AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN
30 Jul 10
Details
LTGEN GILLESPIE WITH MICHAEL SMITH OF RADIO 4BC BRISBANE (Good read)
28 Jul 10
Details
CDF TO TAKE LEAVE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT
26 Jul 10
Details
LAST MAJOR EXERCISE FOR AUSTRALIA’S F-111S
23 Jul 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN WW1 SOLDIER LAID TO REST
23 Jul 10
Details
12 FEBRUARY 2009 (SPECIAL FORCES) INCIDENT IN AFGHANISTAN - UPDATE
22 Jul 10
Details
PRIVATE NATHAN BEWES FUNERAL
22 Jul 10
Details
MRH90 RECOMMENCEMENT OF FLYING OPERATIONS
22 Jul 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN WORLD WAR I SOLDIER REMEMBERED AT MENIN GATE
22 Jul 10
Details
ROCKET ATTACK ON AUSTRALIAN FORCES AT KANDAHAR AIRFIELD
21 Jul 10
Details
CELEBRATION OF THE LIFE OF NATHAN BEWES
21 Jul 10
Details
VALE DR DAVID WARREN AO: 1925 – 2010
21 Jul 10
Details
FINAL FROMELLES SOLDIER LAID TO REST
19 Jul 10
Details
DUTCH HAND OVER SECURITY OF CHORA VALLEY
16 Jul 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN CHINOOK HELICOPTER FIRED UPON BY INSURGENTS
16 Jul 10
Details
VETERANS ENCOURAGED TO GET HEALTHY FOR LIFE
16 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL REPORT – INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION FOR MEMBERS OF THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE FOR SERVICE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA AFTER 1975
16 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION OF SERVICE WITH THE TASK GROUP MEDICAL SUPPORT ELEMENT DURING THE GULF WAR 1990 – 91
16 Jul 10
Details
INQUIRIES INTO UNRESOLVED RECOGNITION ISSUES FOR ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE PERSONNEL WHO SERVED AT UBON BETWEEN 1965 AND 1968
16 Jul 10
Details
SPEECH BY THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE AT LOWY INSTITUTE
16 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HOUSES SAVED AT LARRAKEYAH BARRACKS, RAAF DARWIN HOUSING NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY
16 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL REPORT INTO RECOGNITION OF SAS COUNTER TERRORIST AND SPECIAL RECOVERY DUTIES
15 Jul 10
Details
EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES OPEN UP FOR DEFENCE FAMILIES
14 Jul 10
Details
CHIEF OR ARMY SPEAKS TO RADIO STATION 4BC DRIVE WITH MIKE SMITH
13 Jul 10
Details
OPERATION BIG ROLL
13 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL REPORT – INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION OF UNATTACHED AUSTRALIAN PERFORMERS IN THE VIETNAM CONFLICT
13 Jul 10
Details
PRIVATE BEWES COMMENCES FINAL JOURNEY HOME
13 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION OF SERVICE WITH THE COMMONWEALTH MONITORING FORCE – RHODESIA 1979-80
12 Jul 10
Details
2010 SIR EDWARD DUNLOP MEDICAL RESEARCH APPEAL
12 Jul 10
Details
BIRDS HAVE BIG IMPACT
12 Jul 10
Details
PERSONAL DETAILS OF AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
10 Jul 10
Details
PERSONAL STATEMENT FROM THE PARTNER OF PRIVATE NATHAN BEWES
10 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE RESPONSE TO THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN ARTICLE SOLDIERS’ DESPAIR CONFRONTS DEFENCE’
10 Jul 10
Details
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE KILLS MENTORING TASK FORCE SOLDIER
10 Jul 10
Details
PRIVATE PALMER FAREWELLED IN DARWIN
10 Jul 10
Details
FUZZY WUZZY ANGELS REMEMBERED 65 YEARS ON
9 Jul 10
Details
ARMY ENLISTS FACEBOOK IN LIVE CHEF CHAT
9 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL REPORT INTO ELIGIBILITY FOR THE VIETNAM MEDAL (RAAF)
8 Jul 10
Details
DEFENCE COMMEMORATES THE SERVICE OF INDIGENOUS MEN AND WOMEN
7 Jul 10
Details
FURTHER FROMELLES SOLDIERS IDENTIFIED
7 Jul 10
Details
HOW SHOULD AUSTRALIA MARK THE ANZAC CENTENARY?
6 Jul 10
Details
MORE SUPER HORNETS TOUCH DOWN IN AUSTRALIA
6 Jul 10
Details
GOVERNMENT SURRENDERS GUNS TO TOWNSVILLE
6 Jul 10
Details
PRIVATE TIMOTHY APLIN FUNERAL
5 Jul 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE BLAST
4 Jul 10
Details
TWO AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN
3 Jul 10
Details
SEVEN WOUNDED SOLDIERS RETURN TO AUSTRALIA
2 Jul 10
Details
SAILOR REMEMBERED BY HIS MATES
2 Jul 10
Details
NEW COMMISSIONER STARTS WORK
1 Jul 10
Details
FAREWELL TO PRIVATE BENJAMIN CHUCK
1 Jul 10
Details
FUNERAL FOR PRIVATE BENJAMIN CHUCK
1 Jul 10
Details
PEACEKEEPERS FAREWELLED
1 Jul 10
Details
SAILOR REMEMBERED BY HIS MATES
30 Jun 10
Details
RE HELICOPTER CRASH IN AFGHANISTAN, JUNE 21, 2010 STATEMENT FROM THE FAMILIES OF WOUNDED ADF PERSONNEL RECEIVING MEDICAL TREATMENT IN GERMANY
29 Jun 10
Details
NEW RESOURCES TO HELP DEFENCE FAMILIES
28 Jun 10
Details
AFGHAN CIVILIANS KILLED IN AN IED ATTACK IN URUZGAN
28 Jun 10
Details
MIDDLE EAST COMMANDER VISITS WOUNDED SOLDIERS IN GERMANY
28 Jun 10
Details
COMMANDOS MOURN LOSS OF THEIR BROTHERS
28 Jun 10
Details
INQUIRY OFFICER REPORT INTO AUGUST 11, 2009 INCIDENT IN AFGHANISTAN RELEASED
28 Jun 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN WWI SOLDIER MISSING IN BELGIUM IDENTIFIED
28 Jun 10
Details
THE RETURN OF 2ND COMMANDO REGIMENT FALLEN
26 Jun 10
Details
PARLIAMENT PASSES BUDGET BILLS TO BENEFIT VETERAN COMMUNITY
25 Jun 10
Details
60th ANNIVERSARY OF KOREAN WAR REMEMBERED
25 Jun 10
Details
THREE FALLEN COMMANDOS BEGIN JOURNEY HOME
25 Jun 10
Details
60th ANNIVERSARY OF KOREAN WAR REMEMBERED
25 Jun 10
Details
NEW VETERAN HEALTH CARDS BEING ROLLED-OUT
25 Jun 10
Details
NEW NATIONAL DELEGATES FOR DEFENCE FAMILIES OF AUSTRALIA
25 Jun 10
Details
NEW COMMAND FOR THE FIRST MENTORING TASK FORCE
25 Jun 10
Details
UPDATE ON THE CONDITION OF SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN HELICOPTER CRASH ON 21 JUNE 2010
25 Jun 10
Details
RELEASE OF UKUSA DOCUMENTS
25 Jun 10
Details
BRISBANE SOLDIERS JOIN MAJOR MILITARY EXERCISE IN EAST TIMOR (8/9RAR)
24 Jun 10
Details
APPOINTMENT OF GENERAL PETRAEUS AS ISAF COMMANDER
24 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT FROM MR RAY AND MRS PAM PALMER
24 Jun 10
Details
NEW BILL TO ENHANCE SECURITY AT DEFENCE BASES
24 Jun 10
Details
LEGISLATION TO ESTABLISH MILITARY COURT OF AUSTRALIA
24 Jun 10
Details
SENATOR JOHN FAULKNER MINISTER FOR DEFENCE ABC 7:30 REPORT - 23 JUNE 2010
24 Jun 10
Details
$695,000 TO SUPPORT LOCAL INITIATIVES FOR AUSTRALIAN VETERANS
23 Jun 10
Details
PERSONAL STATEMENT FROM MRS NATASHA APLIN
23 Jun 10
Details
PERSONAL STATEMENT FROM MARGARET AND RICHARD GUNNELL
23 Jun 10
Details
PRIVATE SCOTT TRAVIS PALMER
22 Jun 10
Details
PRIVATE TIMOTHY JAMES APLIN
22 Jun 10
Details
PRIVATE BENJAMIN ADAM CHUCK
22 Jun 10
Details
PERSONAL DETAILS OF SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
22 Jun 10
Details
UPDATE TO SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN HELICOPTER INCIDENT
22 Jun 10
Details
SENATOR FAULKNER ON 3AW WITH NEIL MITCHELL
22 Jun 10
Details
SENATOR FAULKNER ON ABC 666 RADIO WITH FRAN KELLY
22 Jun 10
Details
THREE AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS KILLED, SEVEN WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN HELICOPTER INCIDENT
21 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT FROM THE MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, SENATOR JOHN FAULKNER
21 Jun 10
Details
THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE GRADUATION PARADE
