7TH COMBAT SIGNAL REGIMENT – JNCO PME and LEADERSHIP WEEK.

7 CSR conducted a JNCO PME and Leadership week in Canberra over the week of 12 – 16 Sep 22.

This provided an excellent opportunity for 11 x JNCOs, 3 x SMs, the RSM and the Commanding Officer to travel to Canberra to conduct this activity. The activity consisted of visiting a number of key organisations.

Monday 12 Sep 22 – National Museum of Australia

After arriving in Canberra, we travelled to the National Museum of Australia. Due to refurbishments only two of the five exhibits were open to the public, one displaying cultural aboriginal artworks and the other was a detailed history of Australia. The artworks consisted of traditional dot paintings and a display on modern appliances, with some baskets and fishing nets crafted from native grass and reeds. The history of Australia display had everything from colonisation to post WW2. We spent the majority of the afternoon viewing the displays and exploring the museums interior grounds.

Tuesday 13 Sep 22 – Regimental Sergeant Major of the Australian Army

Whilst visiting DSCM-A, the JNCO’s had the opportunity to talk with the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army, Warrant Officer Kim Felmingham. This provided the group the opportunity to raise vital questions regarding strategic planning, preparation and the overall management of the Australian Army.

This privilege bestowed upon 7 CSR JNCO’s, of receiving direct responses and insight to the future of Army from the RSM-A inspired innovativeness and enthusiasm. All members returned to the Regiment with a new outlook on Army values and a desire to self-reflect on their own leadership principles.

The chance to spend valuable time with WO Felmingham is a rare opportunity that is an incredible honour for any JNCO to have the privilege of experiencing within their career.

Wednesday 14 Sep 22 – Defence Network Operations Centre

Visiting the DNOC was a valuable experience for all involved. As members of 7 Combat Signal Regiment, the opportunity to conduct face to face liaison with the different cells and members within DNOC was absolutely invaluable. Visiting the DNOC improved the overall understanding of the organisation and provided general situational awareness of the activities that they preform behind the scenes. Seeing how their work impacts Regiments role and why decisions are made the way that they are.

The Signallers are primarily focused on how to achieve communications. The visit to DNOC, provided the how to that role. Understanding how, allows a far better understanding of the bigger picture and the role we and our supporting elements fulfil within that.

Wednesday 14 Sep 22 – New Parliament House

On the move to the Parliament House you don’t really get an understanding for the magnitude and size of this Australian iconic structure, even looking at photos you’ve seen on the back off a post card or even yet a small clip on the telly just doesn’t give it justice. As we moved closer to this place of history it definitely became more surreal.

“This place where all people come and meet together. These dreaming’s are part of this country that we live in.”

From there we proceeded to walk and talk about the art pieces and documents of Aboriginal history. I alongside the others in the group were shocked to find out how much of Australians history regarding the past treatment of Indigenous people is not being taught in schools and how much we didn’t know or understand. As the group moved through the house, things slowly become clear as to how much each of us didn’t know of the history. Moments later we relocated into the Indigenous Federal Parliamentarians Hall, here there were painted portraits. These portraits were of key Indigenous parliamentarians; David Kennedy, Neville Bonner, Nova peris, Ken Wyatt and Linda Burney. These five individuals had a significant impact to aboriginal history.

The next part of the tour led us to a monumental episode in history, this was the ‘Apology to Australia’s Indigenous People’. This piece was greatly significate and held tremendous value in taking the correct steps forward for Indigenous reconciliation. Being able to see the written apology was definitely an eye opener as everyone in the group had lived through this historical time. As we all began to stare at the Apology letter, behind the glass casing, you could feel the weight in the air through silence of truth.

This is where the tour ended, after the ‘Apology to Australia’s Indigenous People’. However to summarise the day up as a whole, my own expectations were broken and the insights to what Australia can be was beyond explanation.

The Day at the New Parliament House is something I would recommend.

Thursday 15 Sep 22 – Royal Military College Duntroon & Australian Defence Force Academy

On Thursday morning we travelled to ADFA and RMC. We started the tour at ADFA and were given a brief on life at the academy which covered off, amongst other things, the yearly training program, subjects and curriculum and general expectations of those attending the Academy. This was followed by a tour of the grounds which began at the tree of knowledge and took us through areas such as the student mess/boozer, the various subject wings and a very well equipped gym and pool area. We then got a quick tour through one of the lecture theatres to wrap up our time there before heading over to RMC. Our visit to RMC was fairly brief but interesting. We had the opportunity to have a look at their well decorated boozer and read over some of the memorabilia on the walls (there was a lot to see) before heading into the mess hall where we learned about daily mess proceedings and how the inter-company  points competition work. We had a quick look at the live-in lines and got to see the “room within a room” before our final stop at the RMC museum were we got to see a collection of historical officer uniforms and fire arms.

Thursday 15 Sep 22 – Australian War Memorial

Round for Life 2022.

SGT David McWilliams, Land Advanced Training Cell – Defence Force School of Signals – Electronic Warfare Wing. October 2022.

‘Round for Life is a long distance cycling endurance event consisting of a team of soldiers posted to the 7th Signal Regiment and Defence Force School of Signals – Electronic Warfare Wing. The purpose of the event is to raise funds in support of cancer research, and support fellow electronic warfare member, WO2 Ken Leggett’

The words Electronic Warfare Operator evoke a number of ideas, thoughts and images within the members of our esteemed corps. Some recall shady figures, unwilling to discuss their presence, capabilities or role, whilst some likely do not recall their presence at all. However, most would agree that whilst fulfilling a critical capability within Army, electronic warfare operators are not disposed to drawing attention to themselves nor are they associated with remarkable feats of physical prowess.

