on 6 November, resulting in one district-level Taliban leader being killed.

Mullah Mohammadullah and another insurgent were killed when they fired at the combined force while fleeing the Shahid-e Hasas area, near Deh Rawud. The event occurred during a combined disruption operation against an improvised explosive device and weapons distribution ring.

Mullah Mohammadullah operated at the district level and was known to have resourced, planned and coordinated operations against the International Security Assistance Force and the Afghan National Security Force in the region, as well as being a known distributor of weapons and money for the insurgents.

Interim report released on WoomeraAn Interim Report of the Government Review of the Woomera Prohibited Area has found there is scope to increase its national value, and has put forward a model that could promote better management of the national security and economic interests in this unique area of South Australia.

The Interim Report proposes a coexistence model that will promote greater transparency and certainty for all interested in operating in the Woomera Prohibited Area. The model sees Defence continue to conduct its test and evaluation activities to meet its future requirements.

The Review was commissioned by the Government in May this year and was led by former Defence Secretary

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Dr Allan Hawke AC. Dr Hawke will present his final report to the Government by the end of the year, which the Government will then consider.

The Interim Report is available at www.defence.gov.au/woomerareview

counterinsurgency and stabilisation in the 21st centuryThe inaugural Chief of the Defence Force Conference at the Australian Defence College in Canberra has focused on one of the most challenging issues facing Australia at regional and international levels – Beyond Asymmetry: Counterinsurgency and Stabilisation in the 21st Century.

CDF, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston pointing to stabilisation interventions in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and military contingencies in areas such as the Middle East and Africa.

“The ultimate aim for military commanders in any counterinsurgency and stabilisation mission is to ‘shape, clear, hold, build’ against insurgent adversaries and then to transfer the bulk of responsibility for security from the intervention forces to the indigenous forces.

“We must view the building of stability in fragile states as a process in which military assets, political timelines and development benchmarks are sequenced to allow a progressive handover to sustainable governments,” ACM Houston said.

The biennial conference allows military, civilian and academic professionals who work in the security environment to exchange ideas and learn from field experience and academic analysis. The conference featured presenters from India, Pakistan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as several special representatives from Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.

australia takes command of cTf-150 Commodore Gregory Sammut of the Royal Australian Navy has assumed command of Combined Task Force 150 (CTF-150) in the Middle East.

CTF-150 is one of three task forces operated by Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) from a 25-nation coalition based in Bahrain. Its purpose is to help create a lawful and stable maritime environment free from terrorism, smuggling and other illegal activities across an area of two million square miles, covering the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.

Commodore Sammut relieved Pakistan’s Rear Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi at a special ceremony in October which concluded the Pakistan Navy’s fourth successful command of the CTF-150.

This is the second occasion Australia has led CTF-150. Commodore Richard Menhinick was in command from December 2009 until April 2010.

DARWINDay to remember in the Top endThe lucky highest bidders in charity auctions have had a day to remember with the ADF in the Top End.

Geoff and Anna Cussons, franchisees of Harvey Norman Darwin, and Richard Harding, CEO of TIO, with Denis Mackenzie, Managing Director of CSG, were the highest bidders for an ADF Action Day raising a total of $40,000 for the Ronald McDonald House Children’s Charity and Starlight Foundation.

And they got their money’s worth in an action-packed day with Darwin-based units of the Navy, Army and Air Force.

Mr Cussons said the day was “absolutely remarkable”.

“We [civilians] kind of know what happens out there, but we really don’t know what happens and don’t know the benefits of serving,” he said. Ms Cussons agreed, saying the day was “simply priceless”.

Slipping into tank suits, the auction winners saddled up with the land forces first taking rides in an M1A1 Abrams tank, M113 AS4 Armoured Personnel Carrier and an ASLAV, as well as a shoot in the Weapons Testing Simulator System.

“The tanks rides were far beyond our expectations and a life experience that we are very lucky to have had,” Mr Cussons said.

The willing philanthropists also took to the skies in a RAAF P-3C over Darwin Harbour.

And the day would not have been complete without sailing aboard HMAS Bathurst off the coast of Darwin. The auction winners took the opportunity to see a boarding party training exercise first-hand, as well as high speed manoeuvring aboard one of Bathurst’s RHIBs.

Mr Mackenzie told the ship’s company the RAN was what he wanted to see the most and was the main reason why he bid at the auction.

“It was a great day from all of the Services and I thank all of those involved for supporting such a great cause,” he said.

Commander Northern Command, Commodore David Gwyther, said the ADF Action Day was a unique opportunity Defence could offer to charities to raise much-needed funds.

“I know it is a great feeling for all the ADF members to see the reaction of the auction winners as they get into the action and, at the same time, knowing how much we have been able to change a child’s life,” he said.

– By Sub Lieutenant Stuart Dennis

NEW SOUTH WALESfirst RsL Leopard tank hits the spotThe first of 30 decommissioned Leopard tanks to be gifted to RSLs around Australia was officially presented to Jerilderie RSL in NSW on 11 November.

As part of Remembrance Day commemorations, Governor of NSW Marie Bashir AO officially handed over the tank to the RSL.

Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare said Jerilderie was one of 30 RSLs who would receive a tank.

“These seven-metre long, 42-tonne tanks were first purchased in 1977,” Mr Clare said.

“They were the mainstay of Australia’s armoured capability for three decades. They served the Army well and have now made way for the next generation tank – the M1A1 Abrams.”

Mr Clare said it is expected that all tanks will be delivered to their new homes by mid next year.

“They’ll put them on display and keep them maintained so communities across the country can appreciate their scale and power.”

So far, the 24 RSL clubs confirmed to receive a tank are:

1. Beenleigh RSL 13. Jerilderie RSL

2. Bendigo RSL 14. Kilcoy RSL

3. Bribie Island RSL 15. McLaren Vale RSL

4. Bunbury RSL 16. Mount Gambier Community RSL

5. Canberra Services Club 17. City of Palmerston RSL

6. Collie Cardiff RSL 18. Port Kennedy RSL

7. Echuca and Moama RSL 19. Port Augusta RSL

8. Echunga RSL 20. Rutherglen RSL

9. Epping RSL 21. Seymour RSL

10. Esperance RSL and Esperance Museum

22. Upwey-Belgrave RSL

11. Forester-Tuncurry RSL 23. Woodford RSL

12. Ingleburn RSL 24. Yarrawonga-Mulwala RSL.

WESTERN AUSTRALIAPolice sign up with DefenceA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support Defence Reservists who are employed with the Western Australia Police was signed with the Australian Defence Force on 10 November at Leeuwin Barracks, East Fremantle.

Western Australia Police, represented by Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan APM, joined the Head of Defence’s Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division, Major General Greg Melick to sign the MOU.

Major General Melick said the MOU aimed to create a mutual approach and better management of a shared workforce.

“Reservists bring valuable life and work skills back to their civilian workplaces and that includes our nation’s emergency services,” Major General Melick said.

“The WA Police has been particularly supportive and provided a Military Police detachment to Operation Astute in East Timor last year, which was given a Commendation from the Commander of the International Stabilisation Force for its outstanding performance.”

Western Australia Police has around 5800 police officers and 2100 police staff, some of whom are also Reservists.

Commissioner Karl O’Callaghan said Reservists and police personnel shared similar skill requirements, including high level decision-making and teamwork.

“Reservists can learn a range of skills which can be transferred to their daily role in WA Police – it’s a great foundation in terms of team work, discipline and leadership.”

The signing in WA follows previous agreements in Tasmania, New South Wales and South Australia.

MELBOURNEnew Institute to focus on world leading research

An important strategic partnership between the Department of Defence, and the University of Melbourne, will help create smarter defence solutions for a safer Australia, and deliver the benefits of increased academic engagement.

The Defence Science Institute (DSI) will undertake multi-disciplinary world-leading research to enhance the safety of Defence personnel, enabling them to ‘work smarter’.

Defence will contribute through the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) and Melbourne University will be supported by the Victorian Government.

Victoria’s Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development has committed $3 million in funding for the next three years to support six initial research topics: biological systems, human protection and performance, signature management, energy and propulsion systems, micro-radar technologies, and intelligent information systems.

DSTO will invest more than $2.5 million funding, in cash and in-kind support, throughout the three-year period. Additionally, the University of Melbourne will contribute some $11.5 million equivalent.

“The DSI’s technical objectives, including improved detection of concealed targets, and advanced control systems for future electro-mechanical land and sea-based propulsion systems, will directly enhance Defence capabilities,” Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, the Hon Warren Snowdon said.

“Finding inexpensive and unobtrusive ways to monitor human interactions associated with disease transmission, and improving decision making under difficult environmental stressors, will significantly aid defence personnel safety.

“Within five years the DSI expects to expand its network of researchers, to embrace researchers employed by small-to-medium firms and major Defence prime companies.

Once fully operational, the Institute will also play a valuable and important role in the training and mentoring of more than 50 PhD students in associated fields of study.

WILLIAMTOWNRevised noise map good for WilliamtownThe Department of Defence has released a revised aircraft noise map for RAAF Base Williamtown which promises an improved outlook for local residents.

Deputy Chief of Air Force Air Vice-Marshal (AVM)

Geoff Brown and Mr David Broyd (Manager Sustainable Planning, Port Stephens Council) said the new noise map – although still a concept map – is the culmination of 12 months of consultations between Defence, state and local authorities, community groups and individuals regarding the introduction of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) at RAAF Base Williamtown in 2017.

“Following an accelerated review of Air Force’s proposed JSF training activities, Air Force announced earlier this year that it would halve the JSF’s projected use of the Salt Ash Air Weapons Range. A concept map released on 17 May 2010 resulted in a significantly reduced number of potentially affected properties around the Range,” AVM Brown said.

In subsequent discussions with the Port Stephens Council, Defence agreed to also assess all options to mitigate aircraft noise closer to RAAF Base Williamtown.

“This latest concept map takes into account the reconfiguring of instrument approach systems and aircraft approaches to and from RAAF Base Williamtown. In good news for adjacent communities, this has resulted in a contraction of the noise contours in some areas to the north-west of the base,” AVM Brown said.

“Defence’s assessment of the cost and operational impact of extending the Williamtown runway is, however, ongoing. A runway extension is yet to be factored into the concept map.”

Following completion of further modelling, Defence plans to consolidate the concept maps into a new 2025 Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (2025 ANEF) map for endorsement by the end of 2010 to replace the 2025 ANEF promulgated in October 2009.

“With still seven years to the JSF’s arrival, the public consultations in late 2009 marked the beginning, not the end, of public consultation on JSF’s introduction,” AVM Brown stressed.

Defence is yet to formally refer JSF’s introduction to the Environment Minister under the Environment Protection & Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act. Once referred, Defence expects the Environment Minister will require a further formal environmental study to be undertaken and this study will involve further public consultation.

“Assessment under the EPBC Act may result in further amendments to the 2025 ANEF sometime in the future,” AVM Brown said.

The concept noise map can be accessed on Defence’s website at http://www.defence.gov.

au/id/anef_williamtown.htm

RIgHT: The auction winners take a ride in one of HMAS Bathurst’s RHIBs. Photo: Leading Seaman Imagery Specialist Helen Frank

LefT: Coming to an RSL club near you: Leopard tanks from 1st Armoured Regiment show their power during an exercise at El Alamein Army Camp, Cultana, South Australia. Photo: Able Seaman Kade Rogers

SNAPSHOT - REgIONAL FOCUS

10 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 11www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

PICTORIAL PAgE

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1. Able Seaman Clearance Diver Joshua Cummins from Australian Clearance Diving Team Four maintains a vigilant watch during beach insertion training at Fleet Base West in Western Australia.

2. Army Black Hawks provide air mobility for Battle Group Kapyong (Third Battalion Royal Australian Regiment) during Exercise Hamel at the Townsville Field Training Area from October 10 to November 5. Hamel was the first exercise for the newly-created Forces Command which comprises about 87 per cent of the Australian Army and involved more than 6000 Australian personnel from Navy, Army and Air Force.

3. A very successful ‘Pink Morning Tea’ to raise money for the National Breast Cancer Foundation was held at Campbell Park on 22 October. Pictured here is breast cancer survivor Susan Cantwell (right - five years in remission) with Julie Sheather (left), who co-hosted the morning tea and dedicates a significant amount of spare time raising money for many worthwhile charities. Through the outstanding generosity of friends, colleagues and staff at Campbell Park, both civilian and military, more than $1000 was raised.

4. Exercise Executive Stretch 2010 participant Simon Shaw from BMD Constructions sets up camp on RAAF Base Edinburgh for the field component. Exercise Executive Stretch is designed to bring

members of the public who are employers, or potential employers of Navy, Army and Air Force Reserve personnel into a military environment to increase support for Defence Reservists.

5. Sergeant Steve Davies and Corporal Lyndal Butler raise their mugs at a morning tea held at Camp Phoenix in East Timor which raised $580 for breast cancer research, with some of that coming from Dili locals who work at the base and wanted to help out.

6. Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator The Hon. David Feeney and Vice Chief of the Defence Force Lieutenant General David Hurley with the Australian Defence Force parliamentary participants on exchange to Parliament House from 25-29 October.

7. Soldiers from the 2nd Mentoring Task Force load their bags onto a United States Chinook, which will take them to their assigned patrol bases dotted throughout the Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan, as part of the changeover from Brisbane’s 1st Mentoring Task Force to Darwin’s 2nd Mentoring Task Force. MTF-1 soldiers arrived home in November.

8. A Special Response Team member enters a room of the training facility at Multi National Base Tarin Kot, when soldiers from the Special Operations Task Group and the Afghan Provincial Response Company conducted partnered operations in the Shah Wali Kot region of northern Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

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12 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

NEWS

12 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

What all Defence personnel need to know about social networking

LefT: The Defence Security Authority is warning all employees to always be aware that anything you post online could potentially be seen, even if you think the site is secure.

So what can you do?always be aware that anything you post online could potentially be seen, even if you think the site is secure. Modern technology can even allow criminals and others to hack in to your online profile, so you should always assume that someone, somewhere, may be able to access your information.

Keep specific information to yourself. Do not post dates, locations, unit numbers, names, photographs of you in uniform, or any specifics about training missions or operations. Much of this information is actually classified, and posting it on unclassified websites is a serious security violation.

Also, think twice about posting any details about your birth date, home address/phone number, schedule or job. A basic rule to remember is: if it could be used against you or your family in any way, don’t post it! You do not have to answer if someone asks you to be more specific.

Be smart – be vague. If you’re working on a sensitive Defence project, there’s no need to say “Just started working on Defence project XXXXX, interesting stuff!” All you need to say is “Just started working on an exciting project”.

If you have children accessing social networking sites, educate them about what information they shouldn’t post or discuss online, and why.

Only accept friend requests from people you know directly. Criminals and foreign intelligence services often set up fake profiles and try to add as many friends as possible—ensure you remove ‘friends’ you do not know personally.

By Brooke Audsley

E SECUREBE SOCIALU T A L W A Y S

A harassing phone call from overseas to a Defence family has highlighted a real threat to the safety of Defence personnel and their families.

Many people do not realise that posting

information on social networking sites such as

Facebook can be used by foreign intelligence

services and criminals to contact or harm Defence

personnel and families.

Even if what you’re posting seems insignificant to

you, it may be the exact piece of information that

someone is looking for.

Foreign intelligence services and criminal

organisations use the internet to obtain

information about people of interest to them. Often

such information is not necessarily classified; it

is information that is openly available to anyone

who knows where to look and what to ask. For

example, posting information about where you

went to school may be used to establish contact

and find out more about you; or even worse, pose

as you online.

Careless use of social networking sites and

accidental release of information can result in

threats being made to Defence personnel and

families. There are a number of precautions you

can take to ensure that you and your family are

not at risk.

As Defence personnel, you have a responsibility

to be particularly careful of what you say in public

and post online. An accidental release of sensitive

information has the potential to compromise not

only the security of you and your family, but the

security of others as well as Defence operations.

If you are ever unsure about what you can and

can’t say in public or online, contact your local

security officer, DSA regional office or Service

Security Authority for advice:

army – (02) 6265 6001

navy – (02) 6127 3072

air force – (02) 6127 2761

Additionally, the Stay Smart Online website

(www.staysmartonline.gov.au) is an Australian

Government initiative that offers users information

on simple steps to make themselves secure online.

13www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

NEWS

Defence’s Asbestos Inventory Tiger Team (AITT) is working towards an asbestos-free working environment, with more than 63,000 pieces of asbestos containing material (ACM) removed from Defence workplaces since the AITT was established within VCDF Group in early 2009.

The AITT has also diligently gone about its task of inspecting all 1128 Defence workplaces to identify and facilitate the removal of asbestos containing inventory items.

The AITT’s Project Director, Captain Alan Johnston, said there was still some way to go, but the aim was to have a totally asbestos-free Defence work environment to ensure the safety of all personnel. More details on asbestos can be obtained by visiting the AITT website at: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dmoweb/sites/aITT/comweb.asp?page=68806

“Asbestos has been detected in a wide range of inventory items, particularly in high-temperature, high-friction environments including: gaskets, seals, washers, clamps, carburettors, pumps, exhaust cladding, heat shields, adhesives, paints, insulation material, bakelite items, heat mats, fire blankets, brake pads, brake linings and clutch plates to name but a few,” CAPT Johnston said.

Vice Chief of the Defence Force Lieutenant General David Hurley said: “The lack of awareness and complacency to the threat of asbestos poses the single biggest hurdle in eradicating asbestos from the work and home environments”.

Defence personnel should also be mindful of the threat of asbestos in their home environments. A vast amount of home building materials were made from asbestos in the 1950s, 60s and 70s and those involved in the mining and manufacture of

LefT: An example of Defence items containing asbestos

these products became the first wave of victims to

suffer from a range of asbestos-related diseases

including asbestosis, plural plaques, lung cancer

and mesothelioma.

Research conducted by the Asbestos Diseases

Foundation of Australia indicates a second wave

of people affected by asbestos were those using

asbestos products with disease latency periods of

up to 40 years.

The Foundation is also anticipating the number

of deaths to continue to grow with the asbestos-

related death toll not expected to peak in Australia

until 2030.

The Foundation is now warning of a likely third

wave of asbestos-related diseases which is

expected to result from people demolishing or

renovating buildings which contain asbestos

sheeting or insulation.

Advice should be sought before demolishing

a fibro shed, garage or house and a licence may

be required to remove more than 10m2 of asbestos

sheeting material depending on the State or

Territory regulations. As a general guide, only

fibro sheeting manufactured before 1987 will

contain asbestos.

Personal protective equipment in the form of a P2

face mask, rubber gloves and overalls should be

worn at all times and material dampened down

with water prior to removal.

Further information can be obtained from

local councils and State/Territory Work Cover

authorities, calling the asbestos demolition

hotline (02) 8260 5885 or by visiting the following

websites for more details: www.nsw.gov.au/

fibro or www.workcover.nsw.gov.au.

ACTION ON ASBESTOSTiger team working to make work and homes safer

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NEWS

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The Australian Defence Force is always in a perpetual state of training, with three major exercises showcasing the expertise, in particular the Royal Australian Air Force, while the Navy and Army also played supporting roles.

ADF exercises its weight By Flight Lieutenant Skye Smith

eXeRcIse aRnHeM THunDeRThunder struck the Top End skies as 11 F/A-18 Hornets from 77 Squadron lit up the airspace for Exercise Arnhem Thunder October.

77SQN conducted advanced air-to-ground combat training at Bradshaw Field Training area and Delamere Air Weapons Ranges during the three-week bombing camp.

Arnhem Thunder saw the Hornets conduct four-ship attacks and self-escort strike missions while focusing on Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) employment.

The JDAM is a guidance kit, that when fitted, converts unguided bombs, or ‘dumb’ bombs, into precision ‘smart’ munitions. JDAM-equipped bombs are guided by an integrated inertial guidance system coupled to a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, giving the RAAF the capability to accurately attack a ground target in any weather conditions.

“It gives us the opportunity to conduct end-to-end testing of our ability to deploy and operate the squadron safely and effectively whilst launching aircraft into a simulated combat scenario using actual High Explosives,” Executive Officer, Squadron Leader Grant Burr said.

The Hornets employed a range of weapons, including JDAM, laser-guided weapons, conventional ‘dumb’ weapons and 20mm rounds during the exercise.

The squadron’s flying operations relied on support from 87SQN, 3CRU, Pelair services and of course RAAF Base Tindal support units.

“For aircrew, the biggest difference operating in Tindal compared to Williamtown is access to the world class weapons ranges and airspace and the training benefit derived from that access,” SQNLDR Burr said.

Arnhem Thunder also allowed 77SQN to test the logistics system to resupply spares as well as deploy 148 personnel and equipment.

77SQN last participated in Arnhem Thunder in 2009, although the exercise is generally only conducted every two years.

eXeRcIse HaMeLF/A-18 Hornets integrated with the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) Tiger for the first time involving live ordnance when 75SQN participated in the Army’s most complex training activity, Exercise Hamel, designed to practice the Army in foundation war fighting skills.

75SQN contributed seven Hornets and 100 personnel to the battle order, which included B-52, C-17 and C-130 support, Army’s 3rd Brigade, 2nd Battalion, Tigers, Black Hawks, US Marines and the Navy.

The first week saw 75SQN integrate with an ARH Tiger as a Joint Air Attack Team (JAAT). This is a new concept for the ADF, but well established in the US, according to B Flight Commander, Squadron Leader James Atkinson.

“The JAAT works similar to SCAR (Scout and Armed Reconnaissance) role, but with closer integration to ensure weapon/target matching and one DMPI per weapon,” he said.

The Hornets also conducted day and night flying to support the Special Operations Tactical Group (SOTG) mission rehearsal exercises (MRE) for 2 Command, which assisted the Joint Terminal Attack Controllers work-up for their next overseas deployment.

75SQN aircrew worked towards a goal of getting bombs on target, on time, every time in support of the ground effort, with the primary focus being to support Army to the greatest extent possible for their most significant exercise of the year.

The second week involved 75SQN providing support to regular Army with traditional and non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and response roles.

“Whilst this part of the exercise was ‘dry’ for 75SQN with no live weapons released, it gave us an opportunity to grease the skids of the information flow process,” SQNLDR Atkinson said.

“It was also good for our aircrew to participate in a dynamic ground war, where we were required to utilise on-board sensors in non-traditional ways to find non-descript military pieces, camouflaged or other, in known and unknown locations”.

The exercise was complex from an overarching perspective and involved significant integration between the various forces.

“There were a lot of co-ordinating units involved with multiple forms of air during the exercise, but the complex airspace was well managed by Joint Airspace Control Cell,” SQNLDR Atkinson.

75SQN was mainly involved in integrated missions with the Tiger and ground liaison during the final weeks of Hamel.

“We also had a pilot in the tactical air control party (TACP) and two junior aircrew working alongside JOC in the Air Operations Centre (AOC) producing air tasking orders and airspace control orders,” SQNLDR Atkinson said.

“Those three guys worked extremely hard and without their efforts things would have been far less effective. This is a key factor in improving our integration with Army.”

75SQN benefitted from the JAAT and MRE scenarios, which SQNLDR Atkinson describes as similar to normal close air support work-up.

