March 22, 2023
Support needed for Special Forces Veteran
By Herston Russell
It is a national shame and absolute disgrace the way that too many people in positions of power have treated and now abandoned our service men after sending them to do what they would and could not do themselves.
Our role in Afghanistan was not comfortable, nor was it easily conducted with the clarity of the armchair opinions that now seek to slander what they can and will never understand first hand.
Our roles in Special Forces require us to embark upon actions that bring real dangers to ourselves and those we love back home. This is why all Special Forces personnel are supposed to be afforded ‘Protected Identity Status’ – the ability to keep our identities out of the Australian media – especially at a time when Afghanistan is back under Taliban control and knowing all too well the real evil that is out there in the world.
Instead, over the last few years, outlets and certain journalists have taken it upon their righteous selves to publish the names, pictures and other personal details of our Special Forces Veterans for the benefit of their own media agendas. This has to stop!
It’s time to step up and support those who have served and sacrificed so much for this nation. We must take action to make legislation that protects those we have a moral obligation to still support – so they can be afforded due process and the presumption of innocence – to be decided in the courts of law in this land, not the media circus that now destroys the lives of our Veterans and their families before any trial.
Child sex offenders in Australia have more rights to protect their identities under current legislation than our Veterans who have served in the Special Forces.
TEMPLATE
Dear Elected Representative,
I write to you in your professional capacity.
On 20 March 2023, a member of the Special Air Service (SAS) was charged by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) on allegations of war crimes. I do not know the full details of the combat operations conducted by our Special Forces in Afghanistan, nor have these been made public.
I do not propose to speak to the former SAS members’ conduct, as I was not present in Afghanistan in 2012. However, I wish to raise my serious concerns for him and his family following his full name and age being reported by ABC on 20 February 2023.
In circumstances where members of the SAS and the Special Forces community have undertaken high-value and high-risk counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, it ought to be reasonably apparent there would be reprisal action against their families and persons if their identities were known. Indeed, for this reason, members of the SAS do not openly use social media.
Given the above, I seek your intervention to ensure any further members of the Special Forces community remain unnamed until they are convicted. This protective measure has the benefit of ensuring the proper administration of justice while also ensuring the Court’s processes are not prejudiced or in any way hindered by contrived news articles which do not provide the full particulars of an event. It is likely that once the former SAS member appears before a Court there will be a suppression order in place. However, there should be no reporting until it is appropriate to do so.
Our Soldier’s conduct overseas deserves our respect and, at minimum, has earned them the right to privacy during whatever Court proceedings they are subjected to. Given this, I request you write to the Attorney-General of Australia to seek members of the Special Forces community to maintain their protected identity status.
Kind regards,
Ukrainian recruits taught trench warfare
Armed Forces of Ukraine recruits, under the guidance of Australian Army instructors deployed on Operation Kudu in the United Kingdom, completed trench training under realistic conditions.
CAPTION: Australian Army soldiers from the 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, demonstrate trench warfare tactics to Ukrainian trainees in the UK. Story by Captain Annie Richardson. Photo by Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.
The training exposed recruits to the intricacies of developing a defensive position, defending, and attacking.
It was made as realistic as possible to prepare them for the battlefield.
“The trench exercises focus on developing a trench system under fatigue, coordinating reconnaissance of enemy positions, and offensive patrolling,” said one of the Australian platoon commanders.
“This means conducting a digging routine and working in their pairs within their pit location.
“We have been probing them sporadically through the night to further their fatigue levels and to simulate the kinds of situations they may see in the coming weeks.
CAPTION: Australian Army soldiers demonstrate trench warfare tactics to Ukrainian trainees in the UK. Photo by Corporal Dustin Anderson.
“The training is realistic and demanding – it mimics the high-stress and high-stakes environment which the trainees will need to be able to operate effectively in.
“Some of the trainees have already got experience in trench warfare from the [Russo-Ukraine] war – so the learning has at times been mutual.
“There are a lot of soldiers who have come from the frontline, who are about to go straight back into it, so this training is the most realistic for them.”
No Australians will enter Ukraine as part of Operation Kudu.
CAPTION: Ukrainian trainees conduct trench warfare by night during the first rotation of Operation Kudu in the UK. Photo by Corporal Dustin Anderson.
Aussies deliver live-fire training to Ukrainian recruits
Accuracy and lethality were paramount for the Armed Forces of Ukraine recruits during their live-fire training in the UK.
CAPTION: Ukrainian trainees participated in live-fire exercises during their range week of Operation Kudu, supervised by Australian Army soldiers. Story by Captain Annie Richardson. All photos Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.
Under the expert supervision of the Australian Army instructors deployed on Operation Kudu, the recruits gained valuable experience and skills to help them serve and protect their country.
Starting with static shooting at 100 metres, the trainees moved on to fire-and-movement in pairs and finished with live-fire attacks.
As the recruits’ skills developed, so did their confidence, along with improving lethality, accuracy and safety with weapons.
One of the safety supervisors on the range said safety was an important part of the training.
“All the training we’ve done up to this point is going to give the Ukrainians confidence on the weapons systems they are going to have to use when they return to Ukraine,” he said.
“What’s surprised me the most is how quickly they learnt, and how keen they were to fix errors in their drills.
CAPTION: During their range week of Operation Kudu in the UK, Ukrainian trainees participated in live-fire exercises.
The recruits completed wooded, urban and trench training to develop the combat skills needed on the battlefield to defend their country.
The training is not without its challenges. The recruits had to adapt to different weapons, tactics and environments, but the Australian Army instructors worked hard to ensure the success of the serial.
The training is also enabling the Australian Army instructors to develop their skills.
Contingent Commander for Operation Kudu, Major Gregory Sargeant, said live-fire training was vital.
“Live fire is important to achieve battle inoculation – to prepare people for when they’re actually in a fight,” Major Sargeant said.
“The more realistic you can make live-fire training, the better they will perform in combat.
“This training has seen a progression of training from static engagements at 100 metres, up to them being able to conduct a live-fire section defence.
“Our soldiers are learning from our Ukrainian mates, and that will enable them to come back home and, in turn, teach these lessons to our soldiers. It’s been mutually supportive.”
CAPTION: Ukrainian trainees participated in live-fire exercises in the UK, supervised by Australian Army soldiers from 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment