ANAO AUDIT ON PROCUREMENT OF EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE
10 Mar 10
Details
COALITION WILL NOT SUPPORT AMALGAMATION OF COMMONWEALTH SUPERANNUATION BOARDS
10 Mar 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE DISPOSAL SPECIALIST WOUNDED WHILE DESTROYING INSURGENT WEAPONS
6 Mar 10
Details
WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR ANZACS
5 Mar 10
Details
SUPER HORNETS PREPARING FOR FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA
4 Mar 10
Details
PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY FOR DEFENCE SUPPORT TO ADDRESS INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN CONFLICT ZONES
3 Mar 10
Details
FIRST MENTORING TASK FORCE PROVES MISSION READINESS
3 Mar 10
Details
JOINT APPROACH TO STABILISE AND REBUILD AFGHANISTAN
2 Mar 10
Details
IDENTIFICATION OF FROMELLES FALLEN BEGINS
2 Mar 10
Details
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR AHS CENTAUR
2 Mar 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN ARMY TURNS 109
1 Mar 10
Details
CHIEF OF ARMY SPEECH ON THE OCCASION OF THE 109TH AUSTRALIAN ARMY BIRTHDAY
1 Mar 10
Details
ANZAC DAY IS A TIME FOR REMEMBRANCE, NOT SHOPPING
1 Mar 10
Details
MINISTER WELCOMES NAVY MOVES TO UPDATE BATTLE HONOURS
1 Mar 10
Details + Battle Honours List
NEW VETERANS’ REVIEW BOARD HEAD
26 Feb 10
Details
APPOINTMENT OF NEW REPATRIATION COMMISSIONER
26 Feb 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN APPOINTED AS THE SENIOR MILITARY ADVISOR TO THE AFGHANISTAN DEFENCE MINISTER
26 Feb 10
Details
DEFENCE CAPABILITY PLAN 2009-UPDATE
26 Feb 10
Details
DEFENCE TO UPGRADE HERCULES AIRCRAFT
25 Feb 10
Details
NEW CHINOOK CH-47 HELICOPTERS
25 Feb 10
Details
NEW NAVAL COMBAT HELICOPTERNEW NAVAL COMBAT HELICOPTER
25 Feb 10
Details
OUTGOING COMMANDER HIGHLIGHTS EAST TIMOR DEFENCE FORCE DEVELOPMENT
25 Feb 10
Details
ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE SERVICES
24 Feb 10
Details
GALLIPOLI’S VICTORIA CROSS MEDALS TO TOUR AUSTRALIA
23 Feb 10
Details
APPOINTMENT OF THE HON ROGER GYLES AO QC TO CONDUCT NEW INDEPENDENT INQUIRY INTO MATTERS RELATING TO HMAS SUCCESS
23 Feb 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MAGAZINE (ADM) DEFENCE INDUSTRY CONGRESS 2010
23 Feb 10
Details
RED TAPE CUT FOR VETERANS AND ADF PERSONNEL
18 Feb 10
Details
FIRST MERCEDES-BENZ G WAGONS DELIVERED
18 Feb 10
Details
IMPROVED FIREPOWER FOR THE ADF
17 Feb 10
Details
SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN 12 FEBRUARY 2010 - UPDATE
16 Feb 10
Details
CHANGING OF GUARD FOR AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS – MISSION CONTINUES
16 Feb 10
Details
$1.3M FOR VETERAN HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROJECTS
15 Feb 10
Details
THREE ROAD-SIDE BOMB ATTACKS WOUND TWO AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS
13 Feb 10
Details
INCREASED FOCUS ON SUBMARINE AVAILABILITY
12 Feb 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL FOR KOREA RECEIVES ROYAL APPROVAL
11 Feb 10
Details
HMAS SUCCESS INQUIRY
11 Feb 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN TROOPS RETURN HOME AFTER SUCCESSFUL AFGHANISTAN TOUR
11 Feb 10
Details
COMBAT UNIFORMS MADE IN AUSTRALIA
10 Feb 10
Details
TOWNSVILLE SOLDIERS RETURNING FROM EAST TIMOR (2RAR, 8/9RAR)
9 Feb 10
Details
ANOTHER STEP FORWARD FOR DEFENCE HEALTH
9 Feb 10
Details
DEFENCE HOUSING MAKES STRONG PROGRESS ONE YEAR INTO STIMULUS PROGRAM
9 Feb 10
Details
AFGHAN MAN DIES FOLLOWING VEHICLE INCIDENT
9 Feb 10
Details
SPECIAL OPERATIONS TASK GROUP DISCUSS FUTURE WITH AFGHAN ELDERS
9 Feb 10
Details
EAST TIMOR HONOURS RETURNING AUSSIE TROOPS (2RAR, 8/9RAR)
8 Feb 10
Details
SECOND AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER IDENTIFIED AS WOUNDED IN 30TH OF JANUARY IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE ATTACK
3 Feb 10
Details
F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER (JSF) — RISK REDUCTION ACTION IN THE PRESIDENT’S BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011
2 Feb 10
Details
THREE AFGHAN SOLDIERS KILLED, TWO WOUNDED AND ONE AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WOUNDED IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS
2 Feb 10
Details
ADF PAYROLL AND PAY SYSTEM REFORM
2 Feb 10
Details
BURIAL OF FROMELLES SOLDIERS BEGINS
31 Jan 10
Details
COMMANDING OFFICER REMAINS ON DUTY
30 Jan 10
Details
SUCCESSFUL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR WOMEN IN THE NAVY TO EXPAND IN 2010
28 Jan 10
Details
NORTHERN COMMAND HQ TO REMAIN IN DARWIN
27 Jan 10
Details
AUSTRALIA DAY 2010 HONOURS
26 Jan 10
Details
INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN ALLOWANCE OVERPAYMENT
22 Jan 10
Details
HOPE IN ORUZGAN
22 Jan 10
Details
AFGHAN RESUPPLY CONVOY SUCCESS
22 Jan 10
Details
MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT IN EAST TIMOR
21 Jan 10
Details
HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF ADF MEMBERS A PRIORITY
20 Jan 10
Details
1000 TROOPS FAREWELLED IN BRISBANE
20 Jan 10
Details
ADDRESS TO MTF-1, TLTG-7, FSU-3 & FCU FAREWELL PARADE
20 Jan 10
Details
NEW COMMANDER TAKES OVER OPERATION SLIPPER
15 Jan 10
Details
CYBER SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTRE OFFICIALLY OPENED
15 Jan 10
Details
CYBER SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTRE OPENING (TRANSCRIPT)
15 Jan 10
Details
HERON UAV TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
13 Jan 10
Details
ROAD-SIDE BOMB KILLS EIGHT AFGHAN ARMY TROOPS
12 Jan 10
Details
OPERATION IMPROVES SECURITY FOR LOCALS
8 Jan 10
Details
COMBINED PLANNING LEADS TO AFGHAN SUCCESS
5 Jan 10
Details
BOXING DAY SHOWDOWN (AFGHANISTAN)
5 Jan 10
Details
MESSAGE FROM ACTING CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCE AND CHIEF OF ARMY
5 Jan 10
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WOUNDED BY IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
4 Jan 10
Details
WEAPON CACHES UNCOVERED IN AFGHANISTAN
30 Dec 09
Details
FOOD-FEST FOR AUSTRALIAN TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN
19 Dec 09
Details
INQUIRY OFFICER REPORT INTO APRIL 27-28 INCIDENT COMPLETED
18 Dec 09
Details
INQUIRY OFFICER REPORT INTO APRIL 2 2009 INCIDENT CONCLUDED
18 Dec 09
Details
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS’ AFFAIRS TO CONTINUE AS SEPARATE AGENCY
17 Dec 09
Details
RELEASE OF INQUIRY OFFICER REPORT INTO THE COMBAT DEATH OF PRIVATE BENJAMIN RANAUDO
17 Dec 09
Details
PRESS CONFERENCE REGARDING RELEASE OF INQUIRY OFFICER’S REPORT INTO THE DEATH OF PRIVATE BENJAMIN RANAUDO IN AFGHANISTAN
17 Dec 09
Details
DEFENCE REVIEW OF OPERATIONAL INCIDENT IN AFGHANISTAN CONCLUDES
15 Dec 09
Details
NEW CONTRACT TO SUPPORT ADF RECRUITING
15 Dec 09
Details
DEFENCE LISTENS TO THE COMMUNITY
14 Dec 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN FORCES DRAWDOWN IN EAST TIMOR
10 Dec 09
Details
LAST OPERATIONAL PATROL FOR M113A1S
10 Dec 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN
9 Dec 09
Details
FIRST EVER ADF FAMILIES SURVEY COMPLETED
9 Dec 09
Details
HIGH TECH TRAINING FOR SUPER HORNETS
8 Dec 09
Details
SPECIAL FORCES MAINTAINING THE PRESSURE
4 Dec 09
Details
TALIBAN WINTER OPERATIONS TARGETED IN AFGHAN-AUSTRALIAN OPERATIONS
3 Dec 09
Details
MINISTER FAULKNER WELCOMES PRESIDENT OBAMA'S NEW STRATEGY FOR AFGHANISTAN
3 Dec 09
Details
DEFENCE HOUSING WELL AHEAD IN DELIVERING NATION BUILDING HOUSES
3 Dec 09
Details
AFGHANISTAN INVESTIGATION REFERRED TO THE DIRECTOR OF MILITARY PROSECUTIONS
30 Nov 09
Details
DELIVERING DEFENCE CAPABILITY THROUGH OUR SERVICE PEOPLE
26 Nov 09
Details + People in Defence Stategy
MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON AFGHANISTAN
26 Nov 09
Details
$303,000 FOR PROJECTS TO HONOUR AUSTRALIA’S VETERANS
26 Nov 09
Details
SEARCH ONLINE FOR OVERSEAS AUSTRALIAN MEMORIALS
25 Nov 09
Details
F-35 JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER—AUSTRALIA’S NEXT GENERATION AIR POWER
25 Nov 09
Details
DEFENCE REMOVAL AND RELOCATION ADMINISTRATION SERVICES CONTRACT
24 Nov 09
Details
AIR FORCE WELCOMES ARMY KING AIR
24 Nov 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE REFUTES DRUG USE IN AFGHANISTAN CLAIM
22 Nov 09
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION FOR PEACEKEEPING SERVICE FROM 1947 ONWARDS
20 Nov 09
Details
NEW WOMEN’S PLAN TO DRIVE CULTURAL CHANGE IN DEFENCE
19 Nov 09
Details
SPEECH FOR THE LAUNCH OF THE CDF ACTION PLAN FOR THE RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF WOMEN
19 Nov 09
Details
DEFENCE BUDGET AUDIT RELEASED
17 Nov 09
Details
DEFENCE SUPPORT TO FAMILIES
13 Nov 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER AND AFGHAN SOLDIERS WOUNDED BY IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
12 Nov 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WOUNDED BY IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
11 Nov 09
Details
AFGHAN MAN INJURED DURING ENGAGEMENT WITH ENEMY FORCES, ADF PROVIDES MEDICAL TREATMENT
10 Nov 09
Details
DIGGERS DISCOVER EXPLOSIVE CACHES AND IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES IN SOUTHERN AFGHANISTAN
10 Nov 09