The ADF support squadron role rotates through 75SQN, 77SQN and 3SQN during the year. With 3SQN in Malaysia for Exercise Bersama Padu and

LefT: Executive Officer of RMAF 18 Squadron, Lieutenant Colonel Wan Amin Hafiz Bin Wan Mahmud, and Commanding Officer No 3 Squadron, Wing Commander Terry van Haren, in front of their jets during Exercise Bersama Padu 2010. Photo: Corporal David Gibbs cenTRe: The Five Powers Rifle Company practice a dawn beach landings from HMAS Tobruk’s landing craft at Tioman Island, Malaysia during Exercise Bersama Padu 2010. Photo: Sergeant Chris Weissenborn RIgHT: Corporal John Bowring, a Ground Support Engineering supervisor from No 22 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond, performs a specific gravity test on a fuel sample in the Fuel Quality Control lab during Exercise Bersama Padu 2010. Photo: Corporal David Gibbs

BacKgROunD: Troops from 3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment parachute from a Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster at Charters Towers during Exercise Hamel. Photo: Corporal Hamish Paterson

BeLOW: No 3 Squadron F/A-18 Hornets form up on their way to Malaysia for Exercise Bersama Padu 2010. Photo: Flying Officer Anthony Yelland

77SQN in Tindal for Arnhem Thunder, 75SQN took up the lion’s share for Hamel.

Exercise Hamel 2010 is designed to enhance the ADF’s ability to fight and operate in a modern, complex battlespace involving 6000 personnel from all three services.

eXeRcIse BeRsaMa PaDuSixty-six aircraft, 14 ships and 3000 personnel from the nations of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) have come together on the Malaysian peninsula and the South China Sea for this year’s Exercise Bersama Padu.

Bersama Padu, which means ‘together united’ in Bahasa Malaysia, continues to build the close working relationship between the participating nations of Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Talks began in 1968 between the participating nations and on 1 November 1971 the FPDA was formed. Next year will mark the 40th anniversary of this significant regional partnership.

The FPDA provides for defence co-operation and for an Integrated Area Defence System (IADS) for Malaysia and Singapore, which is based at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Base Butterworth under the command of Australia’s Air Vice-Marshal Kevin Paule.

Since the FPDA’s formation, the scope of its activities has expanded from air defence to the development of joint capabilities, which has helped to develop greater interoperability among member nations.

The relevance of Exercise Bersama Padu is displayed in the inclusion of a land integration component for the first time this year, with both Australian and Malaysian armed forces participating. This component provides yet another complex dimension to the modern exercise battlespace.

The exercise also provides a great platform for the F/A-18 Hornets to display their air power mastery and tactics.

Bersama Padu is one of the regular training activities 3SQN undertakes. This year there are eight F/A-18 Hornets and about 125 personnel deployed in support of the squadron.

3SQN gets a lot of benefit out of exercises such as the Bersama series according to its commanding officer, Wing Commander Terry van Haren.

“It’s an exercise where we operate out of South East Asia, which is a different environment for us plus it is an exercise where we can operate with our FPDA partners.

“The Hornets have been flying a number of missions including offensive counter air, and maritime and land interdiction during the three-week exercise, along with Malaysian F/A-18D Hornets and MiG-29s.

“We are flying out of Butterworth over the eastern

side of Malaysia and engaging ships over the South

China Sea. We also expect to intercept ‘enemy’

aircraft and conduct air combat training with the

other nations,” WGCDR van Haren said.

“Exercises such as this provide vital training to

all elements involved in supporting a large-scale

deployment outside of Australia. From logistics,

administration, communications, air traffic and

maintenance everyone has an important part to play

in the success of our mission objectives.”

The aircrew also benefit from flying in a new

environment, with mountains and inclement

weather to overcome, as well as the interaction

with other services and nations.

3SQN has a long and proud history with RMAF

Butterworth. The squadron was based there for

about 30 continuous years from the 1950s through

to the early 1980s.

More than 1000 Australian personnel deployed in

support of Exercise Bersama Padu.

HMA Ships Success, Tobruk, Toowoomba and

Arunta; Australian Clearance Dive Team One from

HMAS Waterhen Sydney; and an Australian Army

platoon from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF)

Base Butterworth also participated in the exercise

that finished on 29 October.

SPOTLIgHT ON REFORM: RESERvES

Imagine being on a deployment overseas, urgently needing to find a Reservist engineer who can certify building safety, or a water purification specialist who can speak Pidgin, and being able to punch a few keys into a computer to find those individuals.

RESERvISTS jUST A

Squadron Leader Deanna Nott

This is the capability that will be just a click away once PMKeyS is populated with Reservists’ civilian qualification, skills and experience.

The Civil Skills Data (CSD) Project is a high priority activity flowing from the Defence White Paper 2009 and the Strategic Reform Program.

Having full visibility of the civil qualifications, skills and experience available within the Australian Defence Force workforce, regardless of how or when they were acquired, will enable the Navy, Army and Air Force to more readily identify individuals with particular skills needed in peacetime or for operational deployment, especially during Defence emergencies.

Furthermore, the CSD will provide unprecedented access to some of the niche capabilities that Reservists offer to the ADF. In turn, it is hoped this will lead to better use of the Reserves.

Head of the CSD Working Team, Group Captain Carl Schiller, said the use of members’ civil skills acknowledges their additional talents and would hopefully provide them with a greater sense of fulfilment in their ADF role.

“The effective use of CSD may provide opportunities for deployment or other diverse Service employment opportunities for our Reservists,” GPCAPT Schiller said.

“We regularly say that Reservists’ contribution is vital to Defence capability and this is a fact. Recording of this information in PMKeyS will provide ADF-wide access to this data and will truly allow Reservists to offer more to Defence.”

click away

Each Service, VCDF Group and DSG is represented

on the Tri-Service CSD Working Team that has

identified data to be recorded and developed a

data capture strategy. Director General Reserves

– Air Force is the central data collection agency

for this activity and its team has developed

a user-friendly CSD e-survey and systems,

Communications Plan and materials that will start

to roll out during the coming months. All Reservists

(except those on Continuous Full-Time Service)

who complete the e-survey will receive half a

Reserve day’s pay.

It is imperative that every Reservist ensures their

home mailing address is up to date on PMKeyS as

information about how and when to complete the

CSD e-survey will be sent to home addresses.

“The CSD is a very exciting initiative,” GPCAPT

Schiller said.

“Those with Reserve experience know how deep

and wide are the fantastic array of experiences

amongst their fellow Reservists – yet we sense

that relatively little of this has been entered into

PMKeyS.

“The CSD project is not just a once-off snapshot

– rather it also will provide longer-term solutions,

with more user friendly access to enable members

to enter and update their entries, after the initial

e-survey.”

Civil Skills Data is expected to flow into PMKeyS

in early 2011.

For further information about the project contact the CSD Communication Officer Squadron Leader Deanna nott on 0438 013548.

“The effective use of CSD may provide opportunities for deployment or other diverse Service employment opportunities for our Reservists,”

www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine16

SPOTLIgHT ON REFORM: MORTIMER REvIEW

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Defence and DMO were criticised in the press for poor management and process short-comings in acquisition programs. In response, businessman Malcolm Kinnaird was commissioned to lead a review into the way Defence acquired capital equipment.

Mr Kinnaird revealed that the cost overruns or lengthy schedule delays were often generated early in the process. His recommendations resulted in a significant improvement in the management of major capital equipment projects.

In 2008, Mr David Mortimer, AO was tasked to review Defence’s progress in implementing Kinnaird’s recommendations, and to identify further areas for reform. The Defence Procurement and Sustainment Review (the Mortimer Review) was tabled in Parliament in September 2008.

The reforms outlined in the Mortimer Review will enhance the advice Defence provides to Government in order to support decisions on capability acquisition and support.

Key elements of the reforms include a greater commercial discipline and accountability in the procurement and sustainment processes for defence equipment, and a stronger role for the capability managers. This includes the Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Materiel Organisation (CEO DMO) providing Government with independent, expert advice on commercial matters. The intended outcome is better results for both the ADF and the taxpayer.

By nature, major capital equipment programs are complex and require regular monitoring to ensure

programming approval and progress runs according to plan. So have the Mortimer reforms made any difference? What has changed?

The Mortimer reforms focus on identifying key stakeholders and holding them to account for their role in delivering capability. Mortimer identified, and the Government agreed, that the capability manager should be the key stakeholder accountable for delivering capability and for performance reports to Government, through the Secretary and CDF.

But capability managers are not alone. Project directives are to be issued by the Secretary and the CDF following a project’s final (second pass) approval by Government to clearly define the capability baseline. This baseline sets the materiel scope of the project and documents the requirements that the acquisition agency – usually, but not always the DMO – and the providers of other fundamental inputs to capability are to deliver.

Project directives assign accountability and responsibility to the capability managers for assisting in the development of requirements and providing agreed resources. The CEO DMO’s role to support delivery of materiel systems and related supplies in accordance with the agreed materiel acquisition agreement is also described, as is the responsibility for the other key enabling support functions.

Clear accountability is the first step for the DMO toward becoming more commercially disciplined and more business-like. The CEO DMO has a Ministerial directive, a charter in the form of the Memorandum of Arrangements with the Secretary and CDF, and specific agency agreements. In turn, and as

recommended by Mortimer, he has also signed charters with System Program Office directors and project managers.

The DMO is also continuing to reform, with a stronger focus on meeting the needs of our customers and extracting maximum value from relationships with industry. The Strategic Reform Program and the reality of a capped budget are also demanding a more mature approach. This is a big ask for the DMO, but positive changes are occurring, particularly in the provision of advice from the CEO DMO to Government on commercial matters.

During the past year there has been considerable progress in establishing the processes to ensure that the outcomes sought by the Mortimer Review are achieved. Almost 70 per cent of the recommendations have now had their processes fully implemented and most of the remainder are at an advanced stage of implementation.

However, it is important to distinguish between establishing processes and achieving real outcomes. To add more process without clear outcome or value would go against the intent of both Kinnaird and Mortimer.

Our experience in implementing the Kinnaird reforms indicates that it will take some time before we can be sure that implementation of the recommendations are achieving the outcomes intended by Government. It is also our experience that we need to avoid complacency along the way. Challenge unnecessary process and focus on the outcomes expected by Government.

Who is responsible and accountable for capability planning and for bringing capabilities into service? What is the role of capability managers, the capability Development group and the Defence Materiel Organisation? What does the government require from Defence?

DMO embraces Mortimer

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the year in reviewthe year in review

2010: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Women in the navyThe year kicked off optimistically for 50 Navy

women with the establishment of the Navy

Women’s Leadership program. The Government

committed itself to improving opportunities for

women in the ADF to undertake leadership roles.

Defence furthered its own commitment to the

celebration of women by enthusiastically taking

part in International Women’s Day.

cyber security DefenceA new Cyber Security Operations Centre aiming

to better protect Australia from cyber threats was

launched in January.

The new centre had an important role within

Commonwealth National Authority by providing

the Government with protective security guidance

and support.

earthquake aid in HaitiOn January 29, Air Traffic Controllers from the Air

Force left for earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Officer

Commanding Number 44 Wing, Group Captain

Forster Breckenridge, said that the team was eager

to help those suffering after the disaster.

Young australian of the Year awardTrooper Mark Donaldson VC was named Young

Australian of the Year in January as part of the

Australia Day festivities.

He was recognised as Young Australian of the Year

after he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Trooper

Donaldson was the first to receive the VC in 40

years and accepted the title of young Australian of

the year gracefully.

Prince William visitsThe soldiers at Holsworthy had a majestic

experience in January when His Royal Highness

Prince William entertained officers and soldiers

during a live fire exercise.

Special Operations Command soldiers met with

Prince William at His Highness’s request. He also

Military Tattoo The Australian Federal Guard performed a tri-

service Guard of Honour during the opening and

closing ceremonies of the Royal Edinburgh Military

Tattoo in Sydney on February 3.

The event marked a decade of action since the

beginning of the Australian Federal Guard.

army alcohol abuse tackledThe Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken

Gillespie cracked down on alcohol abuse within

the Army in February.

“We lost three people last year in Afghanistan

where the Taliban were a contributing factor. We

lost eight last year in Australia where alcohol was

a contributing factor,” he said.

Lieutenant General Gillespie sent a strong

message to members of the Army there a low

tolerance for abuse of alcohol.

Raaf provides aid relief to cyclone victimsDefence is provided support to the AusAID-led

disaster relief mission in northern Fiji following

Cyclone Tomas caused havoc in March.

The Royal Australian Air Force provided a C-130

Hercules aircraft to help move 18 tonnes of

emergency relief supplies, including tents and

water purification tablets.

super Hornets arriveIn March, the Air Force welcomed the first five of

24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets. The

crew was welcomed back at RAA F Base Amberley

in Queensland.

A ceremony included Defence leaders, local

government representatives, Boeing dignitaries

and US Navy officers.

Medical officers boosted The ADF provided improved opportunities for

Defence medical officers after introducing an

accredited online mental health training pack. The

ADF medical officers used the additional training to

diagnose and treat common mental health issues.

Vice Chief on the Defence Force Lieutenant

General David Hurley signed an agreement with

the Australian General Practice Network (AGPN)

Compiled by Jessica Henry

From deaths and disaster relief, to reform and building bridges, 2010 has been another momentous year for all elements of Defence. The following review by no means captures everything that happened, but provides a snapshot of the highs and lows and all else inbetween.

took the time to visit HMAS Kuttabul. This was Prince Williams’s second visit to Australia. The last visit was in 1983 when he was nine-months-old.

LefT: All members of the Tattoo during the finale as fireworks end the performance.

Australian Super Hornets fly in formation with the F-111, a symbolic representation of the old leading the new home, in the ferry across the Pacific Ocean.

“Kabul, which was our first stop, was bitterly cold and we struggled with that. Instruments aren’t designed to be played in zero or sub-zero temperatures…but it worked out okay.”

– Musical Director Major Dan Hiscock, following the 1st Battalion’s Royal Australian Regiment Band’s three-week tour to the Middle East in January.

“Defeating surface-to-air missile systems, forming a real world Integrated Air Defence System while keeping aggressor squadron F16, F15 and F5 fighters off your back and de-conflicting your own force can become quite complicated.”

– Commanding Officer and Exercise Mission Commander for 77 Squadron, Wing Commander Glen Beck, said aircrew are pushed to their limits during Exercise Red Flag in March

aBOVe: Private Matthew Krause tossess the coins for another round of Two-up on ANZAC Day at Camp Holland 2010.

RIgHT: Signaler Nadine Kozakowski (front), Private Nathania Baumanis (middle) and Signaller Heidi Stevenson enjoy some relief from the humidity and heat after completing the 18-hour relay for the Cancer Council Queensland in May.

21www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine20

Missing patrolmen foundLong-missing patrolmen were laid to rest this year,

after their remains of Lieutenant Kenneth Hudson

and Private Robert Moncrieff were found after 44

years.

The Special Air Service (SAS) patrolmen were

recovered by local Indonesians and given

respectful burials when they returned home in

April.

In 2008, the Army commenced an investigation to

find the missing men.

sIeV 36 rescue efforts commendedIn April, commendations were presented to 51

Service men and women who helped rescue, treat

and evacuate those injured from the explosion

onboard Suspected Irregular Entry Vessel (SIEV) 36

on 16 April, 2009.

Commander Border Protection Command, Rear

Admiral Tim Barrett, presented personnel with

commendations after a ‘mass SOLAS’ (Save Our

Life At Sea) was given before crew from Armidale

Class Patrol Boats Childers and Albany swung

into action, rescuing and directing the boat back

to safety.

Special mention was also made of the exemplary

performance of the Headquarters Northern

Command staff in Darwin who provided

coordination and support during the rescue and

evacuation of the critically injured.

cadet lands stricken aircraftIn April, 18-year-old ADFA Officer Cadet Patrick

Humphries used his quick-thinking skills and

landed his light aircraft on the Brooker Highway

in Hobart.

The emergency landing occurred after engines

failed on the flight club-owned Victa Airtourer.

OCDT Humphries considered a few football fields

and some other roads but decided against them

because of traffic. “When I looked at the Brooker, I

noticed that there were no cars on the highway as

they were stopped at traffic lights,” he said.

Defence enters into new IcT partnershipFujitsu was the preferred tenderer for the IT

product and services grant.

Former Parliamentary Secretary for Defence

Support Dr Mike Kelly said the partnership the

three-year contract worth $151.3 million will be for

routine operational services.

Minister makes reform program a realityOn April 7, the Government endorsed the

implementation of the Strategic Reform Program.

Defence estimates that between 2009 and 2019,

savings of $20 billion dollars can be made.

The Deputy Secretary of Strategic Reform and

Governance, Mr Brendan Sergeant, outlined the

positive benefits of starting a change now.

“We have to recognise that this is a 10-year

program that requires us to start thinking about

what sort of organisation we need to have and

how we need to work in order to deliver and

sustain Force 2030,” Mr Sargeant said.

governor general surprises troops in afghanistanOn April 23, troops in Afghanistan were pleasantly

surprised by a secret visit from Her Excellency

Governor General, Quentin Bryce.

She visited Tarin Kowt and Kandahar Airfield. She

enjoyed a lunch with the troops and was shown an

equipment display.

from the Defence Indigenous Development

Program (DIDP) in Katherine. Indigenous mentor

Lance Corporal James Woods acted as a mentor

for the young indigenous applicants, and provided

them with support as they went through the

application process.

Defence Indigenous Development Program

also addressed a shortfall in the standard of

education provided to indigenous people in rural

communities. As a result, graduates from the DIDP

will be equipped with the tools, experience and

qualifications to seek long-term employment in

their communities and promotions in the Army.

Troops in east Timor relay for lifeClose to 90 International Stabilisation Force

members spent 18 hours, walking, running, and

pack marching as part of the Cancer Council’s

Relay For Life in Dili in May.

The Cancer Council Queensland received $33,000

from fundraising activities in the lead up to the

relay and at the relay event itself.

Pirates thwarted in gulf of adenIn May, the crew of an RAAF Orion made contact

with a civilian ship and ascertained that pirates

were attempting to take control of the vessel in the

Gulf of Aden.

The civilian ship’s crew was rescued unharmed the

next day by a Russian warship which was sent to

its assistance.

fishermen rescued by the afPAn RAAF helicopter rescued three cray fishermen

off the Western Australian coast in May. The three

men activated their emergency beacon earlier in

the morning in waters south of Esperance as their

18-metre vessel began sinking.

A Royal Australian Air Force C-130H Hercules from

No. 37 Squadron began the search and found the

men who had signalled with orange smoke from

a life raft. The men were given an Air Sea Rescue

Kit and were then lynched to safety, suffering from

hypothermia.

cache findThe 1st Mentoring Task Force and their Afghan

National Army (ANA) counterparts recovered 16

caches during five days of operations from 9-14

May. They discovered six AK-47 assault rifles,

one .303 calibre rifle, one 60mm mortar tube,

about 45 kilograms of explosive powder, including

ammonium nitrate. The also found 20 rocket

propelled grenades, thousands of rounds, assault

rifles and machine gun ammunition, a significant

quantity of electronic improvised explosive device

components including pressure plates, trigger

systems, detonation cord, and batteries, two

mortar rounds, a set of binoculars, and two hand-

held radios.

everest climb third timeMajor Zac Zaharias conquered Mount Everest this

year after two previous attempts. Major Zaharias

is a Canberra reservist who embarked on the climb

full of hope for his third and final attempt.

He reached the summit of Mount Everest at 10am

on May 25. The 53-year-old became the second

Australian Army representative and the oldest

Australian to reach the summit.

new national delegates for Defence families australia In June, the then-Minister for Veterans’ Affairs,

Warren Snowdon, and Minister for Defence

Personnel Alan Griffin announced the 2010

delegates for the Defence Families Australia.

The communication gained from the delegates

helps to resolve issues faced by Defence families.

“Consultative groups such as Defence Families

Australia are essential in ensuring Defence has a

broad range of information available when making

policy decisions,” Mr Griffin said.

seven summits conquest for former soldiersTwo former soldiers from 3RAR, Darren Wise

and Shane Pophfer, conquered Mr Aconcagua in

Argentina and Russia’s Mr Elbrus in March as part

of their quest to raise money for the Children’s

Hospital at Westmead in Sydney.

After summiting Mt Kilimanjaro in 2008 and

Kosciuszko last year, they just have Mt Denali

(Alaska), Mt Vinson (Antarctica) and Mr Everest

to complete their quest of climbing the seven

summits.

2010: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

“To have this opportunity to express to you my admiration and respect for what you do and what you stand for – I want you to know that you are so often in my thoughts.”

– The Governor-General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, during a surprise pre-Anzac day visit to Australian troops in Tarin Kowt and Kandahar Airfield.

“My team insanely decided to go in pairs; pack-marching and webbing walks. One of our members also ran 20km straight up.”

– Corporal Josh Johnstone, the Geospatial Imagery Detachment Commander, after about 90 International Stabilisation Force members walked, ran, danced and pack-marched for 18 hours as part of the Cancer Council’s Relay For Life around a 400-metre course at Camp Phoenix, Dili. The ISF raised an

incredible $33,000 for the Cancer Council Queensland in May.

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aBOVe: Major Suzanne Steel, Australian Army Medical Officer conducts medical observations on 81-year-old Tran Thi Cu at the at the Nhon Binh school, Quy Nhon, Vietnam as part of Pacific Partnership 2010.

Remote indigenous australians answer the callDefence secured 40 new indigenous applicants

from remote communities across the Northern

Territory.

The applicants are part of NORFORCE, an initiative

aBOVe: Communication Electronic Technician, Aircraftman Tim Kasapis from No. 44 Wing Detachment Darwin, stands in front of an Air Traffic Control Radar at RAAF Base Darwin during Exercise Pitch Black 2010.

aBOVe: Able Seaman Isaac Ingui holds his son Lachlan on his return from a Middle East Area of Operation deployment on HMAS Parramatta.

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solomon Islands made saferIn July, the Navy continued making the Solomon

Islands safer by uncovering unexploded ordnance,

with the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon

Islands (RAMSI).

Navy clearance divers conducted training exercises

with Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF)

divers in the critical role of explosive ordnance

disposal (EOD) at White Beach.

HMas Melbourne sails for the Middle eastAugust saw the departure of HMAS Melbourne to

the Middle East, along with 238 men and women.

Melbourne was the first of the recently upgraded

Adelaide-class frigates to undertake an operational

deployment. It relieved HMAS Parramatta on

Operation Slipper.

Missing australian WWI soldier indentifiedThe remains of Private Alan James Mather from

Inverell, NSW were identified after almost a

century. Private Mather fought in the Battle of

Messines from June 7-14, 1917.

Ten thousand men lost their lives in the blast

that was said to have been felt as far away as

London. Private Alan James Mather was buried

with full military honours with his comrades in

Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery

in Belgium on July 22.

army Iroquois choppers retireEleven Iroquois helicopters will be used as local

tourist attractions in Townsville and other locations

around Australia.

They first flew in the Australian Defence Force in

Malaysia. However it was their use in Vietnam

which gave them iconic status. Two of the

choppers will continue to be used for training

purposes.

Marathon corporal cassie Marathon runner Corporal Cassie Fien participated

in the Olympic and Commonwealth Games

selection, with a second place in her division on

the Gold Coast in July.

Corporal Fien finished the 21.1km race in 1hour

45seconds. “I am keen to try for Olympic and

Commonwealth Games selection and I’d like to run

a marathon, but not just yet – hopefully next year,”

she said.

Also competing in the race was good friend, Flying

officer Lisa Flint, who finished in at 1hr 17min

16sec in sixth place.

afghanistan soldiers run for a worthy causeMen and women of the 1st Mentoring Task Force

(MTF-1) were given the opportunity to raise money

for Autism Queensland’s Kidstart program which

has raised more than $3.14 million for charities

during the past 13 years.

“There was a 5km run for mere mortals and a 10km

run for the more serious entrants,” Lieutenant

Emma Cameron, a physiotherapist with MTF-1,

said.

australia farewells Dutch in uruzganThe Dutch-led Task Force that began in 2006

finished up in Uruzgan province on 1 August.