21 Jun 10
Details
SEARCH FOR LEADING SEAMAN ANDREW WAKELY CONCLUDES
19 Jun 10
Details
ONGOING SEARCH FOR LEADING SEAMAN ANDREW WAKELY
18 Jun 10
Details
EIGHTEEN QUEENSLAND VETERANS’ CHILDREN RECEIVE BURSARIES
18 Jun 10
Details
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR SAPPER DARREN SMITH
18 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT FROM MRS ANGELA SMITH
18 Jun 10
Details
GRAHAM EDWARDS APPOINTED TO AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COUNCIL
17 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE FAMILY OF LEADING SEAMAN ANDREW WAKELY
17 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT FROM MRS SANDRA MOERLAND
17 Jun 10
Details
NAVY SAILOR MISSING PRESUMED DROWNED IN TONGA
16 Jun 10
Details
COMBINED AFGHAN AND AUSTRALIAN FORCE TARGETS MAJOR INSURGENT CELL
16 Jun 10
Details
AUSTRALIA COMPLETES PARTNERSHIP MISSION IN VIETNAM
16 Jun 10
Details
FUNERAL SERVICE FOR SAPPER JACOB MOERLAND
16 Jun 10
Details
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE PERSONNEL LAUNCHES DEFENCE’S LARGEST HEALTH STUDY
15 Jun 10
Details
UPDATE ON CONDITION OF PRIVATE D
15 Jun 10
Details
SAPPER MOERLAND AND SAPPER SMITH RETURN HOME
13 Jun 10
Details
FALLEN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS COMMENCE FINAL JOURNEY
10 Jun 10
Details
BRISBANE TROOPS HOME FROM EAST TIMOR
9 Jun 10
Details
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE INTERVIEW: 3AW RADIO – DERRYN HINCH DRIVE PROGRAM
9 Jun 10
Details
MINISTER, CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE AND SECRETARY TO ATTEND A RAMP CEREMONY IN AL MINHAD
8 Jun 10
Details
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE TRANSCRIPT: ABC RADIO NATIONAL PM
8 Jun 10
Details
TWO AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
8 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT FROM THE MOERLAND FAMILY
8 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT FROM MRS ANGELA SMITH
8 Jun 10
Details
STATEMENT OF CONDOLENCE FROM THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCE
8 Jun 10
Details
PERSONAL DETAILS OF SOLDIERS KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
8 Jun 10
Details
MINISTER FOR DEFENCE CONCLUDES SINGAPORE VISIT
6 Jun 10
Details
VETERANS’ HEALTH WEEK BIGGER AND BETTER IN 2010
4 Jun 10
Details
UPDATE ON CONDITION OF PRIVATE D
4 Jun 10
Details
EMERGENCY LANDING RAAF C130 HERCULES
4 Jun 10
Details
INTIMATE INSIGHT INTO ARMY’S PEOPLE
4 Jun 10
Details
CHIEF OF NAVY OUTLINES THE RAN’S STRATEGIC VISION
4 Jun 10
Details
$12.6 MILLION FUNDING BOOST SECURES FUTURE FOR TASMANIAN SCIENCE AND RESEARCH
4 Jun 10
Details
COMMISSION OF INQUIRY TO BE ESTABLISHED
3 Jun 10
Details
FIRST LOCALLY TRAINED AIR FORCE C-17A PILOTS GRADUATE
3 Jun 10
Details
SARBI TAKES NEXT STEPS ON HER JOURNEY HOME
2 Jun 10
Details
DEFENCE HOMEOWNER SCHEME CLOSES TO NEW APPLICANTS ON 1 JULY 2010
2 Jun 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN LIGHT ARMOURED VEHICLE ENHANCEMENT
1 Jun 10
Details
FORCE PROTECTION MEASURES
1 Jun 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN FORCES CONTINUE MENTORING EXPANSION IN AFGHANISTAN
31 May 10
Details
REMOTE LOCALITY LEAVE TRAVEL ENTITLEMENT
31 May 10
Details
200,000 NEW AUSSIE MADE UNIFORMS TO HIT THE SHELVES
31 May 10
Details
SYDNEY WORLD WAR II ATTACK REMEMBERED
31 May 10
Details
SERIOUSLY ILL SOLDIER TRANSFERRED TO GERMANY
30 May 10
Details
PEACEKEEPERS’ CONTRIBUTION RECOGNISED TOMORROW
28 May 10
Details
INDIGENOUS VETERANS HONOURED DURING RECONCILIATION WEEK
27 May 10
Details
DEFENCE HOUSING PROJECT AT LARGS NORTH REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
27 May 10
Details
ARMY CHIEF TELLS TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN NEW BODY ARMOUR COMING
26 May 10
Details
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MILITARY COURT OF AUSTRALIA
25 May 10
Details
$238,688 FOR PROJECTS HONOURING AUSTRALIA’S VETERANS
19 May 10
Details
GOVERNMENT DELIVERS RESPONSE TO CLARKE REVIEW OF VETERANS’ ENTITLEMENTS
14 May 10
Details
TANKS TO ROLL IN ON RSL CLUBS AROUND THE COUNTRY
14 May 10
Details
OPERATION PALADIN DECLARED WARLIKE FOR ISRAEL/HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT
13 May 10
Details
PUTTING INJURED TROOPS ON THE PATH TO GOLD
12 May 10
Details
BUDGET 2010-11: DVA MEDIA RELEASES
12 May 10
Details
INTERNATIONAL MILITARY SHOOTING COMPETITION (AASAM)
11 May 10
Details
GOVERNMENT CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS ON PHARMACEUTICALS REVIEW
7 May 10
Details
DEFENCE REJECTS MEDIA REPORTS ON CLOTHING AND EQUIPMENT
6 May 10
Details
$200,000 FOR PROJECTS HONOURING AUSTRALIA’S VETERANS
19 Apr 10
Details
NEW LAVARACK HEALTH FACILITIES
25 Mar 10
Details
VETERAN PENSION RATES TO INCREASE
20 Mar 10
Details
MISSING PATROLMEN FOUND AFTER 44 YEARS
16 Mar 10
Details
NEW VETERANS’ REVIEW BOARD HEAD
26 Feb 10
Details
APPOINTMENT OF NEW REPATRIATION COMMISSIONER
26 Feb 10
Details
RED TAPE CUT FOR VETERANS AND ADF PERSONNEL
18 Feb 10
Details
$1.3M FOR VETERAN HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROJECTS
15 Feb 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL FOR KOREA RECEIVES ROYAL APPROVAL
11 Feb 10
Details
ANOTHER STEP FORWARD FOR DEFENCE HEALTH
9 Feb 10
Details
HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF ADF MEMBERS A PRIORITY
20 Jan 10
Details
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS TO CONTINUE AS SEPARATE AGENCY
17 Dec 09
Details
IMPROVED DEATH AND INVALIDITY BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY SUPERANNUATION AND BENEFITS SCHEME
22 Oct 09
Details
VETERANS’ NEEDS SHAPE REVIEW OF ADVOCACY SERVICES
21 Oct 09
Details
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR VETERAN COMMUNITY
9 Oct 09
Details
---------------------------------------------------
Ministerial Releases 1998 - 2010
Defence Media Releases 2000 - 2010
DVA News archives 2000 - 2009
|
Remembering Samichon
31 Jul 10
IT was hot, humid and the rain was driving down on the night Chinese soldiers attacked United Nations forces at The Hook in Korea. Ronald Haylarr, an Australian soldier with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Australian Regiment, had turned 20 the week before. He was 400m in front of the line on a listening post with three other men when Chinese soldiers from the People's Volunteer Army made their move in the cover of darkness on July 24, 1953. Townsville Bulletin
Parade honours 'forgotten' battle
UN hails landmark ban on cluster arms
30 Jul 10
UN chief Ban Ki-moon praised a landmark treaty banning cluster munitions, which comes into force this weekend, as a major advance in efforts to rid the world of the "abhorrent weapons". The signatories include producer nations with military stockpiles of more than 100 million of the bomblets such as Britain, Germany, and France. Major military powers including China, Russia, the United States and Israel, which are thought to account for the huge bulk of the estimated one billion bomblet global stockpile, have so far have rejected the treaty. The Australian
Aussies are dying as Federal Government sits on cash for armour
30 Jul 10