Details
SPECIAL FORCES STRIKE INSURGENT STRONGHOLD
5 Nov 09
Details
ROAD-SIDE BOMB WOUNDS TWO AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS AND ONE AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY SOLDIER
3 Nov 09
Details
TWO INQUIRY OFFICER REPORTS RELEASED INTO THE DEATH OF LIEUTENANT MICHAEL FUSSELL
2 Nov 09
Details
QUESTION AND ANSWERS - RELEASE OF TWO INQUIRY OFFICER REPORTS INTO THE DEATH OF LT MICHAEL FUSSELL
2 Nov 09
Details
RELEASE OF TWO INQUIRY OFFICER REPORTS INTO THE DEATH OF LT MICHAEL FUSSELL
2 Nov 09
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION FOR SERVICE IN PNG AFTER 1975
30 Oct 09
Details
EAST TIMOR AND BOUGAINVILLE HEALTH STUDIES COMPLETED
30 Oct 09
Details
RELEASE OF INQUIRY INTO UNRESOLVED RECOGNITION ISSUES FOR THE BATTLE OF LONG TAN
28 Oct 09
Details
MRTF-2 MOURNS ‘NOVA’
26 Oct 09
Details
IMPROVED DEATH AND INVALIDITY BENEFITS FOR MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY SUPERANNUATION AND BENEFITS SCHEME
22 Oct 09
Details
DEFENCE BASE SECURITY REVIEW - UPDATE
22 Oct 09
Details
DR MIKE KELLY’S KEYNOTE ADDRESS TO THE ANU CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN
22 Oct 09
Details
VETERANS’ NEEDS SHAPE REVIEW OF ADVOCACY SERVICES
21 Oct 09
Details
PERSONAL DETAILS OF SOLDIER KILLED AT CULTANA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA
21 Oct 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN SUFFERS HEARING LOSS
21 Oct 09
Details
PRESS CONFERENCE REGARDING DEATH AT DURING TRAINING ACTIVITY AT CULTANA
21 Oct 09
Details
OPENING STATEMENT BY AIR CHIEF MARSHAL ANGUS HOUSTON, AC, AFC SUPPLEMENTARY BUDGET ESTIMATES
21 Oct 09
Details
SOLDIER KILLED, ANOTHER INJURED IN TRAINING ACCIDENT
21 Oct 09
Details
AIR FORCE ACTS ON SPECIAL FORCES DISABILITY ALLOWANCE
20 Oct 09
Details
IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVES DEVICES POSE CONSTANT THREAT: AFGHAN SOLDIER KILLED IN ATTACK
20 Oct 09
Details
DEFENCE FIREPOWER TO RECEIVE MAJOR BOOST
20 Oct 09
Details
AFGHAN CIVILIAN INJURED IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT
20 Oct 09
Details
WEAPONS AND MUNITION CACHES SEIZED
19 Oct 09
Details
AFGHAN SOLDIER AND TWO AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS WOUNDED BY IED
13 Oct 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER WOUNDED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH TALIBAN
11 Oct 09
Details
MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR VETERAN COMMUNITY
9 Oct 09
Details
JOINT AFGHAN-AUSTRALIAN OPERATION SUPPORTS SECURITY IN ORUZGAN
7 Oct 09
Details
STATEMENT ON REX CRANE
3 Oct 09
Details
SOLDIER SUFFERS MINOR WOUNDS IN AFGHANISTAN
3 Oct 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL APPOINTS OFFICIAL ARTIST
1 Oct 09
Details
EXPANSION OF THE ADF FAMILY HEALTH TRIAL
30 Sep 09
Details
DEFENCE UXO INFORMATION AND ADVICE VIA THE INTERNET
29 Sep 09
Details
DVA COMPENSATION PAYMENT RATES
DVA Reference MRC04
DVA COMPENSATION FOR DEPENDANTS
DVA Reference MRC14
PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF MRS BREEANNA TILL
27 Sep 09
Details
RELEASE OF INQUIRY OFFICER’S REPORT INTO THE DEATH OF CORPORAL MATHEW HOPKINS
24 Sep 09
Details
NEW RATES BOOST VETERAN PENSIONS
18 Sep 09
Details
PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER NEW FACILITIES AT KOKODA BARRACKS, CANUNGRA, QLD AND OTHER DEFENCE BASES
18 Sep 09
Details + Townsville
MILITARY JUSTICE BILLS PASSED THROUGH PARLIAMENT
14 Sep 09
Details
FIVE SOLDIERS SUFFER MINOR WOUNDS IN AFGHANISTAN INCIDENT
11 Sep 09
Details
MORE SUICIDE PREVENTION WORKSHOPS FOR VETERAN COMMUNITY
9 Sep 09
Details
HIGH COURT CHALLENGE TO THE AUSTRALIAN MILITARY COURT – IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERIM ARRANGEMENTS
9 Sep 09
Details
$1.2M FOR VETERAN HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROJECTS
4 Sep 09
Details
REPATRIATION OF FLYING OFFICER MICHAEL HERBERT AND PILOT OFFICER ROBERT CARVER FROM VIETNAM
31 Aug 09
Details
INTERNAL ASSESSMENTS INTO TWO RECENT OPERATIONAL INCIDENTS IN AFGHANISTAN COMPLETED
28 Aug 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN MILITARY COURT
27 Aug 09
Details
REPATRIATION OF REMAINS OF AUSTRALIA’S LAST TWO MISSING AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MEMBERS FOUND IN VIETNAM
27 Aug 09
Details
PHYSICAL STANDARDS FOR MILITARY SERVICE TO BE BENCHMARKED
21 Aug 09
Details
DEFENCE RESPONSE TO REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT REVIEW ON THE HEALTH OF THE REFORMED MILITARY JUSTICE SYSTEM
21 Aug 09
Details
DEFENCE FORCE SEPARATION RATE LOWEST IN DECADE
18 Aug 09
Details
NEW PREMISES FOR WORLD-CLASS TRAUMA RESEARCH CENTRE
7 Aug 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN AND AFGHAN NATIONAL ARMY SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN IED ATTACKS
4 Aug 09
Details
$4 MILLION TO EX-SERVICE COMMUNITY TO SUPPORT VETERANS
3 Aug 09
Details
ADF CONCLUDES MISSION IN IRAQ
31 Jul 09
Details
REMAINS OF AUSTRALIA’S LAST TWO MISSING ADF MEMBERS FOUND IN VIETNAM
30 Jul 09
Details
$379,000 FOR PROJECTS TO HONOUR AUSTRALIA’S VETERANS
29 Jul 09
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION FOR SERVICE IN SOMALIA (1RAR GROUP)
24 Jul 09
Details
AUSTRALIAN TROOPS ARRIVE TO SUPPORT AFGHAN ELECTIONS (1RAR)
24 Jul 09
Details
RELEASE OF INQUIRY OFFICER’S REPORT INTO THE DEATH OF CORPORAL MATHEW HOPKINS IN AFGHANISTAN
24 Jul 09
Details
CHIEF OF DEFENCE FORCE MEDIA ROUND TABLE: QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION
22 Jul 09
Details
PERSONAL DETAILS OF SOLDIER KILLED IN AFGHANISTAN
19 Jul 09
Details
MENTORING AND RECONSTRUCTION TASK FORCE MEMBER KILLED ON OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN
19 Jul 09
Details
DEATH OF AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER ON OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN
19 Jul 09
Details
NEXT STEP FOR REVIEW OF MILITARY COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS
15 Jul 09
Details
DEFENCE ATTITUDE SURVEY FINDINGS
14 Jul 09
Details
TWO AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN AFGHANISTAN
8 Jul 09
Details
SOLDIER KILLED IN TRAINING ACCIDENT
26 Jun 09
Details
IMPROVING HOUSING SUPPORT FOR ADF MEMBERS
25 Jun 09
Details
NEW NAME FOR SYDNEY COMMANDOS
19 Jun 09
Details
4 RAR (COMMANDO) TO BECOME THE 2ND COMMANDO REGIMENT
4 Jun 09
Details
OPENING STATEMENT SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE NICK WARNER BUDGET ESTIMATES HEARING
3 Jun 09
Details
OPENING STATEMENT THE CHIEF OF THE DEFENCE FORCE AIR CHIEF MARSHAL ANGUS HOUSTON BUDGET ESTIMATES HEARING
3 Jun 09
Details
$1.5M FOR VETERAN HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROJECTS
25 May 09
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL REPORT INQUIRY INTO ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE MEDAL
18 May 09
Details
2009-10 BUDGET DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASES
12 May 09
Details + DEFENCE BUDGET OVERVIEW
WHITE PAPER MEDIA RELEASES (Comprehensive list)
2 May 09
Details
THE 2009 DEFENCE WHITE PAPER – THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WHITE PAPER OF THE MODERN ERA
2 May 09
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS AND AWARDS TRIBUNAL REPORT - INQUIRY INTO RECOGNITION FOR SERVICE WITH 4TH BATTALION, ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT IN MALAYSIA 1966-67
2 May 09
Details
DEFENCE HONOURS & AWARDS TRIBUNAL INQUIRES INTO VARIOUS RECOGNITION ISSUES FOR SERVICE IN VIETNAM
2 May 09
Details
---------------------------------------------------
Ministerial Releases 1998 - 2010
Defence Media Releases 2000 - 2010
DVA News archives 2000 - 2009
|
Defence works to fix Iraq pay 'anomaly'
11 Mar 10
The Defence Department says it is working to resolve a pay anomaly involving Australian soldiers serving overseas. ABC TV's Hungry Beast program says soldiers travelling to and from Iraq are not receiving the tax-free benefit and allowance owed to them. ABC News
Soldier's final goodbye
11 Mar 10
SHARING a goodbye kiss and cuddle with his girlfriend was among the last things Pte Benjamin Pape did before he was found dead on the balcony of his Lavarack Barracks unit. The Commission of Inquiry into the 20-year-old Townsville soldier's 2008 death continued yesterday with partner Kristy Davies giving evidence. Pte Pape's body was found early on the morning of September 5, 2008 just hours after returning home from a night out on the town with his partner and friends. Townsville Bulletin
Soldier was suicidal
Inquiry opens in Townsville into soldier's death
$124m of defence weapons useless
11 Mar 10
MORE than $1.2 billion worth of defence munitions are useless or are not ready for battle, the national auditor has found. Of the non-serviceable ordnance, $124 million worth of bombs, grenades, shells, bullets and missiles are totally beyond repair, according to an Australian National Audit Office report released yesterday. The Age
Millions blown on dud arms
Showing leadership in Afghanistan
10 Mar 10