Together with Australian soldiers, they worked to

rebuild local infrastructure such as schools and

hospitals also mosques.

“Now there are people working again, children

going to school and people have access to basic

medical facilities,” Commander Brigadier-General

Keens Can den Heuvel said.

Bash Task groupIn August, a Navy Fleet Command team

participated in the NSW Variety Bash, Australasia’s

most successful motoring charity event for the

eighth consecutive year.

Navy participation of 11 personnel was the biggest

yet with a ‘fleet’ of five vehicles, consisting of two

HR Holdens, two EH Holdens and a Dodge crew

cab to represent two surface ships, two helicopters

and a submarine.

100 Middle eastern missions for RaafThe Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of C-17A

Globemaster III transport aircraft recorded 100

missions in the Middle East.

The heavy lifting transport aircraft have supported

Operations Kruger and Catalyst in Iraq, and

Operation Slipper in Afghanistan.

afghan and MTf-2 troops benefitAustralian soldiers in Logistical Support Company

(LSC) made major improvements to the standard of

living for both the Afghan National Army and MTF-

2, with the installation of electricity.

They now can use laptops, not only improving

conditions, but morale as well. While the

remoteness of the bases doesn’t allow for home

comforts, the soldiers of the LSC are doing their

best to make that gap as small as possible.

HMas Parramatta returns home Happy and relieved family and friends welcomed

home the Royal Australian Navy Frigate, HMAS

Parramatta and her 192 crew as she returned

to her homeport of Garden Island, Sydney on

September 15.

There to welcome them was Minister for Defence

materiel Jason Clare and the Commander

Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stephen Gilmore.

Isf participate in Timor raceTwo teams from the International Stabilisation

Force (ISF) took on the 2010 Tour de Timor, the

southern hemisphere’s richest mountain bike race.

Tour de Timor is a 400km route and is considered

one of the toughest mountains bike courses in the

world. The 2010 Tour saw eight ISF members join.

The most dangerous and unpredictable obstacles

were the goats, pigs and chickens.

aDf save Indonesian fishermenTwo Royal Australian Naval ships rescued an

Indonesian fisherman who had been lost at sea for

three days.

The 42-year-old man was plucked from the water

by HMAS Success travelling in the company of

HMAS Arunta. He received medical treatment once

onboard Success.

A comprehensive surface and air search by

Success and Arunta failed to locate the other three

members of the fishermen’s crew.

aid arrives in Pakistan AusAID stores arrived in August for those affected

by floods in Pakistan.

The stores were unloaded and distributed to areas

determined by the Pakistan National Disaster

Management Authority. AusAID spokesperson

Suzanne Edgecombe said the stores would benefit

more than 10,000 families affected by the natural

disaster. They arrived throughout August through

October.

Pacific Partnership 2010Australia’s largest contribution to the annual

US-led humanitarian assistance mission, Pacific

Partnership 2010 concluded in Papua New Guinea,

treating almost 110,000 patients.

More than 300 Australian Defence Force personnel

participated in the mission, providing health and

dental care as well as completing 22 engineering

projects such as school building restoration and

drilling and developing water wells across five

countries in four months.

Victorian flood assistThe ADF made swift contributions to the State

Emergency Service (SES) in responding to the

Victorian floods in the Shepparton region in

September.

The ADF provided 55 personnel and around 10

specialist vehicles based at Puckapunyal Army

Base, assisted by providing flood information to

residents facilitating delivery and preparation of

sand bags.

Leaders visit afghanistanPrime Minister Julia Gillard made a surprise visit

to Afghanistan to see the troops during her first

trip overseas as Prime Minister.

At a barbeque lunch with the troops, the Prime

Minister confirmed the Government’s ongoing

commitment to the mission in Afghanistan and

paid tribute to the professionalism and dedication

of Australian personnel.

She also honoured the 21 soldiers who lost their

lives in Afghanistan.

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott then visited

Australian troops two weeks later. He spent a day

with personnel in Tarin Kot and shared lunch with

the troops and toured the Trade Training School.

He received briefs from senior military personnel

and regional Afghan leaders on the situation in

country. A firepower demonstration by Australian

and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

occurred during the course of the afternoon.

“We will support you, but I need you to make sure that you seek any assistance that you may need to come to terms with your loss. Draw strength from each other. Pay tribute to your mates. Honour their sacrifice. Strengthen your resolve.”

– Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston offers some words of encouragement to Australians

still serving in Afghanistan following the deaths of Sappers Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith on 7 June.

“I never thought I’d get a chance to do this; three years ago I went to Sinai which was incredible. It’s great working in front of these guys, they are all typical down-to-earth Australians – I’d do anything to keep being a part of this sort of stuff”

– Comedian Mick Meredith, deployed to East Timor with the Tour de Force in August, said performing for Australian troops is one of the highlights of his calendar.

aDf staff improve quality of life to girl, 12The small things can make all the difference in

life – such was the case for a 12-year-old polio

sufferer and flood victim who was treated by the

Australian Medical Task Force in Pakistan.

During the flood crisis, Nadia was travelling on the

back of a truck when she fell off onto the side of

the road. Her left leg, already bent from polio, was

broken.

Upon arrival at Camp Cockatoo, Nadia presented

the medical team with some challenges with an

x-ray revealing an already weak leg was also

showing signs of osteomyelitis as medical officer

Squadron Leader Andrew Pearson, 3 Expeditionary

Health Squadron (3EHS), explained.

SQNLDR Pearson put Nadia on a six-week course

of antibiotics to mend the infection. The team were

also able to give her crutches to replace the sticks

she had been using her whole life to aid mobility

for her polio leg. Her progress was described as

“an amazing transformation” by staff.

2010: THE YEAR IN REVIEW

aBOVe: Nadia practices walking on her new crutches as her mother (right) and Medical Officer Lieutenant Joel Hissink (left) look on during Operation Pakistan Assist II.

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“When you get mail here it is so important, it’s a huge moral booster and to think that people actually thought to do it without even knowing me is very humbling. There is that invisible link that they are maintaining; it’s that camaraderie, that kinship.”

– Nursing Officer Captain Rhonda McIntosh, who received a heart-warming package while deployed on Operation Pakistan Assist II, from Sam and Jackie Andalero, who both served in the Army during the Vietnam War.

2010: THE YEAR IN REvIEW

artillery school opened for anaIn October, the Australian-trained Afghan National

Army achieved a historic milestone with the new

School of Artillery in Kabul officially opening.

The school aims to prepare Afghan soldiers to

become capable artillerymen. It is an important

stride towards attaining Afghan-led dependability

for security in the future.

final decent for f-111Four decades of work will come to a close as the

F-111 will be farewelled from service at the end of

this year. Four F-111s from No.6 Squadron had a

long and proud history.

“This F-111 was just a magnificent aircraft. I first

flew it 22 years ago as a young fella and I’ve flown

a lot of hours in it. It touches you just to be part

of the F-1111 community whether you are flying

it, maintaining it or supporting it,” Commanding

Officer No. 6 Squadron, Wing Commander Micka

Gray said.

sarbi awaits her homecomingSarbi, the Australian Special Forces Explosive

Detection dog separated from her handler in

Afghanistan for more than a year, remains in Dubai

awaiting her final journey home to Australia.

The black-Labrador-cross has been in Dubai since

June where she is able to enjoy a more relaxed

lifestyle as she waits out her quarantine time.

While she doesn’t have access to the five-star

luxuries that many humans have in Dubai, Sarbi

is enjoying accommodation and a lifestyle that

is a dog’s delight. She has her own enclosure,

continued access to veterinary staff and a regular

exercise program.

Sarbi was coming to the end of her second tour

of duty in Afghanistan when she went missing for

14 months. A rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) had

exploded close to Sarbi during a battle with the

Taliban that left nine soldiers wounded, including

her handler in the same battle where Trooper Mark

Donaldson earned his Victoria Cross.

Sarbi remains under constant monitoring by Australian Defence Force personnel to ensure she remains in the best of health.

It’s hoped that Sarbi’s homecoming to Australia will still take place in December when she will be reunited with her handler. Sarbi has retired from active service as an Explosive Detection Dog and will live out the rest of her days as a family dog.

LefT: Special Operations Task Group members enter the training compound at Multi National Base Tarin Kot during trial of new combat uniform extended to Aussie troops ‘outside the wire’.

BeLOW: Ball, ball, ball! Despite the rigours of travel from the Multinational Base in Tarin Kot Afghanistan, Sarbi is still keen to have a ball thrown for her to chase in her new kennel in Dubai. Photo by SGT Brent Tero.

25www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

MINISTER FOR DEFENCE’S COLUMN2010: THE YEAR IN REvIEW

“As I travel around bases and sites in Australia, I am impressed by the commitment, focus and professionalism of the men and women who work in Defence, both military and civilian.”

– Minister for Defence Stephen Smith, MP

thankful to all those who serve the nation’s defence. You are part of a proud Australian tradition going back more than a century and its importance does not diminish.

Christmas will of course be a very difficult time for 21 families who will be reminded that their loved one – a son, father, husband or partner – is not with them. For 10 families this will be a terrible time because it will be the first Christmas where their loved one will be missing.

We honour and remember the brave young Australians who have lost their lives serving their country. Our eternal gratitude continues and the nation’s thoughts are with their families and friends at this time.

I wish all the members of Defence and their families a peaceful Christmas and a safe and happy new year. I look forward to a productive 2011 and to working with you to meet the challenges of the year ahead.

LefT: Minister for Defence Stephen Smith chats with submariners on board HMAS Waller, during a tour of HMAS Stirling where he also toured HMAS Sirius. Photo: Able Seaman Imagery Specialist Morgana Ramsey cenTRe: Minister for Defence Stephen Smith talks to soldiers from the School of Artillery during a visit to the Puckapunyal Army Base. Photo: David Grant RIgHT: Minister for Defence Stephen Smith tours Multi National Base Tarin Kot with Commander Joint Task Force 633, Major General John Cantwell while conducting his first overseas tour as the Defence Minister. Photo: Corporal Raymond Vance

I extend my best wishes and season’s greetings to you and your families.

Since becoming Defence Minister in September, I have had the pleasure of meeting a range of Defence personnel, both here and overseas.

Two weeks into my term as Defence Minister, I visited Australian troops serving in Afghanistan. This helped me gain a better understanding of the conditions that our personnel are facing on the ground.

We have great pride in the men and women who are working hard every day to help bring about the peace and stability of a country that needs the international community’s assistance.

Australian Defence Force personnel are also playing a significant role in peacekeeping missions in our region and further afield. We have ADF members serving in East Timor, the Solomon Islands and Sudan.

During the past year, the ADF has also delivered

life-saving humanitarian and emergency assistance to the people of Haiti, Fiji and Pakistan, building on a proud tradition of humanitarian response to disasters in our region and beyond.

As I travel around bases and sites in Australia, I am impressed by the commitment, focus and professionalism of the men and women who work in Defence, both military and civilian.

In a speech to the House of Representatives on 25 November, I placed on record my thanks to the men and women of Defence, including the Chief of the Defence Force Angus Houston and the Secretary of the Department Ian Watt for the invaluable work you do in Australia’s national security interests.

For most of us the festive season is a time spent with family and loved ones. At this time, we keep in our thoughts those who are on duty abroad in Afghanistan, the Middle East, Egypt, Iraq, Sudan, the Solomon Islands and East Timor.

Australia is thankful for your service, as it is

By Minister for Defence Stephen Smith, MP

COMMITMENT, FOCUS and PROFESSIONALISM impress

27www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCE’S COLUMN

2010 – A reflection from the CDF

Pride in DefenceI would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the men and women of the Defence Organisation for their commitment during another busy year. Without a doubt, the many successes we have enjoyed are a direct result of your hard work, dedication and professionalism.

I take great pride in being part of the Defence team and encourage all Defence people to do the same. Though we do attract some criticism from time-to-time, I think Defence morale is very high.

We form one of the most inclusive and diverse organisations in the country. We mentor and train our people to ensure they are the best they can be at their chosen field. We employ a values-based form of leadership that encourages a work/life balance and a family friendly workplace. We provide a safe working environment and we treat each other with respect and dignity.

It is this impressive people-focussed foundation that allows the Defence team to perform so exceptionally well.

success and challengeThis year has been very busy operationally and we have deployed thousands of our people to 12 operations overseas.

In Afghanistan, we have continued to mentor and train the ANA 4th Brigade, contribute to capacity-building in Uruzgan, blunt the insurgency and take back areas traditionally held by the Taliban.

A particularly significant development in 2010 was the handover of responsibility from the Dutch forces to the new ISAF-led Combined Team – Uruzgan (CT-U) in August. CT-U is centred on an Australia-United States partnership, under United States leadership, and it has been working very well.

Our other operations also progress well. In East Timor and the Solomon Islands we have been able to progressively drawdown our troop contribution due to the continuing stable security situations in both countries.

Our smaller contributions to various United Nations missions continue, as does our part in whole-of-government efforts to protect our borders and offshore maritime interests.

In 2010, we also contributed to two humanitarian operations in Haiti, following an earthquake, and Pakistan, following severe floods. Additionally, we conducted a number of maritime rescues and many exercises with our regional neighbours.

This year also brought great success in a number of other areas. Of course, there are too many to highlight individually, but I would like to particularly acknowledge that we have moved into the implementation phase of the Strategic Reform Program and we are over-performing on our cost reduction targets.

Additionally, the first 11 of our new fleet of Super Hornets arrived at RAAF Base Amberley. We also opened the Cyber Security Operations Centre and enhanced our base security. Our recruitment and retention performance has also been very strong, particularly in areas in which we have traditionally

not performed well, such as submariner categories and female participation.

Furthermore, Corporal Mark Donaldson VC was named Young Australian of the Year for 2010. Mark is a most deserving recipient of this honour, and this year he has continued to represent the Australian Defence Force with distinction and humility.

However, this year has also not been without challenge. In September, the Director of Military Prosecutions decided to prosecute members of the ADF in relation to a civilian casualty incident in Afghanistan on 12 February 2009. It is currently anticipated that the trial process will begin early in 2011. This will be a difficult time for these soldiers and their families.

My highest priority going in to the trial is to ensure the accused members are in no doubt about their presumption of innocence and that they receive all the necessary support they require.

I also remind everyone in Defence that we must allow the trial to run its course without interference. It is critical that the integrity, independence and process of the military justice system is preserved.

sacrifice and lossOf course, as I reflect upon what has unfolded during the past year, foremost in my mind are the soldiers we have lost on operations. The sacrifice of these men and their families should be something that all Australians pause to think of during a time of year usually spent with loved ones.

I would like to commend the Army and Defence Community Organisation for the way in which these soldiers were laid to rest and their families supported during their time of immense grief.

As we approach the end of the year, I will also be thinking of our people who have been wounded on operations during the past 12 months.

I never cease to be amazed at their determination and resilience, and I know the Army and Joint Health Command are doing all that they can to ensure these brave men are able to spend time with their family and friends as they recuperate this Christmas. We will continue to support all of our wounded people and their families throughout the year ahead.

Finally, I wish all members of the Defence team the very best for this holiday season. 2010 has been a very challenging year, but it has also been a time during which we can all be justifiably proud of our many achievements.

By Air Chief Marshal Allan Grant Houston, AC, AFC

I take great pride in being part of the Defence team and encourage all Defence people to do the same.

As an organisation, we are responsible for the defence of our nation and our national interests. Therefore, the work we undertake is both complex and demanding.

However, each time we are confronted with a new challenge, I have been very pleased to see our people working together to produce the best possible outcome. Without exception, you do so with a great deal of skill, enthusiasm and forbearance.

28 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

NAVY YEAR IN REVIEW

www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine28

This has been a year of change and reform unmatched, in my view, in the recent history of the Royal Australian Navy. I congratulate everyone in Navy group who has done so much to contribute to our mission; our success reflects your dedication to our task.

Change and reform unmatChed in navy historyBy Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Russ Crane

Warramunga represented her namesake at the 60th

anniversary of the Inchon landings in Korea and

conducted a very successful visit to China.

I have been consistently amazed by the variety

of tasks our Navy people are ready and willing to

undertake, and 2010 has been no different.

At home, the pace of Operation Resolute

has tested our ACPB and HS crews to their

limits, but they have performed their task with

exceptional skill and commitment. On behalf of

Navy, I commend you all on your performance this

year. In particular, Ardent Four and Assail 2 crew

members, who were awarded individual and CDF

unit commendations following the explosion on

SIEV 36, are worthy of the highest admiration.

Our span of current operations reflects the breadth

of our history of service in war and peace, and

2010 gave us two exceptional opportunities to

recognise and celebrate the achievements of those

who have served before us.

In October I had the special privilege of joining

the US Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral

Roughead, in presenting the veterans of RAN

Clearance Diving Team 3 with two US Navy unit

commendations awarded during the Vietnam

War. Government policy at the time limited the

acceptance and wear of foreign service awards,

but this has since changed.

I was also very proud to receive news that Her

Excellency, the Governor General of Australia,

approved new battle honours for the RAN. In

particular, the awards Malaya 1955-60, Malaysia

1956-7 and the recognition of our long deployment

to the Persian Gulf, East Timor, and as part

of the effort to rebuild Iraq, have been revised

and approved.

We will have many more opportunities in the

next three years to celebrate our history as the

RAN approaches its 100th anniversary. In July

2011, we will be marking the centenary of the

grant of our title “Royal Australian Navy” and

in October 2011 the launch of our first flagship

HMAS Australia.

Aside from operational missions, we have seen

many Navy firsts in the past 12 months, including

the first two Western Naval officers to sea-ride

with China’s PLA-Navy, Midshipmen Angus

McDonald and James Hill; the first operational

Harpoon Block II firing in the world during RIMPAC

10, when Warramunga participated in the

engagement against the ex-USS New Orleans;

and the first embarkation of an Australian Army

Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter on HMAS

Kanimbla in September.

It has been a very positive year for the Collins class

and our hardworking submariners. During 2010, we

have successfully increased submarine availability

and consolidated personnel numbers. We have

a full training pipeline and nine experienced

sailors have been assisted back into the Fleet

by our Rejoin Case Management Team. HMAS

Collins is currently completing a round-Australia

deployment, giving Navy and the Australian people

an opportunity to see the extraordinary capability

of our submarine arm.

Operationally, the commitment of a Navy frigate to

operations in the Middle East region has continued

through to its 24th rotation. HMA Ships Parramatta,

Toowoomba, Melbourne and Stuart have all served

in a flexible role this year, conducting anti-piracy

and maritime security patrols with impressive

results, and during the Christmas period CDRE

Greg Sammut is leading the RAN command group

in CTF150.

Toowoomba’s tour was captured in the National

Geographic documentary Australian Pirate Patrol

which was broadcast globally to an estimated

audience of 350 million people in October and

gives a unique insight into life at sea.

More broadly, Navy people have augmented land

operations in Afghanistan, in the Middle East, in

Sudan and in East Timor. In a first for Navy, CDRE

Stuart Mayer took command of TF631 in East

Timor, completing his tour earlier this year with

outstanding success.

Our humanitarian effort has included the

devastating floods in Pakistan, to which our

medical and logistics personnel responded

with incredible flexibility, and the latest Pacific

Partnership activity in Papua New Guinea, which

was led by HMAS Tobruk and provided medical

and community assistance to the people of Rabaul.

Crew from HMA Ships Labuan and Tarakan

also assisted a roving veterinary clinic near

Lautaim, East Timor. Our exercise program has

been equally high tempo, joining with our regional

partners in the FPDA series, Kakadu 10, RIMPAC 10

and many others.

This year was the RAN’s turn to host the Western Pacific Naval Symposium, which is a gathering of Chiefs of Navy from around the Pacific region to discuss ways to increase cooperation and interoperability. As Chair, our Navy played a central role in accepting Chile and Canada as full members of the Symposium, which is a significant step in achieving broad representation.

Warrant Officer of the Navy Mark Tandy also proposed that the Symposium establish a senior sailors’ forum, and this was enthusiastically adopted. It promises to be a significant means for sailors to exchange ideas and develop a better understanding of how different Navies operate. It also reflects our New Generation Navy (NGN) commitment to respecting the contribution of all members.

Now in its second year, NGN – our program for far reaching cultural and leadership reform – is progressing well along its five-year timeline. Our 10 signature behaviours, announced last year, have spread rapidly into every facet of our life.

They are successfully facilitating Navy’s goals for its desired culture and are helping to resolve long-standing issues such as blockages in the training pipeline and the length of time some of our people have been waiting to get to sea. For

example, we recently concluded a task group deployment to South East Asia, which included a Training Detachment of 180 people, who had the opportunity to progress their competency logs, participate in Exercise Bersama Padu 10 and experience life at sea.

Leadership has been this year’s focus. A new Leadership Framework has been agreed and a new doctrine, The RAN Leadership Ethic, has been published, which challenges us to think about the role of ethical leadership in Navy workplaces. They are reflected in new leadership modules for promotion courses at all sailor ranks and in junior officer training, as well as workshops for Officers and Warrant Officers. We have all been asked to reflect deeply on who we are and what we stand for.

Across the force, we have made advances in making flexible working practices available, in facilitating former members who want to rejoin us, in doing our business ‘cost consciously’ and in making our signature behaviours part of our instinctive response to our workplace.

In September, we started facilitator training for Navigating the Change (NTC) and by now many of you will be immersed in divisional workshops on unacceptable behaviour. Like the first Navy-wide NGN program – Making the Change ¬– these four engagements tackle one of our biggest remaining concerns: how to eliminate unacceptable behaviour through a values-based approach to our workplace.

While the NTC program is not intended to replace current training offered in equity and diversity, it does complement it. It is designed to increase awareness of what unacceptable behaviour is, and it covers more ground than most people think.

An important focus of the examples and discussions is actually giving people the power, at all ranks, to address negative cultural elements themselves and eradicate this behaviour before it becomes embedded in the workplace. Although it can be daunting to stand up against unacceptable behaviour, especially where issues of rank or friendship are involved, we all need to have the moral courage to do it. That is the NGN leadership culture.

aBOVe: Family members of Seaman Electrician Bradley Guthridge show how proud they are by designing special shirts for his arrival home after HMAS Warramunga’s return to Fleet Base West after a memorable international deployment.

Photo: Leading Seaman Phillip Cullinan

The success of NGN is imperative for our people

and for Force 2030, which is slowly emerging.

The first steel was cut this year for our AWDs,

expected to commence delivery in 2014. They

are being constructed by block and assembled in

Melbourne, Newcastle and Adelaide.

Meanwhile, the first of the Canberra class LHDs

is well along the path to launch in the first half of

next year and HMAS Perth, the first of the Anzac

Class to commence upgrade, came back alongside

Fleet Base West last October after nine months

in dock.

From a personnel perspective, the Fleet

Commander has introduced the Fleet Operating

Concept (FOC), which provides guidance on

maximising training opportunities, achieving

directed preparedness levels and regenerating our

high end warfighting capability so that we can man

both our current fleet and Force 2030. The FOC’s

emphasis on a cost conscious and sustainable

approach encapsulates the NGN culture, and is

an important means by which Navy will meet its

savings goals under the Strategic Reform Program.

Just as 2010 has been punctuated with many

highs, it has also been marked with sadness. In

the space of only 12 months, we have mourned

the death of several of our shipmates, past and

present. With the strong sense of family that

characterises our service as men and women of

the RAN, their loss has struck us hard and we will

miss them keenly.

