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RAA Liaison Letter Autumn 2017 The Royal Australian Artillery LIAISON LETTER Autumn 2017 The Official Journal of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery Incorporating the Australian Gunner Magazine First Published in 1948 CONTENTS Editor’s Comment 1 Letters to the Editor 3 Regimental 5 Professional Papers 17 Around the Regiment 27 Rest 39 RAA Personnel 45 Associations & Organisations 55 LIAISON NEXT EDITION DEADLINE Contributions for the RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Spring Edition should be forwarded to the Editor LETTER by no later than Friday 23rd October 2017. Liaison Letter on-line The Liaison Letter is on the DRN and can be Autumn Edition found on the Head of Regiment - Royal 2017 Regiment of Australian Artillery (RRAA) Share Point Page: http://drnet/Army/RRAA/PublicationsOrders/Pa Incorporating the ges/Publications.aspx Unit Content Managers Australian Gunner Magazine are requested to add this to their links. It is also on the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company (RAAHC) website. Publication information Front Cover: The Mount Schanck Trophy; RMC-A, RAA Prize; Ewan and Mattner Awards’ honour board; Head of Regiment presenting Bombardier Aaron Bamford, 20th Surveillance & Target Acquisition Regiment, the Ewan Award for RAA JNCO for 2016. B&W photograph is of Ewan & Mattner circa 1941. Front Cover Theme by: Major DT (Terry) Brennan, Staff Officer to Head of Regiment Compiled and Edited by: Major DT (Terry) Brennan, Staff Officer to Head of Regiment Published by: Brigadier Craig Furini AM, CSC, Head of Regiment Desktop Publishing: Major DT (Terry) Brennan & Assisted by Michelle Ray Front Cover & Graphic Design: DT (Terry) Brennan Printed by: Defence Publishing Service – Victoria Distribution: For issues relating to content or distribution contact the Editor on email: [email protected] or [email protected] Contributors are urged to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in their articles. The Royal Australian Artillery, Deputy Head of Regiment and the RAA Liaison Letter editor accept no responsibility for errors of fact. The views expressed in the Royal Australian Artillery Liaison Letter are the contributors and not necessarily those of the Royal Australian Artillery, Australian Army or Department of Defence. The Commonwealth of Australia will not be legally responsible in contract, tort or otherwise for any statement made in this publication.. RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition are delivering best value for tax payer’s money. Editor’s At the same time I think some of our leaders forget in the rush to make savings imposed by our political masters that ‘we’ are members of a Comment very unique profession – The Profession of Arms - and that to sustain and motivate individuals who are part of this team you need to Welcome to a very lead as well as promote the history of our late ‘Autumn’ edition forebears, and preserve heritage and traditions as of the Liaison Letter. part of that leadership. HOR supported by an Unfortunately due to effective staff plays a crucial role in delivering events beyond my this capability for Army and the Australian control, in a nut shell people. the Army withdrew their Desk Top Publishing support, I Continuing the ‘frustration’ theme was required to cancel last years ‘Spring’ from the Liaison Letter / Cannonball edition. After a great deal of effort and staff desk top publishing ‘saga’ … work I have put in place a system that, at least Our leaders cannot have it each way as they are for the moment, will allow me to continue to attempting to do so at the moment – they appear produce the Liaison Letter in its current form. to espouse the importance of the HOC role but To achieve this in addition to being editor I have then handicap the incumbent financially by not assumed the role of desk top publisher. It has considering realistic funding bids. Currently been an uphill battle to get to where we are now. regardless of the detail and justification included Fortunately I have been able to rely on the in a HOC funding bid, the ‘bean counters’ ‘voluntary’ assistance Michelle Ray our simply say you can only have what you received previous Army Desk Top Publisher. I cannot last year – what unprofessional illogical rubbish. thank her enough for her continued support to This situation was made worse when the staff the Liaison Letter and Cannonball. positions were transferred (in most cases) to the respective Corps schools. This move combined We are very fortunate to have a very with different views at this level on the role and proactive and outcomes focused Head duties of a HOC and their staff has seen a view of Regiment in Brigadier Craig Furini. evolve within some circles that the ARA SO2 HOC position was not important and therefore We are very fortunate to have a very proactive was ‘ripe’ for the harvesting. This combined and outcomes focused Head of Regiment in with Corps Schools wanting more ‘Major’ level Brigadier Craig Furini. It was extremely staff has resulted in local arrangements evolving refreshing to see his commitment, dedication from the ARA SO2 being converted to APS; to and work ethic not only towards the Royal becoming a member of the school staff eg Regiment but the Army and wider Australian OPSO, 2IC or as in the case of the RAA SO2 Defence Force recognised with a Member in the being dual hatted as SO2 HOC and 2IC. Military Division of the Order of Australia (AM) in the recent Queen’s Birthday Honours List. On Those who remember the closure of Corps behalf of the Regiment, and me personally, I Directorates at the end of 1997 will recall would like to congratulate HOR on his award as DARTY (Colonel Paul Retter) issued a it was thoroughly deserved. comprehensive Strategic Plan in an effort to ensure a smooth and efficient transition of Continuing the ‘frustration’ theme from the DARTY responsibilities to other areas. One goal Liaison Letter / Cannonball desk top publishing in the plan was ‘Safeguard and Promote RAA ‘saga’, HOR has limited resources in terms of Traditions’. This goal attempted to group all staff and funds to support his role. In my those related responsibilities addressed by experience it has almost become a popular DARTY and most importantly his full-time ‘sport’ to continually questions the validity of staff, and allocate the tasks to an Honorary Head the HOR role and the staff support and related of Corps (HOC), CO/CI of the School of resourcing required to deliver his responsibilities Artillery and a range of retired appointments and especially leadership in a meaningful manner. I organisations such as the RAA Regimental accept that we must and should continually Committee. review organisations and structures to ensure we 1 RAA Liaison Letter 2017 – Autumn Edition Those who were around in the late 90’s post necessary to have a permanent and experienced DARTY should recall that despite the best member of staff who can be called upon on a intentions these responsibilities slipped through daily basis to address the routine staff work the cracks and were not addressed in any essential to administer and support the demands meaningful long term manner and were seen as a placed on HOC to maintain a leadership low priority against the more pressing presence across the RAA and Army. This work challenges including preparation for operations. is underpinned by a well-resourced Reserve SO2 The Honorary HOC was a ‘lame duck’ who is able to do more specific cyclic tasking as appointment with no real direction, no staff and well as assist the full-time SO2 carry out ad hoc essentially duplicated the role of the tasks and projects. Representative Colonel Commandant, a retired senior officer whose role is limited by time, To even consider reducing the level of staff funding restraints and who has no ‘real’ support for HOR is short sighted and under authority to effect RAA matters in any resourcing the HOR financially and with ARTS meaningful way. is most frustrating. It is no use being technically excellent unless you can actually successfully The Honorary HOC was a ‘lame duck’ prosecute war-fighting with highly motivated appointment with no real direction, no and professional officers and soldiers. The role staff … of HOR supported by his staff is essential in ensuring this is achieved through visible and This approach was an unmitigated failure from genuine leadership of the Royal Regiment. an Army wide perspective including the RAA in terms of providing Corps leadership, direction, I wish our senior leaders would look to the past personnel management as well as ensuring the before making decisions on the future and promotion and preservation of history and acknowledge the importance of an empowered heritage. Unfortunately the Army unwittingly HOR and preserve our HOR structure and better ‘threw the baby out with the bath water’ creating resource it. This will ensure HOR not only a ‘rudderless’ Corps whose members were continues to deliver positive and meaningful starved of leadership, vision and inspiration. outcomes and leadership for the Regiment, but it will ensure he can do even more. Learn from the After three years it was recognised that many of Past!!!! these less operational responsibilities had been neglected due to conflicting priorities and lack In closing I thank everyone for your of dedicated staff, and as a result had fallen into understanding for the delay in getting this a ‘black hole / void’. To redress this capability edition published. I would like to acknowledge deficiency Chief of Army directed that the support of the Defence Publishing Service - ‘Honorary’ be removed from the HOC title and Victoria and their staff especially the Production that an SED be established as part of AHQ Manager Simon Giles for his continued patience which provided, in most cases, a HOC staff and understanding of my predicament as well as comprising a dual hatted DHOC (normally the his offers of assistance.
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