It is regrettable that Australian politicians are denying the Australian Defence Force (ADF) the opportunity to take the leadership role in Oruzgan Province after the Dutch withdrawal. Our politicians seem to be running scared that leadership would mean an increase in our troop presence and an increase in ADF casualties. It does not necessarily mean either. It is of course an election year and the government is trying to avoid discussion about an ADF deployment that has little popular support. However we should not be ducking the issue - if for no other reason than national pride. In Iraq, our force, with its politically imposed risk-averse mission, was dubbed by some "The New French" and others as "Model Soldiers"- who looked good, had all the kit, but did little. This is clearly an affront to a force with such a proud military tradition. Clive Williams. ABC
US positive: military chief
Command role for Aussies in Afghanistan
Diggers may take control in Afghanistan
NZ soldier saves colleagues from grenade
10 Mar 10
A New Zealander serving with British forces in Afghanistan has played down his bravery after saving two comrades' lives by throwing back a live Taliban hand grenade about to explode next to them. Rifleman James McKie, 29, was battling Taliban fighters on a rooftop in Sangin, in the troubled southern Helmand province last week when the grenade landed right next to them. "I saw the grenade and I knew I had to get it away from us. I dived forward, picked it up and threw it off the roof where it detonated halfway down the alley," he told the BBC. ABC News
'Hurt Locker' team forgotten
10 Mar 10
In this battle, Australian soldiers who were part of the secret multinational taskforce in Iraq, whose work helped to inspire The Hurt Locker, have come out losers. Despite the unique and deadly nature of their work and the support of the recently retired ADF deputy chief of joint operations, Greg Evans, none of them have been decorated for bravery. The Age
Defence spending questioned
10 Mar 10
AUSTRALIA'S former army chief has said we should consider cutting funding from the defence budget - currently $27 billion - and redirecting it towards diplomacy and aid programs. Peter Leahy, who retired as a lieutenant-general in 2008, has also questioned the federal government's commitment to massive military equipment projects, suggesting that the acquisitions might turn out to be expensive white elephants. The Age Defence to probe dubious expense claims
Boom and the fear factor delivered payload of cash
Breast jobs, tummy tucks in the deal
The navy lurk: blonde model gets sailors fighting fit
War on waste: 'Defence extravagance must end'
Questions the Department of Defence declined to answer
Special forces probed after children's deaths in Afghanistan
9 Mar 10
THE investigation into a tragically botched raid on a homestead in Afghanistan that killed five children has focused on the Australian special forces soldiers who carried out the raid, and on the officers who planned and authorised the operation. The director of military prosecutions, Brigadier Lyn McDade, is now considering whether the soldiers involved will be court-martialled. The men could be charged with murder, manslaughter or negligence and, if convicted, could face jail terms in a military prison. The soldiers involved were members of 1 Commando Regiment, which includes many reservists - some of whom are policemen from NSW and Victoria. It is not known whether any of these police personnel were involved in the raid. The Australian
Botched Australian Taliban raid `killed five children'
Soldiers told grieving mum of 'mistake'
Innocents killed in raid bungle
ADF legal action 'continuing' over diggers' Afghan killings
Troops 'not trained properly'
Digger lost his eye in Afghanistan bomb blast
9 Mar 10
SAPPER Colby Macdonald lost his eye in an explosion in Afghanistan, but not his passion for serving his country. Spr Macdonald was one of about 170 Townsville soldiers who returned from Afghanistan last weekend and took part in a reintegration briefing with their families at Lavarack Barracks yesterday. He was injured by an improvised explosive device just three weeks ago. Townsville Bulletin
Rift with US over curbs on diggers
9 Mar 10
AUSTRALIA'S restrictions on the deployment of its troops in Afghanistan have sparked a serious rift between military leaders in Washington and Canberra, and are likely to be a key issue during President Barack Obama's visit later this month. The coalition's top military commander in Afghanistan, US General Stanley McChrystal, has warned that the Rudd government's refusal to allow Australian troops to take the fight to the Taliban was impairing the US-led war effort. The Age
Smith defends Australia's Afghan role
The wrong stuff
9 Mar 10
THE Department of Defence is spending millions of dollars on luxury items that appear to bear no relevance to its sworn role to defend the nation. A three-month Herald investigation, which examined $48billion worth of contracts published by the department in the past four years, reveals for the first time the poor accountability that allows some military personnel to subsidise their lifestyles.Some of the more than 83,000 contracts let by the military in that period, obtained from the Department of Finance and Deregulation’s records, go beyond what members of the public might find acceptable. The Sydney Morning Herald
A handy throne for posh events
Weapons of mass expenditure
First class seats and luxury resorts
Defence Department denies extravagant spending on luxury items
RSL to tidy up Anzac parades
8 Mar 10
RETURNED and Services League branches are concerned that parents pushing prams and children wearing dirty jeans are taking away the dignity of the Anzac Day march. Amid recurring concerns that the number of children and descendants marching in the parade are swamping the veterans, branches are introducing new rules for this year's marches. Queensland and South Australian Anzac Day organisers will require descendants of living veterans to march at the back of the parade. While the NSW branch will not enforce a ban, it has requested that descendants march in an allocated group in Sydney. In Melbourne, the Victorian RSL will only allow one descendant per veteran. The Australian
Children banned from Brisbane Anzac Day parade
Anzac Day kids face march ban (NSW)
Ban on families in Anzac Day march (SA)
Children can march with NT veterans
Ban on families in Anzac Day march
Push to ban families from ANZAC march
Anzac Day marches in Brisbane will allow children to walk
No change for Anzac Day parade (Townsville)
Digger injured in Afghanistan
6 Mar 10
AN Australian soldier in Afghanistan has suffered a hand injury while trying to defuse improvised explosive devices. The soldier was destroying two devices after they were discovered by an Australian patrol in the Chora valley region of Oruzgan province on Thursday. The Australian
G-Wagon hits the target
6 Mar 10
THE Australian Defence Force (ADF) has taken delivery of its first new Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon cross-country vehicles - the first to be delivered on Australian soil. These vehicles, nine in total, follow on from the initial hand-over of the first two units at the G-Wagons factory in Austria, which took place late last year. All eleven vehicles are part of the 1200-strong tactical fleet order placed by the ADF in October 2008, a national undertaking known as Project Overlander. Central Coast Express Advocate
Defence vehicle roll-out
`Lives lost as Brown held back funds'
6 Mar 10
THE lives of British soldiers were lost in Iraq and Afghanistan because Gordon Brown failed to fund the army properly when he was chancellor, a former chief of the defence staff said last night as Britain's Prime Minister fronted the nation's inquiry into the Iraq war. The Australian
British PM Gordon Brown says Iraq still needs UK troops
Former military heads challenge Brown on Iraq
US seeks to resume Indonesian training
6 Mar 10
WASHINGTON - The administration of President Barack Obama hopes to resume United States training of an elite Indonesian military unit whose members have been convicted of gross human-rights abuses in East Timor and elsewhere in the sprawling archipelago. The leaders of Indonesia's controversial special forces division - the Komando Pasukan Khusus, or Kopassus - were in Washington to discuss the proposal this week. Asia Times
F-111 too expensive for Ipswich
6 Mar 10
AN independent military analyst claims the Australian Defence Force should not have to help fund the city of Ipswich obtaining an F-111 after the jets are decommissioned in December. But Australian Defence Association executive director Neil James said there was a possibility the Federal Government could intervene on Ipswich’s behalf. The Queensland Times
Old bombers to cost veterans a million
Air Force wants old F-111 strike biombers destroyed
Australia and Botswana strengthen relations
5 Mar 10
Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd has said that he welcomes Botswana’s support for Australia’s bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. It was also said that the two countries will engage in peace and security cooperation which will include offering short term training courses in the Australian Defence Force training courses in Australia to Batswana officers. The Botswana Gazette
British helicopter pilot shot between the eyes but keeps flying to save 20 soldiers
5 Mar 10
A BRITISH Chinook helicopter pilot was shot between the eyes by a Taliban bullet - but flew on and saved all 20 aboard, The Sun reported. Flight Lieutenant Ian Fortune, 28, had flown in to pick up casualties as a firefight raged between American and Afghan forces and heavily-armed rebels near Garmsir in Helmand Province. The Australian
Mapping tool to help uncover Vietnam's war dead
5 Mar 10
A MAPPING tool devised by two Australian military historians will help Vietnam locate its war dead in the two provinces that were occupied by Australian troops. Bob Hall and Derrill de Heer, Vietnam veterans, leave today for Hanoi to present their mapping program to senior officials of the Vietnam People's Army. The project, funded by the Australian Research Council, followed the help Vietnam gave Australia in recovering six military personnel who were reported missing in action between 1965 and 1972, Dr Hall told The Australian. The Australian
Army brings a life less ordinary
5 Mar 10
The truck roared through the dark streets of Honiara in the Solomon Islands, packed with soldiers, their rifles at the ready. Fishermen stood and watched as the vehicle neared the rubbish-strewn docks at Point Cruz, disappearing into the humid night. Beneath a glowing moon, army reservists from WA's 13th Brigade, decked out in body armour and radio headsets, left the interim infantry military vehicle and formed up for a foot patrol. The West Australian
C-130J Block 7.0 Upgrade approved
4 Mar 10
The Government has approved funding of $45 million to undertake a range of important upgrades to the C-130J aircraft systems, Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner has announced. These will address system obsolescence, maintain coalition compatibility and enable these aircraft to comply with global air traffic standards. Australian Defence Magazine
Local soldier serving Afghanistan
4 Mar 10
PUTTING his training to good use in the field has been the best part about going to Afghanistan for one Wagga-born soldier. Corporal Shaun Byrnes is currently on a five-month operation in Afghanistan, working as a truck driver for a support unit. The Daily Advertiser
Soldier posts military plans on Facebook
4 Mar 10
Israel's military and one of its soldiers are no longer "friends" after the artillery unit gunner posted details of an impending West Bank raid on his Facebook page, leading to the mission being aborted. The soldier updated his page on the social networking site, saying "on Wednesday we are cleaning Qatanna and on Thursday, God willing, going home," Israeli army radio reported. Other soldiers in the unit, who saw the posting, alerted their officers and the planned raid on Qatanna, a village near the Palestinian city of Ramallah, was called off. ABC News
MP salary grab
4 Mar 10
FEDERAL politicians are demanding thousands of dollars more in generous travel and salary allowances in a bid to extend the gravy train, even after they are turfed out of office. In a list of claims prepared by Labor and Coalition MPs, politicians want to receive a more generous lump sum of up to $27,000 for the nights they are forced to spend in Canberra doing their jobs. They also want taxpayers to cover the cost of helping them find a new job after voters make them redundant. This would include a new retraining allowance, a severance payment and five months' salary. And they want to roll the current $32,000 electorate allowance into MPs' $131,040 base salary. Herald Sun
Aussie army 'bloated' with generals
4 Mar 10
THE number of generals in the Australian army has more than doubled in five years to 25 as the rest of the force grew by just 10 per cent. Australia now boasts one of the Western world's most bloated "generals' clubs", with 77 officers at the so-called star rank of brigadier or above including 22 major-generals and three lieutenant-generals. That means that there is one general for every 1560 soldiers - more than double the ration in the US, which has a soldier-to-general ratio of 3632 GIs for each brass hat. The Daily Telegraph
RAAF relies on buffer in latest JSF delay
4 Mar 10
THE troubled Joint Strike Fighter program has suffered another blow, with the US Air Force revealing that production problems will delay the entry of the plane into its fleet for a further two years. The news raises fresh doubts about whether the JSF will be delivered to Australia on schedule, with the new fighter due to be handed over to the RAAF for testing in 2014, becoming operational in 2018. The Australian
Jet delay 'won't hurt Aussie defence'
Scientists warned defence department against Joint Strike Fighter
Top-gun fighter in a spin
Schools are 'perfect killing fields' says laser skirmish company
4 Mar 10
SCHOOLS hiring their grounds out to laser skirmish companies have come under fire and even have the Prime Minister scratching his head. A skirmish company website which promoted some Queensland schools as perfect "killing fields" has hit a sour note with a public already reeling from the recent schoolyard stabbing death of 12-year-old Elliott Fletcher. Now debate is ranging as to whether laser games should be allowed on school grounds. The Australian
Schools caught in skirmish war games
Hunters fly over Sydney skies
4 Mar 10
SPECIAL forces choppers from Holsworthy Army Barracks will swoop over Sydney by day and night during the next few weeks honing their counter-terrorism skills. Sydneysiders will face significant noise levels at times as Black Hawks helicopters hover over or land on "targets" such as the Defence Plaza in the CBD, Olympic Stadium, Cockatoo Island and Blacktown Olympic Centre. The Daily Telegraph
Soldier attacked by mates
3 Mar 10
A SOLDIER has made an official complaint to police claiming to have been seriously assaulted at Lavarack Barracks by two of his comrades. The Townsville Bulletin understands the man sustained facial injuries so severe he has to undergo reconstructive surgery. The Townsville CIB is now investigating the assault, along with the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service. Townsville Bulletin
German Army at Woomera
3 Mar 10
More than 100 German Army soldiers were deployed to Woomera in February to test new defence equipment and conduct field trials. The trials are designed to test and analyse the system’s key functions under hot, dusty, and humid conditions and test how many soldiers the equipment can hold. German Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Heydt told The Roxby Downs Sun Australia was chosen for its realistic climate. Roxby Downs Sun
Kmart Anzac Day trading backflip, managing director Guy Russo apologises
3 Mar 10
RETAIL giant Kmart is to withdraw its controversial application to trade before 1pm on Anzac Day, admitting it "got this one wrong". Herald Sun
Anzacs: It's not OK, Kmart
Kmart wants us shopping on Anzac Day
Air 9000/5C Chinook buy approved
3 Mar 10
The Government has given second pass approval to a major project to acquire seven CH-47F Chinook helicopters for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) at a cost of around $755 million, Defence Minister Senator John Faulkner has announced. "The Government has now approved the details of this procurement, announced in last year's White Paper, which will replace the existing fleet of six CH-47D Chinooks," Senator Faulkner said. Australian Defence Magazine
New choppers to boost Defence capability
Australia confirms order for seven CH-47F Chinooks
Australia to choose new naval combat helicopter in 2011
Australian Government Clears New Naval Helicopter and Additional CH-47 Helicopters
Businesses dig deep for Thuringowa RSL
3 Mar 10
THEY say one good turn deserves another and that's exactly how Thuringowa RSL sub-branch president Steve Sergeant feels about the generosity of two Townsville businesses. Townsville's Telstra CountryWide and JB Hi Fi yesterday donated money to the RSL sub-branch following a hefty February robbery at the club, a donation which staff had raised from their own pockets. Townsville Bulletin
Theft a huge blow for RSL club
Dogs of war caught up in scrap over freight terminal
3 Mar 10
Sydney needs more rail freight to get trucks off the road. Defence needs to train dogs to detect bombs in Afghanistan. These two ambitions are colliding as the Rudd government tries to organise the largest freight terminal in Australia on land occupied by the army. The departments of Infrastructure and Defence are locked in negotiations about land at Moorebank, used by the army but slated for a huge freight and truck terminal. The Sydney Morning Herald
Kevin Rudd marks Centaur day of sorrow
3 Mar 10
PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd led the country in a day of remembrance for the Australian Hospital Ship Centaur yesterday, labelling its World War II torpedoing off the Brisbane coast a "cold, brutal act". More than 700 people, including political, military and religious leaders, attended the public memorial service at St John's Cathedral to honour the 268 victims and 64 survivors of the Japanese submarine attack. The Courier-Mail
Maralinga blast survivors sue
3 Mar 10
MORE than 300 Australians are joining a class action against the British Government for damage from nuclear tests that could cost Australian taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Cherie Blair, QC – a prominent human rights lawyer and wife of former British prime minister Tony Blair – will head the British legal team for victims of nuclear bomb tests at Maralinga in South Australia and other sites during the 1950s and 1960s. The Courier-Mail
Australia boosts aid to Afghan province
2 Mar 10
Australia is lifting its aid effort in Afghanistan's dangerous Oruzgan province but the security situation means it's difficult to monitor development projects, defence says. Australia is taking a more integrated approach to development, with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and AusAID officials, as well as military and police, now on the ground. The Sydney Morning Herald
'Defective' choppers have potential - ADF
2 Mar 10
THE Australian Defence Force says the new transport helicopters it is buying have excellent potential despite a German report outlining a range of defects. A defence spokesman said Australia was seeking an English translation of the German Army trial report on its NH-90 helicopters. He said all matters of operational effectiveness and airworthiness were taken seriously and the German report would be reviewed in detail. "Australia is working with other nations and industry to address any issues arising as the NH-90 is introduced into service," he said. The Australian
Defence's new choppers are duds: report
Soldier jailed for drunken ride that injured mate
2 Mar 10
A 'HIGHLY regarded' soldier who crashed his motorbike in a drunken late night ride on Townsville streets, seriously injuring his pillion passenger, returned a blood/alcohol reading of .195 immediately after the incident, a Townsville sentencing hearing was told. Colin Edward Mulligan, 30, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Ashley Stephen Bennett, a fellow soldier, when he appeared before Judge Kerry O'Brien for sentencing. Townsville Bulletin
Champion Coast triathlete dies in crash
2 Mar 10
RENEE Nicholls was a world champion triathlete and a valued member of the Australian Defence Force but to her family she was just 'our little Billy'. The 27-year-old Southport woman died at Gold Coast Hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning after a cycling accident in northern NSW on Friday. Nicholls joined the army almost 10 years ago, initially working in the area of transport and then as a physical training instructor. In early 2004, she served in East Timor and was later based at Canungra. Gold Coast News
Garrett demotion impacts defence: ADA
1 Mar 10
Former environment minister Peter Garrett's demotion has unfairly impacted on the defence portfolio, the Australia Defence Association (ADA) says. The Sydney Morning Herald
Historical return
1 Mar 10
In a case of history repeating itself, a Centurion tank which has been housed at a Stuart Town property for the past 14 years is currently making tracks to its original home. The tank, which was owned by Stuart Town resident and former Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC) Lieutenant Colonel Peter Jarratt, has recently been sold to the 1st Armoured Regiment Association. They have chosen to return the 1951 machine to its first Australian home, the Armoured School at Puckapunyal, Victoria. Wellington Times (NSW)
Students rally against defence research
1 Mar 10
Students from the University of Wollongong have staged a protest against what they say is a multi-million dollar weapons research program. Organiser Patrick Harrison has questioned the sort of organisations that will be in attendance at a conference on defence materials hosted by the University's of Wollongong today. Mr Harrison says a lot of students have objections to funds going to defence industry research. ABC Illawarra
Australian Army celebrates 109th birthday
1 Mar 10
THE Australian Army celebrates its 109th birthday today, making it one of the oldest institutions in the country dating back to the year of Federation, 1901. The Australian
Defence to cut $20 billion
28 Feb 10
EVERYTHING from toilet paper to air travel, subsidised meals and fine wines has been singled out by cost cutters handing Defence a massive $20 billion "hair cut" during the next decade. The razor gang has told all Defence staff to cut at least one flight in five from their travel schedules to save millions of dollars on airfares. And the top brass have been relieved of their butlers, chauffeur-driven limousines and first-class air travel. Herald Sun
Treatment of atom bomb veterans a 'national disgrace'
28 Feb 10
ONE of Australia's most respected military figures has joined veterans' groups in calling for war benefits to be paid to Australian servicemen who were exposed to British atom bomb tests in the 1950s. The retired major-general, Alan Stretton, who led the reconstruction of Darwin after Cyclone Tracy and commanded Australia's troops in Vietnam, said a declaration stating the tests constituted "non-warlike, hazardous" operations would give former servicemen and their widows access to the same entitlements as other war veterans. The Clarke Review of Veterans' Entitlements recommended this in 2003 but the Howard government declined to act on it. The Sydney Morning Herald
Australia's shrinking air force
27 Feb 10
THE nation's air combat force has withered to its smallest size in a generation, with less than half of the country's fighter jets available for operations. At times this year as many as three out of four of the RAAF's 86 fighter jets have been grounded due to maintenance, upgrades or safety concerns. Of those warplanes that are available, only a handful can be sent into combat because they do not yet have sufficient electronic protection to survive against modern air defences. The Australian
Iron colonels fight the invisible hand
27 Feb 10
With tens of billions of dollars at stake, Greg Combet is caught between the demands of civilian bureaucrats for competition at any price and military demands for US equipment regardless of cost or adequate alternatives FREE-MARKET competition for defence contracts has seemed the holy grail of defence industry policy as the federal government has moved to undertake a $100 billion-plus rearmament program over the next 30 years. Paul Dibb and Geoffrey Barker The Australian
MAN, Thales, Mercedes get Land 121 nod
26 Feb 10
After months of testing, trials and no doubt a few tribulations, Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science has announced that a downselect for phase 3 of Land 121 has been made. Australian Defence Magazine
Trooper back on home soil
26 Feb 10
CELEBRATIONS at Anglesea Barracks packed a lot of bang yesterday after a decade-long mystery was solved. Dozens of officers lined the streets near the Sergeants' Mess as two of Her Majesty's Yeoman Warders returned a small wooden cannon to its home at the Hobart army barracks. The Yeoman Wardens are based at the Tower of London, where the missing cannon was tracked down last year. It may be small but the cannon has held a sentimental place at Anglesea Barracks since it was presented to the Sergeants' Mess in 1956 by the Petty Officers' Mess at HMAS Wagga. The Mercury
Boeing Signs AU$44M contract expansion for Australian Army rotary wing support
26 Feb 10
Boeing has signed an AU$44 million change proposal with the Commonwealth of Australia to increase the scope of the Army Aviation Training and Training Support (AATTS) contract. SHEPHARD
US helmets useless against Taliban snipers
26 Feb 10
Taliban snipers have emerged as a lethal threat to US troops waging an assault in southern Afghanistan, as their bullets can penetrate American helmets, the US Marine Corps commandant said. Homemade bombs or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) have been the main killer of NATO-led troops in the Afghan war, but General James Conway has told lawmakers that snipers pose an equally serious threat to coalition troops fighting in the Marjah area of Helmand province. ABC News
No support for expanded role in Afghanistan: Cosgrove
26 Feb 10
Former Defence Force chief Peter Cosgrove says Australia should not expand its role in Afghanistan. Giving the opening speech at a Liberal Party ideas forum in Canberra last night, General Cosgrove said he did not think there would be enough public support for sending more troops to Afghanistan. ABC News
Dutch pull-out to change balance in Afghanistan