We also join with the Australian Army and many

Australian families in grieving for our comrades-in-

arms killed this year in operations in Afghanistan,

and we paused in April to remember those lost in

Australian Hospital Ship Centaur, torpedoed in the

Second World War off the Queensland coast. We

shall not forget them.

I wish you a safe and relaxing break during our

Christmas reduced activity period, and ask you all

to take a moment to remember those still on duty

or deployed who won’t share the holidays with

their families. A merry Christmas to you all, and

keep safe into the New Year.

“Across the force, we have made advances in making flexible working practices available, in facilitating former members who want to rejoin us, in doing our business ‘cost consciously’ and in making our signature behaviours part of our instinctive response to our workplace.”

– Chief of Navy VADM Russ Crane

30 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 31www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

ARMY

a worlD class aDaptive army: people key to successBy Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie

There’s no doubt that every casualty suffered has a strong impact across Army, within our families and amongst the wider community. Despite their grief, our families have shown such wonderful support for our deployed troops and our institution. I’ve seen the Army family at its very best.

Adaptive responses to support our people For me and for Army’s commanders at every level, the single most important challenge to developing a world-class adaptive Army is not the tactile elements of war – the unrelenting focus on new platforms, communications or weapons and sensors.

The most important challenge is of realising the full potential of our workforce. Our people hold the key to the success of an adaptive Army.

We ask a great deal of our people and their families through our deployments, training and exercises and in the rigours of Army life. This year has been particularly tough with the tragic deaths of 10 of our soldiers in Afghanistan and the significant wounding of many more.

In attending the funerals of these soldiers, and in remembering their sacrifice, I was taken by the amazing compassion, grace, pride and bravery of each and every family. All have shown wonderful support for our deployed troops and our institution.

It is essential that Army develops pragmatic and comprehensive programs that support the ‘emotional contract’ we make with our soldiers and their families.

To that end, we have developed a range of strategies that deal with the delivery of mental health training to leaders of all ranks, and provide

more supportive processes for members with mental health conditions.

Until relatively recently, we had not paid sufficient attention to the invisible mental injury, an injury that affects not only our soldiers but also their spouses and families. And until only very recently, our culture did not make much allowance for a soldier’s combat injuries unless they were the kind that bled.

Our obligation to our people also means that our strategy addresses substance abuse and the impact on our soldiers, their families and the wider Army family. We must do as much as we can to reduce the number of alcohol-related incidents.

Army is actively seeking to change the thinking and culture that supports the idea that our people can drink excessively without consequence. It involves promoting a stronger awareness and understanding about what constitutes the responsible consumption of alcohol. No longer can we tolerate alcohol-related injuries as tragic accidents if we are to continue to invest in our people as Army’s most important asset.

We’ve achieved a great deal this year. We’ve formalised the conduct of welfare boards to ensure the personal wishes and views of our soldiers and their families are considered in the development of treatment and rehabilitation plans.

We’ve brought together a range of our wounded soldiers in a ‘Wounded Digger Forum’ to gain a better understanding of the issues these soldiers and their families face as they undergo treatment.

And we’re starting to ensure we have the processes and support structures in place to support our soldiers if and when they decide it is time to separate from the service.

Army will support our people in a manner that ensures they are mentally prepared for the operational challenges ahead. Our mental health strategy includes an improvement in resilience training in our training institutions which will ensure our soldiers are mentally tough and best prepared for the arduous physical and psychological challenges of contemporary operations. We will be there to support them after their mission ends.

In carrying out our day-to-day business, we recognise that the answers to many of the problems we face lie in the collective knowledge of all of Army’s soldiers and officers. The concept of learning loops recognises that Army’s IQ does not reside solely with me or Army’s senior leadership.

We’re looking for more and more ways to harness this collective knowledge and I’ve taken steps to ensure our people who have recently returned from operations come back to key positions in capability development and equipment procurement where their recent operational experience and ideas can be capitalised.

Our Facebook page will have more than 80,000 fans by the time this magazine goes to print. Many of the fans are soldiers, but a great deal of them

The Australian Army has instituted a series of wide-ranging and deep structural reforms designed to deliver greater responsiveness and agility to its command and control, force generation and force preservation processes.

Collectively known as the Adaptive Army Initiative, these reforms are fundamental to ensure Army’s balance between supporting current operations and its preparedness to win the joint land battles of the future is indeed the right balance.

This year has affirmed my faith in the Army family. Morale across Army is very high, our people believe passionately in the work they are doing and they are proud of the reputation Army holds within our community.

LefT: Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie talks to personnel about clothing and equipment at the recreation area at Camp Baker on the Kandahar Airfield in May this year.Photo: Sergeant Brent Tero RIgHT: Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie chats with participants in the ADF Paralympic Sports Program, which was a major initiative for wounded and injured Australian Defence Force personnel who could aspire to win gold for Australia. Photo: Sergeant Brian Hartigan

are the spouses, families and friends of soldiers

who use social media as a way of keeping up to

date with what’s going on in Army. We have a long

way to go, but I am pleased that we have started

the journey of unlocking the potential of our

entire organisation.

To our deployed men and women, I could not be

more proud of the efforts of our commanders and

people deployed on operations. Their care of their

fallen and wounded mates has been outstanding,

their messages to the families have been

inspirational and their continuing professionalism

on the battlefield is in the very finest traditions of

the Anzacs.

I look forward to next year, whereby Army’s posture

will remain a permanent state of adaptation,

centred upon our people, who will remain our

enduring number one priority.

aBIVe: Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie and Private Stephen King (Army Headquarters’ youngest soldier) cut Army’s 109th birthday cake in the Australian War Memorial’s Anzac Hall in March. Photo: Sergeant Andrew Hetherington

32 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 33www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

The farewell on 3 December of one of the Royal Australian Air Force’s fondest flying machines, the F-111, will mark the end of an era and also another very significant year, according to Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin.

In a year that marked achievements for platforms including the Super Hornet, Wedgetail, Heron, Orion and the C-17A Globemaster, the farewell to the F-111 will also provide an avenue to honour all of the men and women who flew, maintained and supported the F-111 during its service to the Air Force.

AIRMSHL Binskin said the Air Force is continuing to grow, with the permanent Air Force strength at 14,759 as at 1 October; an increase of 430 since the same time last year.

And despite the achievements of the various platforms, AIRMSHL Binskin keeps his greatest accolades for the men and women who keep the various aircraft running.

“I think the highs have been in the improved overall mission success rate on operations,” AIRMSHL Binskin told Defence Magazine.

“That’s despite a lot of the challenges facing our

support personnel out there. A lot of the platforms are aging and they do require a lot of work and a lot of effort, and I think the increased mission success rates have been testament to what they’ve been doing.

“The big one that stood out for me, and that’s only been in the last month, has been in the Hornet world – the classic Hornet world. They have worked hard in the last couple of years to improve the serviceability rates and we’re now starting to see the fruits of their labour.

“Through sheer initiative and hard work, they’re starting to deliver. That was shown in the last month or two when you look at the number of Hornets that were deployed around Australia and around the region on exercises – they did a fantastic job.

“I’ve singled out one particular area, but I could look into every FEG across air force and show you where there have been some great successes during

the year,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

Further exemplifying the attitude of Air Force people

came from the Chief’s visit to Pakistan during

Operation Pakistan Assist II in October.

When he asked his people if they had any complaints,

the only response was that more couldn’t be done.

“Living in a space the size of a soccer field for a couple

of months was pretty stressful, but that didn’t worry

them because they just wanted to be able to do more

for the Pakistani people,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

He also met a couple deployed on the Operation who

had postponed their wedding for the deployment.

“I was in one of the tents and there was a couple

of Defence people in the team looking after a young

Pakistani baby that was only a week old.

“I was sitting there talking to one of the girls and

she said, ‘oh, we postponed our wedding to come

over here’.”

“I just dred to think what the mother of the

bride thought about all that…but it just shows

the dedication of the people we’ve got in the Air

Force and it makes you proud.

“I just hope I don’t run into her mother and I’m

blamed for postponing the wedding.”

AIR FORCE

Similar dedication has seen 1237 Air Force personnel deployed on operations Haiti Assist, Kruger, Slipper, Resolute, Astute, Tower, Anode, Azure and Pakistan Assist II. All of the FEGs and several of the non-service groups were also involved, including 108 Reservists.

In February, the AP-3C Orion detachment in the MEAO reached another significant milestone when it achieved seven years of continuous operational service.

The Orions had flown more than 1750 missions, involving 16,500 flying hours supporting operations Bastille, Falconer, Catalyst and Slipper.

In March, the C-130s surpassed 20,000 hours since the detachment started in 2003 in support of the MEAO and had delivered approximately 68 million pounds of cargo.

In September, just more than a year and 4500 tonnes since their first intra-theatre mission, the C-17A aircraft recorded 100 missions in the Middle East. The C-17A has supported operations Kruger and Catalyst in Iraq and Operation Slipper in Afghanistan.

The Heron remotely-piloted aircraft detachment is providing essential support to the Mentoring Task Force and Special Operations Task Group. Between late April and late July, the detachment flew more than 900 hours or approximately 100 missions.

Air Force engaged in Exercise Pitch Black 2010, which

marked the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s 20th

anniversary of participation in the RAAF’s premier air

combat training exercise.

Air Force also participated in exercises Red Flag,

Bersama Shield, Bersama Padu, Rajawali Ausindo, Kakadu, Singaroo, Trial Muffler, Air Warrior II, Combined Strength and Willoh.

“We’ve done a lot during the year, and we keep talking about the future and what it has in store, but the fact is that this year was the future,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

“We’ve introduced four new aircraft types into service. At Christmas time, we’ll go operational with Super Hornets, we’ve introduced King Air, we’ve introduced Heron, we’ve introduced the Wedgetail and hopefully soon, we’ll have the KC-30 tankers accepted.”

But in sharpening his focus on the future, AIRMSHL Binskin says that next year’s challenges will be maintaining operational tempo and diving deeply into the Strategic Reform Program while continuing to deliver new capabilities.

A focus of Air Force’s reform efforts lies with Combat Support Group, which has remained largely unchanged in more than 10 years of operations.

The final structure of the expeditionary side of Combat Support Group will be settled early next year, followed by phased transition to the refocused and reformed Combat Support Group.

“But as I often say to people, don’t just focus on the real big ticket items,” AIRMSHL Binskin said.

“There’s a lot of day-to-day items that will provide us with the reforms that

End of an ERA marksfuturisticYEAR

“We’ve done a lot during the year, and we keep talking about the future and what it has in store, but the fact is that this year was the future.”

– Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin

LefT: Air Marshal Mark Binskin and the Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman (right) talk to Air Force Nurse, Flight Lieutenant Lynda Henderson, in the Australian Medical Task Force health centre during Operation Pakistan Assist II. Photos: Petty Officer Damian Pawlenko

By Michael Weaver

aBOVe: Flight Lieutenant Leon Izatt from No. 6 Squadron shows students from Darwin High School the cockpit of an F-111 during a school visit to RAAF Base Darwin. Photo: Corporal Hamish Paterson LefT: Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Mark Binskin addresses Air Force members of Joint Task Force 636 during his visitVp Cockatoo during Operation Pakistan Assist II.

we need to be able to fund the future force.”

Next year will also mark the Air Force’s 90th birthday and while not as old as the other two services, AIRMSHL Binskin said he is very proud of what the organisation has done.

Key celebrations will be marked at the Avalon Air Show, along with an air pilgrimage from Temora to Point Cook at the end of March.

There is a still lot to achieve before the Air Force’s 90th year ends and AIRMSHL Binskin is cognisant of his people needing to take a break and spend time with their families.

“There’s been a lot asked of Air Force in the last 12 months and we’ve delivered.

“So I hope that during the Christmas period, people do get away for a break, do get a chance to recharge their batteries, do get a chance to thank the families and spend some time with them.

“It has been well earned, but we need to come back

next year and be able to jump into it pretty quickly.

There’ll be a lot asked of us again as well.”

faR RIgHT: The future is here: Flight Sergeant Barry McCrabb receives a maintenance update from the Canadian MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA contractors, about the Australian-operated Heron Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. Photo: Able Seaman Imagery Specialist Jo Dilorenzo

34 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

JOINT LOgISTICS COMMAND

The release of the Australian Defence Strategic Logistics Strategy capped off a busy and successful year for Joint Logistics Command (JLC). The Strategy is key to achieving a future Defence Logistics system that is robust, flexible and responsive, along with being capable of providing future support to ADF operations and Force 2030.

Commander Joint Logistics and Defence

Strategic J4, Air-Vice Marshal Margaret Staib said:

“The Strategy defines the body of work necessary

to transform Defence Logistics. Through dedicated

leadership, perseverance, innovation and resources

in a culture of reform we can and will deliver

first class and efficient logistics support to the

future force.”

Some of the work in the eleven themes of

the Strategy has already commenced, including

the major logistics initiative under the Strategic

Reform Program (SRP), the Defence Logistics

Services Project. The DLSP is off to a strong

start and the not too distant future will see

our warehousing footprint reduce from the

current 24 outdated sites, to seven state-

of-the-art distribution centres, supported by

several specialist facilities. Industry has been

consulted regarding the proposed model and a

comprehensive business case is being developed

for government consideration.

Strategic arrangements with national and

international partners position the ADF to operate

more effectively at home and abroad. In 2010,

international logistics support agreements

TOP LefT: LCDR Rebecca Levitt, Supply Officer HMAS Melbourne addresses the ADLC about changes she would like to see to improve logistics TOP cenTRe: Ms Genevieve O’Sullivan, Director Materiel Systems and Supply Chain, Department of National Defence, Canada takes a question at the ADLC TOP RIgHT: Commander Joint Logistics, AVM Margaret Staib and Director General Logistics Management Bureau, Ministry of National Defense, Republic of Korea (MAJGEN Jun, Dong Woon) confirm bilateral logistics support.

were either initiated or renewed with Republic

of Korea, Japan and the United States. At the

national level, our signed agreements with the

Australian Federal Police, the Australian Customs

and Border Protection Service and the Australian

Quarantine and Inspection Service will streamline

processes and interactions when Defence and

these agencies need to meet the Government’s

national security agenda.

In line with SRP principles, Defence has

sought improved performance in our support

contracts to areas of operations. New governance

frameworks have been implemented for contracts

in East Timor and the MEAO. These frameworks

are providing significant efficiencies and

savings but, most importantly are doing so with

no impact on the level of service to deployed

personnel on the ground.

In a pilot scheme designed to address future

skill shortages in the Command, two Electronics

Communications apprentices have commenced at

the Joint Proof and Experimental Establishment

at Port Wakefield.

The rollout of the Defence Materiel Integrated

Logistics Information System (MILIS) has not

been trouble free. However, suitable interventions

have meant that many of the issues have now

been resolved. CJLOG commended the many

stakeholders and users of the new system

for their patience and perseverance as MILIS

is implemented.

The Australian Defence Logistics Conference held

at ADFA in July continues to expand, with more

than 450 delegates declaring this year’s conference

to have been the best yet. With a theme of

‘Innovation in Logistics Reform’, the conference

featured speakers from Australian industry and

Canadian, US and Australian Defence elements,

who each shared the lessons learned during their

own logistics reform initiatives.

FEATURE

35d e f e n c e m a g a z i n e › www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

Cycling 4500km isn’t everyone’s idea of how to spend your long-service leave – but then MAJor Harri Keinonen didn’t call his holiday the ‘Tour de Madness’ for nothing.

MAJ Keinonen, who works with the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation, left Russell Offices in Canberra on September 16 on his recumbent trike.

After two years of planning his dream road run, MAJ Keinonen has used Hobart as a home base to explore the Apple Isle.

He will also meet family in Melbourne at Christmas and then return to Canberra via Sydney in the first week of January, “half the man” he was before he left.

“It has just been a wonderful experience of taking each day as it comes and relying on myself to sort things out as they happen,” MAJ Keinonen said.

“It has just been brilliant – nothing exciting to tell but just a great deal of fun and lots of great experiences.”

MAJ Kienonen initially took up riding the recumbent trike after wrist and lower back pain forced him off his more traditional two-wheeler.

The Finnish-born rider’s initial plan was to ride from Madrid to Helsinki but costs compelled him to devise a local version of the tour.

By Graham McBean

Long, lonely hours hitting the bitumen are no problem to him but he said the mental challenges of such an intense endurance feat were very much more difficult than the physical challenges.

And while the Tasmanian wilderness has been “absolutely fantastic”, riding solo through the Huon Valley is not for the faint-hearted.

“Some days are 130km or so with some pretty big hills to cross and you need to have mental stamina just to keep going in the middle of nowhere,” he said.

“It is a big mental game more than anything else.” Even so, being physically prepared does make life easy.

The recumbent trike was fitted out to enable him to be self-supporting and he carries a two-man tent, sleeping bag and food.

Apart from these essentials, his trike is fitted with a wind generator and solar chargers for navigation aids and communications.

He said the recumbent trike was perfect for touring and handled better than a two-wheeled bike loaded with panniers, all in comparative comfort as well.

Apart from an amazing road run, MAJ Keinonen has been blown away by the friendliness and kindness of people along the path.

His mildly eccentric holiday seems to warm

people to his journey and he has been struck by

the friendliness of the people he has met.

In Hobart he struck up a conversation with an

interested observer. The chance meeting just

happened to be with a man also into cycle touring.

He asked MAJ Keinonen if he had accommodation

and then offered him a room at his place.

“He said ‘you’re welcome to stay at my place

as long as you want’ and that’s where I am at

the moment’.

“He is away for four weeks and he gave me his

keys and I have the run of the house.

“It is just very generous and hospitable.”

With about 2300km to go “depending on side trips

on the way to Sydney” he said there have been no

epiphanies on his journey – just a lot of fun.

He makes no big deal of the slightly offbeat long-

service holiday.

“As my wife attests, I am an introvert so I get my

energy from within – so the solo tour just suited

me down to the ground.”

aBOVe: Major Harri Keinonen from the Defence Imagery and Geospatial Organisation, prepares his steed for the tour of a lifetime. Photo: Able Seaman Craig Owen

A tri-wheeled TOUR DE MADNESS

“ As my wife attests, I am an introvert so I get my energy from within – so the solo tour just suited me down to the ground.”

36 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 37www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation has had another busy year supporting the Australian Defence Force in its operations and acquisitions and in providing science and technology solutions to current and future needs.

Support to operationsEarly in the year, DSTO reached 100 staff members deployed in support of operations in a little more than a decade.

Joint Operations Division chief Jennie Clothier said deploying scientists and technologists to directly conduct urgent technical investigations, develop new systems and to assist in the evaluation of equipment in theatre was tried in the Vietnam War, but then not used again until the ADF led the multilateral force into East Timor in 1999.

“Deployed staff are supported by the ability to reach back for support from colleagues in Australia who supply additional advice and information, adding even more value to this on-the-ground support,” Dr Clothier said.

As well, a new Support to Operations database was introduced which is accessible to DSTO and ADF staff with a need to know. Dr Clothier said the database increased the accessibility and timeliness of operational information, providing a better source of information for analysts, thus increasing support to soldiers in theatre.

DSTO’s Scottsdale laboratory has been looking at how soldiers are fed to ensure that dietary intakes match the person and the job. The new ration scales developed by the Human Protection and Performance Division divide ADF members into sub-groups related to age and gender and then take levels of physical activity into account. These new scales mean rations will more closely match individual needs while helping ADF members maintain a balanced diet.

FROM OPERATIONS TO ACqUISITIONS By Karen Polglaze

DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOgY ORgANISATION

aBOVe: Members of the DSTO Electronic Warfare and Radar Division fibre laser team (L-R) Miro Dubinovsky,

Alex Hemming, Shayne Bennetts and Len Corena.

The DSTO Environmental Data Server was released to the Defence community mid-year. The system has been designed to provide rapid access to high-fidelity environmental models and can be used by people who do not have advanced expertise in meteorological modelling.

Meanwhile, the Physical Employment Standards Centre of Excellence has been working with several trade areas in the Army to establish the physical capabilities needed for a range of jobs. The centre is a partnership between DSTO and the University of Wollongong and is made up of a multi-disciplinary team of exercise scientists who identify the physical requirements of individual trades, and then devise occupational fitness assessments.

This year, the team completed work with the Royal Australian Armoured Corps, the Royal Australian Engineers and the air dispatcher, operator petroleum, parachute rigger and all ground-based trades in the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. The team has also completed an assessment of the generic requirements of common combat arms soldiers, and has begun work with infantry, artillery, airfield defence guards, clearance divers and Army aviation trades.

Ensuring acquisitions meet needsThe acceptance into service in May of the first two Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft highlighted 17 years of work by a large number of DSTO personnel who provided in-depth advice. The work began with a project definition study in early 1994 and continued through the tender evaluation in 1999 which involved 75 DSTO staff members from seven different divisions.

During acquisition, DSTO has had a rotating team of six on site in Baltimore and Seattle supporting the technology areas of radar, electronic warfare, multi-sensor integration, mission system integration and human system integration. Fourteen DSTO staff members undertook these roles, ensuring a significant body of knowledge will support 42 Wing in operating the Wedgetail and bringing the aircraft up to full operational capability.

The work on fatigue life which this year earned Head Structural Integrity Combat Aircraft Loris Molent the 2010 Minister’s Award for Achievement in Defence Science has resulted in further savings for the Royal Australian Air Force in keeping its F/A-18 Hornets in the air. New developments in structural lifing methods in DSTO’s Air Vehicles Division and the findings of a long-term program analysing structural fatigue life resulted in a significant reduction in scope of the refurbishment program, which means multi-million dollar savings, shortening of the program and increased aircraft availability.

Software developed through DSTO innovation and RAAF data collection has resulted in international adoption of a money-saving maintenance technique for C-130J aircraft and a significant Australian contribution to the aircraft’s user group.

The Dynamic Propeller Balancing Software vastly reduces propeller vibration by collecting data while the C-130J is in the air. These data more accurately inform maintenance, reducing the need for trial and error and ground testing. Maintenance now usually takes a couple of hours rather than the approximately 37 required previously. The software solution to propeller balance has proved so useful that six of the seven member countries of the

C-130J user group (Italy, Denmark, Canada, Norway, Australia and the United Kingdom) have adopted it. The seventh member, the United States, is reviewing the terms of the software licence before making a final decision.

Future forceA program that could lead to a revolution in future flight had its second successful test flight in a planned series of 10.

The hypersonic flight, conducted in March at the Woomera Test Range, is part of a joint research program by DSTO and the US Air Force. The test flight enabled scientists to collect fundamental data critical to the design and development of an engine capable of sustained hypersonic flight through the atmosphere at speeds of more than five times the speed of sound (Mach 5).

The program, called Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE), is investigating the fundamental science of hypersonics technology and its potential for next generation aeronautical systems. Research Leader Allan Paull said hypersonic flight could lead to new applications in aeronautics.

“Importantly, hypersonic flight could be the means by which space becomes more accessible and launching communications and other satellites becomes more economic,” Dr Paull said.

Woomera was also the scene of two more successful tests in August and September of the air-to-ground Joint Standoff Weapon. The glide weapon, which has a range of up to 100 kilometres, was dropped from a RAAF Super Hornet in the test firings which were the first outside the US. All test outcomes were achieved and the precision strike capability was demonstrated with the destruction of the hardened concrete target in both tests.

A new fibre laser-based Directed InfraRed CounterMeasure (DIRCM) laser this year passed the first stage of its potential deployment as part of the infrared countermeasure system for combat aircraft.

Ten years of research into DIRCM lasers in DSTO’s Electronic Warfare and Radar Division and collaboration with BAE Systems reduced the size, weight and number of optical components in the system while increasing performance. Developed in conjunction with BAE Systems as part of the Capability and Technology Demonstrator Program, the fibre laser technology is world class.

