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Photo: Officer school training is being trialled as just a year-long course. (Jarrod Moreels/Defence)

It’s a shift towards efficiency over extended duration, aptly termed as ‘working smarter, not longer’.

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is embarking on a trial program to condense officer training from 18 months to just 12 months, aiming to accelerate and intensify cadet preparation.

Since July 2023, the Royal Military College-Australia and Combined Arms Training Centre have merged into the Land Combat College (LCC), headquartered in Canberra and Puckapunyal, streamlining operations to serve as the singular training authority for foundational training and combat capabilities for land specialists.

This new approach, implemented at the start of the year and trialled from January 2024 to December 2025, represents a significant step forward in the army’s pursuit of a unified, adaptable force.

Brigadier Jason Groat, Commandant of the Land Combat College, emphasized the continuous evaluation of trainees throughout the program, with adjustments made as necessary.

The trial Officer Commissioning Program comprises six modules focusing on leadership, command, foundation warfighting, and military planning, aiming to cultivate essential skills uniformly across all officers.

The primary goal of this accelerated training initiative is to expedite the readiness of Service Category 7 generalist officers, setting a precedent for enhancing training across other categories.

Lieutenant Colonel Brian Hickey, Commanding Officer of RMC-D, stressed the retention of core performance elements and critical skills in the revamped training approach, incorporating technological advancements and innovative instructional methods to eliminate redundancy and maximize efficiency.

In essence, this streamlined training regimen aims to sharpen focus and effectiveness, ensuring optimal readiness with fewer resources.

Australian and Filipino armed forces, backed by US Marines, have practiced retaking an island seized by hostile forces in a large military drill on the north-western Philippine coast facing the disputed South China Sea.

Sometimes, the more you try to help someone, the worse it gets.

Upon arriving home, a husband was met at the door by his sobbing wife.

Tearfully she explained, “It’s the druggist. He insulted me terribly this morning on the phone. I had to call multiple times before he would even answer the phone.”

Immediately, the husband drove downtown to confront the druggist and demand an apology.

Before he could say more than a word or two, the druggist told him, Now, just a minute, listen to my side of it.

This morning the alarm failed to go off, so I was late getting up. I went without breakfast and hurried out to the car, just to realise that I’d locked the house with both house and car keys inside and had to break a window to get my keys.

Then, driving a little too fast, I got a speeding ticket.

Later, when I was about three blocks from the store, I had a flat tire.

When I finally got to the store a bunch of people were waiting for me to open up.

I got the store opened and started waiting on these people, all the time the darn phone was ringing off the hook.

He continued, “Then I had to break a roll of nickels against the cash register drawer to make change, and they spilled all over the floor.

I had to get down on my hands and knees to pick up the nickels and the phone was still ringing.

When I came up, I cracked my head on the open cash drawer, which made me stagger back against a showcase with a bunch of perfume bottles on it.

Half of them hit the floor and broke.

Meanwhile, the phone is still ringing with no let up, and I finally got back to answer it. It was your wife. She wanted to know how to use a rectal thermometer.

And believe me mister, as God is my witness, all I did was tell her.”

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy has allocated an extra $399 million to advance the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program, securing hundreds of Australian defence jobs. This funding confirms progress to the next phase, including the delivery of three upgraded Block 2 aircraft with enhanced features.

The investment will prioritize the development of sensor technology, mission capabilities, and autonomous systems. Minister Conroy applauded the announcement, highlighting the significant contribution of over 200 Australian companies, including 50 SMEs, to the program. He emphasized the importance of government support in maintaining Australia’s leadership in defence technology and job creation.

This funding secures over 350 jobs nationwide and sustains the work of more than 200 suppliers involved in the MQ-28A Ghost Bat project. Minister Conroy reiterated the government’s commitment to national prosperity and security through equipping the Air Force with essential capabilities.

The decision to further develop the MQ-28A Ghost Bat follows a recommendation from the Defence Strategic Review to explore collaboration with the United States. Defence has entered into a Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) development project arrangement with the US, aligning with the government’s response.

Scott Carpendale, Vice President and Managing Director of Boeing Defence Australia, praised the government’s support for the program, emphasizing the partnership’s significance in enhancing Australia’s combat aircraft capabilities.