Former defence chief Peter Cosgrove warns Australia against increasing role in Afghanistan
Darwin Diggers freeze sperm ahead of battle
26 Feb 10
DARWIN diggers have been freezing their sperm before they go on assignment so their prodigy can live on - even if they are killed in action. And a private company is now offering the service free of charge after defence announced they would no longer foot the bill. Defence confirmed two Darwin soldiers have their swimmers on ice while they are fighting overseas after the service was approved by health officers. But the service is against defence policy and the samples will be removed if the diggers refuse to pay for the storage after they return. Northern Territory News
Diggers fighting in Afghanistan banned from having sperm frozen at taxpayer's expense
Corporal 'threatened' woman over rape claims
26 Feb 10
A CORPORAL accused of sexually assaulting a female colleague at Holsworthy Barracks allegedly threatened to ruin her career if she spoke of the incident. Corporal Gavin Lynch was undertaking a training course in 2006 when he allegedly assaulted a fellow corporal, the District Court at Parramatta was told yesterday. The Sydney Morning Herald
Victim and alleged rapist were training for Iraq
Army corporal 'raped, threatened' soldier
Defence force needed for Australian disaster relief
26 Feb 10
WITH climate change set to produce more natural disasters, the Australian defence organisation needs to make disaster relief part of its core business. A new study, The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) paper, states defence could expect to be used more frequently in domestic counter-disaster tasks, such as the Victorian bushfires a year ago. But the defence force viewed domestic disaster assistance as a secondary activity to its priority role of war-fighting and other international tasks, the study said. Herald Sun
Defence force needed for Australian disaster relief
Veterans' pensions under fire
25 Feb 10
THE Rudd government has cast more than 63,000 veterans and their families on to the welfare scrap heap by failing to index military pensions, the Defence Force Welfare Association claimed yesterday. Unlike with the age pension, which is indexed, the government had chosen to ignore the collapse in purchasing power of military superannuation beneficiaries, DFWA national president David Jamison told The Australian. The Australian
Top US Marine rejects Obama plan to repeal gay ban
25 Feb 10
The head of the US Marines said on Thursday he opposed ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military, the first top officer to break openly with President Barack Obama over the issue. General James Conway told the Senate Armed Services Committee that he disagreed with Obama's plan to repeal the ban. "My best military advice to this committee, to the (defense) secretary, and to the president would be to keep the law such as it is." BREITBART
US generals cast doubt on lifting gay ban
Call to end US military gay ban
Pentagon to detail new 'don't ask, don't tell' steps
Navy pair walk free after bashing
25 Feb 10
TWO navy divers who kicked down the door of a Melbourne hotel room and bashed a man in front of his wife have been handed suspended sentences. Brent Brittliff, 30, and Troy White, 28, walked free from court after the "mindless and frightening'' act in which the decorated pair repeatedly punched and kicked Cameron Rushworth in February 2007. The Australian
Defence Department to open up on war information
25 Feb 10
DEFENCE Minister John Faulkner has urged more openness from the military on its conduct in Afghanistan, particularly on the plight of Diggers wounded in the conflict. Senator Faulkner last night warned he would no longer tolerate hiding behind the buzzwords "operational security" to deny media access to information. The Australian
Scientists warned defence department against Joint Strike Fighter
25 Feb 10
AN internal Defence study warned that the new Joint Strike Fighter would be a high-risk venture for Australia, admitting that the plane had weaknesses, including poor engine thrust that made it difficult to dodge missiles. But the Defence Science and Technology Organisation study, obtained by The Australian, was far more critical of the other fighter jet options available to Australia if it did not choose the JSF. The Australian
Australia Announces Carl Gustaf Purchase
24 Feb 10
LONDON - Australia is purchasing new stocks of the Carl Gustaf M3 multi-purpose weapon in a deal with Saab valued in excess of $6.9 million. The Australian Defence Force has also signed a contract with BAE Systems to supply a thermal sight for the direct-fire weapon. Defense News
MP takes aim at weapons range noise
24 Feb 10
There are renewed calls for the Australian Defence Force to close its weapons range at Salt Ash, north of Sydney. ABC News Newcastle
US Navy allows women to serve on submarines
24 Feb 10
THE US Navy has decided to allow women to serve on submarines, ending one of the last all-male bastions in the American military. The Australian
Roger Gyles to head new inquiry into HMAS Success 'sex ledger'
24 Feb 10
FORMER Federal Court judge Roger Gyles will head a new inquiry into allegations of sexual misconduct involving male crew members of the fleet replenishment ship HMAS Success. The fresh probe into allegations that sailors were running a ``sex ring'' was announced earlier this month by an angry Chief of the Defence Force, Angus Houston, after claims an initial investigation was biased. Significantly, there will be no Navy involvement in the new inquiry legal team. The Australian
New inquiry into alleged naval sex-ring
New inquiry into Navy sex scandal
New inquiry into alleged naval sex-ring
'Sex ship' sailors back to sea
Military justice confidence 'shattered'
Savage cuts still won't fix Defence
24 Feb 10
DEFENCE is on track to find the $20 billion in "efficiency" savings ordered by the Rudd government but it will struggle to find billions more to pay for new ships, submarines and aircraft. The Australian
Collins subs top $7b list of dud projects
$7.5bn defence headache
Rudd sets spy agencies on boats
24 Feb 10
THE government will unleash the full resources of its major spy agencies, including phone taps and satellite surveillance, against people-smugglers and other criminal gangs threatening Australia's border security. The Australian
Asylum-seekers spark change to ASIO mandate
Indonesia not on visa blacklist
Soldier's family calls for inclusive service
24 Feb 10
A descendant of a soldier killed in the Battle of Fromelles more than 90 years ago has criticised this month's reburial services, saying they failed to reflect the religious diversity of World War I soldiers. The Sydney Morning Herald
Fromelles dead to be revealed by Anzac Day
Reburial rites 'biased to one faith'
ADF sets up court martial to try former sailor for alleged 'teabagging'
23 Feb 10
THE Australian Defence Force will set up a court martial next month to try a former sailor for the alleged "teabagging" incident that led to a landmark High Court ruling effectively dissolving the Australian Military Court, which was to hear the case. Brian Lane, from Brisbane, a former leading seaman, was alleged in 2005 to have placed his genitals on a sleeping colleague's forehead -- a practice known as "teabagging" -- resulting in a charge of committing an act of indecency without consent. Mr Lane is no longer in the navy, but despite his civilian status he will face a court martial set for March 10. The Australian
ADF not responsible for fatal air strike
23 Feb 10
The Federal Government says Australian forces were not responsible for calling in an air strike which killed 27 civilians in southern Afghanistan. The strike targeted a convoy of cars on Sunday in Uruzgan province, which is home to the majority of Australia's 1,500-strong Afghanistan contingent. ABC News
Air strike kills 27 Afghan civilians
US death toll in Afghanistan 'hits 1000'
U.S. Special Operations Ordered Deadly Afghan Strike
Praise for returning soldiers
23 Feb 10
THE leader of Townsville-based soldiers serving in Afghanistan has returned to the city with praise for the group's achievements in helping to build a community in a dangerous environment. Commanding Officer of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force Two (MRTF-2) Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Hocking flew into the city on Saturday with a contingent of more than 90 soldiers returning from deployment. Townsville Bulletin
First King Air delivered to RAAF
22 Feb 10
Hawker Pacific has delivered the first of five additional new King Air 350 aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 38 Squadron in Townsville. The King Air 350 was modified and prepared for RAAF service by Hawker Pacific's specialist modifications team including its avionics subsidiary, Australian Avionics. The aircraft are being provided under a long-term performance-based turn key lease and support contract with Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), signed in November 2009, to supply and support King Air 350 interim Australian Defence Force (ADF) light transport aircraft capability. The Squadron's eight modified King Air 350 aircraft will provide a gap capability between the retirement of the Caribou and its eventual replacement under Project Air 8000. Australian Defence Magazine