The Emerging Technologies Conference held in May in Sydney provided an opportunity for around 180 delegates to consider the threats and opportunities in rapid developments in science. Co-hosted by DSTO and the Defence Intelligence Organisation, the trilateral conference brought together speakers from the science and technology and the intelligence communities of Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom.

A highlight of the year was the inaugural international peer review of DSTO’s Corporate Enabling Research Program Initiatives. Experts from the US, Canada and the United Kingdom joined the DSTO Advisory Board and senior Defence leaders to subject the program to rigorous scrutiny.

The review is a key measure to ensure the program will deliver quality and relevant science in a timely manner. A significant focal point of the review is to ensure the research is transitioned into Defence capability.

“The review was a success with the external scrutiny from our eminent panel of experts providing very valuable guidance for DSTO’s enabling research programs,” Director General Science Strategy and Policy Dr Lynn Booth said.

“As a result, the link between CERP Initiatives and the transition and integration to Defence capability will be much tighter.”

The CERP Initiatives comprise research across one or more divisions of DSTO that is of strategic significance to Defence and/or national security. The CERP enables DSTO to conduct research into key science and technology areas as outlined in

the Defence White Paper to anticipate, and meet, Defence needs. The program is an important mechanism for fostering interactions with, and leveraging from, industry, academia, and Australian and overseas research bodies.

In October, DSTO launched a new partnership with the University of Melbourne which has created the Defence Science Institute, supported by Victoria’s Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development. The Institute will address six initial research topics: biological systems, human protection and performance, signature management, energy and propulsion systems, micro-radar technologies, and intelligent information systems. Outcomes from these research areas will directly enhance defence capabilities.

An exciting new development in unmanned ground vehicles was delivered through an international contest designed to challenge the minds of the world’s leading robotics researchers and developers. Five teams, three from the US and one each from Australia and Turkey, contested the Multi Autonomous Ground-robotics International Challenge (MAGIC) in Adelaide in November. The teams were short-listed from 23 which submitted entries designed to develop next generation autonomous vehicle systems. The use of autonomous unmanned vehicles has the potential to greatly reduce the risk to soldiers required to carry out hazardous duties such as detecting improvised explosive devices.

The two-yearly Land Warfare Conference, co-hosted by DSTO and the Army, followed hard on the heels of the MAGIC Challenge and was once again a major event for users, providers, academics, designers and manufacturers to meet, present, share and exchange new and visionary ideas on Land Systems. The theme for this year’s conference was Full Spectrum Threats: Adaptive Responses. A feature was the presentation of research awards to the winners of the MAGIC 2010 International Robotic Challenge.

BeLOW: DSTO Air Vehicles Division members Paul Marsden (left), Brian Rebbechi (third from right) and Ken Vaughan (far right) with RAAF team members.

fROM LefT: University of Melbourne Professor of Physics Steven Prawer, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel Warren Snowdon, University of Melbourne Vice Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis, Victorian Cabinet Secretary Tony Lupton, and Deputy Chief Defence Scientist Platform and Human Systems Ian Sare at the launch of the Defence Science Institute.

38 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 39www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER gROUP

As information communications technology (ICT) is a key enabler or other Groups’ and Services’ reform projects, it is imperative that the Chief Information Officer Group (CIOG) is able to provide the ICT projects and support required.

CIOG will continue to put the required ICT

remediation at the core of its business which will

enable a more robust and flexible Defence ICT

network for the future.

Key reform initiatives this year have been

many and varied; from large ICT infrastructure

remediation projects to better stakeholder

engagement processes.

The remediation journey began with the Data

Centre Consolidation which will provide a more

reliable service, enable capacity for 10 years

of growth and enable a reduction in the number

of data centres from approximately 200 to less

then 10.

This project forms the foundation for the Next

Generation Desktop (Single Desktop), which is

providing stakeholders with a standard single

desktop computer that is reliable, ensures

standardisation of application versions and

reduces maintenance requirements.

Another large and far-reaching project is the

Terrestrial Communications Bundle (JP2047). By

upgrading the basics of Defence’s transmission

equipment, stakeholders will experience a more

reliable service as well as new services to improve

business processes.

The aim of the Distributed Computing Central

Services project is to give CIOG the ability to

consolidate services and contracts, resulting

in fewer vendor relationships and better

value for money. It will also provide Defence

greater flexibility and responsiveness to project

requirements and changing business needs and

provide a sound foundation to pursue and build

future managed services type solutions.

The consolidation of the Defence Restricted

Network and Defence Secret Network service

desks is now complete.

With this consolidation, a new tool, called Service

Manager 7, will support delivery of ICT services

to the organisation to enable a holistic approach

to the management and delivery of ICT Services.

Service Manager 7 will also include the new

Online Service Catalogue.

Both the CIOG Service Delivery Charter and the

CIOG Service Catalogue were released to give

users a better understanding of the services

provided and how they will be utilised.

generation

Projectsto takeDefence into next

CIOG has also been upgrading Defence’s IT

equipment (PCs, monitors, switches and printers).

This activity is known as the Infrastructure

Remediation project.

Work processes are currently being reengineered

in the area of software applications to ensure

there is a coordinated software licencing

management framework in Defence. This will

ensure the following issues surrounding software

licencing are addressed:

> meeting business needs

> compliance

> cost of software ownership

> governance

> duplication

To support Defence’s very busy professional

workforce, CIOG has implemented a Learning and

Development Strategy. This includes extensive

analysis of the technical skilling and learning

requirements of the Group, which has evolved into

an ICT Capability Framework for the Defence ICT

Job Family.

This framework maps the Defence ICT occupations

and APS levels currently identified across the

department and provides a detailed skilling

document for each, known as the Defence ICT

Career Pathway Architecture. Please feel free to

browse the CIOG’s intranet site for more.

Stakeholder Engagement Teams are now up and

running with points of contact established in all

groups and services. This new service has ensured

a far closer and more effective relationship with

CIOG in order to meet ICT requirements.

With a view to consolidating employees from

18 buildings around Canberra to just eight, CIOG

will be taking up residence in Anzac Park West

from November 2010. Please check the Defence

Corporate Directory regularly regarding contact

details of CIOG staff.

Key achievements in 2010

Data centre consolidationAs part of the Data Centre Consolidation program

of work, the migration of Defence’s primary data

centre in Deakin to a new Tier 3 rated facility

in Sydney will provide Defence with a sound

data centre infrastructure capable of meeting

the organisation’s future capability and capacity

demands. As part of a centralised processing

model, the new primary data centre will provide

the ability to support related SRP initiatives, such

as the Next Generation Desktop, and will also

provide capacity for the consolidation of over 200

data centres into less than ten.

Disaster recovery capabilities at Victoria Barracks

Melbourne will be upgraded to meet the migration

requirements of the new primary data centre.

next generation Desktop (single desktop)The Next Generation Desktop project will be

a simplified desktop experience for Defence

personnel. Multiple environments across different

security domains will be accessible via a single

device on a single screen. These changes will

result in reduced support and maintenance

costs and will not impact Defence business or

business applications.

Terrestrial communications bundleThe Terrestrial Communications initiative is to upgrade, replace, standardise and rationalise the Defence Terrestrial Communications Network (DTCN) in order to deliver business efficiencies, lower costs in Defence’s ICT activities and achieve a secure and robust ICT capability that supports war fighting and business functions. The DTCN includes networks at over 330 sites in Australia, the Wide Area Network (WAN) and interfaces to tactical networks and partners.

Distributed computing central servicesThe outcome of the DCCS project is to put in place a flexible and scalable replacement contract for the delivery of a variety of existing Defence ICT services. The aim of the DCCS contract is to move to a model where Defence has fewer vendor relationships, a more scalable and flexible workforce model and better transparency of costs and value for money, consistent with the strategic reform agenda.

service Delivery charterThe Service Deliver Charter has been created to clearly state how we will deliver our services to our stakeholders.

service catalogueThe Service Catalogue is an on line service where CIOG users can identify and choose the IT service they require.

Infrastructure remediationThe ICT Infrastructure Remediation activity is

addressing the long term underinvestment in ICT

infrastructure that has resulted in a significant

proportion of assets being beyond their effective

life. The aim is to update and replace old

infrastructure with zero infrastructure growth.

Elements of ICT Infrastructure include Fleet

Management Implementation Program, Russell

PABX upgrade and ICT hardware refresh. Defence

personnel will directly benefit with improved

availability and performance and the ability to add

additional functionality.

software licence rationalisationThis initiative will provide Defence with the ability

to manage software application licenses based on

business need, usage and thresholds and reduce

support costs.

faster time to market for large IT projectsWe are currently trialling a modified Defence ICT

Investment Approval Process, which has been

based on the whole-of-government ICT Two Pass

model. This process sets out the activities and

approval checkpoints needed to obtain investment

approval for ICT enabled project proposals.

LefT: The Next Generation Desktop project will see multiple environments across different security domains that will be accessible via a single device on a single screen.

40 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 41www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

from

Polandto

australia

DIVERSITY SECTION

aBOVe: The Byzdra family, (L-R) Able Seaman Boatswain’s Mate Lukas Byzdra, Petty Officer Marine Technician Marcin Byzdra, and Able Seaman Dental Agnieska Byzdra, serve in the Royal Australian Navy. They emigrated to Australia from Poland six years ago and have made many sacrifices to make a new and successful life in Rockingham, Western Australia Photo: Leading Seaman Imagery Specialist Nadia Monteith

Read their full story on pages 44 – 45.

OPPORTUNISTS TAKE NOTE –

embrace diversity says Secretary

By Shelley Daws

Diversity is the breeding ground for opportunities, according to Defence Secretary Dr Ian Watt.“Diversity is about differences and variety,” Dr Watt said.

“For Defence, this can encompass many things, for instance, a diverse career or a working environment that encourages opportunities to move between Groups and Services, or interstate and overseas.

“It can also encompass the idea of a flexible working environment that allows staff to balance work and personal lives.

“But I think for most people the word ‘diversity’ is primarily associated with the workforce, which, of course, is about differences among employees, such as age, gender, cultural background, physical abilities and disabilities, sexual orientation, race and religion.

Dr Watt said this diversity is an inherent part of the Australian Public Service and also the entire Australian community, which emphasises our robust history of migration.

“The APS has long been expected to take a leadership role in supporting a diverse workforce. With the tightening of the labour market, the APS needs to explore new ways to attract and retain staff, and that will mean attracting and retaining a

diverse range of skills,” Dr Watt said.

Current statistics show that women

represent fewer than 40 per cent of Defence’s APS

workforce; Indigenous employees represent 0.5 per

cent; employees with a disability represent 2.5 per

cent; and employees from non-English speaking

backgrounds represent 13 per cent.

“While we are doing reasonably well in terms

of the APS national average on the last measure

(our 13 per cent versus 15.2 per cent nationally),

we need to do much better on all other fronts,” Dr

Watt said.

For instance, in December last year, the CDF

and Secretary endorsed People in Defence –

Generating the Capability for the Future Force,

which sets out the vision for ensuring that Defence

is well-placed by 2015 to deliver the workforce

required for Force 2030.

The People in Defence vision details what success

in the people area will look like in 2015, and also

contains a blueprint that will guide the actions of

Defence leaders and people professionals.

People in Defence will also start a dialogue among

the Australian community, the people who have

joined Defence or are contemplating doing so,

and the Australian Government.

Dr Watt said some very significant internal

consultation had already taken place throughout

2010, with an external engagement strategy to be

rolled out in the near future.

“We know that Defence provides interesting and

challenging work, and wonderfully diverse career

opportunities. However, we need to enhance our

position in the community as an organisation that

is respected and valued, and is widely regarded as

a responsible and conscientious employer, one that

takes care to reflect the community it serves.

“Each one of us needs to be committed to

providing an inclusive and welcoming workplace,

allowing equal access to development

opportunities for all staff, and providing

consideration for staff with special needs, for

instance, during technology upgrades and when

planning access to building and premises.

“The long-term success in attracting people to

Defence is dependent on how the community

views and judges Defence. If we can effectively

promote ourselves as an organisation that not only

values diversity, but is a leader in the area, we can

set ourselves apart and position ourselves as an

employer of choice for all people.”

Current statistics show that women represent fewer than 40 per cent of Defence’s APS workforce; Indigenous employees represent 0.5 per cent; employees with a disability represent 2.5 per cent of our workforce; and employees from non-English speaking backgrounds represent 13 per cent of our workforce.

RIgHT: Secretary of Defence, Dr Ian Watt (left), chats with members from the Air Component Task Group about the great work they are doing in the Middle East Area of Operations. Photo: Corporal Chris Moore

42 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 43www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

When a Defence travel consultant suffered a major stroke in December 2003, she feared her ability to be a valued employee would be seriously diminished.

At the time, Tanya Pascale worked in contract

management on higher duties with Corporate

Support and Infrastructure Group (now DSG) in

South Australia.

The stroke left Tanya with permanent partial

paralysis down her left side and reduced the

mobility of her left hand. She was hospitalised

and spent a total of 10 months away from work

undergoing rehabilitation.

When she was ready, she returned to Defence

working part-time on a return to work plan.

Within six months of that – and thanks to some

adjustments to her role and workstation – she

had recommenced full-time work in her old team.

“After having suffered such a major stroke and

being left with a disability, you initially feel like

you won’t be a valued employee any more,”

Tanya said.

“That was certainly not the case. I even

received the support of the regional manager

who would visit regularly to make sure that I

was happy, my needs were being met and that

I was being looked after.

“During my hospitalisation and rehabilitation,

Defence supported me immensely. My rehab

co-ordinator, my manager plus Defence colleagues,

visited me on a regular basis. They kept me

informed of everything Defence was doing to

enable my smooth transition back to work.

“I was continually updated on what to expect next

and the anticipated timeframe. This made me feel

could exercise my legs, and walk in front of me

when I walked down. I would never have received

that level of support in the private sector.”

These days, Tanya is extremely grateful for the

support she received from Defence.

“They gave me the opportunity to return to

work and made me feel confident that I am still

a valuable and capable employee.”

Tanya’s story is but one which highlights

Defence’s willingness to fulfil its commitment to

the employment of people with disabilities and

promote diversity in the workplace.

To meet this commitment, Defence

undertakes reasonable adjustments to

understand and accommodate people with

a disability, whether their disability is visible

or not, permanent or temporary.

Reasonable adjustments can include specialist

equipment, flexible work arrangements and

building modifications to name but a few. The

goal is to assist people with disabilities to

overcome or minimise the impact of their disability

within the workplace.

However, the most important support for people

with disabilities is the understanding of their

work colleagues and management. This support is

crucial to making people feel welcome and valued

in the workplace.

like I was of value to Defence and that my skills

were still required. It felt good that I could stay

connected and contribute to the organisation.

“After all, I loved my job and returning to work

made me feel like my disability was not completely

life-changing.”

During the consultation and examination period

with a Commonwealth doctor, Tanya expressed

her desire to return to full-time work and was

encouraged to maintain this vision throughout

her rehabilitation.

As detailed above, Tanya’s eventual re-entry to

the Defence workplace was through a graduated

return to work plan. Tanya was encouraged to ask

for anything that would make the workplace more

adaptable to her changing needs.

“Defence purchased an ergonomic arm rest that

clips on to the side of my desk for my partially

unusable left arm, a headset so that I could move

around and other pieces of office equipment that

made my job easier. My workstation was tailored

to suit my needs,” Tanya said.

“Also, during my rehabilitation I focused on

learning how to touch type with my right hand so

that I could continue contributing to the work of

my team.”

Tanya also speaks highly of her senior equity

adviser, who went above the call of duty.

“His support I will never forget,” Tanya said.

“This person would follow me up the stairs so I

PEOPLE STRATEgIES AND POLICY

By Belinda Hogarth-Boyd

Support for people with

disabilityLefT: Defence employee Tanya Pascale has utilised Defence’s return to work plan after suffering a stroke.

Scheme bAnkS on leArningA revised version of Studybank has been launched,

with changes ensuring Defence’s civilian employees

can access a studies assistance scheme that is

equitable, related to Defence capability requirements

and in keeping with changes in the Australian

education sector.

Studybank has supported APS employees to

undertake Defence-relevant study since 1991, and

has assisted thousands to further their education

and gain nationally recognised qualifications through

universities, vocational education training providers

and other registered training organisations.

A review of Studybank concluded that the scheme

was well-known and used, but could better link

Defence and employee education needs, and be more

equitable, responsive and straightforward.

All ongoing Defence APS employees can apply

for Studybank. Applicants must discuss proposed

study with their supervisor and have it noted on

their PFADS/EPA as an endorsed learning and

development activity.

Courses sponsored under Studybank may range from

certificate-level to post-graduate courses undertaken

in any study mode.

To assist Defence capability and guide employee

study choices, Groups and sponsors for occupational

streams (such as logistics, procurement and

contracting) have nominated courses that are

highly sought after or critical to capability for level

one support. Financial support at a lower level

is also provided for other courses that have well

demonstrated relevance to the employee’s current

or anticipated role.

Approved applications will enable employees to

access work release (previously known as study leave)

and financial support. Financial assistance of up to

$4000 (level one) or $2000 (level two) per year is

available to reimburse successful studies.

Work release is available for up to 45 hours per

subject, up to a maximum of 180 hours per year.

Where funding is exhausted, approvals may be

given for work release only.

WhAt iS the ApplicAtion proceSS?After reading DPI 3/2010, employees should discuss

study options with their supervisor and decide an

appropriate course of study and work release pattern.

These should be recorded on the employee’s PFADS.

The employee completes Webform AB 161 and

submits the application via their supervisor to the

Group processing office before: 1 February – for

studies commencing in Feb-Jun, or 1 July – for studies

commencing in Jul-Jan.

For current recipients, all applications will be

assessed using the new two-level definitions, the

new form and the new deadlines. However, until 1

July 2012, employees who were Studybank recipients

in the second half of 2010 who are continuing their

studies in 2011 may opt to receive the old financial

benefits under DPI 4/2007.

Further detailed information can be obtained from

the web site at Studybank web-site

http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dsg/sites/cesP/

comWeb.asp?page=71274 or by e-mailing

studybankPolicyadvice@drn.mil.au.

aBOVe: The Studybank team (L-R): Peter Papapanou (delegate for DSG), Kay Kelly (national manager), Jill Jackson (AD Education Assistance Schemes), Juanita Brown (delegate for OSCDF, Navy, Army, CDG, CFO, CIOG, I&S and PSPG,) Kylie Van’t Hof (delegate for Air Force and DSTO) and Tony Cutroni (delegate for DMO, VCDF and JOC).

“ After all, I loved my job and returning to work made me feel like my disability was not completely life-changing.”

Defence Assistive Technology Program The equipment that Tanya uses was provided through the Defence Assistive Technology Program (DATP). This program supports equipment for employees with disabilities. DATP equipment often relates to computer use.

Commonly used products include:

Dragon naturally speaking – voice

activated software which replaces the need

to type. This product is often used by people

with arthritis, Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI),

upper limb amputations or people who have

experienced a stroke.

zoomText – this software can magnify on-screen

text and change the colour contrast for easier

reading. This product is typically used by people

with vision impairment.

Job access With speech (JAWS) – this is

screen reader software that replaces the need to

read text on-screen. This product is also used by

the visually impaired.

Further details can be found on the Fairness

and Resolution Branch website at http://www.

defence.gov.au/fr/

44 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 45www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

NAVY

A Polish family has given new meaning to the term ‘sea change’ after making a remarkable transition to the Royal Australian Navy.

THE ULTIMATE SEAFrom Poland to the RAN

The Byzdra family (husband Marcin, wife Agnieszka and son Lukasz) emigrated from Poland six years ago and have now added to the diversity of the Australian Defence Force by serving in the Royal Australian Navy.

The fascination with all things naval started with Marcin Byzdra joining the Polish Navy as a Marine Technician in 1989.

Lukasz remembers visiting his Dad onboard some of the ships he served in. “Polish Navy ships are full of memorabilia and tradition,” Lukasz remembers.

“They are not all clean and new like Australian Navy ships. I can remember the distinct smell of the ships my Dad served in when I was younger”.

Marcin moved his young family around when he was posted and his last posting in the Polish Navy was in Germany, in NATO Headquarters as an Intelligence Analyst.

During this posting Marcin was exposed to people from foreign Defence Forces and formed some contacts who encouraged him to consider emigration.

“Marcin was talking to a Defence member from Canada about transferring to the Canadian Navy but we all thought – Canada is so cold!,” Marcin’s wife Agnieszka explained.

“It was around this time that we first considered moving to Australia.”

The next year, Marcin resigned from the Polish Navy

and Marcin and Agnieszka took the plunge and

moved to Adelaide on student visas.

“It was a big risk that we took in moving half way

around the world. We sold everything in Poland

and came to Australia with three suitcases.

“But we believed that any sacrifice we made would

be better in the long run for our family – and it has

paid off,” Agnieszka said.

Lukasz started year 11 in a school in Adelaide,

while Marcin catered to his interest in technoloy

with a Diploma in Information Technology at

University of South Australia.

Agnieska, nicknamed ‘Aga’, said that it was a

challenging time for the family.

“We had moved away from our friends and family

and we weren’t sure if everything was going to end

up as we had planned.

“We lived very basically, all working jobs to make

ends meet until we could get permanent residency.”

The plan was always for Marcin to join the

Australian Navy, which he did as a Marine

Technician in 2007. Lukasz joined him three months

later, completing initial and category training as a

Bosun’s Mate.

CHANGEBy Lieutenant Katey Mouritz

“It was a big risk that we took in moving

halfway around the world. We sold everything in Poland

and came to Australia with three suitcases. But we

believed that any sacrifice we made would be better in

the long run for our family – and it has paid off.”

– Able Seaman Dental Agnieska Byzdra

aBOVe: The Byzdra family, (L-R) Able Seaman Bosun’s Mate Lukasz Byzdra, Petty Officer Marine Technician Marcin Byzdra, and Able Seaman Dental Agnieska Byzdra, serve in the Royal Australian Navy. They emigrated to Australia from Poland six years ago and have made many sacrifices to make a new and

successful life in Rockingham, Western Australia.

Photo: Leading Seaman Imagery Specialist Nadia Monteith

“The weapons aspect really attracted me to the

BM category,” Lukasz said.

“I have always been fascinated with small arms

weaponry, not so much the larger guns that require

remote operation. I prefer the hands-on approach.

“I also considered joining in Communications or

Clearance Diving categories, but in the end the

thought of being a ‘dibbie’ won out.”

Aga also applied to join the Navy as a cook

in 2007, however her language skills needed

some work, so she left the recruiting office and

took an intensive six-month course in English

language training.

“I was sitting at home alone at HMAS Cerberus

while Marcin and Lukasz were away training and

at sea and I thought, what better time to really

knuckle down.”

Aga came out of her language training with flying

colours and performed so well at recruiting that she

was offered the choice of more categories to join.

“I was previously going to join as a cook, but with

more categories open to me I was offered Dental

Assistant and I took it.

“Looking back I think my personality is much more

suited to the interaction with patients, so I am really

pleased with my choice,” Aga said.

After initial training in 2007 and 2008 and a short

stint for Lukasz in Sydney, the Byzdra family have all

been posted to WA-based Navy units.

“The lifestyle here really suits us,” Marcin said.

“We have good career opportuntities here plus we

have so many options for fun. We are very active,

playing squash, running, swimming, fishing around

the Rockingham area. I would actually like to buy

a boat for fishing offshore,” Marcin said with a

cheeky smile.

After a short stint living with his parents,

Lukasz moved into his own house in the area.

