n4292936
06-10-2004, 07:42 PM
Both Norforce and the Pilbarra Regiment are assigned the job of maintaining a watch on Australia's northern border. While neither groups is subsumed under the Aus SOCOM they are essentially a purely recon group working independently of large formations. Several groups like this existed during WW2 where they manned stations in Norhtern Aus and on several small islands in the Indonesian/Malay archipelago
Norforce patrolman Pte Peter West leads an Australian Army Zodiac through the reeds of the NT’s tropical waters while Pte Kim Wunungmnra maintains security. Photo by Cpl Ashley Roach, 1JPAU(P)
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1075/images/images600/18norforce1jun5.jpg
Patrol Signaller, Pte Nicholas Djiagween, Kimberley Sqn, Norforce, prepares a hide during the cam and concealment phase of the small boat handlers course.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1075/images/images600/18norjune5.jpg
Northward bound
Land Command Reporter Cpl Sean Burton explains how Norforce adapts its training to suit its unique capability
With an AO of 1.8 million square kilometres to keep an eye on, North West Mobile Force (Norforce) soldiers have to be trained in all modes of transport to patrol one of the worlds most harsh and remote environments.
Water operations involving small craft like F470 Zodiacs, which are powered by twin 25 horsepower Mercury engines, make up about 50 per cent of Norforce patrols to resupply, extract and insert patrols.
Capt Mick Doyle said the recent Norforce Small Craft Operators Course was a two week course attended by students from all over the Norforce AO.
“We’ve had guys come from Kimberly Squadron, down Broome way and right across their AO.
We’ve had students come from the northern islands of the Arnhem Squadrons AO and from the mainland over at Nhulunbuy way and Ikubella way,” he said.
“We’ve got guys from Darwin itself, one fellow from Port Keats and another fellow from Katherine.
“We did have some fellows that were due from Borroloolla, however, there was a funeral ceremony down there that precluded them from being able to come.”
The small craft course is run to qualify soldiers in two levels in boat handling, as they train in operations of both F470 Zodiacs and 4.4m Tinnies.
The level one Regional Force Surveillance Unit (RFSU) Small Craft Handler qualification is a basic handler, who is capable of operating the craft safely, under the supervision and direction of a qualified Patrol Commander.
The level two RFSU Small Craft Operator is someone who is trained to use the craft as well as trained in navigation and employment of a craft in a tactical environment.
To obtain a level two qualification students must complete full specialist training over two weeks where they are able to employ the craft as the Coxswain on operations and patrols.
Capt Doyle said 95 per cent of the course students will get a full level two qualification but there would be one or two that may not within the two weeks period.
‘We understand where the soldiers are coming from ... We’ll aim the training to meet the digger.’
“They may not achieve the level two purely based on lack of navigational ability and that sort of hamstrings them in some regard. But it doesn’t stop them going on patrol because they can then be a small craft handler under the close supervision of a qualified patrol commander.
“For some of the fellows, numeracy and literacy coastal navigations are quite difficult concepts, so as a result, where they do have problems we do everything in our power to get them past that and some of the guys have actually done quite well when we’ve sat down with them one on one.
“You have to look beyond traditional Army teaching methods in a lot of ways because of the diversity of both cultures and backgrounds in terms of education.
“We understand where the soldiers are coming, from a cultural background point of view, and just getting to know the personalities as we train them. We’ll aim the training to meet the digger.
“We can’t do that for everyone, but we find a lot of communities and a lot of guys from general areas will have very similar considerations. Education, numeracy and literacy are the main problems in a lot of areas and we overcome that in a myriad of different ways – more hands on and verbal testing.
“Common-sense approaches work better than doing the old ‘like this, do that’ and ‘during this lesson you will learn’.
“The guys that use English as a third or fourth language are very smart blokes. And if you pitch the training at the right level you get very good results that would have been missed if you took the traditional military training approach.
“These guys have so much to provide at all levels, they may not be cast from the mould of a regular infantry soldier or do things the way that you would in a battalion. But they make it up in their observation skills, their familiarity of the country, their hands on skills and just the pride in what they do.”
Capt Doyle said that staff often found themselves learning from their students.
“A lot of the fellows that come from remote communities have probably got more tiller time in tinnies and watercraft than any of the instructors could hope to get.
“These guys are out and about in their country on a regular basis either fishing, hunting or working and as a result they have a lot of local area knowledge that any patrol commander would be silly not to take into account. It works better than just going straight off the chart.”
They also carry with them a very good awareness of the tides and seas, based on living in that area and seeing it over the years.
“It’s quite interesting introducing some of these soldiers to the tidal chart when they know by the phases of the moon exactly where the tides are going to be anyway.”
Norforce has the responsibility to patrol the greatest land area of any army surveillance unit in the world and Capt Doyle said there was no other unit in Australia that has got the opportunity to do the things they do.
“Our reserve soldiers have the opportunity to earn their dollars doing a real-time job that flows onto a national surveillance plan, where they’re contributing to the security of this nation.
“They’re doing the lead-up training and qualifying to be able to go on operational patrols to provide surveillance of our coastline and our inland areas.
“This provides, situational awareness to other agencies and Defence, and provide all-encompassing curtain of, ‘Norforce, out there watching.’
“If there are illegal activities, or if there are activities going on out there that shouldn’t be going on, they will be there watching and reporting.
“The fact is, they’re protecting their country.
“They’re getting involved and making a difference.”
Now from the Pilbara Regiment:
Sgt Gavin Mallard uses a Swarovski scope to keep an eye on on the Pilbara coastline.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16mallard.jpg
Pte Gregg Coffee, based in Carnarvon, takes his turn at the observation post.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16coffey.jpg
The Pilbara Regt RSM WO1 Gary Howard checks in with squadron head quarters on the satellite phone.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16howard.jpg
A Regional Forces Surveillance Vehicle follows the vermin-proof fence to get to the patrol observation post.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16rfsv.jpg
For Patrol Commander LCpl Rowan Bird the hot dry weather is just part of the job.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16bird.jpg
Soldiers load up the Zodiac before moving to the next patrol observation post.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16pilbarahil.jpg
The Pilbara, 500km north of Perth covers some of Australia’s harshest landscapes and demands a high level of commitment from anyone attempting to work there.
Soldiers in RFSU The Pilbara Regt, think nothing of spending a full day bouncing in a 4WD across endless sand dune tracks at 20km/h just to talk to a homestead owner to develop infrastructure information.
It can be a long time between fuel stops and miles and miles of nothing more than a dusty red road and a few scrubby shrubs. But spend a little more time in the area and discover the harshness commands forward thinking and requires a high level of independence.
The regiment’s operations area covers more than 1.3 million square kilometres, from the Kimberley boundary in the north, south to Shark Bay and west to the Northern Territory-South Australia-Western Australia border junction.
A major role for the unit is protecting some of our country’s treasure chest of natural resources.
The three biggest export earners are petroleum, iron ore and salt, which together bring in about $25 million a day.
The regiment’s responsibility includes the oil and gas projects of the North-West Shelf and other islands including the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island.
Surveillance and reconnaissance to protect these assets and provide a security screen is organised under Op Cranberry.
The operation, which started in 1997, is commanded by Norcom, using assets from all three services.
Regimental Headquarters is in Karratha, home to C Troop and Operational Support Sqn, while other sub-units are located at Port Hedland (HQ1 Sqn, D Trp), Newman (A Trp), Tom Price (B Trp), Exmouth (HQ2 Sqn, G Trp), Pannawonica (F Trp), Carnarvon (E Trp) and Perth (3 Sqn).
Apart from the remote location, what makes this regiment stand out from other Australian Army units is that it rarely spends any time training – it’s all real-time work.