Afghan Diggers won't fill void left by Dutch
22 Feb 10
AUSTRALIA made it clear last night that it would not step in to lead military operations in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province following Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende's failure to convince his government to extend the mission of the Dutch troops who share a base with Australian troops. The Australian
Dutch Afghanistan pullout to start in August
Dutch withdrawal to impact Australian troops
Review aims for safer interceptions of boats
22 Feb 10
Procedures used by Customs and the navy for boarding illegal vessels will be reviewed to try to make interceptions safer and faster in the wake of the SIEV 36 explosion, in which five asylum seekers died. The new head of the Border Protection Command, Rear-Admiral Tim Barrett, said a review would seek to ensure that Defence and Customs, both of which patrol Australia's maritime borders, had consistent procedures for boarding boats. The Sydney Morning Herald
The law of instant death
21 Feb 10
THE men might have been irrigating their fields or they might have been planting bombs. They were being watched by unseen observers. When the observers suspected the men were sowing a deadly crop, they initiated a scientific process, called the kill chain. When the chain completed its cycle, the men were dead. The men were four Afghans, killed on the orders of an Australian army officer on a moonless night in Afghanistan early on April 28 last year. Their deaths were delivered by missiles riding a laser beam from a US drone aircraft, remotely controlled by a pilot who might have been half a world away. The Age
Army's lethal legal gap
Shocking statistics show health impact on Australian troops
21 Feb 10
THE cost of caring for injured Australian veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has exploded in the past two years, with mental illness the leading cause of disability. Department of Veterans Affairs figures provided to The Sunday Mail reveal the annual cost of caring for veterans under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act has risen 280 per cent - from $4.7 million in 2006-07 to $17.9 million in 2008-09. The figures show the number of disability pensions paid to veterans of East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan has grown dramatically over the same period. The Courier-Mail
Young veterans lift veil on stress disorders
Rise in veterans battling with grog
Australian soldiers face war pension disparity
21 Feb 10
RAYMOND Mitchell and Roy Williams are both 86 and both were posted to anti-aircraft batteries in far north Queensland and the Torres Strait, to defend Australia against Japanese attack during World War II. But while Mr Mitchell has a war pension and gold card awarded in recognition of his "qualifying service" in 1944 in the Torres Strait and at the Jacky Jacky airfield on the tip of Cape York, Mr Williams, who spent nine months on Horn Island in the Torres Strait from December 1943, does not. The Courier-Mail
History is up in the air
21 Feb 10
THE history of Australian military aviation will take to the skies over Point Cook next weekend when the RAAF showcases its collection as well as privately owned historic aircraft from around the country. Herald Sun
Locals living in fear thanks to AJ hoons
19 Feb 10
RESIDENTS of a Territory suburb are frustrated that soldiers are still hooning through their streets despite having lobbied for drastic changes for more than a decade. They said crashes were a regular occurrence on the Campbell, Brandt and Farrar roads loop in Knuckey Lagoon near Darwin's Robertson Barracks, with at least one person having died. Northern Territory News
Mum on safety mission after son's death
NT roads killing more soldiers than battlefields
Govt cuts red tape for disabled veterans
19 Feb 10
The red tape faced by the most disabled veterans has been cut, the federal government says. From March this year, veteran pensioners assessed as totally and permanently incapacitated (TPI) will be exempt from Centrelink medical reviews to access a disability support pension. The Sydney Morning Herald
Army tendering blunder comes under fire
19 Feb 10
A MULTIMILLION-dollar tender for essential battleground equipment has been cancelled after allegations that the army's tender process was tainted by bias. A secret investigation of the awarding of a $20 million contract for backpacks found there was ''perceived bias'' within the Defence Materiel Organisation against an Australian business, which lost out to a multinational defence company. The Sydney Morning Herald
Major army tender cancelled after bias allegations
Excited families glad to see soldiers home
19 Feb 10
CELEBRATIONS were joyous yesterday as another group of 60 soldiers returned from an arduous deployment in Afghanistan. The soldiers were met by proud families, friends and supporters, with children waving flags and hand-crafted signs to welcome them home. Townsville Bulletin
Top-gun fighter in a spin
19 Feb 10
MILITARY chiefs in Canberra were unamused when US Defence Secretary Robert Gates publicly savaged the performance of the Joint Strike Fighter project early this month. Gates's candid and unexpected outburst, in which he cited the fighter's "troubling performance record" stood in stark contrast to almost everything the Australian Defence Force and the federal government have told Australians about the new warplane. The Australian
Buzz cut for Defence forces
18 Feb 10
EVERYTHING from toilet paper to air travel and subsidised meals and fine wines has been targeted by cost cutters to give Australia's defence forces a massive $20 billion "haircut" during the next decade. The razor gang has told Defence staff to cut at least one flight in five from their travel schedules to save millions on airfares and the top brass have been relieved of their butlers, chauffeur-driven limousines and first-class air travel. The Courier-Mail
Follow-up vital after insurgency is broken, says Dutch general of Afghanistan
18 Feb 10
NATO-LED coalition forces in Afghanistan are on track to break the back of the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan within 12 months, but the challenge will be ensuring security gains are quickly followed by effective aid and governance. The Australian
Afghan op 'signal of what's to come'
New portable missile system for Australian army
17 Feb 10
THE army has upgraded its anti-armour capability with the signing of contracts today for a new-generation portable missile system. The $10.5 million contract with Sweden's Bofors Dynamics supplies the latest model M3 Carl Gustaf 84mm rockets and launchers, Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Minister Greg Combet said. The Australian
VC hero wants to go back to war
17 Feb 10
The decorated SAS trooper is keen to return to the front line in Afghanistan. HE may be Young Australian of the Year, but what Victoria Cross holder Mark Donaldson really wants is to join his band of SAS brothers back in Afghanistan. Trooper Donaldson's career priority remains the army, which sees no reason to stop him returning to frontline action once his Young Australian of the Year duties are completed early next year. The Australian
Army chief blasts alcohol abuse
17 Feb 10
EXCESSIVE alcohol consumption by soldiers is resulting in "near daily reports'" of officers and enlisted men being killed, injured or maimed for preventable behaviour, chief of the army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie has warned. In a strongly worded admonition carried in the latest edition of the Army newspaper, a copy of which was received by The Australian today, an angry General Gillespie ordered officers to take punitive measures if necessary to restore order and discipline in the ranks. The Australian
Drunk soldiers to get the sack
Alcohol a problem: army leader
Eight dead drink-driving, 3 dead in Afghanistan
Two diggers wounded in Afghanistan
16 Feb 10
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) says a roadside bomb which seriously wounded an Australian soldier on February 12 also wounded two other soldiers. They both received minor head injuries and are expected to return to full duties. ABC News
Afghan bomb attack wounds Townsville soldier
101st Australian soldier wounded
Australian diggers wounded in Taliban attacks
Australian soldier seriously hurt in Afghanistan
Aussies targeted in Afghanistan
Diggers injured in bomb attacks
Nashos pay tribute to their fallen
16 Feb 10