“There were just too many personalities in

one house,” Aga said.

“It is better this way, since Lukasz is just 10 minutes

away and we still catch up and do things together.”

The Byzdra family has not returned to visit Poland

since leaving six years ago, although both Marcin

and Aga’s parents have come for a visit.

“Some Polish people thought we were crazy

to leave,” Marcin said.

“They said, ‘but there is so much risk!’ But we knew

we could make it work. We learnt to be flexible

and that helped us to acclimatise to a new culture.”

Marcin and Aga now both work at HMAS Stirling,

Marcin in Fleet Support Unit and Aga at the Fleet

Base West Health Centre.

Lukasz posted to HMAS Perth, a Western

Australian-based Anzac Class frigate, in early 2010.

“It is very exciting to be part of what is practically

a new ship,” Lukasz said.

“Perth has finished the construction phase of her

Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) upgrade and is

now starting a trials period.

“I am very proud to be part of the crew. It is very

rewarding to be organising the way a ship works

from scratch. It is the crew that makes a ship and

Perth is shaping up to be a great team.”

Both Marcin and Lukasz have received the same

typically Aussie nickname, both being branded

‘Byz’, by their work mates. Aga usually receives the

simplified version of her name, instead of Agnieszka.

“Too many ‘S’s and Z’s!” she laughed.

“It is quite surprising how much Polish and

Australian culture have in common,” Marcin said.

“Obviously the difference in language is hard, but I

find that the Australian and Polish sense of humour

is quite similar. I think that both cultures rely on a lot

of larrikinism and also use of sarcasm for humour. I

find myself quite at home.

“Moving to Australia and joining the Navy has been

very good for our family,” Marcin said, looking at

Agnieska and Lukasz. And they nod in agreement

with smiles.

aBOVe LefT: Able Seaman Bosun’s Mate Lukasz Byzdra on the helm of HMAS Melbourne. His will soon join the ship’s company of HMAS Perth. Photo: Able Seaman Imagery Specialist James WhittleBeLOW LefT: Able Seaman Dental Assistant Agnieszka Byzdra at Fleet Base West Dental Department, HMAS Stirling. Photo: Able Seaman Imagery Specialist Dove Smithett

46 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

DEFENCE SECURITY AUTHORITY

By Brooke Audsley

The launch of the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) on 1 October marked the dawn of a new era in Commonwealth security vetting – with the Department of Defence now taking responsibility for managing personnel security clearances across Government.

AGSVA is a single, centralised vetting agency established within the Defence Security Authority (DSA) and delivers on a government promise made in late 2009. AGSVA means that, for the first time, a single agency will be responsible for granting and reviewing security clearances for most Commonwealth public servants and contractors.

“The AGSVA will provide direct benefits to public servants, government contractors and the broader Government agencies by improving security vetting processes, reducing unnecessary regulation, and delivering cost savings,” Deputy Secretary Intelligence and Security, Mr Stephen Merchant said.

Pre-AGSVA, individual departments and agencies were responsible for their own vetting. According to Mr Merchant, over time this resulted in more than 100 replicated vetting processes and more than 50 separate contracts with vetting providers.

“By providing a centralised service, the AGSVA will remove inconsistencies and duplication in the vetting process, and deliver savings of at least $5.3 million per year – some of these savings have already been realised,” he said.

The AGSVA also provides public servants and contractors with one single clearance, effective across government – a Commonwealth Security Clearance. This means people transferring to other agencies won’t have to undergo another clearance process, as their Commonwealth Security Clearance will be recognised by their new employer.

While the fundamentals of the Defence vetting system remain the same, Defence personnel will notice some changes to vetting terminology, and there will also be a change to security clearance requirements for ADF recruits.

New terminology

All of the AGSVA processes and protocols are guided by the Australian Government Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF). Aside from determining the policies on which all security clearance decisions are based, the PSPF also outlines the new terminology to be used to describe the different clearance levels (refer to the table below and Figure 2).

OLD TeRMInOLOgY neW TeRMInOLOgY

PROTECTED/RESTRICTED and below Baseline Vetting

CONFIDENTIAL/SECRET /HIGHLY PROTECTED neg Vetting 1

TOP SECRET neg Vetting 2

TOP SECRET POSITIVE VETTING Positive Vetting

The change in terminology is expected to be fairly straightforward. However for those individuals who are currently cleared to CONFIDENTIAL, there is some confusion about what the name change means.

“People with CONFIDENTIAL clearances are asking if the change means that they now automatically have access to SECRET and HIGHLY PROTECTED documents. The short answer is no,” Mr Sinfield stated.

You vet we

can!Defence takes on Commonwealth-wide security vetting

What does it mean for Defence?

While the launch of the AGSVA represents significant change for other agencies, it is anticipated that for Defence it will be more a case of ‘business as usual’, with added benefits.

“We anticipate a smooth transition for Defence,” head of the AGSVA, Assistant Secretary Vetting Mr Peter Sinfield said.

“Defence personnel will not have to undertake any complex new vetting procedures. Clearances will not take any longer than they do now (refer Figure 1). In fact, it is hoped timeframes will continue to be reduced.

“This is because, essentially, the vetting system Defence personnel have experience with is continuing, but with the added bonus of a number of IT innovations to speed up the process and get rid of much of the paperwork,” he added.

The AGSVA will provide access to all security clearance forms (E-Packs) on both the internet (AGSVA website) and intranet (DRN) – previously these were only available from the DRN – and is developing systems so that changes to personal details can be made online.

This means Defence personnel will have the flexibility to complete clearance forms, update personal details and report changes in circumstances 24/7 from home or work.

In addition, proof of identify will be far less onerous – vettees will now only be asked to prove their identity once, instead of having to repeat the process every time a clearance comes up for review.

47www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

“If you hold a CONFIDENTIAL clearance you will

retain that level of clearance until you have been

revalidated and cleared to the new Negative

Vetting 1 level.”

New clearance requirements for ADF recruits

To increase efficiency, all new Navy, Army and

Air Force recruits will, from now on, be cleared

to Negative Vetting 1 (SECRET) during their initial

training and recruitment phase. Previously, trainee

recruits were cleared to RESTRICTED and then

later upgraded to meet operational requirements.

The new protocol removes the requirement for

ADF recruits to undergo two separate clearance

processes. And for current ADF members not yet

cleared to Negative Vetting 1, Defence will be

putting in place a systematic upgrade process over

the coming years. This process will be driven by

the AGSVA.

Just the beginning

“Getting to the launch phase has involved a lot

of hard work, by many people and we should be

pleased with what we’ve achieved so far,” Mr

Merchant said.

“It’s been good to see all the agencies involved

pulling together to create a better vetting system.

“And the new AGSVA is a vote of confidence

in Defence’s security vetting team, and the

Department of Defence more broadly – CIOG

has also played a critical role in getting online

processes up and running.“

Yet despite the success of the AGSVA so far, Mr

Merchant says that we, in Defence, know that the

hard work really begins now.

“We look forward to some new and interesting

challenges and are ready for the hard work ahead

of us.”

These views are echoed by Mr Sinfield.

“The AGSVA has a customer base of around

300 organisations – of which Defence is only

one. This means Defence will go from processing

around 23,000 clearance actions a year to

48,000,” he said.

“Any undertaking on this scale can be expected

to experience teething problems. And, while we

have worked diligently to put systems in place to

pre-empt and manage issues as they arise, we

are hoping for some understanding and assistance

in the transition phase.”

Maximising the benefits

Mr Sinfield said there were a number of ways the broader Defence community can help.

“Firstly, we encourage our Defence colleagues to integrate security clearance benchmark times into recruitment planning and everyday business processes – the closer the integration of vetting into your business processes, the greater Defence’s ability to maximise the benefits of the new system,” he said.

“Secondly, it is essential that people submit their clearance packs promptly, as we can’t start processing them until they do.

“Thirdly, but not less importantly, everyone should be checking to making sure that clearance requests are matched to actual job requirements.

“At the AGSVA, we too will do our part. We are going to continually reform this process and keep working over the coming years to make the AGSVA a professional, efficient and effective organisation.”

nB: the following two figures are to accompany the article

Figure 1: New clearance level timeframes

cLeaRance LeVeL aVeRage TIMe* BencHMaRK TIMe** cLeaRance Re-VaLIDaTIOn

Baseline Vetting 2 weeks 1 month 15 years

Negative Vetting 1 2.6 months 4 months 10 years

Negative Vetting 2 3.4 months 6 months 5 years

Top Secret Positive Vetting 4.8 months 6 months 2.5 years (or annual security appraisal)

* average time taken to complete security clearances 2009–10

**AGSVA’s benchmark time to complete security clearances

Figure 2: New clearance level criteria

TOP secReT secReT cOnfIDenTIaL

PROTecTeD

(caBIneT

MaTeRIaL)

DIsseMInaTIOn

LIMITIng MaRKeR

(eg X-In-cOnfIDence)

uncLassIfIeD

negaTIVe VeTTIng 2 √ √ √ √ √ √

negaTIVe VeTTIng 1 x √ √ √ √ √

BaseLIne VeTTIng x x x √ √ √

nB: The criteria for Positive Vetting has not changed

General vetting enquiries can be directed to the AGSVA Client Service Centret: 1800 640 450 e: securityclearances@defence.gov.au

You may also like to visit the AGSVA website: www.defence.gov.au/agsva

“The AGSVA has

a customer base of around

300 organisations – of

which Defence is only one.

This means Defence will

go from processing around

23,000 clearance actions a year

to 48,000”.– Assistant Secretary Vetting,

Australian Government Security Vetting

Agency (AGSVA), Mr Peter Sinfield.

LefT: The Assistant Secretary Vetting, Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA), Mr Peter Sinfield, at Campbell Park offices. Photo: Leading Aircraftman Aaron Curran

Never before has cyber and information security been more crucial to Defence than it is now.

Australia’s cyber armour

DEFENCE SIgNALS DIRECTORATE

By Mathew Hinge

In 2008, one USB stick infected with malicious

software compromised the US Central Command

information systems in the Middle East.

The USB was inserted into a laptop resulting

in malicious code moving from the unclassified

network to classified systems. This was a

serious breach of US Military computers, and

could potentially have resulted in the large

scale theft of classified information by a foreign

intelligence agency.

This year in Australia, the Australian Parliament

House website became unavailable for

approximately 50 minutes due to a coordinated

effort to crash the site by individuals belonging to

the Anonymous group.

Anonymous is a community of internet users who

protested against the Government’s proposed

internet website filter by flooding the Parliament

House site with more communication requests

than it could handle. Anonymous also targeted the

Prime Minister’s website in this intrusion, and sent

spam emails to departmental staff.

The cyber security threat is not an emerging

problem; it is here with us now. Cyber threats

to Defence and wider government information

systems are real, and evolving at a dramatic rate.

Operating in cyberspace exposes government

information and systems to serious security risks

and appropriate measures must be taken.

The Defence Signals Directorate (DSD) is at the

frontline of Australia’s defence in the cyber realm.

It does this by helping to detect, prevent and

guard against threats from cyberspace. DSD

also provides vital support to Defence and other

Government departments to help improve and

maintain the security of information.

DSD’s First Assistant Secretary for Cyber and

Information Security, Mike Burgess, warns that if

an organisation is connected to the internet, it is

susceptible to computer intrusion.

DSD is a key player in the Australian Government’s

Cyber Security Strategy. The strategy aims to

maintain a secure, resilient and trusted electronic

operating environment that supports Australia’s

national security and maximises the benefits of the

digital economy.

DSD plays a strong, collaborative role in the

partnership approach to cyber security across all

Australian governments, the private sector and the

broader Australian community.

“Cyber and information security is a vital area

in DSD, relying on unique skills and intelligent

people. This is highlighted by the establishment

of the Cyber Security Operations Centre, or

“CSOC” as it is known across Australian

government,” Mr Burgess said.

The CSOC was established in accordance

with the 2009 Defence White Paper and is the

centrepiece of Defence’s Cyber Security efforts.

It provides situational awareness with an

enhanced capacity to detect and rapidly respond

to cyber security incidents. Like a hospital

emergency room, it brings together the resources

and expertise required to counter a crisis.

While this capability resides within DSD and

provides cyber warfare support to ADF operations,

it is not solely a DSD operation. It brings together

capabilities of Defence, ASIO, the AFP, and the

Attorney-General’s Department. Each agency

brings different expertise to work in partnership to

respond to critical incidents.

The centre is staffed by DSD’s highly-skilled

information security experts, software engineers,

analysts and computer scientists.

Staff also represent many areas of

Defence including members of the ADF,

the Defence Science and Technology Organisation

and the Defence Intelligence Organisation. It

also works closely with the Defence Network

Operations Centre to support Defence operations

and personnel.

Through the CSOC, DSD is aware of

intrusion activity against Australian Government

networks that have led to the loss of information

in some cases.

To combat this, DSD devised “Strategies

to Mitigate Targeted Cyber Intrusions”, a list

of 35 strategies in order of effectiveness.

At least 70 per cent of the cyber intrusions

DSD responded to in the last 12 months could have

been avoided if organisations had implemented

the top four DSD mitigation strategies.

There is no single magic bullet for cyber security.

As Australia’s information is at risk from cyber

exploitation, it is essential that we have an

effective cyber defence capability. DSD is working

with Government and industry to ensure that cyber

security is now a top priority for Australia.

www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine48

How to avoid cyber intrusionsDSD’s top four tips:

1. patching operating systems and applications using auto-updates2. patching third-party applications such as PDF readers, Active X objects and web browser plug-ins3. restricting admin privileges to users who need them, and 4. white-listing approved applications to prevent unapproved programs from running.

“Cyber and information security is a vital area in DSD, relying on unique skills and intelligent people. This is highlighted by the establishment of the Cyber Security Operations Centre, or CSOC as it is known across Australian government”

– DSD’s First Assistant Secretary for Cyber and Information Security, Mike Burgess LefT: Defence Signals Directorate Cyber Security Operations Centre, located in the Defence Signals Directorate,

was officially opened on 15 January 2010.

Photo: Bryan Doherty

49www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

50 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

NAVY

With the Strategic Reform Program (SRP) in full force across Defence, Navy is diversifying its own efficiencies in tandem with culture program New Generation Navy (NGN), so that Navy’s culture can evolve into one that is constructive, inclusive and cost conscious, supporting all of Navy’s signature behaviours.

“Culture change is vital to Navy, but it is also how we will deliver our requirements to government,” Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas, Deputy Chief of Navy said.

“For this reason, the success of NGN will shape and influence the success of our other reform programs.

“The NGN program has positioned Navy well for success in achieving the SRP objectives, as it focuses on people and cultural change to instil the reform behaviours needed.”

DCN said that SRP reforms and Continuous Improvement focussing on business process reform and reducing waste are critical for this reinvestment. Developing a culture of efficiency within Navy to ensure that all personnel take steps to deliver relevant reforms and business improvement is also a high priority.

“SRP will comprehensively and fundamentally improve the efficiency and effectiveness of Defence, creating significant savings to reinvest into future capability,” RADM Thomas said.

“Australia’s investment into maritime capability as agreed in the 2009 White Paper will deliver exciting capability with the Air Warfare Destroyers and Amphibious ships providing significant changes to Australia’s sea power.”

Navy started a cultural change process with NGN prior to the launch of SRP.

Current projects under NGN include changes to the way leadership training is delivered to all ranks, with a focus on what makes an effective, inclusive and ethical leader.

Culture change projects include improving technical training, getting people to sea earlier, improving the effectiveness of the rejoining process, increasing awareness of flexible work practices, and reviewing respite and predictability across the Fleet.

Changes to Navy’s organisational structure has aligned its role as a Raise, Train and Sustain Navy, as well as integrating individual and collective training into one organisation within Fleet command.

“The NGN program is fundamental to achieving SRP as we require fundamental reform to our targets for Force 2030,” RADM Thomas said.

To achieve the strategic reforms, Navy has established a robust governance framework to ensure oversight of all reform within Navy, not just SRP.

The Navy Reform Board, chaired by RADM Thomas, was established early in 2010 to drive reform implementation. The board includes representatives from Navy’s strategic Command (People and Capability), Fleet Command, DMO (Head Maritime Systems) and the Strategic Reform Governance Executive. The reform board is supported by Reform Stream Steering Groups (chaired by the Navy stream lead) and subordinate working groups.

“Navy has set-up seven smart sustainment steering groups to analyse the reform initiatives. The key to success is a collegiate partnership with Navy and DMO working together,” RADM Thomas said.

Navy’s reform progress to date has been considerable with eight continuous improvements underway. The initial focus has been in the area of smart sustainment however, this has now broadened to include Navy’s training force.

The first major Navy capability improvement project initiated under the Strategic Reform Program partnered with DMO was the Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Continuous Improvement Project.

This Project is now in the implementation phase and is predominately focused on:

> Initiation of Fleet Optimisation – thinking about how we can do business in a better way

> Completion of contract strategy – to ensure the best delivery of support

> Organisational design, to refocus and streamline the workforce, and

> Completion/progression of all other initiatives coming from the workforce.

“SRP has more than 300 individual initiatives, but this is not where it ends,” RADM Thomas said.

“It is up to Defence to position itself better, streamline its processes, eliminate wastage and improve its business practices.”

for further information on Navy’s Strategic Reform Program and New Generation Navy, please visit the Navy Transformation section of the Navy intranet.

Navy’s ideal culture will increase efficiency By Annabelle Haywood &

Commander Anne Andrews

LefT: Deputy Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Davyd Thomas (left), Chief Executive Officer of WorleyParsons Mr John Grill (centre), and Non Executive Director - Bank of China Mr John Hall (right) at a business leaders’ luncheon in Sydney to share RADM Thomas’s experience of coordinating Navy’s Strategic Reform Program. Photo: Able Seaman Imagery Specialist Evan Murphy

NAVY

The future of the Communication Information Systems category for submariners is looking forward to a more productive future following a retention initiative to move their operations to Fleet Base West.

Communications centre goes westnavy and ciog look after submarine communicators

By Leading Seaman Communication Information Systems Submariner Luke Fry

To address the retention initiative, approval was

given by Chief of Navy for the relocation of the

primary submarine communications capability from

HQJOC to HMAS Stirling in Western Australia.

The development of this capability at Defence

Communications Station Perth (DCS-PER) will

establish the primary messaging support to

submarines, with the new facility to be named

Submarine Communications Centre – West

(SUBCOMMCEN-W) with the old facility

ASNCOMMCEN SUBOPAUTH to be named

Submarine Communications Centre – Bungendore.

This initiative is a result of the Submarine

Workforce Sustainability Review, commissioned

in mid-2008 and conducted by Rear Admiral

Rowan Moffitt.

Chief of Navy responded to evidence that a range

of factors were placing pressure on Navy people

in the submarine workforce, and impacting Navy’s

ability to generate the required level of capability

from the Submarine Force.

As a result of the review, RADM Moffitt

made a number of proposals and adopted a

comprehensive approach; identifying a broad range

of organisational and cultural challenges within

the Submarine Force.

RADM Moffitt proposed a range of

practical and executable solutions in

the form of 29 recommendations.

One result of the Moffitt Review for Submarine

Sustainability stated that the Communications

Information Systems Submariner (CISSM) category

was assessed as being perilous.

The Defence Information and Communications

Technology Committee (DICTC) addressed retention

initiatives highlighted in the review and advised

that a significant retention initiative would

occur if the current Submarine Communications

facility, Australian Naval Communications Centre

Submarine Operations Authority (ASNCOMMCEN

SUBOPAUTH) at HQJOC, Bungendore, was

relocated to Fleet Base West, HMAS Stirling.

The SUBCOMMCEN-W will be a component

embedded within Defence Communications

Station Perth.

The majority of the ASNCOMMCEN SUBOPAUTH

workforce will be integrated with billeted

personnel from the Chief Information Officer

Group within DCS-PER. Eleven Navy billets (1 x

POCISSM, 4 x LSCISSM and 6 x ABCISSM) from

ASNCOMMCEN SUBOPAUTH will be relocated to

DCS-PER to support submarine communications.

aBOVe: HMAS Collins arrives at Station Pier, St Kilda, Melbourne, earlier this year. Photo: Leading Seaman Imagery Specialist Nina Nikolin

51www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

The integration of personnel from ASNCOMMCEN

SUBOPAUTH within DCS-PER provides an

opportunity for personnel, regardless of primary

skill set, to further broaden their CIS knowledge.

It allows sailors to remain within their submarine

posting localities and maintains their family and

friends support.

The silent nature of submarines relies on

the guaranteed delivery system that is provided

through the Submarine Fleet Broadcasts

via SUBCOMMCEN-W.

In addition to this role, SUBCOMMCEN-W will

provide additional CIS support to the surface fleet.

By sustainment and retention of Navy’s

skilled CISSM workforce, the future sailors of

SUBCOMMCEN-W will be able to guarantee this

delivery in a more contented workplace, with

greater support; both technically and personally

than previous SUBCOMMCENs have had the ability

to provide.

This relocation provides a range of interesting and

exciting challenges. With retention at the heart

of this initiative, Defence will be able to provide

greater support and maintain a well balanced,

supportive and productive workforce for Navy’s

future and current CISSM sailors.

52 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 53www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

NAVY

The age-old paper navigation chart is making way for the electronic age following the introduction of an automated system by the Navy’s Australian Hydrographic Service (AHS) that updates charts in real time.

Hydrographers charts electronic age Automated system devised by AHS

By Elizabeth Stacey

With 99 per cent of international trade, by volume, being transported by sea, the AHS introduced the automated inclusion of temporary and preliminary Notices to Mariners to their electronic navigational chart series.

Hydrographer of Australia and Director General Navy Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic, Commodore Rod Nairn, said “This is another example of the diversity of the contribution of the Department of Defence to protecting Australians and supporting Australia’s economic strength”.

The mandatory implementation of Electronic Navigation Charts (ENC) by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has modernised navigation, and forced AHS to diversify its approach to the products, services and delivery methods it offers.

A major challenge faced by the AHS, and other official chart producers, is to maintain consistency between paper and electronic charts.

All charts are living documents, constantly updated to reflect the changes in the real world environment. Both paper and electronic charts are updated through a Notices to Mariners (NtM) service. These come in two forms: permanent, and temporary and preliminary.

Correcting paper products has always been via manual ink or pencil correction, however, the introduction of an electronic system of updating charts proved to be more efficient.

Since the introduction of the first ENC, updates

have only shown permanent changes, for example

a new wharf. However, temporary changes

(such as a damaged light beacon), or preliminary

notifications (such as planned change to a port

infrastructure) would have to be manually added

to the ENC by the end user, in a similar fashion to

that of a paper chart.

In October 2009, the International Hydrographic

Organization (IHO) introduced S-65 Edition 1.2

– Electronic Navigational Charts “Production

Guidance”.

In response, the AHS implemented a full ENC

update service. This service now includes the

automatic application of temporary and preliminary

NtM in Australian ENC, resulting in significant

safety and efficiency gains for all mariners.

“Instead of having to create Mariner Information

Objects (MIOs) to alert of temporary changes to

the ENC, the changes are already on the update

that the end user uploads,” Port Kembla Port

Corporation Harbour Master Kell Dillon said.

• UnderthetermsoftheUNSafetyofLifeatSea(SOLAS)Conventionand the Navigation Act, the AHS is responsible for the provision of hydrographic services within Australia’s area of charting responsibility.

