COMD 3Bde BRIG Chris Field ( centre ), and CO Taji 4 Task Group COL Richard Vagg ( right ), listen to a brief by LCPL Mitchell Bowman during Operation Okra pre-deployment training in the Northern Territory in November
The deployment , centred on 3RAR , includes 300 Australians and a 100-strong company of New Zealand Defence Force members . BRIG Field said they would use the facilities at Lavarack Barracks to replicate the Taji Military Complex in Iraq . “ That ’ s the great thing about Townsville - we have everything we need right here ,” he said . BRIG Field said the group would form mentoring and training teams to train Iraqi infantry , engineering and artillery soldiers and would train accordingly , using Lavarack Barracks as a substitute for the base in Iraq . It will be an intensive six weeks for members of the deployment who will be officially farewelled at a parade at Lavarack Barracks . BRIG Field said 3RAR would delay its normal April 24 Kapyong Day parade for the May 4 farewell parade . After Easter , BRIG Field said there would be a subtle shift in focus to exercising in the amphibious environment . The Sea Raider series of exercises will this year require four combat teams and 2RAR has two . The armoured part of the amphibious capability - from 2Cav Regt - will provide a third combat team , and Alpha Coy 1RAR , the fourth . BRIG Field said it would be fairly typical of the sort of cross-training that would spread the amphibious capability outside of the 2RAR lines and , eventually , across Army . He said the aim was to eventually give every soldier in the Army exposure to the Navy ships on which the Amphibious Capability was predicated . It was important every soldier got “ amphibious confidence ” so when rapid deployment , particularly to disaster areas , was required , it wasn ’ t just 2RAR that could respond . “ They [ 2RAR ] are the deep specialists , definitely ,” BRIG Field said . “ They have built up some great capabilities with small boats , communications , reconnaissance , logistics and particularly , the pre-landing force expertise .” And it won ’ t be just the troops getting the “ cross-training ”. At the end of May during the live fire component of the Sea Raider exercise at Shoalwater Bay , CO 1RAR LTCOL Ben McLennan and CO 4Regt RAA LTCOL Alwyn Payne will each have time commanding the Amphibious Ready Group . BRIG Field said the arrangement would give some of the 2RAR HQ personnel a rest , something they have not experienced much of in the past few years , and it would give the company at the centre of the 1RAR Ready Battle Group a hit-out and a chance to gain confidence as an amphibious landing force . The landing force role will be filled by A Coy 1RAR for about a week at Shoalwater Bay , and BRIG Field is confident of a successful outcome . “ By the end of May , the Amphibious Ready Group will have had a good hit-out and we will also know that in the future if 2RAR is not immediately available , 1RAR is capable of
14 | FEBRUARY 2017