In late 2021 at the Borneo Barracks Sergeants Mess, a group of electronic warfare operators were discussing the welfare of Kenny Leggett, a close friend and legendary electronic warfare operator posted to the Defence Force School of Signals in Melbourne. He had previously beaten cancer a number of years prior, participated in the first iteration of Round for Life in 2010 and was currently undergoing treatment as he had been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2019.

Despite Kenny being in good spirits due to his significant strength of character and the ongoing support of his mates and family, the question arose; “What more can we do to help?” Over the next half an hour in the Sergeants Mess at Borneo Barracks in November 2021, several ideas were proposed, courses of action carefully considered and debated before one idea stood out from the rest. “We should just ride down to see him in Melbourne”.

It was in that moment that Round for Life ’22 was born.

WO1 Chris Pleszkun and WO2 Andy Gillies quickly took charge of the planning efforts, and after the initial flurry of administration, approvals and allocating troops to task, Round for Life ’22 quickly took shape. By early January, approximately 25 volunteers had offered their time and had commenced preparation for this momentous undertaking.

Over the next few months, the Round for Life support crew, led by the dauntless SGT Cassandra Wetherspoon conducted several fundraising and community engagement events. These activities combined with the power of social media saw word about our cause begin to spread like wildfire. Soon the support, sponsorship and donations began to flow and Round for Life ’22 became a rolling juggernaut in the fight against cancer. 

The riding team, most of whom had never cycled previously, conducted weekly group cycling activities under the watchful eye of SIG Chris Murphy to ensure adequate preparation for the epic journey to come. It was during these training sessions that unbreakable bonds were formed, hearts broken, egos shattered and vehicles bogged (thanks Thommo), but our purpose and goal were absolute; show Kenny he’d never be alone in this fight and raise $100,000 for the Cure Brain Cancer Foundation. The remainder of the year passed uneventfully, with training, preparation and support continuing until our departure date of 3 Sep 2022.

The day of departure saw Toowoomba turn on the weather for which it is renowned, and the team prepared to depart Picnic Point in wet, windy and miserable conditions. This did little to dampen spirits, and despite the conditions, Toowoomba RSL Sub-Branch provided an amazing farewell breakfast prior to departure. After several photo opportunities accompanied by a rousing speech and kind words by both our head of corps BRIG Novak and the CO 7th Signal Regiment LTCOL Polatos, the team departed into the misty morning conditions accompanied by our faithful support crew.

Day 1 saw the team find their footing on their journey with a short 86km leg to Warwick. As the day progressed, conditions improved, identification cards forgotten and brakes clutched as we made our way down the range. Despite an unfortunate crash involving three riders on flat ground that later earned a member the title “Crash McGee”, the team made it unscathed to their destination.

The next few days saw the riders pass over significant elevations through Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Armidale and Tamworth settling in well to the physical aspects of the ride. As we made our way south to our goal, we were fortunate to meet many amazing locals including another charity rider named Matt Hockings who was raising money for R U Okay. Nights were spent with the team dousing themselves in magnesium oil, using their theraguns on tired muscles and sharing a lot of stories (all true) of ‘The hills weren’t that big’, or ‘I could’ve gone faster but I’m saving myself’.

From Tamworth, we continued through Murrurundi, Singleton and Woodbury Park all the way to Mittagong. At Mittagong, we were hosted by the local RSL who provided accommodation and lodgings for the weary team. That not being enough, the RSL also held a charity event on our behalf raising over $2000 towards our cause through raffle tickets and chocolate sales. After a successful evening, the team’s spirits were sufficiently buoyed and they retired for the evening.

Day 9 saw perfect weather as we made our way to Goulburn, however despite the excellent visibility ‘Crash McGee’ struck again bringing a couple of riders down at a roundabout. Fortunately, no one was injured and the team brushed themselves off, and continued on the journey. The next day brought our arrival into the nation’s capital of Canberra and a well-deserved rest day. As the dawn broke on our first rest day of the trip, the riders made their way (on bikes of course) to the Australian War Memorial and Parliament House for some community engagement and photo opportunities. The formal aspects of the day concluded with a relaxing yoga session on the grounds of the National Library.

The next few days saw the team travel from Canberra through some of the most scenic countryside that the south coast has to offer, making our way through Bateman’s Bay, Bermagui, Eden, Cann River and finally Lakes Entrance. Our arrival at Lakes Entrance saw another rest day, and the team took the opportunity to explore this amazing town and sample the culinary delights of ‘Big Bear Donuts’ in the interests of fuelling up for the task to come.

As we regretfully made our way from Lakes Entrance towards Melbourne, we continued through Sale and Warragul all the way to Yarra Glen. From Yarra Glen we made our way via bus to meet up with the man himself at the Lower Plenty pub. As we arrived, Kenny himself made his way over to the group and after some emotional words it was time to don his riding gear to bring the team into their final destination. In true fashion, Kenny took the lead with a strong push and the peloton fell in behind him. Setting a cracking pace, we made our way toward Simpson Barracks’ rear gate, and as we crested the final rise, we were greeted with the amazing sight of our friends, families and supporters gathered to welcome and cheer the team in. After some emotional greetings and sheer relief of a goal accomplished the team joined Kenny in the Simpson Barracks Sergeants Mess for a well-earned beverage, before refurbishing their faithful steeds and assisting in preparations for the return journey. Once complete the riders and support crew left to enjoy the company of their families and friends and reflect on their amazing accomplishment.