EXCLUSIVE: THE Federal Government has been accused of delaying a high-priority project costing just $7.5 million to improve protection for Diggers in Afghanistan. Despite Labor's Budget pledge to spend $1.1 billion to upgrade body armour and weapons for frontline troops, the Herald Sun can reveal a research project called "soldier survivability" that was commissioned by the Army has been put on hold because there is no financing. Herald Sun
Response from Greg Combet, the Minister for Defence Materiel
Missing US serviceman found dead
30 Jul 10
The second of two US servicemen who went missing in Afghanistan last week has been found dead. The body of Petty Officer Jarod Newlove was found on Wednesday in the eastern province of Logar. NATO recovered the body of Justin McNeley in Logar on Sunday. ABC News
US sailor's remains found in Afghanistan
US sailors still missing in Afghanistan
Taliban claims capture of missing US soldiers
Grave errors at Arlington may reach 6,600
30 Jul 10
As many as 6,600 graves at one of America's most historic military cemeteries may have been mixed up and mislabelled. ABC News
War hero's name dragged into boat people row
30 Jul 10
A SECRET Federal Government plan to transform a barracks and an army club named after a Victoria Cross winner into a processing centre for boat people has been slammed by relatives and Diggers. The Government is believed to have been working for months on a plan to transfer several large buildings at the Broadmeadows Defence Barracks to the Department of Immigration so they can house asylum seekers. The Government says the plan has been scrapped. But on Tuesday about 100 regular soldiers and army reservists at Broadmeadows were briefed by Lt-Col Laureen Grimes. "We were told to prepare for the worst by our commanding officer," a reserve soldier said. The Australian
Army base rejected for refugee housing
Plan floated for boatpeople to evict defence families
450 Defence houses moving to new homes
Military base housing solution for asylum-seekers scrapped
AEC arranges for soldiers to vote
29 Jul 10
More than 3300 Australian defence personnel are now serving abroad, some in remote and hostile bases with no chance to nip out and vote come August 21. So the Australian Defence Force and Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) have combined to ensure the troops can cast a vote. Electoral Commission spokesman Phil Diak said troops could either lodge a pre-poll vote in person, lodge a postal vote or go to an Australian embassy. "The AEC works with the Department of Defence in every election year to discuss the provision of voting services," he said. The Sydney Morning Herald
Dutch pull out of Afghanistan at weekend
29 Jul 10
THE Dutch troop deployment in Afghanistan, often held up as a model for other peace missions, ends after four years on Sunday amid concerns about the void it will leave. About 1950 Dutch troops are deployed in Afghanistan under the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), mainly in the southern Oruzgan province, where Australia has operated as junior partner to the Dutch since 2006. As from Sunday, Dutch troops will be replaced by a US-lead multinational Combined Team Oruzgan comprising Australian, Slovak and Singaporean forces. The Australian
Irate veterans to target key marginals in pension campaign
29 Jul 10
ANGRY veterans say they will target 49 marginal seats in a bid to improve military pensions. They claim the pensions leave them worse off than welfare recipients. Addressing a protest outside Parliament House yesterday, Fair Go national spokesman David Jamison said ex-service organisations represented more than 200,000 people. Led by the Defence Force Welfare Association, ex-servicemen and women will form local action groups and target candidates standing in 49 marginal seats. The Australian
Former diggers want better pension deal
Veterans take aim at MPs over pensions
President of Korea thanks war vets
29 Jul 10
AN emotive thank you letter from the president of the Republic of Korea sent Ray ‘Curly’ Parker back through a minefield of memories this week. It is not often a Warwick resident or a retired soldier receives a letter from a foreign head of state, but this was a special, if sombre occasion. President Lee Myung-bak’s letter said it all: “This year we commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. We honour your selfless sacrifice in fighting tyranny and aggression. “We salute your courage in enduring unimaginable horrors of war. We pay tribute to your commitment in protecting liberty and freedom.” Warwick Daily News
Battalion marks 65th birthday, Korean battle
29 Jul 10
SOLDIERS in the 2nd Battalion Royal Australia Regiment are celebrating not just the anniversary of a historic Korean War battle but the battalion's 65th birthday this week. Yesterday soldiers marched from The Strand to St James Cathedral for a commemoratiion. The soldiers in 2RAR held firm against the assaults, and on the morning of the July 26, the enemy abandoned the attack. Townsville Bulletin
Australian forces backing Afghan war lord
29 Jul 10
Leaked documents from the Afghanistan war appear to confirm that Australian forces are backing a local war lord who has been extorting money from NATO convoys carrying supplies to Coalition forces. Australian troops are working with Matiullah Khan, a powerful war lord in the southern Uruzgan province. Matiullah, through his private militia, earns millions of dollars a year guarding NATO road convoys and he commands a militia of over 2,000 armed men. ABC News
Slash cash for arms, says ex-Army chief
29 Jul 10
A FORMER Australian Army chief has cast doubt on tens of billions of dollars of spending on defence hardware and advocated slashing in half the nation's commitment to buy next generation fighter planes. Peter Leahy, who retired in 2008, called for a radical rethink of spending priorities, saying more emphasis should be placed on non-military security and aid programs. He said Australia should buy 50 Joint Strike Fighters from the US, rather than the 100 it has committed to at a potential cost of $20 billion. The Age
Somebody mention the war
Million dollar craft lay idle
29 Jul 10
THE Australian Defence Force has squandered $32 million worth of tax payers money on six state-of the-art Navy vessels which are collecting dust. The amphibious landing watercrafts arrived in Townsville in 2006 but are yet to move from concrete slabs at the Rosshaven marina due to a design fault. Townsville Bulletin
Assange may have committed offence: ADA
28 Jul 10
Wikileaks founder Australian Julian Assange could have committed a serious criminal offence in helping an enemy of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), the lobby group, the Australia Defence Association (ADA) says. The Sydney Morning Herald
Wiki points to Australian cover-up
Australian Defence Force taskforce to examine Afghanistan war documents on WikiLeaks
Outrage grows over Afghanistan war files on WikiLeaks
Defence taskforce to examine leaked war files
Defence to assess troop risk after leaks
Pentagon hunts for source of leaks
Whistleblowing overkill: Defence group
Tonga commits troops to Afghanistan
28 Jul 10
THE tiny Pacific kingdom of Tonga has agreed to send troops to Afghanistan, saying "it looks safer than Iraq" and that fighting the Taliban will provide much needed jobs. A contingent of 55 Tongan soldiers is expected to begin service in Afghanistan in November, the first of 275 soldiers committed over a two-year period following a request from Britain to get involved. The Australian