CO Lt-Col Craig Johnston said the high operation output was just part of the job.
“Regional Force Surveillance Units are unique – this is a war-time job in a war-time location right now,” he said.
“While this is not like Timor, the unit contributes to our National Surveillance Plan.
“Kicking dirt in training doesn’t exist here.”
There are almost 300 members of the Pilbara Regiment, including about 40 ARA soldiers. Strong support from the local community is a major contributor in the reserve section.
It is a fully integrated regiment which relies on local knowledge in understanding the area of observation to establish patterns in surveillance.
The Pilbara Regt RSM, WO1 Gary Howard, said full-timers and reserves worked well in the regiment.
“I think it’s due to the commitment and enthusiasm and that these reserves can provide the required output,” he said
“It means we’ve got better resources with a real job and given the tools to do it.
“For most reserve units, it’s all training and no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Two weeks ago, seven patrols of six reserves members were out on the third and largest annual patrol time.
Land or water patrols are deployed depending on the location of the observation post.
Their aim is to report on suspicious activity, establish normalcy patterns and confirm infrastructure.
Adj Capt Glen Kuschert said the ARA’s role in the regiment included supporting the patrols and liasing with the community.
Since members live and work in the area of observation, they were continuously gathering information.
“Driving around and noticing what is happening can be as valuable as information we would get during a patrol,” he said.
“The beauty is that when not in service, many of our members are in the environment of the AO, fishing for example.”
Lt-Col Johnston agreed.
“The regiment is part of the community – they all live and work in the environment,” he said.
“This is surveillance in their own back yards so establishing a ******* with the community is crucial.”
Aside from organising its own patrols, the Regiment also works closely with the local civilian authorities and is a well accepted part of the community.
Lt-Col Johnston said the regiment spent much of its time liasing with state and federal agencies to maintain a good *******.
“Through face to face discussions, the regiment works hard to maintain relationships with people like State and Federal Police, Customs, Conservation and Land Management, shire and regional Councils.”
A further role of the regiment is offering support following cyclones and floods, under Defence Aid to Civilian Community
woot www.AusSpecialForces.com woot
Norforce patrolman Pte Peter West leads an Australian Army Zodiac through the reeds of the NT’s tropical waters while Pte Kim Wunungmnra maintains security. Photo by Cpl Ashley Roach, 1JPAU(P)
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1075/images/images600/18norforce1jun5.jpg
Patrol Signaller, Pte Nicholas Djiagween, Kimberley Sqn, Norforce, prepares a hide during the cam and concealment phase of the small boat handlers course.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1075/images/images600/18norjune5.jpg
Northward bound
Land Command Reporter Cpl Sean Burton explains how Norforce adapts its training to suit its unique capability
With an AO of 1.8 million square kilometres to keep an eye on, North West Mobile Force (Norforce) soldiers have to be trained in all modes of transport to patrol one of the worlds most harsh and remote environments.
Water operations involving small craft like F470 Zodiacs, which are powered by twin 25 horsepower Mercury engines, make up about 50 per cent of Norforce patrols to resupply, extract and insert patrols.
Capt Mick Doyle said the recent Norforce Small Craft Operators Course was a two week course attended by students from all over the Norforce AO.
“We’ve had guys come from Kimberly Squadron, down Broome way and right across their AO.
We’ve had students come from the northern islands of the Arnhem Squadrons AO and from the mainland over at Nhulunbuy way and Ikubella way,” he said.
“We’ve got guys from Darwin itself, one fellow from Port Keats and another fellow from Katherine.
“We did have some fellows that were due from Borroloolla, however, there was a funeral ceremony down there that precluded them from being able to come.”
The small craft course is run to qualify soldiers in two levels in boat handling, as they train in operations of both F470 Zodiacs and 4.4m Tinnies.
The level one Regional Force Surveillance Unit (RFSU) Small Craft Handler qualification is a basic handler, who is capable of operating the craft safely, under the supervision and direction of a qualified Patrol Commander.
