Battalion 2IC MAJ Sisto Bernardo said LTCOL Bassingthwaighte led the unit through its greatest period of change since 2 / 4RAR was delinked in 1995 . MAJ Bernardo said to achieve the radical change in the Battalion ( from standard infantry to Landing Force in the Army ’ s Amphibious Ready Element ), the tempo during the past three years |
had been similar to periods of operational deployment to Vietnam , East Timor and the Middle East . MAJ Bernardo said LTCOL Bassingthwaighte had supervised the introduction of the Amphibious Capability , certified the Amphibious Ready Element for operational capability , deployed elements of the Battalion on Operation Fiji |
Assist and was leaving when the Battalion was just one exercise short of certifying the Amphibious Ready Unit . MAJ Bernardo said the relentless pace had not phased LTCOL Bassingthwaighte ’ s wife Cath or their children , Francis , Eleanor and Lorna . “ Cath has been dedicated in her support to the Battalion and is a friend to many of us ,” he said . |
LTCOL Bassingthwaighte is posted to Military Strategic Commitments where he will advise senior leadership on Army capabilities and be a strong advocate for the amphibious capability ... and 2RAR . LTCOL Pashley accepted , and raised , a new Battalion flag to mark the change of command . |
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LTCOL Michael Bassingthwaighte ( left ) congratulates LTCOL Doug Pashley on his new command |
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64 | FEBRUARY 2017 |