Navy, Defence clock up $ 1.1 million bill flying to Spain to monitor projects
28 Jul 10
NAVY brass and defence officials have chalked up a business class travel bill in excess of $1.1 million flying to Spain to monitor two shipbuilding projects. Ian McPhedran Herald Sun
Prostate surgery for defence chief Angus Houston
27 Jul 10
THE most powerful military man in Australia - Defence Force chief Angus Houston - will be admitted to hospital tomorrow for prostate surgery. Air Chief Marshal Houston has been defence chief since July 2005 and was expected to seek a record third term in the job when his second three-year contract expires in July 2011. By Ian McPhedran The Daily Telegraph
Defence chief Houston to have surgery
Defence coy on chopper exercises
27 Jul 10
The Australian Defence Force is refusing to reveal if there will be more early morning Black Hawk helicopter training exercises over Townsville. Yesterday morning, Defence helicopters completed training over suburban Townsville at 3:00am (AEST). ABC News North Queensland
Major army exercise to take place in Townsville
Soldier accused of rape after party in Darwin
27 Jul 10
An Australian soldier is standing trial for allegedly repeatedly raping another member of the Australian Defence Force in Darwin. The soldier has pleaded not guilty in the Northern Territory Supreme Court to nine counts of raping a 20-year-old woman who is also with the ADF in Darwin. ABC News
Coalition promises new medal for Diggers killed in action overseas
26 Jul 10
A COALITION government would introduce a new military medal for Australian Defence Force personnel killed in action while serving overseas. The Australian
Navy and Customs vessels cut back on border patrols
26 Jul 10
NAVY and Customs are having to rely more heavily on aerial surveillance and several privately owned vessels. With half of all illegal entry vessels this month making it to Christmas Island without being detected, The Australian has learned the frontline fleet operated by Border Protection Command did fewer patrol days in 2009-10 than the year before, when people-smuggling was not as much of a threat. The Australian
Navy tensions over boat people
Navy on high alert as armada threatens
North Korea threatens 'sacred' nuclear war
26 Jul 10
The Korean peninsula is on high alert today, with Pyongyang threatening a nuclear response to massive war games being held by the United States and South Korea. Hundreds of war planes, dozens of ships and thousands of military personnel are taking part in the four-day drill designed as a show of force to North Korea after the sinking of a South Korean corvette four months ago. Washington's star strike fighter - the F-22 Raptor - is the most advanced killing machine taking part in the joint US-South Korea war games. ABC News
North Korea threatens nuclear attack
N Korea threatens US with 'physical response'
North Korea threatens 'physical response' to U.S.-South Korea military drills
Veterans upset over war memorial attack
24 Jul 10
THE desecration of a Kokoda Track war memorial in Sydney has upset veterans, who are struggling to grasp why anyone would want to damage the site. The Kokoda Track Memorial Walkway, which links Concord Hospital and Rhodes train station in Sydney's west, was vandalised sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning. The Australian
Kokoda Track memorial desecrated
Memorial vandals 'un-Australian'
VC hero tires of PR and goes back to Afghan action
24 Jul 10
SAS soldier Corporal Mark Donaldson VC is back serving on the front line because that is where he prefers to be. Corporal Donaldson said since returning to Afghanistan, he had again come under fire. "That's what happens when we go over there," he said. "It's a war zone and that's what our job is, to be a soldier, and that's what happens in a soldier's life -- you get shot at." The Australian
Why Corporal Donaldson gets his chief's salute
Victoria Cross winner Mark Donaldson promoted to corporal
Victoria Cross winner inspires students
Pigs will soon fly for the last time for RAAF
24 Jul 10
THE "Flying Pigs"are taking part in their last major exercise before retirement after 37 years with the Royal Australian Air Force. The long-range F-111 bomber was nicknamed for its ability to "hunt at night with its nose in the weeds" thanks to terrain-following radar that let it sweep in on targets at a low level. The Australian
Engines to roar for Pitch Black
F-111s take to skies for last-ever war games
Farewell to the Pig, the fighter jet that never saw combat
Opposition outlines Defence policy
23 Jul 10
The day before the 2010 federal election was announced, Bob Baldwin, Shadow Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, announced the preliminary details of the Coalition's Defence policy. Australian Defence Magazine
Diggers involved in pre-dawn raid to face criminal charges
23 Jul 10
AUSTRALIAN commandos involved in a raid in southern Oruzgan last year are expected to face criminal charges. Six people, including five Afghan children, were killed in the deadly pre-dawn raid. The long-running investigation into the tragedy moved into its final stages yesterday with the newly appointed Director of Military Prosecutions, Lyn McDade, calling for final submissions from defence chiefs -- a precursor to the formal laying of charges. The Australian
Special forces face charges over fatal raid
ADF to show stance on Afghan tragedy
War memorial to make way for Aldi supermarket carpark in Somerville (Vic)
23 Jul 10
THE daughter of a World War I Digger says she is insulted the land he donated for a war memorial is to be sold to make way for a carpark. Leila Shaw, 83 was horrified when a councillor informed her the memorial infant welfare centre on the Frankston-Flinders Rd at Somerville would be knocked down and replaced with an Aldi supermarket carpark. Herald Sun
(British) Army officer foretold own death with warning of 'disgraceful' kit shortage
23 Jul 10
An (British) Army officer shot in Afghanistan warned less than three weeks before his own death that serviceman could die needlessly because of a "disgraceful" shortage of medical equipment. Lieutenant Mark Evison, 26, of 1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards, died from the effects of blood loss after being shot in the shoulder while leading a patrol in Helmand Province, an inquest heard. Telegraph (UK)
Nathan Bewes farewelled
23 Jul 10
A HEAVY silence descended on Murwillumbah at midday as the town paid tribute to a son and brother who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. Sacred Heart Catholic Church witnessed a brave and heartfelt tribute to Private Nathan Bewes from his family before the flag-draped casket, carried by some of Pte Bewes closest mates, moved outside. Soldiers from the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) and students from Mount Saint Patrick College, Pte Bewes’ former school, created a guard of honour which stretched down main street. Byron Shire News
Fallen soldier laid to rest
Murwillumbah farewells fallen digger Private Nathan Bewes