Over the next few weeks, donations were tallied and post activity administration conducted. The team hosted a dinner for the sponsors and supporters. Presentations to reflect the amazing level of support were made and the final fundraising figure of approximately $65,000 was unveiled. The team shared some final thoughts, reflected on the journey that was and Round for Life ’22 came to a reluctant close.

Despite humble beginnings and an unlikely demographic engaging in a feat of physical endurance, Round for Life ’22 brought forth all the aspects we associate with our Corps, and the Australian Soldier. Service, courage, determination and most importantly mateship; driven by the example of Kenny himself inspired the team to achieve this remarkable feat. Electronic Warfare Operators may not be associated with feats of physical prowess or seeking recognition for their efforts, but they will do absolutely anything for their mates.

Train Sets and Command – Mind the Gap.

MAJ Aaron Newfield – OC 140 Signal Squadron – 7th Combat Signal Regiment. September 2022.

During my handover takeover as Officer Commanding (OC) my predecessor held back providing too much detail, claiming that “it’s your train set now”. I was somewhat perturbed by this attitude as someone eager to, if possible, over-prepare for the competitive role. It did, however, bring a sense of excitement as it implied that I had a capability to mould and direct as I saw fit. How wrong I was… in my interpretation of the analogy.

As a child we think of a train set in terms of a toy that goes in whatever direction the arm pushes it, with absolute creative control. It can be an all-terrain vehicle traversing from carpet to tiles. It can crash through Lego walls and sometimes even fly. The reality is quite different. A train moves along a fixed track in a set direction with a stated destination. It’s far more rigid than the imagination of a child. Therefore, it stands to reason that if we use the analogy of the train set, the OC is more akin to the conductor and does not own the set. Therefore, one could conclude that this means the role and influence of the OC is not as liberal as one is led to believe. Let me tease this out.

Expanding on this analogy we can envision the train tracks as the Raise, Train, and Sustain (RTS) commitments. Immobilising the tracks, we also have Force Generation Cycle (FGC) and major activities to demonstrate and reinforce RTS objectives. These have a path-dependency and whilst scenarios may alter, training objectives may mature, and the scale may vary, sub-unit training nests within these culminating milestones.

The train represents the total capability under the command and remains relatively the same. It can’t be a plane, nor can it be a ship, it’s a train that is compatible with the tracks. With force modernisation (FORMOD) the capability can be more efficient, capable, or survivable, but it’s still a train; just with a better engine and potentially more carriages to consider. It also bears limitations to how far it can be modernised.

The carriages are analogous to the people and equipment. Depending on the ability to empire build (let’s say ‘skills as a tycoon’) there can be more or less carriages. On occasion, some of the carriages are XX and garaged awaiting varying levels of maintenance to get back on the track. A well-meaning Unit Establishment Review can often leave your carriages wanting. Sometimes your carriages are given away for strategic reasons.

Finally, the carriages are connected to the Engine, which is not the OC, it’s the Sub-Unit Headquarters. Remember, the OC is only the conductor; which begs the question – what does the OC do in this deterministic analogy? Pulling out the reliable source that is Wikipedia, a train conductor does the following:

• Ensures that the train follows applicable safety rules and practices
• Makes sure that the train stays on schedule starting from the stations
• Opens and closes power-operated doors
• Sells and checks tickets and other customer service duties
• Ensures that any cars and cargo are picked up and dropped off properly
• Completes enroute paperwork
• Directing the train’s movement while operating in reverse
• Coupling or uncoupling cars
• Assists with the setting out or picking up of rolling stock

Many readers are already drawing their own analogies from this list which predominately cover the governance or ‘management’ aspect of the role. From top to bottom: safe training is critical, training calendars need to nest within Brigade and higher formation plans, rest cycles are programmed, retention and transitions supported, rolling maintenance managed, orders drafted and released, taking responsibility during lulls, FORMOD managed alongside equipment husbandry including the cross-levelling of equipment in support of strategic aims. So far, it’s an imperfect but generous analogy. But it’s still depressing for an inspiring leader who has worked hard to be competitive and sold on a story of ‘commanding soldiers as a privilege to earn’. What then can we extrapolate to make it worthwhile? Three things ring out.

The first is to gain perspective. Even without incorporating a leadership aspect (which will occur soon), the above is meaningful and important. Providing safe training delivered on time and in accordance with the higher commander’s intent is absolutely necessary and ensures the train is Ready Now (to a baseline level) and on track to be Future Ready. The Management station is often undervalued compared to the larger Leadership Depot where everybody loves to loiter at. When it comes to soldier welfare, the timeliness and accuracy of the paperwork can mean the difference in terms of retention or the support that member gets. Management is not a dirty word when you gain the right perspective.

The second is to practise visioneering. It’s a somewhat made-up word but the reality is that the carriages are being pulled along without necessarily having foresight into the path ahead. Cue the leadership aspect. Whilst an OC may not set the ultimate destination, they can communicate what it looks like, what the trip will be like, what the views will incorporate, and how many stops there are along the way. In most cases, the OC explains the unexpected interruptions; those moments when everyone needs to exit the carriage and work on fixing the track whether it’s their core trade or not. It’s the OC who sees the value in the resilience that these moments bear, and recognises the contributions of those pulling small teams together to get the job done. Having this vision is a key tenet.