• AsAustralia’sofficialchartprovider,theAHSsupplieschartsandnavigation products not only to Defence, but to all commercial and recreational users.

aBOVe: The Pacific Tug tugboat assists a dredge boat at Bribie Island, providing an example of how navigation charts need to be constantly updated. Photo: Robert Peters, Pacific Tug maintenance manager

“For example, an area of the port is officially 15.2m deep, but this depth has been reduced by siltation to an actual depth, 15.1m. On the ENC, the actual depth of 15.1m will be done as depth value one and the designed depth of 15.2m will be listed as depth value two.

“The mariner clicks on the particular area and the chart shows the current least depth. This information will greatly aid the exchange of information between Master and the Harbour pilot and greatly aids safety and efficiency of pilotage and port operations.”

Another commercial user of the AHS official ENC is Pacific Tug, a company located in Queensland.

“It’s good to see the live data on screen. The electronic charts are easy to use. I just log on to the Internet and it grabs all the latest updates,” Pacific Tug Operations Manager Aaron Goddard said.

“We can get into some pretty interesting situations assisting the big ships in shallow waters, such as when we held the nose steady for a dredge putting sand back onto Bribie Island beach. Just being able

LefT: This graph shows ship gross tonnage and year. Source: UKHO RIgHT: Temporary depth information in a Notice to Mariners is encoded in Electronic Navigation Charts to show actual depth versus charted depth of a maintained channel in Port Kembla Harbour. Source: Australian Hydrographic Service

to look on screen and see exactly where we are, gives you that extra bit of confidence.”

The Electronic Navigation Charts are also used by Navy.

With each vessel needing to maintain an extensive portfolio to meet its operational requirements, the burden of updating ENC manually was evident. This improved service has greatly reduced the workload for navigators and is realising the full potential of ENC.

Staff at the AHS are also working hard to give Australia full ENC coverage by the new year, having already published 90 per cent of planned initial coverage in readiness for the International Maritime Organization’s introduction of compulsory ECDIS and ENC use from 2012.

Updated ENC are available on both the DRN and AHS website, at the links below:

http://hydro-intranet.ear.defence.gov.au/software/products/products.jsp

http://www.hydro.gov.au/software/products/products.jsp

HYDRO a finalist for maritime services award

Australia’s official nautical charting authority, the Navy’s

Australian Hydrographic Service, has been nominated as one of five finalists

for the Lloyds List DCN Australian Shipping & Maritime Industry Awards,

on 25 November at the prestigious Ivy Ballroom, Sydney.

“The AHS was nominated for the Maritime Services Award for its new print on demand service, introduced in October 2010,” Hydrographer of Australia Commodore Rod Nairn said.

Printing nautical charts on demand means that the user gets all of their charts up-to-date as soon as those changes are published.

In total, the AHS distributes approximately 180,000

charts annually for Navy use and to meet Government

obligations under the UN Convention on Safety Of Life

At Sea (SOLAS). Being able to provide this service

more efficiently and effectively than was previously

possible is a significant outcome.

Further details regarding the print on demand service

are published in an article in the Snapshot section of

this edition.

54 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 55www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

DEFENCE FORCE RECRUITINg

Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) in conjunction with Fairness and Resolution Branch are developing a range of initiatives designed to better recruit and retain individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.

By Aoife Cooper

They aim to acquire stronger numbers in

women applying for positions within Defence by

introducing two new strategies.

Australia has long been known as a country

that prides itself on accepting others and giving

individuals a fair go, with equal opportunities

for everyone regardless of age, gender, sexual

preference or race.

Defence Senior Leadership and the Australian

Federal Government have made commitments

to increasing this diversity through the Defence

White Paper 2009 and a number of supporting

policies.

This commitment is of key importance for

developing recruitment and retention policy.

The ADF Recruiting Strategic Plan 2007-17

outlines the need for strategies to attract and

recruit individuals from a wider pool of talent to

address recruiting shortfalls, improve recruiting

performance, build organisational capability, to

provide strength within ADF through diversity of

people and skills.

This ensures that the ADF is reflective of

the community it serves, which is becoming

increasingly diverse.

The White Paper policy identifies these two groups

as pertinent to direct future recruitment efforts.

LefT: As part of a recruiting initiative in the Northern Territory, Leading Aircraftwoman Deborah Booker presents the best on ground award in the Air Force Women’s Division to Palmerston Magpies player Nicky Waterman at the Defence Jobs AFL Northern Territory Carnival at TIO Stadium, Darwin.

Recruiting for a diverse

workforce

DFR together with Fairness and Resolution Branch

launched the initiative designed to better the CDF’s

Action Plan for the Recruitment and Retention

of Women, the Recruitment of Women Strategy

(RoWS), and the Multicultural Recruitment and

Retention Strategy (MRRS).

Both the multicultural and women’s strategies

focus on raising the profile of the ADF as an

employer of choice for women and Australians of

culturally diverse backgrounds to serve in the Navy,

Army and Air Force.

In particular, the strategies aim to generate

awareness and understanding of employment

opportunities available for both groups, and how

the ADF can provide an enriching career. It is

important to the ADF to incorporate the differing

values and lifestyles that are important to

individuals of differing demographic backgrounds.

MRRS and RoWS aim to assist in achieving higher

rates of enquiry, application, and enlistments,

while providing support mechanisms that can lead

to higher retention rates of women and serving

members from culturally diverse backgrounds.

DFR is actively increasing involvement in local

community events and activities focused on

women and Australians from culturally diverse

backgrounds.

Defence personnel interact with people from

ethnically diverse and women’s groups to discuss

ADF lifestyle and dispel myths about serving in

the ADF.

Recent activities included a ‘Women in Defence

Camp’ for secondary school students in Sydney,

women’s expos, professional breakfasts,

International Women’s Day events, women’s

breast cancer triathlon, as well as ‘women in

project management’ and ‘women in medicine’

information nights.

Organiser of the recent ‘Women in Defence Camp’

and DFR Careers Counsellor at the Parramatta

recruiting centre, Air Force Corporal (CPL) Amelia

Stafford said the tours offered women that don’t

have regular military exposure the opportunity to

visit Defence bases.

“We also wanted to break down some

misconceived ideas about what being in the

Defence Force is all about,” CPL Stafford said.

“The event was very successful and tour

questionnaire feedback was positive. The girls had

a good time; they really enjoyed themselves.

“Following their experience, the girls agreed they

would definitely put forward an application for the

Defence Force,” she said.

Events to attract diverse personnel have included

participation at multicultural festivals, workers in

uniform expo and an event called Football with

the Fuzz.

Chief Petty Officer (CPO) Barry Rice, Career

Promotion Team Manager at the Perth recruiting

centre, explains their recent involvement with

Football with the Fuzz.

“This event aims to break down traditional barriers

between ethnic groups and Defence at an event

specifically designed to bring diverse cultures

together,” CPO Rice said.

“The event had culturally diverse ADF members

present and provided invaluable opportunities for

potential recruits and ADF members to mingle. This

opportunity established creditability between the

ethnic groups and the ADF and allowed individuals

to contemplate an ADF career.”

It is also important to have culturally diverse ADF

members involved in MRRS.

“The best way to achieve the MRRS aims overall

is have willing ADF members from culturally

diverse backgrounds to supplement DFR personnel

at events.

“This will make this integration process more

efficient and there will be credibility in our

multicultural recruiting aims,” CPO Rice said.

If you would like to be involved with MRRS and

RoWS events, or for more information, please

feel free to contact Miss Aoife Cooper, RoWS and

MRRS Project Officer, aoife.cooper@defence.

gov.au.

The Trucking Yard Eagles celebrate their win in the Army Community Division with Australian Defence Force representatives at the Defence Jobs AFL Northern Territory Carnival at TIO Stadium, Darwin.

56 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 57www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

A meeting of the minds occurred between 9 – 12 November, when the American, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand (ABCA) Armies Program, National Director’s (ND) and Executive Council (EC) Meeting was conducted in Brisbane.

Easy as ABCAMeeting sets focus for five armies program

By Major Frank Brindle

The meeting was hosted by the Deputy Chief

of Army, Major General Paul Symon, and the

Director General Army Operations, Brigadier

Damian Cantwell, and attended by their

ABCA counterparts.

Conducted annually, the November meeting

seeks Executive Council direction on the program

focus and strategic guidance for the following

program year.

The Executive Council members decided that the

ABCA Program should continue to address tactical

and operational level interoperability issues arising

from current operations, focusing on Afghanistan.

The ABCA Program will commence work on

aligning its approaches to transition to host nation.

Other potential areas of focused effort include

reintegration and building and executing C2 at the

divisional / command joint task force headquarter

(two-star) level.

The ABCA Program seeks to improve

interoperability between the five armies and the

United States Marine Corp by using doctrine,

technology and materiel solutions to close or

mitigate interoperability gaps across all areas

of warfighting.

Mindful that coalition operations will continue

to be norm, the ABCA armies will balance their

efforts forward, aiming to build-in interoperability

into the future.

Since 2006, the Executive Council has directed that

the ABCA Program concentrate its efforts towards

supporting current operations.

Examples of how nations can benefit from sharing

their individual efforts to solve a common problem

include facilitating access to the US TRANSCOM

Regulating and Command and Control Evacuation

System (TRAC2ES).

This year has seen the development of a Security

Force Capacity Building (SFCB) Handbook and

the development of an information sharing

mechanism for national efforts towards

comprehensive soldier fitness.

TRAC2ES is a web-based tool that allows

users to track up-to-date condition and location

information on Australian personnel in the US

medical evacuation system and is currently in use

in the Middle East Area of Operations. This allows

the ADF to track Australian personnel as they

are evacuated through the US medical system to

facilities in Europe.

The SFCB Handbook provides an agreed

compendium of ABCA approaches, the key

planning considerations including basics of

building partner capacity, SFCB training guidance

and types of capabilities required by the ABCA

nations to conduct SFCB operations.

A chapter on Host Nation Police Capacity Building

is soon to be added, after a meeting to be hosted

by Canada in December.

It will be attended by both military personnel

and members of the Australian Federal Police

and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The armies

intend to release the SFCB Handbook to all troop

contributing nations in Afghanistan.

Although only a new initiative, the nations have

also begun sharing information on their collective

efforts on the complex and important issue of

comprehensive soldier fitness.

Internally, there is now interest in incorporating the

information received from the other nations, into a

holistic health policy solution across the ADF.

The direction from the November meeting will be

further developed and taken forward to the ABCA

annual meeting to be hosted by the British Army

in April 2011.

That meeting will determine where interoperability gaps exist, identify tasks to close or mitigate those gaps, prioritise them and agree to a program of work for the 12 months following.

ABCA products are available to military personnel from the ABCA nations on the website, www.abca-armies.org.

Australian Army national coordination staff will soon begin to send out products to personnel deploying into coalition positions, in an effort to assist their preparation and reduce the time it takes them to become fully productive members of a coalition team.

ARMY

aBOVe: Marking Remembrance Day is the ABCA Executive Council (L-R): Lieutenant General William Troy (Director Army Staff, Department of the Army), Major General Richard (Assistant Chief of the General Staff, British Army), Major General Paul Symon (Deputy Chief of Australian Army), Major General Alan Howard (Assistant Chief of Land Staff, Canadian Forces) and Brigadier Dave Gawn (Deputy Chief of New Zealand Army). LefT: Deputy Chief of Army, Major General Paul Symon addresses a gathering at the Remembrance Day service held during the Executive Council meeting.

58 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

DEFENCE MATERIEL ORgANISATION

The Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) is the largest project management, logistics, procurement and engineering services organisation in Australia, and as such, provides an equally diverse range of technical career opportunities.

Career diversity in the DMOBy Anne Miller

DMO’s mission to acquire and sustain equipment

for the Australian Defence Force involves

managing physical assets and inventory holdings

valued at more than $41.5 billion.

The DMO will manage more than $110 billion of

acquisition and sustainment business in the next

ten years.

To achieve this, the DMO is to become more

business-like, accountable and outcome driven.

Its people include military personnel and technical

specialists, project managers and professional

administrators. The nature of DMO business

requires a broad range of skills including

engineering and technical, accounting and finance,

logistics, legal, commercial and business and

information technology.

Consequently, there are diverse technical career

opportunities available in a vast range of academic

disciplines in engineering including in aerospace,

communications, software, electrical, mechanical

systems and maritime.

In addition, the commercial and business aspects

of the DMO provide career opportunities in

accounting, finance and commerce.

With more than 200 major and 120 minor

projects, there is a huge diversity of fascinating

work in more than 70 locations throughout

Australia and overseas.

The size and scope of DMO’s business is

equivalent to seven major companies with varied

employment and promotion opportunities. New

projects range from protective clothing for soldiers,

to floating cities and the Air Warfare Destroyers

for sailors, to next generation combat aircraft for

airmen and women.

Sustaining and upgrading equipment with up-to-

date mechanisms and software also provides a

variety of challenges.

There are multi-level international and domestic

contracting requirements and a range of

stakeholders including the ADF, Government,

multinational companies and small-to-medium

sized Australian companies.

The DMO has a number of key strategies aimed

at ensuring it can meet its current and future

workforce skills needs.

These include attraction strategies aimed at

recruiting critical skill requirements through entry

level programs including the Materiel Graduate

Scheme, the Materiel Undergraduate Scheme and

the Materiel Vocational Employment Scheme.

All three programs aim to recruit quality

participants with the base skills, qualifications

and potential to develop into DMO professionals.

The programs aim to build on the skills of the

participants to build a professional workforce for

the organisation.

The Chief Executive Officer’s professionalisation

agenda is another central strategy in meeting

DMO’s future challenges.

The professionalisation agenda incorporates two

main elements. These include chartering/certifying

processes involving the assessment of competence

against the highest professional standards

available and ongoing professional development

and skill development achieved through accredited

education and training programs.

The DMO Institute delivers the programs to

support critical skill requirements with programs in

scheduling and materiel logistics.

The challenge for the DMO is to deliver and

sustain leading-edge military assets, on time

and on budget, in an environment of rapid

technological, regulatory and strategic change, and

to the required levels of quality and safety.

aBOVe: The Air Warfare Destroyer project is providing employment for Defence and industry with full production of hull blocks underway at three shipyards: ASC in Adelaide, BAE Systems in Melbourne and Forgacs in Newcastle. Pictured here is hull construction work at BAE’s Williamstown shipyard in Victoria.

59www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

DEFENCE SUPPORT

A relationship between Indigenous Australians

and Defence Support staff in the Northern Territory

to improve environmental and capability values

of the Bradshaw Field Training Area has been

recognised as one of the award winners at the

2010 Environment and Heritage Awards.

The efforts of Defence Support-Central and West

Region (Northern Territory) were recognised as

Defence Support Group’s Infrastructure Division

hosted the sixth annual awards on September 23.

The then-Acting Chief of the Defence Force,

Lieutenant General David Hurley, and Acting

Secretary Stephen Merchant presented the awards

to recognise, encourage and promote significant

achievements in environmental and heritage

management by service and civilian personnel.

Details of this year’s award winners are as follows:

Defence Support-Central and West Region

(Northern Territory): For developing land

management partnerships with Indigenous people

to help maintain the environmental and capability

values of Bradshaw Field Training Area.

Under the Indigenous Land Use Agreement for

Bradshaw, Defence Support staff in the Northern

Territory worked with the Northern Land Council

to provide on-the-job training to local Aboriginal

people. The training covered bushfire management,

soil conservation and track maintenance to

maintain the operational capacity of the airfields

and the access tracks on the Training Area.

Defence now has access to trained, locally-

based people who will be able to provide land

management services at Bradshaw at significantly

lower cost than contractors from Darwin.

The award was accepted by Major Rick Williams

and Mrs Robyn Maurer from Defence Support-

Central and West Region.

The Fuel Equipment Maintenance Section, 22

Squadron, RAAF Base Richmond: for innovative

measures to reduce liquid waste in the

maintenance facility.

The team designed and built, from recycled

materials, a portable drip-tray device to separate

liquid wastes for reuse and recycling.

This innovation has significantly reduced the need

for disposal of waste by landfill and incineration,

which in turn has reduced the generation of

pollution and greenhouse gases.

The initiative reduced the environmental risk under

the RAAF Richmond Environmental Management

System and has also resulted in a more pleasant

and safe workplace.

The award was accepted by Sergeant Donovan

Jenyns and Leading Aircraftman Steven Myles

from the Fuel Equipment Maintenance Section.

The Facilities Management Section, Special Forces

Training Facility at Holsworthy Barracks: for waste

management and reuse to support capability.

Holsworthy has seen major redevelopments which

have produced large quantities of demolition

material and building waste.

Instead of this waste being sent to landfill, the

Facilities Management Section used it to construct

buildings, landscapes and scenarios for training by

Special Forces units. During the last three years

the Section diverted a remarkable 600,000 tonnes

of material from landfill.

Mr Pat Edmonds accepted the award on behalf

of the Facilities Management Section.

The project team for the Enhanced Land Force

Stage One Works at Kapooka: for commitment to

best practice in environmental management during

the design and construction of these facilities.

As part of the project, the sewage treatment plant

at Kapooka was upgraded and new pipelines were

installed to supply treated effluent.

This resulted in an increase of only 20 per cent

in the consumption of potable water for these

extensive new facilities. Moreover, it laid the

foundations for further substantial water savings

at Kapooka as the new pipelines will supply

treated water to other facilities that will be built

during redevelopment in the next few years.

The design of carparks will minimise stormwater

run-off and pollution in the local catchment. Lawns

and exotic gardens are being replaced with local

native species, thereby further reducing water

use and enhancing the remnants of a critically

endangered ecological community that is found

in the area.

The award was accepted by Lieutenant

Colonel Jason Miezio from Infrastructure Asset

Development Branch and Mr John Wantling, Base

Manager, Kapooka.

Congratulations to all award winners. For

more information on Defence’s commitment

to environment and heritage please visit

the intranet at http://intranet.defence.gov.

au/environment/default.htm or send your

enquiries the Environment and Heritage Mailbox

environmentandheritage@defence.gov.au.

aBOVe: The then Acting Chief of the Defence Force, Lieutenant General David Hurley, and then- Acting

Secretary Mr Stephen Merchant with Environment and Heritage Award winners for 2010. From Left to right:

Major Rick Williams (DS-CW), Mrs Robyn Maurer (DS-CW), Mr Pat Edmonds (DS-NNSW), Mr Stephen Merchant (A/Secretary), Lieutenant Colonel Jason Miezio (IAD), Mr

John Wantling (DS-SNSW), Lieutenant General David Hurley (A/CDF), Sergeant Donovan Jenyns (RAAF 22

Squadron) and Leading Aircraftman Steven Myles (RAAF 22 Squadron). Photo: Leading Aircraftman Aaron Curran By Jennifer Dansby

2010 Chief of the Defence Force and Secretary Environment and Heritage Awards

&EnvironmEnt hEritagE in safE hands

60 www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine 61www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine

DEFENCE SUPPORTDEFENCE SUPPORT

The Transfield Services Garrison Support Services (GSS) team in South Australia recently partnered with legendary Australian clothing and boot manufacturer RM Williams and employment broker Northern Futures to coordinate an eight-week Indigenous pre-employment program at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

People get work ready

The Aboriginal Employment Ready Project

was aimed at providing indigenous people

with exposure to new skills and possible

career pathways to increase their employment

opportunities, by becoming work ready.

The work ready program covered a wide range of

skills development including: team building, job

application techniques, improved communication,

time management, and a family well-being course.

TAFE South Australia Training Manager at the

Aboriginal Access Centre, Cheryl Cairns, said the

success of the pilot program was due largely to the

collaboration of a number of industry stakeholders.

“The enthusiasm and commitment that was

demonstrated when to getting to know the

participants and sharing valuable work-based

knowledge was instrumental to the success of the

program and was greatly appreciated by all,” Cheryl

said.

Mock interview training, interview presentation

skills, site inductions, site and task training,

mentoring and general work assistance were some

of the activities provided to participants. Training

was also undertaken in the hospitality field which

included first-aid, white card, HACCP (food safety),

RSA (responsible service of alcohol) and manual

handling courses.

Program participant Mavis Betts said she felt proud

for completing the courses and enjoyed making new

friends who were a great support for each other.

“The course has helped me see what opportunities there are available out there. I didn’t know that I would like hospitality work, but I did, and Transfield Services have now offered me casual function work,” Mavis said.

Participants and organisers were very pleased with the achievements of the eight graduating candidates, with three candidates securing ongoing employment.

Transfield Services Health, Safety and Environmental Coordinator GSS-South Australia, Bryan Collins, congratulated participants on their achievements.

“As an outsider I could see the joy on their faces as they had a go at trying something for the very first time and succeeding. The course was a lot of work and effort but that made it all the more worthwhile,” Mr Collins said.

Supporting Indigenous pre-employment

BeLOW: Transfield Services Health Safety and Environmental Coordinator GSS-SA, Mr Bryan Collins, with two participants from the work ready program.

programs directly coincides with the Transfield

Services Indigenous Participation Strategy and the

commitment outlined in Transfield’s Reconciliation

Action Plan.

The program concluded with a presentation

ceremony, acknowledging Transfield Services, RM

Williams and Northern Futures support, along with

congratulating graduating participants.

LefT: A participant prepares food in the kitchen as a part of the work ready program at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

To the future& BEYOND

The facility is a joint project for Navy between Defence Materiel Organisation, Navy Minor Projects and Defence Support Group’s Infrastructure Division, and has been specifically designed and built to support a second bridge simulator.

The aim of the project was to provide an additional full mission simulator in addition to four part-mission simulators and a 10-personal computer desktop simulator trainer, utilising the existing building footprint.

However, investigations found that the proposed solution did not fit within the allocated budget, and did not capitalise on the best aspect of the site – the view over Sydney Harbour.

There was also the challenge of incorporating a new facility with an existing building. Another issue with the site was the large manhole and sunken entry which potentially affected the use of space for future development and expansion.

A number of factors in addition to the budget influenced the preferred solution.

The Defence White Paper 2009 plan to acquire new ships during the next 15-20 years would require the provision of a third bridge simulator.

With that in mind, the team set about master-planning for a long-term building solution to accommodate three simulators.

The ultimate configuration maintained long-term office space that capitalised on the views across the harbour and protected windows from the setting sun. Once the concept had been developed for the total facility, it was then pared back to the current project brief requirements.

Meeting the building’s spatial requirements was only part of the solution. The project also upgraded

aBOVe: Just like a warship – the Bridge Training Facility at HMAS Watson.

the power supply and air-conditioning systems to cope with the additional loads imposed by the new simulators. The building’s fire protection systems were also upgraded to support the improved capability.

This project demonstrates how thinking outside the square and designing for additional functions can allow a building to accommodate Defence’s future requirements.

The end result is a refurbished bridge simulator facility that can house two complete mission simulators and four part-mission simulators.

The facility is readily expandable to accommodate a third simulator, has improved staff amenities that maximise the best aspects of the site, and provides a value-for-money solution for the Royal Australian Navy.

The Bridge Training Facility was completed in November 2009, ready to receive the Kongsberg Maritime’s Bridge Simulator System in October 2010, for the first intake of students in January 2011.

The newly refurbished $1.8 million Bridge Training Facility at HMAS Watson has utilised a diverse range of options to deliver a simulator that puts students right at the helm of a Navy warship.

Defence was recognised in two categories of the 2010 Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC) Safety Awards announced on 23 September.

In its tenth year, the Awards recognise public and private sector agencies as well as individuals within the Comcare scheme who achieved excellence in workplace occupational health, safety, rehabilitation and return-to-work practices.

This year attracted 17 finalists across five categories.