Residents mourn Murwillumbah hero
Guard of honour for a modern-day warrior
All-clear after engine failure grounds Townsville fleet
23 Jul 10
A TOWNSVILLE-based fleet of multi-role helicopters will resume operations in the next few days following an engine failure. The fleet of 11 MRH90s was grounded in April after an incident north of Adelaide in which one aircraft suffered failure in one of two main engines. Townsville Bulletin
European executive blames Aussie pilots for chopper fault
US to train Kopassus again
23 Jul 10
The US is to resume training Indonesia's special forces, 12 years after it cut ties over concerns about human rights abuses in the 1990s. US secretary of defence Robert Gates says reforms in Indonesia's military mean the training can now go ahead. ABC News
Major parties avoid topic of Afghanistan
22 Jul 10
ANOTHER Australian soldier was buried yesterday, the sixth victim in the past month of an increasingly unpopular conflict. Yet Afghanistan has become the silent war in this election campaign. Only the Greens have sought to capitalise on the public mood by calling for a clear exit date for Australian troops. The Australian
Walkers, 4WDs risk grenades
22 Jul 10
WALKERS and four-wheel-drivers are risking their lives trespassing in shooting ranges that potentially contain live grenades. The death-defying ignorance has prompted the Australian Defence Force to warn those who illegally enter any of Tasmania's three Commonwealth rifle ranges they risk injury and death. The Mercury
WWI veteran grave vandalised by thieves
22 Jul 10
HEARTLESS thieves have desecrated the grave of a World War I digger at a cemetery in Melbourne's south east. Barbara Maggs was devastated to find the grave of her beloved father William McCullagh had been stripped of its brass lettering and Rising Sun badge. The theft took place several months ago at Cheltenham Memorial Park cemetery. The Australian
Frontline Fielding puts the Diggers first
22 Jul 10
STEVE Fielding's eccentric political career could end at next month's federal election yet the Victorian senator has spent five vital days of the campaign on secret missions in southern Afghanistan. He was in Afghanistan when he learnt Prime Minister Julia Gillard had called the election. Senator Fielding won only 2 per cent of the primary vote in 2004 but was elected on Labor preferences. Widely expected to lose his Senate spot in next month's election, he rates his chances at ''50-50'' but says his absence "will probably damage my re-election". The Sydney Morning Herald
Steve Fielding, MIA in Afghanistan
Soldier on rape charge can travel
22 Jul 10
AN Australian soldier who was charged earlier this year with the rape of two 15-year-old girls at a party in Castlemaine has appeared in the Bendigo Magistrates Court. Mitchell Blake, 19, from Puckapunyal, allegedly assaulted the girls after a birthday party in April. Bendigo Advertiser
Taliban threat to interpreters
22 Jul 10
INTERPRETERS working with Australian troops in Afghanistan's south risk being killed by the Taliban after being deserted by the departing Dutch troops. The Dutch government has refused to grant visas to more than 100 local interpreters, instead suggesting the Australian and American forces in Oruzgan province employ them, according to Dutch media. It is not known if the Australians will employ them. The Age
Estate plan for industrial site
22 Jul 10
A DECONTAMINATED industrial site at Largs North will be redeveloped into 123 new homes by Defence Housing Australia. Defence personnel will occupy 35 homes, while the remaining lots, including 15 per cent of affordable housing, will be available for sale to the public in January 2011. Bayriver will help to house the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (7RAR), which is being relocated from Darwin to RAAF Base Edinburgh. With the imminent opening of the Northern Expressway, Largs North will be within easy driving distance of Edinburgh. The suburb is also close to Osborne Technology Park where Defence staff are associated with navy ship projects. Portside Massenger
Defence tender up in air over leak and corruption claim
22 Jul 10
A $90 MILLION tender to charter aircraft to carry troops to the Middle East has been halted by an internal investigation into allegations of corruption and leaks within Defence. Herald Sun
NT black box inventor dies
22 Jul 10
THE TERRITORY-born inventor of the black box flight recorder has died. David Warren died, aged 85, at a Melbourne nursing home on Monday. He was involved in investigating the crash in 1953 of the world's first commercial jet airliner, the Comet, as it was en route to Australia. The challenge of determining the causes of the accident led him to the idea of a recording device that could withstand a crash where there were no survivors and no witnesses. Northern Territory News
Australian Artillery Shells Contain Asbesto
21 Jul 10
An investigative report on an Australian morning radio program discussed the presence of chrysotile asbestos in the artillery shells the country’s army uses for practice. Tony Eastley, the host of AM on Australia Broadcasting Corporation Radio, began the show by introducing a report on how a “dummy” artillery shell broke open in an ammunition storage room and spilled asbestos around the confined area. Josh Bavas, the reporter on the story, revealed how the “blank” charges were filled with chrysotile asbestos, a known carcinogen linked to mesothelioma and other respiratory diseases. Wired PR News
Rann pleads for military pensions to be CPI-linked
21 Jul 10
THE PM has ignored a plea from SA Premier Mike Rann to match a Coalition promise to index military pensions to the CPI jut as aged pensions. Mr Rann wrote to the Prime Minister on July 1 asking the federal government to "reconsider this matter". "There is widespread and profound disquiet in the South Australian veterans' community about the indexation arrangements in the Australian Military Superannuation Schemes," Mr Rann said in the letter, obtained yesterday by The Australian. The Australian
Afghan soldier kills US trainers
21 Jul 10
AN Afghan soldier opened fire at a training exercise in northern Afghanistan overnight, killing two US civilian trainers and a fellow Afghan soldier in the second similar shootout in just a week. The shooting raised further questions about the quality of the fledgling Afghan army as the international community endorsed a roadmap for President Hamid Karzai for Afghanistan to take security responsibility by 2014. The Australian
Veteran soldier rose from militia cadet to general staff
21 Jul 10
MAJOR-General John Whitelaw, whose illustrious 41-year career took him from militia cadet to deputy chief of general staff of the Australian Army, has died in a Canberra hospice. He was 89. Whitelaw was an artilleryman and early in his career his battery was horse-drawn, until 1939. He served in New Guinea and Bougainville in the Second World War, and as chief of staff at the Australian Army's headquarters in Vietnam in 1970. The Age
Diggers' words echo across former Fromelles battlefield, as soldiers are laid to rest
20 Jul 10
AS the French sun beat down on the former battlefield of Fromelles, relatives of Diggers who died there listened to the words of loved ones. The Australian