The third is to recognise your deprivation. Sorry champ, did all those participation awards, motivational memes, and overinflated PARs make you believe you were ‘all that’? Let me rephrase it then: as good as we are, we can be better with a team. It’s the acknowledgement that the OC sucks at fixing tracks and they only hold enough knowledge to perform basic interior decorating on the carriages. Therefore, they need the team of experts, often referred to as subordinates, to provide the solution. Sometimes, the conductor is so focused on maintaining the tempo of the train, they haven’t realised they should switch to electric powered or magnetic tracks. The subordinates did but they weren’t sure how to raise it. Therefore, generate feedback loops and listen to the team. Understanding that you are deprived of being all-knowing is a good thing and a humble place to be.

So, the next time somebody says, ‘it’s your train set’ you can reflect with slightly more realism and pragmatism. It can be a very exciting opportunity once you gain the perspective that management is valuable, that inspiring people through a united vision is leadership, and it’s perfectly fine to be deprived of the right answer personally because you’re a part of an excellent team that can collaborate solutions. That’s just some of lessons I’m learning, and I close in confirming that it is a privilege to command soldiers and recommend to those that are on the fence about a command pathway to hear “All aboard” in a positive sense… just “mind the gap”.

Reflections as a Non-Combat Corps TP COMD.

Lieutenant Bevan – 7th Combat Signal Regiment – September 2022.

To be honest my first thought about this whole affair was oh god, homework, after some hypocritical self-reflection I’ve written this with intent to vicariously prepare others new to command. I was unceremoniously and unexpectedly dropped into my Troop mid-March 2022 where the outgoing commander was in no position to provide a handover. My Troop was established, underway on Domestic Operations and my Sergeant was away for months on course. Along the way I’ve lived some lessons that may benefit those in a niche position: recently commissioned Platoon or Troop Commanders with the foresight to read. I’ll cover my two favourite interlinked lessons on opportunity and processes within processes –take them or leave them.

An opportunity lost to time is lost forever has been a guiding principle that has served me well in effectively managing the dynamism of a Troop that directly supports a Brigade. The challenges of simultaneously juggling training, orchestrating teams to complete missions, managing soldier welfare or equipment husbandry needs to be controlled before the problem becomes that, a problem. It’s a simple paradigm that denotes a systematic approach to how I tackled my true enemy –‘tomorrow’. It‘s an accurate statement that we are planners, the minutia of that is we control how our team executes tomorrow, it rests solely on us, and you should be across it. I learnt to focus on what I can affect and being proactive in this space led to my largest reduction in lost opportunities.

An opportunity lost can be anything, from delaying tasking your Corporals, not providing correcting guidance, to failing to plan for an event or training serial when you had some respite in the never ending machine that is Army. Lost opportunities bear a cost, and it is often a cost to your soldiers. Be it rewarding courses, smooth field experiences, deployments, or expenditure of their time it is our responsibility to plan ahead and consider the variables to complete the mission while enabling our Soldiers. I’ve learnt this is a crucial step to being a successful Troop Commander, manage your time effectively with the priority always being your Soldiers and the ‘why’ in mission execution. Be proactive, promptly seize opportunities and oversee your Soldiers as they execute the ‘how’.

What you can change, shouldn’t change, and can’t change, all sound like things with clearly defined relationships that you’ll have a level of influence over. I’ve learnt from a few wasted efforts, they are in fact, not.The things you can’t change cover about 70% of everything you can imagine. The things you shouldn’t change sound like good ideas at the time, but you lack the breadth of knowledge as to why they are impractical. Now the things you can change occupy a month window (maybe two) to the immediate right -this is where I effectively fought for my soldiers, oversaw training and found success. That window is the most effective space to live in where you can exercise control and churn chaos into order. Just remain cognisant that the ‘can’t and ‘shouldn’t’ can and do bleed into this space.

Your Troop will be constructed in a way that it delivers an effect, it will be known for this effect, and it will be expected of you. The effect will encapsulate your Troop leading to culture and identity. This immediately puts you on rails before an S-MAP even occurs for most field exercises. Now this is for a reason, your effects nest within the larger picture of what we call ‘capability’, but this concept also extends to the barracks environment. Army is built on processes within processes that at the best of times makes everything seem like it’s planned from the cuff. Course nominations? Panelling is always two weeks out. Repairs? Depends on overall unit liability and available mechanics. Training? Hope it doesn’t conflict with an unannounced unit priority. The why to this is that everybody is busy and we are all working towards the bigger picture. These spot fires are consistent, and with experience will become predictable, making you better at your job.

In closing I’ve learnt that if you’ve prepared for tomorrow (seized opportunities) and understand that some things are unavoidable or outside of your influence (processes within processes), you’ll have a good time. If you’ve determined what you can most affect and apply the focused effort to those areas, you’ll work efficiently. Come to work with ideas, accept that some will be unachievable for reasons not yet apparent, don’t let emotional burden pile up and affect you. Support your OC as they drive the train and always come to work with the mindset that you are here to work for your soldiers, and in return, they’ll work for you. Finally, I’ve learnt to manage my work-to-life ratio through the application of these lessons. They brought me understanding that reduced hours in the office after dark without detriment to my Troop. A Warrant once told me “you have no sense of self-preservation”, after some reflection I’ve been working to improve that and hope you don’t fall into any of the same traps that I did (thanks Scotty).