MORE than 80 Nashos, family and friends braved scorching conditions to remember those who served and died as part of their national service. The heat couldn't detract from the dignity and remembrance of Taree's National Servicemen's Day ceremony, held at the Macquarie Barracks last Sunday. Manning River Times
Conscription call marks National Service anniversary
National servicemen remembered on Sunday
Australians lend hand in attack
16 Feb 10
AUSTRALIAN troops are taking part in a battle to push Taliban fighters from a crucial stronghold in southern Afghanistan. Although the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, has not disclosed that troops are supporting British, US and Afghan units, Australian Defence Force media yesterday confirmed that diggers were playing a role in the battle, code-named Mostarak, or ''together''. ''The ADF is conducting operations in support of Operation Mostarak,'' a spokesman said. ''But for operational and security reasons we will not be releasing details of the nature or location of ADF participating forces.'' The Sydney Morning Herald
Diggers play role in Afghan offensive
Behind scenes of Darwin bombing
15 Feb 10
DARWIN'S war history is on show in exhibitions opening on the eve of the anniversary of the WWII bombing of the Top End. The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory has sifted through the archives of artefacts, photographs, documents and memorabilia to open two exhibitions ahead of the February 19 commemoration of the Bombing of Darwin. Northern Territory News
US Deputy Secretary of Defence Bill Lynn can't put price on F-35 warplanes
15 Feb 10
THE massive Joint Strike Fighter project is going to be delayed and cost more, the US Deputy Secretary of Defence Bill Lynn says. But Mr Lynn could not say by how much the cost overruns and delays would increase the price tag for the Australian government, which in November committed $3 billion to buy an initial batch of 14 yet-to-be-completed F-35 warplanes. Australia plans eventually to purchase 100 of the fifth-generation stealth warplanes at a cost of about $16 billion. The Australian
Hello soldiers, there's no escape
15 Feb 10
A DARWIN Brigadier has told the Northern Territory News Darwin will end up with more soldiers despite losing some to Adelaide. Around 500 soldiers are moving to an Adelaide superbase as part of the 7th Battalion relocation. Brigadier Gus McLachlan told the Northern Territory News Robertson Barracks will actually grow by an overall strength of around 150 soldiers. Northern Territory News
Call for return of youth conscription to combat violence
15 Feb 10
FORMER national servicemen have called for a modern version of conscription to combat youth street violence. ''A lot of street violence is young kids trying to find out who they are and what they are and the only form of expression they've got at the moment is violence,'' said retired colonel George Mackenzie, Victorian patron of the National Servicemen's Association of Australia. The Age
Nasho's day a cause for pride
Big defence facility opens in Adelaide
15 Feb 10
South Australia's new Techport shipbuilding facility at Osborne has been officially opened by Premier Mike Rann, with US Deputy Secretary of Defence Bill Lynn on hand for the launch. The facilities will support a range of defence projects, including the Air Warfare Destroyer project. ABC News
Defence ties with Tokyo to be strengthened
15 Feb 10
Japan and Australia appear close to signing a defence logistics deal in an attempt to strengthen security ties despite a row about Japan's whale hunts. The countries are planning to sign a so-called acquisition and cross-servicing agreement in a security meeting next month, the Japanese business daily Nikkei reported yesterday, without citing sources. The Sydney Morning Herald
Australia, Japan firm defence pact
Britain 'pleased' with Afghan offensive
14 Feb 10
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown says a massive NATO-led offensive in southern Afghanistan is going well. Around 15,000 British, United States and Afghan troops are in Helmand province, which they are trying to clear of Taliban militants. ABC News
US, Afghan troops invade Taliban stronghold of Marjah, 15,000-strong coalition army deployed
Thousands of US-led troops launch offensive against Taliban
British soldier killed in major assault
5 soldiers die as Afghan assault begins
Opium city captured
Abbott hits boats 'flood'
14 Feb 10
OPPOSITION Leader Tony Abbott used a fleeting visit to the Territory yesterday to unveil a new shadow border protection committee before this year's election. The border protection committee brings together the shadow portfolios of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Attorney-General, Immigration and Citizenship and Justice. Northern Territory News
Commandos honour mates lost to The Rip
13 Feb 10
THE weather was calm at Point Lonsdale on a midweek evening 50 years ago, but 50 years ago weather forecasts were not yet reliable. By nightfall a massive storm came through and all hell broke loose. Soon, three young Victorians were dead and more than 70 others were rescued from huge seas in Bass Strait. The Rip Incident - 50 years ago next Wednesday and for many years the Defence Force's biggest peacetime disaster - remains something "very few people know about," says survivor Peter Beasley, the president of Victoria's 1st Commando Regiment Association, comprising past and serving members of commando and special force units. The Age
Gordon Field, the air base that time forgot
13 Feb 10
TROPICAL vines, mosses and trees are taking over the concrete bunkers, underground ammunition stores and air raid shelters in a forgotten corner of the Queensland rainforest. The Courier-Mail
US laser shoots down missile in test
13 Feb 10
A HIGH-energy laser mounted on a US military aircraft has shot down a ballistic missile in the first successful test of the weapon, the US Missile Defence Agency says. The experiment - evoking a scene out of a science fiction film - was carried out off the central California coast at Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Centre on Thursday, the agency said yesterday. The Australian
Rex Crane's fake war service court case adjourned in Brisbane
12 Feb 10
AN elderly Brisbane man accused of creating a fake WWII war service history and claiming an estimated $400,000 in veteran welfare payments has today had criminal fraud charges against him adjourned for another three months. The Courier-Mail
Britain's Ministry of Defence unveils high-tech armour goo, robotic hand
12 Feb 10
A ROBOT hand that could defuse bombs and luminous goo that flows around soldiers' moving bodies but hardens against bullets sound like they should have been dreamt up for a James Bond film. In fact, they are among the fruits of a new innovation program undertaken by Britain’s Ministry of Defence. The Australian
Veteran charges army over spin
12 Feb 10
A SENIOR Australian army media adviser who served in Afghanistan and Iraq has revealed that a culture of excessive spin and unnecessary secrecy stopped important information reaching the public. Andrew Bird, who left the army in December after eight years as an information operations and media adviser, said the defence force deliberately obscured or painted an overly rosy picture of the war in places like Afghanistan. The Sydney Morning Herald
Insider reveals how Defence 'massages message'
Partners jump for joy as Diggers return
12 Feb 10
A BRIGHTLY coloured banner was just one of the emotional greetings for about 45 Townsville troops when they returned home yesterday from a long deployment in Afghanistan. Another group of soldiers also returned to Townsville last night after a successful deployment in East Timor. Townsville Bulletin
Soldiers return from tours of duty in East Timor, Afghanistan
Defence pay still being bungled
12 Feb 10
DEFENCE pay bungles are continuing despite government moves to fast-track introduction of a $500 million payroll system to replace the current antiquated model, Senate estimates was told yesterday. Army chief Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie admitted he was the victim of such a bungle and had to return $20,000 because of a superannuation accounting error. "It really does not matter where you sit in the system, you can be overpaid," he said. The Australian
Defence pay system throws up more problems
Army chief hit by ADF pay bungle
Task force to fix defence payroll
Govt attempts to fix defence payroll
RAAF grounds F-111s after air show mayday
12 Feb 10
THE Royal Australian Air Force has grounded its ageing fleet of F-111 strike aircraft after an emergency was declared during a demonstration at the Singapore International Air Show last week. The in-flight incident on Thursday forced the cancellation of a publicised "dump and burn" display by the famed aircraft, soon to be retired by the RAAF. During the flying display, on-board instruments indicated an engine fire, although no fire was visible to air traffic control. The Australian
F-111s grounded after engine fire
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