Tears and tributes as Fromelles ghosts laid to rest
Fromelles diggers finally laid to rest
94 years later, our soldiers get respect
Ecstasy may help traumatised veterans, study finds
20 Jul 10
United States scientists say the drug ecstasy may help war veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The trial study, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that the drug seems to improve the effects of therapy in military veterans. ABC News
Vietnam vets find 'wandering souls'
20 Jul 10
MILITARY researchers have identified the names and burial sites of more than 120 North Vietnamese and troops killed by Australian and NZ soldiers. The Australian mission to help find the Vietnamese MIAs has been named Operation Wandering Souls. It takes its name from Vietnamese culture in which the spirit of those whose fate is unknown or who died violently will wander forever. The Australian
Mapping tool to help uncover Vietnam's war dead
Transcendence of history and homeland
Terrible legacy
Aussie ships battle US Navy - and win, even if it is just an exercise
20 Jul 10
AUSTRALIAN submarines have traditionally inflicted a heavy toll on US aircraft carriers during annual exercises off Hawaii. Herald Sun
Commitment to Afghanistan troop build-up wanes
19 Jul 10
WITH six Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan in a month, Tony Abbott has backed away from a promise to commit more troops. Asked yesterday if he still planned to send more troops and to take over the lead role in Oruzgan Province from the departing Dutch, the Liberal leader told Sky News he would support the existing Australian Defence Force commitment of about 1500 personnel. The Australian
The going will get harder before it gets easier
Dad remembered as funny and brave
19 Jul 10
TIM Aplin was a soldier, a leader and a war hero but most importantly of all he was Josie and Daniel's daddy. Pte Aplin, 38, was one of three Australian commandos killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan last month. Tim spent most of his adult life in the defence force entering first the ready reserves and then the regular army where he served with 6RAR as well as 1RAR and 2RAR in Townsville before transferring to 2nd Commando Regiment. Townsville Bulletin
Lyddiard up to challenge swim posed
19 Jul 10
TOWNSVILLE soldier Sergeant Michael Lyddiard marked another milestone in his recovery, finishing yesterday's Magnetic Island to Townsville swim. The 32-year-old finished the 8km swim in a time of 2 hours and 48 minutes, and still had enough fuel in the tank to chat with the Townsville Bulletin just moments after crossing the line. Townsville Bulletin
Maggie swim a challenge for injured Digger
Samuel and Eric Wilson are blood brothers side by side until the end
18 Jul 10
WHETHER it was a coincidence or an act of compassion, no one knows. But the incredible discovery of two brothers lying side-by-side in a mass grave in France has astounded archaeologists and the brothers' family. Herald Sun
Heroes of Fromelles set for goodbye
Fallen Digger's brother re-visits stomping ground
17 Jul 10
IT has been less than a month since his brother was killed in action but a visit to his former stomping ground at Townsville's Cathedral School yesterday was about remembering the good times. Jason Chuck, the older brother of Private Benjamin Chuck who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in June, was the school's captain in 1998 when the family lived in Townsville. Townsville Bulletin
Australia 'lacks clear Afghan strategy'
17 Jul 10
SUCCESSIVE federal governments have failed to properly explain Australia's military involvement in Afghanistan or respond to the recent slide in public support, according to former senior defence figures. As the Australian death toll in Afghanistan this week reached 17, former defence chiefs contacted by The Age said Australia lacked a clear strategic objective and exit strategy for its troops. Some also believe there is poor understanding of what could be achieved in Oruzgan province, where the Australians are based, once the Dutch withdraw next month. The Age
I regret war role, Faulkner
17 Jul 10
DEFENCE Minister, John Faulkner has indicated he regrets not doing more to explain the war in Afghanistan to the public. During questions after delivering a speech on Australia's engagement in Afghanistan, Senator Faulkner said, "Perhaps as Defence Minister my advocacy has not been adequate." Senator Faulkner is the second Labor minister to admit his regret over administration of a portfolio this week. The Australian
Faulkner lashes out at Afghanistan critics
Defence Minister John Faulkner rules out withdrawing Australian troops from Afghanistan
'Dear Mother, I lost all but my life'
17 Jul 10
Exactly 94 years after he survived the Battle of Fromelles, James Murgatroyd Holgate's tender letters home to his parents infuse new life into his story, writes Paola Totaro. The letters sat forgotten in an old trunk for decades, scores of them amid the dust of three generations. Reams of brittle army paper covered with neat, stylish cursive reaching across time to share the visceral horror - and rare, small joys - shared by men at war. The Sydney Morning Herald
One man's mystery leads to the graves of the forgotten
Outrage over deceased soldier's defaced tribute site
16 Jul 10
People paying their respects to the latest Australian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan have been outraged by offensive messages posted on an online tribute site. ABC News
Barracks to hold memorial service for fallen digger
Tears for one who dared to take risks for all
Salute to Nathan Bewes, a warrior who knew the risks
Farewell to our mate
Coalition fix for defence spending
16 Jul 10
THE Coalition says it would get better value for taxpayers' dollars by changing the way the Australian Defence Force buys what it needs. In a speech to be delivered today to defence industry representatives, opposition defence science and personnel spokesman Bob Baldwin will flag a major shake-up. The Australian
Defence bungles $400m torpedo project
Coalition wants defence spending shake up
Australian troops attacked in Afghanistan, Chinook helicopter fired upon
16 Jul 10
AN Australian Chinook helicopter has been struck by insurgent ground fire which wounded two coalition soldiers. Defence said the CH-47 Chinook, one of two Australian helicopters operating in Afghanistan, was taking off from a coalition patrol base in the Arghandab Valley region of Kandahar. No Australians were hurt in the attack and the two coalition soldiers of undisclosed nationality received minor wounds. The Australian
Chinooks' heavy load
Insurgents fire on Aussie chopper
Townsville Chinook hit by insurgent fire in Afghanistan
Diggers reveal their fears: Afghan allies are dodgy
16 Jul 10
AN Afghan soldier working with Australian troops was suspected of spying after making a mobile phone call before they were attacked. Australian soldiers also feared their Afghan counterparts were "dodgy", according to statements collected from frontline troops as part of a government-funded study of deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. The Australian
Afghanistan: an open-ended commitment?
A true hero who lived his life serving others
15 Jul 10
Gordon King, 1918-2009. Gordon King was quiet, reserved and unassuming, and those who did not really know him would never have suspected that between 1942 and 1945 he led a commando squadron. ...The Battle of Kaiapit is regarded as something of a classic and is still taught at Duntroon and in special forces officer training in Britain. The Sydney Morning Herald
Afghan governor pleads against troop withdrawal
15 Jul 10
AFGHANISTAN'S only female provincial governor has pleaded with Australia not to withdraw its troops from the country before it is secure and the Taliban defeated. The Age
Local police to patrol Afghan villages
Australia requests US helicopters
15 Jul 10
THE US Congress has been formally notified that Australia may want to buy 24 advanced MH-60R Seahawk helicopters plus spares and training. Townsville Bulletin
Defence extends Aspen Medical contracts
14 Jul 10
Aspen Medical has recently signed an extension on two of its major Australian Defence Force (ADF) healthcare contracts for the Albury/Wodonga and Puckapunyal Military Areas. Australian Defence Magazine
Renegade Afghan soldier kills Gurkhas
14 Jul 10
A renegade Afghan soldier killed three British army Gurkha soldiers during a joint patrol on Tuesday in southern Helmand province, officials said. ABC News
S Korea deploys sentry robot on border
14 Jul 10
SOUTH Korea deployed a sentry robot capable of detecting and killing intruders along the heavily fortified border with North Korea, officials said overnight. "Our military has been testing such robots along the border," a defence ministry spokesman said. The Australian
North Korea 'sunk South Korean warship', killing 46 sailors
Point Cook choppers
13 Jul 10
The 11 Iroquois helicopters, which graced Australian skies for more than four decades, are set to be made tourist attractions at the Point Cook RAAF base and other military headquarters across the state. The helicopters will also be on show in Townsville, Darwin, Holsworthy, Oakey, Enoggera, Bandiana and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Another five will be kept by the Australian Defence Force as training aids and another two offered for sale to national returned service organisations. Point Cook Star
Australian aid may have helped shelter Taliban
13 Jul 10
A flagship Australian military aid project in Afghanistan, a civilian hospital, was suspected of treating and sheltering wounded Taliban fighters. The Australian
Only chance to live for Ahmad Ali is to join enemy's enemy
ADF promises family support
12 Jul 10
AUSTRALIAN troops serving in the Middle East have forced Defence to offer more support to their families at home. The Weekend Australian revealed how 120 serving and former troops in Afghanistan and Iraq had detailed their frustration with the Defence organisation, disputes with their allied and local counterparts, concerns over shoddy equipment and the issues they feared would lead to addiction, divorce or suicide. The Australian
Family troubles among the worst for troops
Soldiers' despair confronts Defence
Defence responds to The Australian's questions
'Stressed troops' burning out in Afghanistan
Robot shortage 'puts soldiers at bomb risk'
12 Jul 10
AUSTRALIAN soldiers have complained about troops being under-equipped to deal with deadly explosives. A survey of frontline forces obtained by The Australian, part of a $12 million health study funded by the federal government, also reveals the mental distress improvised explosive devices cause for soldiers, who fear everything from the bomb-jamming equipment to dead bodies booby-trapped with explosives. The Australian
Gillard warns of further casualties in Afghanistan
12 Jul 10
JULIA Gillard has declared her government will stay the course in Afghanistan, and issued a stark reminder that there may be further Australian casualties in the nine-year-old conflict. The Sydney Morning Herald
Brace for more Australian troop deaths, says Foreign Minister Stephen Smith
Digger's fight to honour fallen mates
12 Jul 10
Mr Patterson has battled for six years to gain greater recognition for four Australian sailors who died on September 13, 1947. Ronald Garrett, John Hyland, Norman Lott and Donald Sigg died clearing Australian-laid mines from waters off Queensland, when HMAS Warrnambool hit a mine and sank. The Sydney Morning Herald
Skilled Taliban blamed for rising death toll
11 Jul 10
Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith says the Taliban's increased expertise in bomb making is contributing to a rise in the number of Australians killed in Afghanistan. ABC News
Emotional farewell
11 Jul 10
"POSITIVE Palmer" was farewelled in an emotional full military funeral in Darwin yesterday. More than 500 gathered to honour Katherine Digger Scott Palmer at Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, with hundreds more lining the streets. The private was killed in action during a commando led strike operation against the Taliban in Afghanistan last month. Northern Territory News
Commando farewelled in Darwin funeral
Darwin farewells Katherine Commando Private Scott Palmer
US troops to replace Dutch force
10 Jul 10
AUSTRALIAN troops will serve alongside Americans in southern Afghanistan as an increasingly stretched United States moves to plug the gap left by the imminent withdrawal of the Dutch contingent. The Age
Historian casts doubt on war hero's record
10 Jul 10
One of Australia's greatest war heroes, WA's Jack Wong Sue, fabricated key parts of his guerilla battles with the Japanese in Borneo, according to Australia's leading investigative military historian. The West Australian
Petition gives fresh hope in quest to pardon soldiers
10 Jul 10
IT WAS, says the military lawyer Commander James Unkles, the first major public protest against the power of the British Empire by the new Commonwealth of Australia - an action so significant that it is ''amazing so little attention is paid to it in Australian constitutional history''. In 1904 - just three years after Australia became a country rather than a colony - 80,000 citizens (in a nation of just 3 million) signed a petition calling on King Edward VII to grant a full pardon to an Australian soldier sentenced to life imprisonment for an alleged murder in an imperial war in a third continent, Africa. Lieutenant George Witton, who died in 1942, is the least known of the trio of Australians who were sentenced to death and immortalised in Bruce Beresford's 1980 movie about the tragedy, Breaker Morant. The Sydney Morning Herald
Troops are digging in, not sitting out
9 Jul 10
CAVEATS that restricted Aussie forces are gone and our finest are fully engaged. THE Australian Defence Force is heavily engaged in the main fight in southern Afghanistan. Contrary to the line argued by Whit Mason (World Commentary, July 6), that Australia's military commitment is "heavily circumscribed", the national caveats that previously restricted the majority of Australian ground forces to Oruzgan province are largely removed. The Australian
Veterans miss out on medal
9 Jul 10
A group of air force veterans seeking to be awarded the Vietnam Medal for service at the end of the conflict have had their claim rejected by the government. The Sydney Morning Herald
Navy ship's paint is toxic with lead, says expert
9 Jul 10
A former navy warship earmarked for sinking off Avoca, on the NSW central coast, is thought to contain tonnes of lead despite claims by the Minister for Planning, Tony Kelly, that paint on the ship was lead-free. The Sydney Morning Herald
Huey farewell: new homes for loyal choppers
8 Jul 10
After more than 45 years of loyal service, Australia's Hueys are flying off into the sunset. The Air Force's squadron of 11 Iroquois helicopters will soon be dispatched to locations across Australia to commence their post-military lives. Brisbane Times
Everybody needs good neighbours
8 Jul 10
Gerard Henderson's recent opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald takes New Zealand to task for rejecting an Australian request for more troops to support the Australian Defence Force in Afghanistan and in particular takes issue with the New Zealand prime minister making this announcement on Radio NZ rather than in parliament. Surely a New Zealand prime minister can make an announcement to his public anywhere? ABC News
NZ puts nation first, war second
Defence activity at Woomera detention centre
8 Jul 10
Government officials have quashed rumours the Woomera Detention Centre will rehouse asylum seekers. Rumours were sparked after increased activity was seen at the centre, now called Camp Rapier and run by Defence. Roxby Downs Sun
Surviving a direct Afghan blast
8 Jul 10
ARMY engineer Sapper Paul Bailey has survived a direct blast from a roadside bomb while on duty in Afghanistan. The 22-year-old, from Bribie Island in Queensland, was driving a a Bushmaster when it hit an improvised explosive device (IED) on the weekend. Townsville Bulletin
How our Diggers cheated death in Afghanistan
Duty done, John Faulkner retreats
8 Jul 10
JOHN Faulkner was emphatic yesterday. He had done his duty. "When Labor was returned to office three years ago, I made a commitment to Kevin and Julia to serve in the cabinet for the first term," he told the media when announcing his retirement from the front bench. The Australian
Defence Minister John Faulkner makes way for younger MPs
Defence Minister John Faulkner says generational change needed