Meditations as a Leader.

The Cove Writing Competition Submission by LT Barker, 7CSR – September 2022.

While most reflections are formed solely from the writer, from observations of self within a given time, I sought to capture not only my personal experiences, but also insights from that of my Troops’ -‘The Uglies’. I hope my personal lessons will inform and provide an insightful lens to those new to command and the pedestal of leadership within Army. However, if I am lucky, these axioms of leadership may prove as useful reminders for a much wider audience. As you read, you will find my three key lessons or as what I like to call, meditations. I acknowledge I do not find myself in the position or status of the great Marcus Aurelius himself. However, I do share an immense resonation with his works and importance of reflection in our daily lives; thus the aptly named title of this work. The first lesson is my experience with the age-old debate between Likership vs Leadership. The second speaks to the realisation of my purpose, and the third, an understanding of who I am now from my experiences this past year – 2022.

I must admit, my initial leadership style was definitely more skewed to likership, and consequently became my first lesson as a Troop Commander; likership is not sustainable. I would offer likership is akin to lying, you must always remember what you said previously, or otherwise whatever you sold initially can be used against you in the future. While I grant likership its ability to quickly establish rapport in the short term, and be language that reciprocates easily to a new team, strong leadership is in fact paramount and enduring. I am not talking in the small-sense of your tenure, but more so your actions from leadership in that time set the example, and identity, for future generations of the team. Therefore, I have learnt that likership does have its place in command. However, leadership should be the eternal ethos we all seek to embody as commanders.

It was this knowledge that led me to question myself periodically and help realise my second lesson, what is my purpose? Through a year that included three domestic operations, one Humanitarian and Disaster Relief mission, three regional engagement deployments, three conventional exercises and unending training support requests, you could surmise that my purpose must be the ability to prioritise and execute the missions of my team like some manufacturer’s production line. Yet, through reflection, I believe my purpose is something more human. As a leader, you are the pathfinder that navigates the fragile balance between operational output and individual empathy for your soldiers. At first, this was challenging. Raised on the novel and cinematic experiences of Starship Troopers I was indoctrinated with the idea that a leader is born from the ranks. I thought I would easily handle the weight of empathy and the burden of command. This was most prevalent when seeing my soldiers and their families, now fatigued from this year, expected to rise to the next mission without complaint. However, I honestly struggled. Conflict existed between my former service as a soldier and my new role as an officer. Every attempt to accommodate or compensate for the constant give they provide, with sparse recognition, was undone by the reality that the job always had to be done. This is when I realised my purpose: be the good human and apply empathy to the indifference of reality for your team, and never stop. Each day put yourself in their position, in their shoes, and you find your intuition will guide you to being that good human and genuinely supporting your soldiers.

Understanding effective leadership and the employment of empathy were my hallmark lessons at the beginning of my time as a Troop Commander. Subsequently, for my third meditation, it would be befitting to reflect on who I am now. I hope this is a moment of realisation shared across many young leaders before they move on from their first time in command. My third lesson is realised only through the first two: my team is an echo of me and I am a product of my team. We are intrinsically linked, like a feedback loop, and through reflection, I have learnt that you can use that loop to adapt your leadership accordingly. For every birthday you remember, the partner or child’s name you recall, the humility to display through your mistakes, and the transparency in unpopular missions, you gain respect, trust, loyalty, and ultimately a willingness to fight for the mission, themselves, and for you.

I frequently find myself reflecting on my influence, or impact, within the Troop. I am humbled to know that I, as a leader, am nothing without my team. I assure you this is not a surprise injection of a fourth lesson. However, more a final reminder of the importance of your team. Were it not for the grit of my soldiers, the wit of my Corporals, and the unwavering support of my Sergeant, I would find myself of less character, poorer leadership, and ultimately found wanting. Your team is a resource of knowledge and experience that should be valued and nurtured towards the success of their mission and themselves.

These are my meditations. I hope they may serve the reader in their own reflections or be the subtle reminder to the importance of leadership, knowing your purpose, and realising who you are through experience. This leaves me to my parting thoughts. If I was to walk past myself again before heading into the Troop Command role, and offer words of advice, all I could say is: “Mission First. People Always, and listen to your bloody Sergeant”.

The mindset of the C4 Soldier: RASIGS on the future battlefield Signal Regiment.

Opinion piece by MAJ Scott Cirakovic, OC 139 SIG SQN, 7CSR – September 2023.

“War is the realm of physical exertion and suffering. These will destroy us unless we can make ourselves indifferent to them, and for this birth or training must provide us a certain strength of body and soul.“

Carl von Clausewitz, On War.

RASIGS has recognised the need to ‘modernise’ the way in which it conducts a wide raft of its current activities to prepare for Accelerated Warfare. There are a number of initiatives aimed at this both at a Corps level through the Army Signals Modernisation initiative and at unit level through modernising formation level tactics such as the 7 CSR Future Operating Concept. The goal to prepare for a future war is admirable and particularly pertinent given the lessons coming from contemporary conflicts such as the Ukraine. These lessons in particular have culminated in direction from COMD FORCOMD about the implementation of Mission Assurance as the key to CISEW planning. This guidance is, in my opinion, one of the most important advancements in how RASIGS should seek to conduct planning in recent years as it is the closest to defining how a C4 soldier fights that the Corps is currently lacking.