Over 70% of the MQ-28A Ghost Bat program is directed towards Australian industry content, providing substantial benefits to local companies and their skilled workforce. The agreement allows for the continued development and validation of MQ-28 systems, including the production of three Block 2 aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Boeing’s MQ-28A Ghost Bat, a Collaborative Combat Aircraft, is a joint effort with Boeing Defence Australia and marks Australia’s first military combat aircraft designed, engineered, and manufactured in over 50 years. Originally announced in 2019, the MQ-28A Ghost Bat is designed to offer fighter-like performance and a range of over 2,000 nautical miles, supporting intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance missions, and electronic warfare capabilities.

ED: From my inbox … Thanks Brian Hurlock

Regardless of what one’s opinion is of Donald Trump, and if you are not completely turned off by the formal wording of this USA Republican Party Resolution on the future policies in relation to the ongoing, essential use of fossil fuels for power generation, then I recommend a thorough reading of the attached Resolution.

For in the wording you will get an idea of the type of LEADERSHIP the whole of Western Civilisation needs URGENTLY, if we are to stop the momentum of, and then begin reversing, the headlong rush to economic suicide on which we’ve been embarked for the past 30 or so years – due directly to the most massive, most costly, most environmentally destructive FRAUD in the whole history of Mankind i.e. the sheer insanity and False Alarmism of Catastrophic Anthropogenic Climate Change Theory.

Unless the non-socialist/communist side of politics in Australia i.e. those which are NOT on the side of Comrade Albosleazy’s coalition of ALP/Greens/Tea(ladies), adopt the USA Republican Party’s ALL OUT attack on current trends, they have little hope of coalescing the split/shattered/disillusioned/hurting grassroots voters of Australia in sufficient numbers to win back government at the next Federal Elections!

Do they have the personnel with the required COMMON SENSE, vision, political instincts, backbone & cajónes to do it? Sadly, I doubt it! But the ball is there for them to pick up and run with it if sufficient new, younger tyros in the Parties are prepared to change course, to head back to calmer, safer waters!

The future of Western Civilisation depends on it!

TRANSFORMATIVE-ENERGY-FREEDOM-POLICY-FOR-AMERICA.pdf (gop.com)

Hooroo 4 now, Brian H.

Hear from Chief of Army LTGEN Simon Stuart as he shares his start of year message.

Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC

Lieutenant General Stuart assumed command of the Australian Army on 02 July 2022.

Official Portrait of LTGEN Simon Stuart, AO, DSC. 

Enlisting as a soldier in 1987, Lieutenant General Stuart was commissioned into the Royal Australian Infantry Corps in 1990.  He has over thirty five years’ experience across a range of leadership, operations, training and program management appointments in Australia and overseas.

Lieutenant General Stuart’s regimental experience was in the 2nd/4th and 2nd Battalions, Royal Australian Regiment, culminating in command of the 8th/9th Battalion from 2008-10.

He has commanded on operations on five occasions at the company, Joint Task Force, brigade and force levels in East Timor, Afghanistan and Egypt/Israel respectively. His early career included significant training experience, while his staff appointments have largely been in capability development. He has worked in joint, whole of government, international and multi-national environments for most of the past 20 years. Most recently, Lieutenant General Stuart has fulfilled the role of Head of Land Capability in Army Headquarters after a three year deployment in command of the Multinational Force & Observers from 2017-19.

Lieutenant General Stuart is a graduate of the Royal Military College – Duntroon (1990), the United Kingdom’s Joint Services Command and Staff College (2003), the United States Army War College (2015) and the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program (2022). He holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of New England and Masters’ degrees in Project Management (UNSW), Arts – Defence Studies (Kings College, London) and Strategy (US Army War College).

Lieutenant General Stuart’s honours and awards include his appointment as Member of the Order of Australia (2011), the Distinguished Service Cross (2014) and advancement to Officer of the Order of Australia (2020). He has also received a number of foreign awards, including those from the United States, Timor Leste, Columbia, Uruguay, Czech Republic, Japan and Indonesia.

Lieutenant General Stuart and his wife Katy are from Perth, Western Australia. They have two teenage children and a labrador retriever. He is also the patron for the Army Drone Racing Team and a patron for the Army Australian Football League.

ED: From my inbox … Thanks Graeme Edwards 

CLICK LINK to watch video.