The level two RFSU Small Craft Operator is someone who is trained to use the craft as well as trained in navigation and employment of a craft in a tactical environment.
To obtain a level two qualification students must complete full specialist training over two weeks where they are able to employ the craft as the Coxswain on operations and patrols.
Capt Doyle said 95 per cent of the course students will get a full level two qualification but there would be one or two that may not within the two weeks period.
‘We understand where the soldiers are coming from ... We’ll aim the training to meet the digger.’
“They may not achieve the level two purely based on lack of navigational ability and that sort of hamstrings them in some regard. But it doesn’t stop them going on patrol because they can then be a small craft handler under the close supervision of a qualified patrol commander.
“For some of the fellows, numeracy and literacy coastal navigations are quite difficult concepts, so as a result, where they do have problems we do everything in our power to get them past that and some of the guys have actually done quite well when we’ve sat down with them one on one.
“You have to look beyond traditional Army teaching methods in a lot of ways because of the diversity of both cultures and backgrounds in terms of education.
“We understand where the soldiers are coming, from a cultural background point of view, and just getting to know the personalities as we train them. We’ll aim the training to meet the digger.
“We can’t do that for everyone, but we find a lot of communities and a lot of guys from general areas will have very similar considerations. Education, numeracy and literacy are the main problems in a lot of areas and we overcome that in a myriad of different ways – more hands on and verbal testing.
“Common-sense approaches work better than doing the old ‘like this, do that’ and ‘during this lesson you will learn’.
“The guys that use English as a third or fourth language are very smart blokes. And if you pitch the training at the right level you get very good results that would have been missed if you took the traditional military training approach.
“These guys have so much to provide at all levels, they may not be cast from the mould of a regular infantry soldier or do things the way that you would in a battalion. But they make it up in their observation skills, their familiarity of the country, their hands on skills and just the pride in what they do.”
Capt Doyle said that staff often found themselves learning from their students.
“A lot of the fellows that come from remote communities have probably got more tiller time in tinnies and watercraft than any of the instructors could hope to get.
“These guys are out and about in their country on a regular basis either fishing, hunting or working and as a result they have a lot of local area knowledge that any patrol commander would be silly not to take into account. It works better than just going straight off the chart.”
They also carry with them a very good awareness of the tides and seas, based on living in that area and seeing it over the years.
“It’s quite interesting introducing some of these soldiers to the tidal chart when they know by the phases of the moon exactly where the tides are going to be anyway.”
Norforce has the responsibility to patrol the greatest land area of any army surveillance unit in the world and Capt Doyle said there was no other unit in Australia that has got the opportunity to do the things they do.
“Our reserve soldiers have the opportunity to earn their dollars doing a real-time job that flows onto a national surveillance plan, where they’re contributing to the security of this nation.
“They’re doing the lead-up training and qualifying to be able to go on operational patrols to provide surveillance of our coastline and our inland areas.
“This provides, situational awareness to other agencies and Defence, and provide all-encompassing curtain of, ‘Norforce, out there watching.’
“If there are illegal activities, or if there are activities going on out there that shouldn’t be going on, they will be there watching and reporting.
“The fact is, they’re protecting their country.
“They’re getting involved and making a difference.”
Now from the Pilbara Regiment:
Sgt Gavin Mallard uses a Swarovski scope to keep an eye on on the Pilbara coastline.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16mallard.jpg
Pte Gregg Coffee, based in Carnarvon, takes his turn at the observation post.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16coffey.jpg
The Pilbara Regt RSM WO1 Gary Howard checks in with squadron head quarters on the satellite phone.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16howard.jpg
A Regional Forces Surveillance Vehicle follows the vermin-proof fence to get to the patrol observation post.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16rfsv.jpg
For Patrol Commander LCpl Rowan Bird the hot dry weather is just part of the job.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16bird.jpg
Soldiers load up the Zodiac before moving to the next patrol observation post.
http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1060/images/images600/16pilbarahil.jpg
The Pilbara, 500km north of Perth covers some of Australia’s harshest landscapes and demands a high level of commitment from anyone attempting to work there.