The purpose of this short opinion piece is to generate debate, discussion, and potentially, professional dissent about the future of RASIGS. It is not intended to be an academic paper, but rather one that will stimulate conversations about what the Corps should be and where its future lies. There are already significantly smarter people than me working on the technical aspects of our role, and so, I intend to shy away from those areas of the conversation. One thing I have noticed is lacking in conversations within RASIGS over my career is that of mindset, and hence will be my focus.

I have elected the opening quote because it succinctly highlights the brutality of war and what professional soldiers must do to survive its horrors. But what does this mean for RASIGS soldiers, who straddle both the information domain and the land domain? The Army Signals Modernisation initiative currently has three lines of effort, nine objectives, and 26 initiatives, however not a single one seeks to answer the kind of mindset we should hone as soldiers. There isn’t a single mention of training soldiers to be effective in a threat environment, whether that be a technical threat or a kinetic threat. This is further compounded by the current RASIGS CONEMP which although it acknowledges the contemporary and future threat environment, does not enable critical thinking about the type of soldier we need to create IOT effectively fight in it. I posit that this lack is evident in two key parts of the CONEMP, the revised role of RASIGS and its mission sets.

First, the revised role of RASIGS:

Enable our command and control; while denying, degrading and disrupting the enemy’s.

My argument is that in no way does this role engender a warrior mindset in the members of the Corps. It does not inspire our soldiers to be ready to fight, either within the information domain nor the land domain. This role relegates us to a support role and evokes images of smart people sitting comfortably behind a desk and telling the end user to ‘try turning it off and on again’. This is why, during my time as OC 139 Sig Sqn, I did not allow any member of the Sqn to use the term ‘provision of CIS’. Instead, we enabled C4 effects to the BDE HQ, and a part of enabling C4 effects is to fight and win both within the information domain and in the conventional land domain.

As a Corps, if our role does not include the word ‘fight’, are we really ready to deploy into a contemporary conflict let alone a future one?

My second point revolves around the mission sets for the Corps, and in particular the first and arguably primary mission set for the majority of the Corps:

Communications. The provision of highly agile, secure, capable, robust and reliable CIS to support Army and ADF tactical, operational and strategic command and control requirements. This includes the provision and protection of unclassified through to top secret systems.

My criticism here will echo that of our Corps role; why are we only required to provision CIS and not fight to enable C4 effects? The update in Part 3 of the CONEMP is an improvement as it speaks to Information Warfare, however then defines RASIGS contribution to this as “the provision of agile and capable intelligence collection and non-kinetic strike capabilities to support Army and ADF tactical, operational and strategic intelligence requirements, and joint fires”. This is the same problem for its second proposed mission set, Information Distribution; “The provision of reliable, secure, capable, robust and interoperable C4 and Battlespace Situational Awareness systems to the Joint Land Force to support decision making.

As a Corps, we need to ban the word ‘provision’. We are not Telstra, we do not provision CIS, and we do not provision networks. What we do is we fight in both the information and land domains IOT retain decision superiority and defeat the enemy. The key word is ‘fight’.

We have become scared of terms such as fight because it conjures up images of signalers conducting infantry minor tactics and breaking themselves instead of being technical masters within the information domain. Being technical specialists is easier than being soldiers, and gives us weight when we push back on enemy party training support requests because ‘that is grunt stuff’. However, I argue that this has retarded our ability to build physically and mentally robust soldiers who can not only fight within the information domain but also the land domain; it has impacted our ability within the Corps to provide C4 effects that are capable of withstanding enemy actions; and, it has led to a perception that our Corps is replaceable by contractors because we are not seen as value adding on the battle field. The mindset within the Corps is something that must change if we are to fight a future war (note the use of the word fight yet again). This does not take away our technical skills, but rather will enhance how we implement our technical skills to fight within the information domain and help us build soldiers capable of performing within the realm of physical exertion and suffering.

Homage to the First Nation – 7th Combat Signal Regiment.

Reflections on unveiling the First Nations War Memorial by LCPL Chisholm.

“You can see by the faces of the veterans how significant this is, not just for our First Nations people but for Queenslanders as a whole”- Premier of Queensland, Ms Palaszczuk

National Reconciliation Week was the perfect time for the unveiling of the State of Queensland’s very own Australian Indigenous War Memorial. The commissioning of such a memorial has paved the way for Queenslanders’ and Australians in general to give some deep reflection to current and past Indigenous service men and women, and their sacrifice on behalf of our country and the freedoms we enjoy today.

Our very own soldiers from 7th Combat Signal Regiment (7 CSR) volunteered to honour the Australian Indigenous Memorial and those past service men and women. The ceremony was held on Saturday 29 May 22 and I was fortunate to partake in it as part of the catafalque party. The catafalque party was comprised of ADF members from 7 CSR, 1st Signal Regiment, RAAF and the RAN, and each person came with individual cultural differences, backgrounds, and age. However this did not prevent us from having the same beliefs or purpose in wanting to honour past Indigenous soldiers, and regardless of their Service, Corps, or background, every member of the ceremony demonstrated the ADF Service Values we all seek to embody. The ceremony was complimented with the attendance of Very Important People (VIP) like Her Excellency Dr Jeannette Young (PSM), Professor Gareme Nimmo (RFD), the RSL QLD President MAJ GEN Stephen Day, Ray Rosendale CSM, Darren Curtis, and Aaron Martin (Didgeridoo player).