Gillard loses second key minister
ALP loses one of its wisest heads from front bench
I could not lie about plans, says Faulkner
Britain to hand over violent Afghan area
8 Jul 10
BRITISH troops will hand over control of the violence-wracked Sangin area of southern Afghanistan to US forces by the end of the year, UK Defence Secretary Liam Fox has announced. The Australian
City will be ready for 3RAR: Combet
7 Jul 10
TOWNSVILLE will be ready with adequate infrastructure to welcome the new battalion in 2011 Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Minister Greg Combet promised after touring Lavarack Barracks yesterday. Townsville Bulletin
DNA tests reveal identities of Fromelles soldiers
7 Jul 10
Researchers have identified two more Australian soldiers who died at the Battle of Fromelles in Northern France during World War I. Veterans Affairs Minister Alan Griffin says further testing of DNA samples lead to the positive identifications of the soldiers. Lieutenant Colonel Ignatius Bertram Norris was from Sydney and Private Harold Charles Pitt was from Magill, in South Australia. ABC News
King Air fleet now complete
7 Jul 10
A $25 MILLION flight simulator, arrival of the final plane in the King Air fleet and the coming home of the helicopter which was the heart and soul of the Vietnam War were jointly announced in Townsville by Defence Materiel Minister Greg Combet yesterday. Townsville Bulletin
RAAF Townsville to Receive Final King Air Interim Light Transport Aircraft
Diggers believe they make a difference
6 Jul 10
EVEN being mortally wounded by a bomb in Afghanistan couldn't stop Darwin soldier Darren Smith from trying to do the job he loved. Northern Territory News
Drunken sailors Calim Dawson and Leeroy Franklin told not to drink so much
6 Jul 10
THE dilemma of what to do with a drunken sailor was solved by a Sydney court yesterday - order them not to drink so much. Magistrate Graeme Henson offered the advice to two young seamen who had admitted impersonating police during a wild night of shore leave. Herald Sun
Defence knew battle tanks were prone to catch fire
6 Jul 10
DEFENCE knew before it bought the Australian Army's $550 million battle tank fleet that the tanks were prone to engine fires, internal documents have shown. The Sydney Morning Herald
Force Protection meets with potential suppliers for Australia’s $1 billion vehicle contract
5 Jul 10
Force Protection has completed a series of discussions with potential suppliers across four states as it refines its Australian manufacturing plans for the $1 billion protected mobility vehicle contract. Defence Professionals
Two RAAF squadrons become one
5 Jul 10
TWO Townsville RAAF Squadrons have officially amalgamated with the aim to better integrate reserve and full time forces and preserve local history. Townsville Bulletin
Private Timothy Aplin farewelled in Brisbane
5 Jul 10
AN AUSTRALIAN commando killed in Afghanistan has been remembered as a perfect father, husband, mate and warrior. Private Timothy Aplin's body was carried by his commando mates into Brisbane's St John's Anglican Cathedral on Monday for a solemn service to acknowledge his ultimate sacrifice. The Australian
Six Diggers wounded in Afghanistan
5 Jul 10
SIX Australian soldiers have been wounded in Afghanistan, bringing the number of Diggers wounded this year to 42. The Australian
Four Aussie soldiers wounded in Afghanistan
Diggers wounded in Afghan ambush
Bombs hit 6 Australian soldiers in Afghanistan
Soldiers salute a man of war and peace
5 Jul 10
RICHARD BROWN, standing 151 centimetres tall, veteran of the Battle of Long Tan, holder of the Military Medal, and a military chaplain with a tour of Afghanistan behind him, has no trouble reconciling his belief in God with fighting for his country. The Sydney Morning Herald
Memorial plan draws criticism
5 Jul 10
A MEMORIAL planned to commemorate the Battle of Long Tan at the Rockhampton Botanic Gardens has Alan Parr going to battle. The ex-Mortar Platoon 1RAR soldier believes Rockhampton Regional Council should be thinking bigger in their plans than a memorial to Long Tan, and build something to commemorate the involvement of all Australian forces in war and peacekeeping operations, not just one battle. The Morning Bulletin
It's up to us, says Collins class submarine boss
5 Jul 10
THE Australian Submarine Corporation has "no god-given right" to design or build future submarines. ASC builds the beleaguered Collins-class submarines, and chief executive Steve Ludlam says it has to prove itself worthy of new contracts. The Australian
US sailors spruce up some Aussie defence history
5 Jul 10
UNITED States seamen on a community mission in Darwin travelled back in Australian history when they visited the military museum at East Point. Northern Territory News
Funeral to be held for fallen soldier
4 Jul 10
A SOLDIER killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan is to be farewelled at a funeral in Brisbane tomorrow. The Australian
The motto of No. 460 lives on, as legendary squadron returns
3 Jul 10
WITH the motto ''strike and return'', the RAAF's No. 460 Squadron operated with deadly efficiency, dropping almost 25,000 tonnes of bombs on enemy-occupied Europe during World War II - more than any Australian unit. But its contribution to the allied war effort came at a terrible cost. In three years it lost 181 aircraft and 1018 men, 589 of whom were Australians. The Sydney Morning Herald
Abseiling dogs take the plunge in Darwin
2 Jul 10
Explosive detection dogs have been put through a rigorous abseiling training session in Darwin ahead of their imminent tour of Afghanistan. The dogs, attached by harness to their Australian Defence Force trainers, took the plunge down the side of the 36 metre high Holiday Inn on the Esplanade in the CBD. ABC News
Riverina war vets needed for mental health study
2 Jul 10
Defence personnel and war veterans in the Riverina are being asked to take part in research into their mental health and welfare. Researchers are starting work on the country's largest study of health and welfare in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The $12 million Military Health Outcomes Program includes three studies about operations in the Middle East. ABC News
Faulkner orders radars
2 Jul 10
Defence has urgently ordered stop-gap Giraffe Radars to keep troops safe in Afghanistan. The Saab-designed and built system provides low-range warnings of incoming artillery, rockets and mortars. The Sydney Morning Herald
Saab Receives an Order for Radar System to Australia
Aussie soldier wounded in Afghanistan
2 Jul 10
AN AUSTRALIAN special operations soldier has been wounded by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. The exact details of the injury have not been released by the defence department but are significant enough for the digger to come home. The Australian
Digger wounded by roadside bomb
Army launches probe into drunken sex attack
2 Jul 10
THE defence force is investigating four male soldiers after a woman in their regiment was attacked at Lavarack Barracks. The alcohol-fuelled assault took place in the B3/4 Calvary Regiment on Friday night and has outraged the defence community. The Townsville Bulletin
Defence investigates assault claims
Sailor remembered at memorial service
2 Jul 10
ROYAL Australian Navy sailor Andrew Wakely, who went missing while swimming in Tonga, has been remembered by family and naval colleagues at a memorial service in Perth. The Australian
Surviving Australian soldiers from fatal helicopter crash in Afghanistan return home
2 Jul 10
THE seven injured Australian soldiers who survived a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan have been brought back to Australia. The Australian
Audit of Afghan troops dismissed
2 Jul 10
THE Minister for Defence, John Faulkner, has insisted that a scathing verdict on the system for evaluating the skills of Afghan troops does not alter the Australian Defence Force's assessment that Australia will be able to finish training an Afghan brigade in two to four years. The Sydney Morning Herald
'Small changes' for diggers under Petraeus
Gillard attends first funeral as PM
1 Jul 10
JULIA Gillard has fulfilled the sombre task of attending her first military funeral as prime minister, joining mourners to honour fallen commando Ben Chuck. Ms Gillard was among those who gathered on the banks of Lake Tinaroo, in north Queensland, to farewell Private Chuck, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan on June 21. The Australian
Funeral underway for fallen soldier
Bridges named after Australian battles
1 Jul 10
Some of Australia's important battles have been recognised as five new bridges were named in Adelaide. All are part of the nearly-finished Northern Expressway though Adelaide's northern suburbs. Hamel, Tobruk, Kokoda, Kapyong and Long Tan will be the names of the road bridges at Penfield, Heaslip, Curtis, Angle Vale and Two Wells Roads. ABC News
New Zealand rejected Australian plan for joint Anzac force in Afghanistan
1 Jul 10
New Zealand's Prime Minister, John Key, has revealed he turned down a request to send Kiwi soldiers to help Australian forces in Afghanistan because he had reservations about the prospects of winning the war after visiting the strife-torn country. The Australian
New Zealand rejected Australian plan for joint Anzac force in Afghanistan
NZ knocks back Anzac troop request
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