Soldiers in RFSU The Pilbara Regt, think nothing of spending a full day bouncing in a 4WD across endless sand dune tracks at 20km/h just to talk to a homestead owner to develop infrastructure information.
It can be a long time between fuel stops and miles and miles of nothing more than a dusty red road and a few scrubby shrubs. But spend a little more time in the area and discover the harshness commands forward thinking and requires a high level of independence.
The regiment’s operations area covers more than 1.3 million square kilometres, from the Kimberley boundary in the north, south to Shark Bay and west to the Northern Territory-South Australia-Western Australia border junction.
A major role for the unit is protecting some of our country’s treasure chest of natural resources.
The three biggest export earners are petroleum, iron ore and salt, which together bring in about $25 million a day.
The regiment’s responsibility includes the oil and gas projects of the North-West Shelf and other islands including the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island.
Surveillance and reconnaissance to protect these assets and provide a security screen is organised under Op Cranberry.
The operation, which started in 1997, is commanded by Norcom, using assets from all three services.
Regimental Headquarters is in Karratha, home to C Troop and Operational Support Sqn, while other sub-units are located at Port Hedland (HQ1 Sqn, D Trp), Newman (A Trp), Tom Price (B Trp), Exmouth (HQ2 Sqn, G Trp), Pannawonica (F Trp), Carnarvon (E Trp) and Perth (3 Sqn).
Apart from the remote location, what makes this regiment stand out from other Australian Army units is that it rarely spends any time training – it’s all real-time work.
CO Lt-Col Craig Johnston said the high operation output was just part of the job.
“Regional Force Surveillance Units are unique – this is a war-time job in a war-time location right now,” he said.
“While this is not like Timor, the unit contributes to our National Surveillance Plan.
“Kicking dirt in training doesn’t exist here.”
There are almost 300 members of the Pilbara Regiment, including about 40 ARA soldiers. Strong support from the local community is a major contributor in the reserve section.
It is a fully integrated regiment which relies on local knowledge in understanding the area of observation to establish patterns in surveillance.
The Pilbara Regt RSM, WO1 Gary Howard, said full-timers and reserves worked well in the regiment.
“I think it’s due to the commitment and enthusiasm and that these reserves can provide the required output,” he said
“It means we’ve got better resources with a real job and given the tools to do it.
“For most reserve units, it’s all training and no light at the end of the tunnel.”
Two weeks ago, seven patrols of six reserves members were out on the third and largest annual patrol time.
Land or water patrols are deployed depending on the location of the observation post.
Their aim is to report on suspicious activity, establish normalcy patterns and confirm infrastructure.
Adj Capt Glen Kuschert said the ARA’s role in the regiment included supporting the patrols and liasing with the community.
Since members live and work in the area of observation, they were continuously gathering information.
“Driving around and noticing what is happening can be as valuable as information we would get during a patrol,” he said.
“The beauty is that when not in service, many of our members are in the environment of the AO, fishing for example.”
Lt-Col Johnston agreed.
“The regiment is part of the community – they all live and work in the environment,” he said.
“This is surveillance in their own back yards so establishing a ******* with the community is crucial.”
Aside from organising its own patrols, the Regiment also works closely with the local civilian authorities and is a well accepted part of the community.
Lt-Col Johnston said the regiment spent much of its time liasing with state and federal agencies to maintain a good *******.
“Through face to face discussions, the regiment works hard to maintain relationships with people like State and Federal Police, Customs, Conservation and Land Management, shire and regional Councils.”
A further role of the regiment is offering support following cyclones and floods, under Defence Aid to Civilian Community
woot www.AusSpecialForces.com woot