Despite the vast crowd and group of VIP’s, there was one group who stood out to me, and that was the Aurukun family including Uncle Chris. Uncle Chris and his family looked amazed yet confused at the same time. This had me wondering at the impact and emotional importance this day had to my people. I was grateful in being able to meet with Uncle Chris, who had come over and introduced himself. I felt compelled to ask Uncle Chris if he was okay, noting his reaction to the memorial and ceremony come. His reply was simple and humbling, being “this is my first time in a city”. I was personally shocked yet excited for him. With more conversation, we were blessed to learn of his service in 51st Far North Queensland Regiment. The more he spoke to his memory, the more I could see the effect of his service, obvious in the tears that welled in his eyes. He spoke to his memories of his mates and experiences serving this country. With a tremor in his voice, Uncle Chris continued to explain how proud he was that something like this is happening and how his time in the Australian Army meant more to him than anyone could ever understand. It was truly a delight meeting Uncle Chris and the Aurukun family. As our conversation came to a close, we moved into position to commence the ceremony.

The catafalque party, under the command of CPL Hickey, was pre-positioned for the welcoming of the VIP’s. With the eventual arrival of Her Excellency, we knew it was ‘game time’. Her Excellency arrived via Ann Street in a navy blue Rolls Royce. Once Her Excellency was seated we were called to mount the War Memorial. The ceremony as a whole ran extremely smooth; despite the well-known (for all Australian Diggers) pain of holding Rest on Arms for the period of the ceremony. The departure of Her Excellency signalled the end of the service where I was fortunate enough to be introduced to all the remaining VIP’s. This experience in itself was a blessing as I had felt a connection, through past and present, with the story telling amongst each individual. Having the honour to do such a historical event as this, brought light for what it is like being an Australian Aboriginal in the current Defence Force.

Throughout Australian history Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have served our nation courageously as members of Australia’s armed forces. This was mentioned within several speeches that were delivered on the day, most notably during that given by the Queensland Premier. I reflect on the words I heard that day and the beauty of the memorial, and I recommend that others take the time to see the memorial themselves. It is situated in ANZAC Square, Brisbane CBD, and its prominence in the area reflects the importance that it deserves. Wakka Wakka artist, John Smith (Gumbula), designed the statue in conjunction with Gold Coast local, Liam Hardy. These two gentlemen created a striking scene that features four First Nation People’s service personnel representing all three services alongside two Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers. This is an accurate representation of First Nation People’s connected culture, and how they stood together in defence of this country. This memorial also has other important cultural and educational objectives, including the first representation of a female Indigenous war hero, Marion Leanna Smith who was recently identified as the only indigenous woman to serve in the First World War. I also note the story behind the memorial. At its centre is the Journey Stone that speaks of leaving home to embark across land, sea and air, throughout numerous wars and conflicts, in support of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). I would argue that seeing and reflecting on this memorial is a journey within itself, and recommend anyone who comes across it to take a moment to stop and reflect.

I was pleased when first requested to write a reflection on this event; the memorial, the ceremony, and my participation. Being an Australian Aboriginal myself, writing something such as this is difficult. How can I find the right words to accurately describe the event, to pay due respect and homage to what it represents, and more importantly to the sacrifice of those before me? I would argue you could not, but I have tried my best nonetheless. Being part of this historical moment for Australia was truly an enlightening event for me, and it underlined the meaning and importance of being an Australian Aboriginal Soldier within the ADF.

A special shout out to Mayor Keri Tamwoy, Aurukun family, and big Uncle Chris.

Vanuatu Government National Emergency Radio Network.

Article provided by Corporal Ross Goodall – 127th Signal Troop, 1st Signal Regiment.

The 127th Signal Troop (127 Sig Tp) of the 1st Signal Regiment (1 Sig Regt) has had an illustrious history of roles and functions within the Corps since its formation in 1950. Today’s signallers bear the weight of the troop’s significant history and now carry the torch of the future into the Vanuatu archipelago.

The Vanuatu Government National Emergency Radio Network (VGNERN) task is comprised of a small, dedicated team of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel, the Vanuatu Military Force (VMF) and Vanuatu Police Force (VPF). They are operating under a joint partnership agreement between the Australian and Vanuatu Governments to repair and upgrade Vanuatu’s emergency radio network in the wake of Cyclone Pam.

Cyclone Pam is considered to be one of the worst natural disasters in Vanuatu’s history. It ripped through Vanuatu’s infrastructure and caused catastrophic damage including paralysing its communications networks.

Under this joint  program, Telecommunications Network Engineers, Battlespace Communications Specialists, Electricians and other personnel are working together with the local Police to deliver robust High Frequency (HF) and Very High Frequency (VHF) networks that will encompass the entire Vanuatu archipelago.

Post Cyclone Pam, the VPF became totally reliant on the use of unreliable and recalcitrant cellular data networks for communication and reporting. The VGNERN project will address these issues by improving Vanuatu’s disaster preparedness and response capability, as well as enabling reduced response times and improved procedures.

As of June 2021, HF communication coverage now extends to all remote Police Headquarters across the country, installed and finished in part by Corporal Daniel Murphy – a major milestone of the project. Many of the remote sites are still without power, requiring the ADF team to install solar arrays and solar battery storage facilities to ensure sites have uninterrupted power.

