With compliments
Korean War: North Korea invaded South Korea on June 25, 1950. This war
has never ended. The Armistice was signed on July 27,1953.
2024 KVAA commemoration service; July 27 2024
https://www.shrine.org.au/korean-veterans-association
Ralph Wollmer
Police are investigating the theft and vandalism of an Australian Defence Force (ADF) 40M truck, which was stolen from a barracks and abandoned in a Brisbane street on State of Origin night.
The truck was discovered in the car park of Mitchelton Youth Club on Thursday morning, covered in graffiti. Phrases like “F–k NSW” and “Go QLD” were spray-painted in orange, along with “thanks” on the front and “party bus get on” on the back.
The incident followed Queensland’s tough loss to New South Wales in the State of Origin decider on Wednesday night. Queensland Police reported that two men accessed private property around 2:25 am and stole the vehicle, which was found shortly after in Mitchelton.
Police cordoned off the area and conducted investigations inside the vehicle before it was towed away in the afternoon. The Gallipoli Barracks at Enoggera is located just a few streets away from where the truck was found.
A Defence spokesman confirmed that both Defence and the Queensland Police Service (QPS) are investigating the incident, but no further details were provided.
Australian Defence Force (ADF) troops are steadily advancing towards an August graduation under the new condensed officer training program at the Royal Military College – Duntroon. This innovative approach reduces the officer commissioning program from 18 months to 12 months, spanning from January to December 2024. Despite the shorter timeframe, trainees receive the same rigorous training, meet the same graduation standards, and qualify as lieutenants upon course completion.
Commandant of the Land Combat College, Brigadier Jason Groat, noted that ADF trainee officers are currently undertaking their final modules before their August graduation.
“The first group of Staff Cadets to undertake the Foundation Warfighting module has been completed, culminating with an extensive field exercise at Puckapunyal,” he said.
“During this exercise, Staff Cadets integrated with the School of Armour, School of Artillery, and Army School of Transport to better understand the Combined Arms Fighting System. This included conducting attacks with the Mechanised Regimental Officer Course.
“Preparation for this phase began in the classroom, where Staff Cadets developed their understanding and application of tactical actions. They refined these skills at Duntroon before testing them in the field phase. Both the learning and practical phases of Foundation Warfighting enhanced their resilience and demonstrated their ability to thrive in a field environment for extended periods. Conducting stability operations at Puckapunyal, including force-on-force engagements, was extremely beneficial, and I’m encouraged by the cadets’ skills and resilience.
“My direction to the team has been to develop combat behaviours at every opportunity. Initial evaluations support additional time for this development during the Foundation Warfighting module. I Class Staff Cadets are undertaking their final module – Foundation Command – prior to graduating in August. II Class has commenced the Foundation Military Planning Module.”
The Royal Military College – Duntroon began trialling the condensed 12-month program earlier this year, replacing the traditional 18-month format. This initiative aims to educate trainees to the same standards more quickly, increasing the speed to capability for service category (SERCAT) 7 generalist officers and informing training design for other SERCAT and training audiences.
Additionally, the ADF has supported the ServeOn program for already employed military personnel, allowing them to remain connected with the Australian Army and embrace semi-retirement in a flexible role.
You know, there comes a time in everyone′s life when they must say goodbye, that time is now, so with tears in either eye, I say goodbye. Ross
BY my imperfect record keeping I have contributed this weekly column to The Townsville Bulletin since April 7, 2010, over 600 columns give or take the occasional days it was not published.
As an old soldier, ancient even, I am minded of John Le Mesurier, Dad’s Army sergeant Wilson’s last words, “It’s all been rather lovely”.
Journalism was a late career, fulfilling a life’s ambition to write for a living, with an opportunity presented on The Gold Coast Bulletin, near where I had hung my boots and sword.
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Fortescue Ltd has announced plans to lay off 700 employees and abandon its ambitious green hydrogen project by 2030. The news has led to a significant drop in the company’s share price.
This development has fuelled criticism of the Albanese Government’s support for the initiative, which some are calling another failed venture. Critics argue that Labor has a history of backing unproven and impractical projects, citing examples like Wave Generation in Western Australia and geothermal energy in South Australia.
Detractors claim that the government’s decisions are driven by individuals who have never taken financial risks with their own money but are willing to gamble with public funds. They describe these decision-makers as career politicians and union organizers who have never run a business but have continuously benefited from public resources.