Unobtanium_

Recently, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aviators collaborated with their counterparts from the United States and the United Kingdom in a groundbreaking exercise, deploying six F-35A Lightning II aircraft to support the mission for the first time. Accompanied by an air battle management team, this deployment marked a significant milestone in maximizing the capabilities of the F-35.

Wing Commander Adrian Kiely, Commanding Officer of No. 3 Squadron, emphasized the importance of exercises like Red Flag Nellis in realizing the full potential of the F-35 joint strike fighter. He highlighted that while the F-35A stands as the world’s most advanced operational strike fighter, its true capabilities shine when integrated into a comprehensive network of systems, as demonstrated during the exercise.

“The scenarios in this exercise demand coordination to navigate through sophisticated air defence networks or achieve precise integration across multiple domains to reach distant targets, all while facing live and simulated threats,” remarked WGCDR Kiely. “Red Flag Nellis provided a rigorous environment for participating nations, testing interoperability and enhancing our understanding of each other’s strengths in combat situations.”

Wing Commander Peter Mole, Commanding Officer of No. 114 Mobile Control and Reporting Unit, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the unique opportunity presented by Red Flag Nellis for Australian aviators to engage in complex joint air missions alongside the US and UK forces.

“Participating in an exercise of this calibre is a rare opportunity for us to collaborate with the United States and the United Kingdom,” noted WGCDR Mole. “The meticulous recording and immediate debriefing of each mission offer valuable insights into the overall mission dynamics and the effectiveness of our decision-making processes.”

As the exercise concluded, WGCDR Mole expressed confidence in the Australian team’s ability to contribute effectively to modern air campaigns and seamlessly integrate with allied nations in future operations.

In summary, Red Flag Nellis served as a platform for enhancing the interoperability and combat readiness of participating nations while unlocking the full potential of the F-35 joint strike fighter in a realistic operational environment.

When Warrant Officer Class Two Robert Parsons was four, his dad took him on base and showed him a Centurion and Leopard tank, setting him on a path to follow in his father’s tracks.

“Just seeing that raw power, it’s the biggest and baddest thing on the battlefield. I just wanted to be in it,” he said.

“Dad advised me to consider joining RAEME [Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers], get a trade, but I was so influenced by tanks and I think he knew it.”

Thirty-five years later, in 2023, they were the only father and son with the same rank serving in an armoured corps.

Robert’s father, WO2 William Parsons, joined at 17 and learnt how to drive a tank before he could legally drive a car.

“I was driving around 52 tons of main battle tank and I still had to wait three months before I could even apply for a learner permit to drive my dad’s Morris 1000 on Victorian roads,” William said.

“What other organisation places the trust in all its members, of all ranks, to do the job it trains them into the extent we do?

“Serving in the Army means we all get the opportunities to see and do all nature of work in different contexts and environments and operate equipment that is not available to the general population.”

Robert said the best part about having his dad the same rank as him was having someone with experience to lean on.

“He’s seen it all from a different perspective and from a different time as well,” he said.

“The Army is in his veins and in his advice as well, which I think really helped me throughout my career, looking after my soldiers and doing right by them.”

Robert enjoys the tight-knit armoured community, having been in the corps for 20 years, and values the intimacy formed with his crew when in confined spaces.

“I love the fact that I’ve got soldiers that I know personally and I can help them with anything,” he said.

William recently retired after serving 50 years in the corps. It’s believed he was the last serving Centurion-qualified soldier.

He also trained on Leopard, Chieftain and Challenger tanks, and witnessed evolution in design and technology.

“In Centurion we had active infrared spotlights for night vision, now we have thermal imagery. There is no comparison,” William said.

“Trading the Centurion for Leopard was like trading a truck for a sports car.”

One of his favourite memories was testing the limits of the new Leopard by driving full throttle over Spectators Hill at Puckapunyal.

“I proved that 42 tons of tank could fly as she lifted completely off the ground,” William said.

“Landing cost me three broken ribs, but it was worth it. We have always felt encouraged to explore and push the limits of our equipment in order to fully understand the capabilities. I hope that ethos continues.

“The photos of that are still in the tank museum.”

If the U.S. and China ever went to war, the battle wouldn’t solely be fought on the domestic front. It would be a confrontation that draws in the entire world. One that relies as heavily on the military bases each country has set up around the world as the fire and manpower that’s kept domestically. These military bases could prove to be decisive turning points in a potential war. Find out which country has the advantage in today’s epic new video!