Biography

Great video highlighting the value of maintaining Indo-Pacific partnerships and a rules-based order.

This is helpful to hear contemporary leaders’ commentary overlaid on historical video

Great video. Sure, we have the senior officers for many divisions, but not the soldiers needed for LSCOs. Perhaps a start is to flatten our HQ obsessed Army and get more people into our 2.5 combat brigades. Why do most ops/activities have more pers in the HQs than in tactical units? Best we stop pretending that a formation with a single battalion is a combat brigade – sure it may be tasked like a brigade but flogging what is a battalion + just burns teams out and increases the race to discharge. Our most expensive division equivalent is likely in the ACT region, yet the DSR missed the chance to restructure Army into a more agile force with more people/people costs directed into the areas we need them most (unless the aim is LTCOLs as section commanders). Words have meaning – the comment “diggers really matter” is at odds to how we manage people and balance the force. Look at the weasel words Army contract “I'm an Australian soldier who is an expert in close combat” – its doubful 20% can fulfil this claim – we should be paying those that can deliver outcomes needed for LCSOs a premium to keep them. The tail wags the dog!

Fantastic video and very insightful into the challenges facing higher command within our region.

Great perspective by an Allied Nation on its approach to large scale operations