Green hydrogen not dead despite Fortescue retreat, says Bowen
Energy and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen dismissed concerns over the green hydrogen industry, despite Andrew Forrest shelving a major production project. Bowen highlighted that over $200 billion in ongoing investments in Green Hydrogen will continue, emphasizing that only one company had deprioritized a project. Speaking after a meeting of state and territory energy ministers, Bowen countered claims by Federal opposition energy spokesman Ted O’Brien, who criticized the lack of commitment to increasing gas usage.
Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio acknowledged the need for more gas development due to diminishing supplies. Bowen reiterated that Fortescue was not shortlisted for funding under the Hydrogen Headstart program, which will proceed as planned and if the requires further investment that will be provided. Meanwhile, all ministers opposed the Coalition’s nuclear reactor plans, citing cost and timeline concerns, including Queensland’s Energy Minister Mick de Brenni.
Donald Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, gave his first speech since he was picked for the Republican ticket. Vance discussed his humble beginnings and the importance of a Trump-Vance ticket for the future of the country.
ED: Yesterday around mid-day, my computer shut down unexpectedly. At first, I thought the issue was with my computer because I encountered a blue screen and it wouldn’t reboot. Later in the afternoon, I discovered that the problem was due to an offshore software update. Since I subscribe to a US security company that uses Crowdstrike, my system was affected. Thankfully, I’m back online and secure now.
A global IT outage has thrown Australian airlines, hospitals, media, banks, and small businesses into disarray, causing widespread disruptions.
When the story first broke, people speculated that it might be the result of a cyberattack by adversaries. However, it turned out to be something much less alarming: an update.
The issue stemmed from a defect in a single content update of CrowdStrike’s software on Microsoft Windows operating systems. CrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, confirmed the problem and advised customers to reboot their computers. The issue is specific to Falcon, one of CrowdStrike’s main software products, and does not impact Mac or Linux systems.
CrowdStrike is a major player in the cybersecurity industry, CrowdStrike’s software is used by numerous companies and Australian small business to detect and block hacking threats. The company operates globally through software sales and investigations of major hacks.
Submarines are among the most fascinating and powerful machines in the world. They can dive deep into the oceans and perform various tasks, such as spying, attacking, exploring, or rescuing. However, they are also known for being very slow compared to other vehicles. The average speed of a submarine is around 5 to 10 knots, which is equivalent to 6 to 12 miles per hour. This is much slower than the speed of a car, which can travel at around 60 miles per hour. Why are submarines so slow? There are several reasons for this.
One reason is that submarines are designed to be stealthy and avoid detection, which requires them to move slowly to minimize the noise they make. Submarines use propellers or jet propulsion to move through the water, but these also create sound waves that can be picked up by sonar or hydrophones. The faster the submarine moves, the louder it becomes, and the easier it is for enemies to locate and track it. Therefore, submarines have to balance their speed and their stealth, and often choose to sacrifice the former for the latter.
Another reason is that submarines are bulky and heavy, and not designed for speed, but rather for endurance and carrying large payloads. Submarines have to carry a lot of equipment and weapons, such as torpedoes, missiles, mines, sensors, batteries, fuel, and crew. They also have to withstand the high pressure and low temperature of the deep sea. All these factors add weight and drag to the submarine, making it harder to accelerate and maneuverer. Submarines are also limited by their power source, which can be diesel-electric or nuclear. Diesel-electric submarines have to surface periodically to recharge their batteries using air-breathing engines, which reduces their speed and stealth. Nuclear submarines can stay submerged for longer periods of time, but they also generate more heat and noise.
Despite their slow speed, submarines are still an important part of modern warfare and science. They can carry out missions that other vehicles cannot do, such as attacking enemy ships or submarines, launching strategic nuclear strikes, protecting friendly ships or aircraft carriers, conducting covert operations behind enemy lines, exploring and mapping the ocean floor, collecting data and samples of marine life, water, rocks, and minerals for scientific analysis, recovering lost items from sunken ships or planes, or offering underwater sightseeing tours or rides to visitors. Submarines have changed the course of history and enriched our knowledge and culture.
China’s Military: The Hidden Weaknesses You Didn’t Know! China aims to be the top global power by 2049, but can its military keep up? Despite modernizing its forces, issues lurk beneath the surface. From scandalous failures in 2023-24 to personnel and equipment problems, discover why the PLA might not be as strong as it seems.
Newsmax’s “What Americans Really Think” features Carl Higbie, who offers direct commentary on current events and the general sentiment of the average American. His nine-minute segment often resonates with viewers both in the United States and abroad, including Australia. Many Australians have expressed similar views to those highlighted by Higbie. He articulates concerns and opinions that echo sentiments felt by people worldwide. Watch his commentary to see if his perspectives align with your own views on the current state of affairs.
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