Defence was successful in the following two categories:

Winner in Category 5 – Best Individual Contribution to Health and SafetyAir Force, RAAF Base Darwin, Rigging subject matter expert – Mr Bruce Hansen

Mr Hansen identified a weakness in policy and practice associated with ‘Rigging’ operations associated with antenna maintenance and working at heights. He then developed policy and procedure to address these gaps and influenced a change in RAAF policy and procedures that are now the accepted standard.

Highly commended in Category 6 – Rehabilitation and Return to Work AwardNavy – HMAS Kuttabul, Clinical Pilates Rehabilitation Program, Dr Anna Lewis, Physiotherapist

Dr Anna Lewis established the Clinical Pilates Rehabilitation Program in 2003 to assist injured RAN members achieve a reduction in pain, improved mobility and considerably shortened return to work timeframes. Since its inception, more than 600 Defence personnel have participated in the program, seven Defence members have had decisions reversed on medical discharge and many continue with self-management strategies.

Bruce Hansen will now be entered into the National Safe Work Australia Awards in 2011.

Senior Defence representatives at the SRCC Awards included Deputy Chief of Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Geoff Brown; Deputy Secretary People Strategies and Policy, Mr Phil Minns; Head People Capability, Major General Craig Orme; and Director General Mental Health, Psychology and Rehabilitation, Mr David Morton.

Further information and how to enter in the 2011 Defence OHS Awards is available at: www.defence.gov.au/dpe/ohsc/programs/DefenceOHsawards/

ACCOLADES FOR DEFENCE OHS CHAMPIONS

INDIgENOUS AFFAIRS

Fourteen participants in the Navy’s Defence Indigenous Development Program (DIDP-N) have been recommended to join following the graduation of 25 indigenous youths aged between 17 and 25 in Cairns in October.

By Bronwen Smith

The proceedings included a parade with a formal drill and inspection, followed by the presentation of certificates in front of family and friends, DIDP-N staff and Directorate Indigenous Affairs staff.

The DIDP-N, which helps support the Government’s Closing The Gap initiative, is implemented under the Defence Reconciliation Action Plan (DRAP) 2010-2014, following broad consultation across Defence and Reconciliation Australia in 2009.

The DRAP provides action plans to implement employment opportunities and retention initiatives for indigenous Australians who choose Defence as their employer. It is managed by the Directorate of Indigenous Affairs (IA) in the Fairness and Resolution Branch.

The DIDP-N is a joint initiative between the Department of Defence, the Queensland Department of Education and Training and Department of Education, Employment and Work Place Relations (DEEWR.) The program prepares trainees for a Navy career and also in the wider community.

The now-former director of Indigenous Affairs, Soozie Parker, attended the graduation on her final day in the job and said the strong support from staff and the Services were crucial to the success of the program.

LefT: Graduates march out to the parade ground at TS Endeavour (HMAS Cairns) after having finished seven months of training in a wide variety of skills and trades. cenTRe: 26 young indigenous Australians paraded at TS Endeavour (HMAS Cairns) to the delight of their families and friends. RIgHT: The first ever group of the RAN’s Indigenous Development Program after the graduation ceremony.

Graduation marks

program’s success

Photos: Lieutenant Commander Fenn Kemp

“[The highlight] most definitely was the look of sheer satisfaction and achievement on the faces of the graduates and the pride of their families.

“The contribution by all parties has been enormous,” Ms Parker said.

The DIDP-N has been operating since May this year, providing courses involving numeracy, literacy and science. The participants from Djarragun College Wilderness Centre, Gordonvale and Tropical Far North Queensland Institute of TAFE undertook courses to assist them with employment.

Participants are now equipped to work in a marine environment, including boat handling skills, advanced swimming, first aid qualifications and lifesaving skills. Participants demonstrated their teamwork and an aptitude to thrive in a military environment. Their experiences have developed their leadership qualities and a personal sense of camaraderie.

Indigenous Affairs Project Officer, Major Mark Prideaux, established the program. He has learnt that indigenous youth respond positively when they are provided firm guidance and understanding of their objectives.

MAJ Prideaux said that most indigenous Australians are adept at interpreting non-verbal indicators so

they pick up on dishonest behaviour in an instant, therefore, to be an effective mentor or trainer, you must be an authentic person.

MAJ Prideaux, who also attended the graduation, felt the drill was first class and the salutes were sharp. He was proud of the staff involved, and thankful for the commitment from Defence and in particular Navy.

Throughout the program, participants were provided with practical learning opportunities in a Navy-like environment. This included a Navy Boot Camp at HMAS Cerberus, hands-on work experience at HMAS Cairns, participation on the STS Young Endeavour from Townsville to Cairns and a Unit Readiness Evaluation.

Officer in charge Lieutenant Commander Carol Pagett said there is a significant benefit to their communities.

“Other young people who can see the success of the DIDP participants now know there is a chance for them to reach their goals.

“Defence chiefs will look to their own community and recognise that as they go out into the world to make Australia safe they also have to look inwards into Australia and help to make its people safer and stronger,” LCDR Pagett said.

www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazine62

63www.defence.gov.au/defencemagazined e f e n c e m a g a z i n e ›

TAKINg THE FIgHT FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND INFORMATION MANAgEMENT BRANCH

An Information Management Strategic Framework, endorsed by the Defence Committee in September, will fully exploit Defence’s three distinct Information Management (IM) domains – warfighting, intelligence and corporate.

Assistant Secretary of Freedom of Information and Information Management Branch, Mr Tony Corcoran, said information is a strategic asset critical to the business of Defence both for operational and administrative purposes.

“In an environment with unprecedented technology to create, manipulate and use information, it is critical that Defence utilises IM systems and processes that make the most of this asset to support our business, both on and off the battlefield,” Mr Corcoran said.

“There is no argument that Defence is second to none in our core roles of warfighting and intelligence.

“However, during the last decade or so, the change from a paper-based system of managing information to electronic forms has led to inefficient and unaligned processes which mean that our ability to perform administratively is not of the same order.

“We need to concentrate our effort on developing whole of Defence solutions, but tailored to suit specific business needs where required. This is what the Information Management Strategic Framework aims to do.”

The Framework recognises that, across the three distinct IM domains, information and its uses are different, but the core IM needs of business owners are largely the same. The Strategic Framework also includes the principle of no unilateral decision making being undertaken on major IM matters to ensure that a whole-of-Defence approach can be established.

“While the Strategic Framework is more about business needs, processes and strong corporate governance rather than Information and Communications Technology (ICT) per se, it does aim to ensure that future ICT solutions enable IM to occur in an effective and efficient way and support the broad philosophy that the right information gets to the right person at the right time to make the right decision,” Mr Corcoran said.

“Meeting this intent across the organisation is a big undertaking, but its importance cannot be overstated if we consider that Defence’s warfighting capability

to Information Management By Rhonda Henry

depends on a commander’s ability to seamlessly access real-time intelligence, logistics and force disposition information in order to make strategic or tactical decisions.”

The Strategic Framework sets out the vision that, in three to five years, we will have confidence in our information, access to all the information needed to make a decision, common business processes, clear lines of responsibility for specific information and be able to report quickly and accurately.

The next step in the process is to develop an implementation roadmap to identify, plan and allocate resources to projects supporting IM in Defence, including:

> developing IM governance arrangements, including identifying business information owners to ensure responsibility for information accuracy, currency and management

“In an environment with unprecedented technology to create, manipulate and use information, it is critical that Defence utilises IM systems and processes that make the most of this asset to support our business, both on and off the battlefield.”

– Assistant Secretary of Freedom of Information and Information Management Branch, Mr Tony Corcoran

Reforms to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (fOI act) came into effect on 1 november and will have a major influence on how fOI issues are handled by Defence.

The reforms to the FOI Act are a central part of the Government’s transparency initiatives and are underpinned by the notion that government-held information is a national resource.

As part of the reforms, the new Australian Information Commissioner and former Commonwealth Ombudsman, Professor John McMillan, supported by the FOI Commissioner, Dr James Popple, has oversight of Australian Government information policy and practice, including FOI and privacy.

The Information Commissioner will act as an independent monitor of FOI matters and review FOI access decisions made by agencies and ministers.

One of the more important aspects of the reform is the abolition of application fees, including fees for internal review.

The first five hours of decision-making time will

now be free for all applicants with no charges applying where a person requests access to their personal information.

Most applications will be valid immediately – far more than previously – with less time available to process applications. The FOI Act also provides for the waiver of all charges if a statutory time frame is not met.

Applicants wishing to have FOI access decisions reviewed can now choose to go directly to the Information Commissioner for external review. Applicants disagreeing with the outcome of the Information Commissioner’s review can apply to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

In certain circumstances, where access requests are clearly unreasonable, the Information Commissioner can restrict an applicant’s access rights by declaring the person to be a vexatious applicant.

Information Defgram no. 686/2010 has more information or you can go to the fOI website at:

http://intranet.defence.gov.au/oscdfweb/sites/fOI or http://www.defence.gov.au/foi/ .

FOI reforms now in place

> adopting common business rules for IM across the three domains, and

> implementing a communication plan to ensure everyone has a common understanding of the IM agenda – because it will affect all of us and change the way we work.

Related IM projects include rolling out DRMS to another 30,000 users during the next three years, establishing a metadata repository to make searching for documents easier, and implementing a web content management system on the Internet and Intranet.

These initiatives are contributed to and supported by every Group and Service, through the Information Managers’ Network, and regular updates will be provided as the reform agenda progresses.

For more information, or for a copy of the Strategic Framework, please email IMenquiries@defence.gov.au.

HISTORY

The local Thai people say the area is haunted; they warned me so before I set out on my journey.

They believe that there are many lost souls living in the jungle. Perhaps they are right because as I walked down the steep and narrow track toward Hellfire Pass the atmosphere was eerie. There was also an abnormal silence; no insects or birds to be seen or heard. It was as if they sensed something strange and avoided the place.

The only other time I experienced this inexplicable conflict between past and present was when I visited Mauthausen-Gusen Concentration Camp in Austria. It was also shrouded in a ghostly ambience.

I was following my local Thai guide ‘Tik’ as we descended the same bamboo path trod by thousands of prisoners of war who had been enslaved by their Japanese captors to build a 415km rail line from Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbyuzayat in Burma.

The construction of what became known as the Death Railway took place between 1 October 1942 and 16 October 1943 and claimed tens of thousands of lives. Tik assured me that if I kept

The Hellfire Pass Memorial site and Museum is under Australian

management of the Office of Australian

War Graves. The museum is open daily.

Admission is free although donations

are welcome with a box placed in

the foyer.

Kanchanaburi War cemetery is 129kms north-west

of Bangkok and 80kms south of

Hellfire Pass. The large cemetery is

situated in the north-western part of

the town along Saeng Chuto Road, the

main thoroughfare.

The Allied War Cemetery is only

a short distance from the site of

the former ‘Kanburi’ Prisoner-of-War

Base Camp, through which most of

the prisoners passed on their way

to other camps, and is the largest

of the three war cemeteries on the

Thai-Burma Railway. All the graves

in Kanchanaburi War Cemetery are

marked by bronze plaques mounted

on concrete pedestals.

How to get there: There are

a number of orgainsed tours from

Bangkok to the Hellfire Pass Memorial

Site and Museum via Kanchanaburi.

Many are listed in travel guides. Most

tours include visits to the Bridge on the

River Kwai and a hotel pick up and drop

off. All tours include a local guide.

Intrepid traveller Darryl Johnston recounts his trek along Thailand’s Hellfire Pass – an area with special significance and also synonymous to Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop and the so-called Death Railway.

Journey to Hellfire and back

an eye to the ground I may find a small relic from the past, a button or a badge that once belonged to a POW, but he said, “the rule is to look but don’t take”.

Once at the bottom of Konyu Cutting, the air was cooler. A large grey marble monument with gold inscription marked the site of one of the darkest chapters of WWII and honours those who worked and died there.

The cutting is about 500 metres long and 26 metres deep. The rock was dug out by POWs using no more than picks, hammer and tap and dynamite (used by Japanese engineers) together with their bare hands.

Tik pointed out a stark reminder of their labour on the cutting walls. Scars from metal taps driven into the rock by sledgehammers can be seen clearly in the rock. The combination was used to drill thousands of holes that were filled with explosives to break through the mountain.

On one wall, a broken metal tap is still embedded in the rock. Apparently it was not unusual for a prisoner to be killed if he broke a tap.

From April 1943 the POWs and Asian labourers

were forced to work long and punishing hours as the Japanese raced to meet an August deadline for completion of the Death Railway. This became known as the ‘Speedo’ period.

During this time POWs were forced to work well into the night and this is when Hellfire Pass got its name.

Men working at the top of the Pass said that it was like “looking into the fires of hell” when they glanced down and saw the flickering lamp and bonfire light reflected on the rock walls and the emaciated bodies of their mates.

As I walked further into the cutting, the emotion of the moment and the significance of the place became obvious. Tik saw that the experience had profoundly shaken me. In a reassuring gesture he put his arm next to mine and pointing to them said, “the only difference between the men that were here was the colour of their skin”.

At the far end of Hellfire Pass lays a section of the rail line. It is said that every sleeper laid on the notorious Death Railway represented a life. That may not be far from the truth when you calculate the human cost and consider that many victims were buried along the route of the railway line.

Between 70,000 and 90,000 Asian labourers died working on the railway, while of the 60,000 allied POWs, more than 12,300 died.

Death would have been considered escape and freedom for many who worked under the cruel and harsh conditions. They were beaten and starved

and if they were not killed by their captors, they fell victim to diseases such as beriberi, pellagra, cholera, dysentery, malaria and stinking tropical ulcers that ate flesh to the bone.

The saviour for many was Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop. He was a medical surgeon who became a Japanese prisoner of war in 1942 when he was captured in Java.

In January 1943, Dunlop commanded the first Australians sent to work on the Thai segment of the Death Railway. His dedication and heroism and that of his team of medics became legendary among prisoners.

All accounts and records of that period describe Dunlop as “a courageous leader and compassionate doctor who restored the morale of POWs in the prison camps and jungle hospitals. Dunlop defied his captors, gave hope to the sick and eased the anguish of the dying”. He became, in the words of one of his men, “a lighthouse of sanity in a universe of madness and suffering”.

Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop passed away in 1993 and on Anzac Day 1994 his ashes were scattered on the railway tracks at Hellfire Pass. His mates who died along the Death Railway are immortalised in a well manicured garden cemetery.

It is the showpiece of the city of Kanchanaburi, a credit to local Thai community and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Further along the route of the original railway, the jungle clears and gives way to spectacular

views across to Burma. It is hard to imagine that a

beautiful part of Thailand holds such a dark history.

We eventually made our way to a set of stairs

leading to a modern museum that was added to

the Hellfire Pass Memorial site. It was built by the

Office of Australian War Graves in a joint venture

between the Australian Government and the Royal

Thai Armed Forces Development Command. It was

officially opened on 24 April 1998 by former Prime

Minister John Howard.

The museum includes a large exhibition gallery and

a theatre. Museum staff also provide visitors with

an MP3 player that offers a recorded tour though

the personal accounts of survivors of the Death

Railway. The museum also features many historical

objects, photos and models.

It is managed by Bill Slape who you can meet

at the museum or can be found inspecting the

memorial site, the Pass and man walking tracks.

A visit to Hellfire Pass is an emotional pilgrimage

for many. The raw and, in historical terms, recent

events easily overwhelm those who make the

journey, none more than those who survived the

Death Railway or those who had relatives enslaved

to work on it.

I could not claim any links to those who worked

there. The only association I had was that I was

another Australian who wanted to pay his quiet

respects to the men who lived and died on the

Death Railway and in the bowels of Hellfire Pass.

LefT: The Hellfire Pass cutting. cenTRe: The monument at the bottom of Hellfire Pass that honours those who worked and died on the Thai-Burma Railway. RIgHT: A broken compressor drill embedded in the rock wall of hellfire pass. These were used by POWs to cut through the rock. BeLOW LefT: The Kanachanburi War Cemetery on the way to Hellfire Pass. Many of the allied POWs who worked on the Thai-Burma Railway are buried here.

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aBOVe: The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum at honours those who worked on the so-called Death Railway in Thailand and Burma.

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THE LAST WORD

Defence is involved with a diverse range of external organisations, and in line with the Chief of the Defence Force’s Action Plan for the Recruitment and Retention of Women, we have spoken to the Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination, Ms Elizabeth Broderick.

Please tell us about your day-to-day role as sex Discrimination commissioner and commissioner responsible for age Discrimination?

My role is about advocacy, advising the Government on legislation and policy, research and community education.

It is quite a varied role. The object is to promote equality between men and women in Australian society and also ensure that people are not treated unfairly on the basis of age.

Each day is different and can be anything from appearing before a UN treaty body to camping out with indigenous women in the Kimberley’s, or giving evidence before a Senate Committee to visiting a women’s refuge, corporate boardroom or Defence conference, speaking to peak bodies in the age discrimination area.

When you were appointed in september 2007, what were your main priorities, and have you been able to tick any?

I spent the first six months travelling the length and breadth of Australia, listening to the concerns of women and men about gender equality. I set a 2008-2012 strategic plan which had five priorities, to:

Achieve a paid parental leave (PPL) scheme 1. for Australia

Increase the number of women at decision-2. making level across Australia

Strengthen laws to address sex 3. discrimination and promote gender equality

requires systemic intervention and real attitudinal and cultural change. If we are to build a modern defence force we need to harness all the talent that exists and this will require us to remove the barriers to women’s full participation. Attracting and retaining more women is a business critical issue for Defence.

Firstly, we should stop trying to ‘fix’ women. Up until now much of the focus has been on ‘fixing women’ – on providing more assertiveness training, mentoring, networking and self-branding advice.

Instead of ‘fixing’ women, we need to realign or ‘fix’ the system so that it works for everyone. These are the discussions we have had around the ADF Women’s reference group table. We need to agree on what gender equality in the workplace looks like and then put all the options and possibilities on the table so we can work out how to get it. It should be our ambitions which define the methods and tools, not the other way around. Without a significant change in approach the only thing we can expect is more of the same.

Secondly, our plan can’t just focus on women. I firmly believe that we will only see significant gains when men start working with men to solve this problem. After all it is men who dominate nearly every institution in this country, including in the ADF. If there is to be change, male leaders have to champion it. We need senior men working in flexible work arrangements, we need senior men taking parental leave and we need men making this issue a priority, investing in job redesign and workplace innovation.

– Sex Discrimination Commissioner and Commissioner responsible for Age Discrimination,Ms Elizabeth Broderick

Drive down the incidence of sexual 4. harassment, and

Reduce the gender gap in retirement savings.5.

We have had good progress on the first three priorities (PPL to be introduced on 1/1/11, 400 per cent increase on women on boards in last six months, a bill to amend the Sex Discrimination Act 1984 was passed through House of Representatives and we hope will be passed in the Senate shortly).

We are still progressing work on points 4 and 5 and we are also focusing on the issues of violence against women for the remainder of my five-year term.

You are also an advisor on women’s issues to the chief of the Defence force and a number of other agencies. Please outline your role with the cDf and how it came about?

My role is to assist the leadership of the ADF to understand the current thinking and strategies on attracting and retaining women and to make recommendations. This may include recommendations to overcome systemic, cultural, attitudinal and behavioural barriers that directly or indirectly negatively influence the recruitment, retention and progression of women.

What advice have you been able to give the cDf in terms of promoting diversity in the australian Defence force?

I gave a speech to the ADF during the last week of October, which included the following points:

Solving the issue of women’s under-representation

One male leader who is recognised in Australia as committed and needing no convincing of the importance of strong and committed leadership is the Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston. The CDF and his team have demonstrated their commitment to gender diversity in the ADF in a number of ways, including last year’s launch of the CDF Action Plan for the Recruitment and Retention of Women. That Action Plan identifies activities which will strengthen leadership.

For example the proposed refinements to the performance appraisal and reporting framework, maximising feedback loops and listening to employees more through using surveys. To embed the initiatives in the Action Plan, the plan needs to be embraced by all of your leaders – and you as leaders – and I suspect that will be part of the cultural challenge that you will be tackling over the next few years.

Thirdly, we should aim for a critical mass of women at the most senior levels and this includes the ADF. It is critical mass that will create change rather than change creating critical mass.

When we achieve this, diverse viewpoints and appreciation of difference will occur. In the corporate sphere, this means a minimum of 40 per cent of each gender on company boards within five years. In the ADF it means thinking about and discussing what targets might be appropriate given the different starting points of each of the services. Targets need to be transparent and responsibility for achieving them should be set at the highest level and devolved through the management levels. This picture will not change without everyone doing their part.

And finally, the fact is that much of the discrimination that exists against women today is a result of ‘unconscious bias’. And while the impact of any individual instance of ‘unconscious bias’ may be subtle, over the course of repeated workplace interactions, judgments and decisions of a small bias against women will deliver a large impact.

Defence has a plan and it’s a good plan. But you can have the best plan in the world and if it’s not implemented properly there will be no change. Gender equality will not occur simply because we want it to occur and we have policies and

directives in place. It requires a commitment from all people in the ADF – women and men – to counter the attitudes and assumptions that lead to discriminatory and unequal outcomes. It requires the transformation of workplace cultures, which in turn requires sustained commitment from individuals at all organisational levels, women and men alike.

What does diversity mean to you personally and how have you been able to encourage it in your workplace?

Diversity is about ensuring that the talents of all people, irrespective of race, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation and age are brought together for the common good. In workplaces, diversity results in a greater ability to think outside the square, to innovate, to respect difference and to move away from group think. Diversity helps organisations deliver creative and collaborative solutions.

Diversity is very important in the Defence Force because the Defence Force serves the community and we live in a very diverse society. The diversity in the ADF should reflect the diversity of the

community which it serves.

Since 2008 Career Manager Army (CMA)

Brigadier Matthew Hall has conducted 14 Army

Women’s forums across 10 Defence locations, capturing approximately 925 personnel.

Network grows

through women’s

forumsBy Leading Seaman Paul McCallum

He said the common themes presented at these forums included difficulties with balancing work and personal commitments, accessing suitable and affordable childcare, impact of breaks in service for career progression, cultural and attitudinal change required for accessing flexible working arrangements, the challenge of establishing a positive organisational presence in a male-dominated workplace and accessing senior female role models within Army.

“These forums give Army an opportunity to promote new initiatives, raise awareness of gender specific issues, provide guidance on networking and mentoring and discuss strategic developments affecting personnel,” Brig Hall said.

“The information and feedback we get from the attendees goes through the chain up to Lieutenant General Gillespie (Chief of Army) and helps us identify issues that affect how attractive a career in the Army is to women.”

This gives Army an opportunity to shape developments in support of the CDF Action Plan for Women, refine policy; or implement change based on the recommended outcomes.

While aimed at women in Army and promoting access to initiatives such as flexible working arrangements, more men are attending including brigade commanders, commanding officers and RSMs.

Guest speaker Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick said it was important that men

attend these forums as well.

“While forums like these are important for networking and encouraging mentoring among Army women, empowering women is not enough,” Mrs Broderick said.

“We need to realign the system so that it works for everyone. With such a large percentage of men in senior management positions, we need men to help us implement these changes, not just for the benefit of women, but for the benefit of all members.”

Some issues facing women in the corporate world are a lack of affordable child care, a lack of flexible working options and a paid parental leave program, all of which are features of Army’s conditions of service.

Due to the success of the forums, CMA will conduct another series in 2011 for both women and men at major bases and adapt content to help personnel develop the skills and knowledge to seek guidance on initiatives and policies available, and provide coaching on how to access these employment benefits.

The following forums will engage more with the chain of command to tailor the content in order to indentify potential opportunities for personnel related initiatives.

CMA is developing a mentoring program that is intended to be implemented across the wider Army and will continue to offer various professional external development activities for women.

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