HF and VHF network coverage continues to be enhanced, along with the provision of hundreds of handheld radios, vehicle mounted radios and battlespace communications specialist led training to allow the VPF to communicate and coordinate emergency response departments. This significantly reduces emergency response times and directly supports the capability development of the host nation. 

The National Emergency Radio network is extremely valuable to remote communities, allowing scarce resources to be allocated quickly and efficiently.

The fledgling Emergency Radio Network has already saved the lives of three small boys lost at sea while fishing off one of Vanuatu’s northernmost remote islands, Moto Lava, in May 2021. Despite the island’s cellular networks being ‘down’ at the time, Police were able to use HF communications to radio Port Vila and Efate to organise an urgent rescue, with the boys being located after two days at sea.

Stories such as this really resonate with the members of 127 Sig Tp, such as Corporal Glenn Sommerlad who said “Knowing that the impact of the project goes beyond just installing some antennas is what it’s all about.”

About the author;

Corporal Ross Goodall enlisted in 2014 and is a member of 127 Sig Tp, 1 Sig Regt. Alongside other members of the Regiment and other personnel, Corporal Goodall has conducted numerous installation tasks in Vanuatu to enhance the Government National Emergency Radio Network.

Imagery captured for this article by Corporal Olivia Cameron, 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit.

OPERATION TONGA ASSIST 2022.

140 Signal Squadron – 7th Combat Signal Regiment.

In January 2022, Unit Node X from 140 Signal Squadron, 7th Combat Signal Regiment was force assigned to support the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission OPERATION TONGA ASSIST 22. Attached to 2 Combat Engineer Regiment, the Unit Node was tasked with enabling a regimental headquarters element to command the execution of the humanitarian mission within the Tongan archipelago.

International HADR tasks provide significant planning challenges in order to execute, some of which include a clear acquiescence of stakeholders at the operational and strategic level. Conflicts with the Tongan government on entry into the country meant that our forward party was delayed and the main body suffered from a planning latency due to an absence of forward reconnaissance.

The preparation phase of this HADR task was unique and challenging because a hasty response was required, however due to mitigating factor of being COVID free, there was a requirement to isolate which mitigated our capacity for rapid response.  Aid to nation is an important responsibility, it’s not just for PR and kudos on the world stage.  We would wait out until we were allowed to get in and work. 

Operationally, the situation on the ground was an Ad Hoc affair which centred on supplying the locals with much needed supplies. Teams were sent out daily for reconnaissance, clearing land for HLZs, beach landings of ZODs and LLCs. Combined Land, Air and Sea maneuvers added another layer of complexity that saw adjacent units such as 145 Sig Sqn, 5AVN, and Regimental Signallers from 2CER and 2RAR as well as our NAVAL counterparts to work together.  

Foreign forces added an additional layer of complexity with French and Fijian Forces attached to the Joint Task Group. The language barrier and caveat that these forces are not able to use our radio systems presented the need to supply ‘commercial off the shelf’ equipment to facilitate communications. The Foreign Forces were impressive workers, and were capable of clearing a road with just machetes and man power as fast as Australian forces could with machinery.

When in another country for best results cultural respect is to be observed, for the Joint Task Force this came in the form of religious leaders.  To ensure good relationships with the native population is maintained the local religious leaders must be consulted before any work is conducted.  Clearing trees for an LZ, go via god. God is important here, Religious leaders call the shots and there is no way around it.  Padres proved to be a valuable asset and were the first individual that a local would attempt to communicate with.    

The ubiquitous presence of asbestos in construction materials presented a considerable challenge during our clean-up operations. It slows down the process of clean-up considerably, and in some cases halted the clean-up totally.  The 2CER Chain of Command put in the long hours and managed to find workarounds to allow engineers and attachments to work in relative safety.  

Compounding issues may not be new to some, but for our detachment, the entire experience was new, and they relished the challenge. Overall it was said to be a success; multiple nations and services converged and completed a task that was logistically strenuous and managed to deliver much needed supplies on time. The forces were in the global spotlight for a short time, once again proving that the military will always be there through good times and the bad.

A message entrusted to steward – ANZAC Day.

MAJ Aaron Newfield – 7th Combat Signal Regiment.

In that moment you made a decision to splice so many other important memories out of your life for brevity sake. Unfortunately, this is true of our National history and potentially a contributor for how we forget.

It is for this reason that I am grateful for both a National public holiday to commemorate ANZAC day and the opportunity to engage the younger generations about a significant part of Australian history; that as we recount our history we prioritise this important part. Thankfully, a significant portion of the community agree with this sentiment and hundreds of community engagement requests were submitted by Schools for ANZAC themed speaking engagements.

I was privileged to be able to speak at Northside Christian College (NCC). For one, they are a large campus of over 1200 students and, two, because my children are students there and could watch me reinforce this subject. NCC held two ANZAC Services on the Friday before ANZAC Day for both their primary and secondary students. It was impressive to see students across each level participate in one way or another. Some laid wreaths, others read the famous ‘In Flanders Fields’, the school choir sang a number of songs including an original piece called ‘lest we forget’, and the school Captains introduced me as their guest speaker.

The highlight was not standing on the stage and speaking about Anzac Cove, the landings, the sacrifice, or the Spirit of the ANZACs; it was after the service where I got to speak face to face with a number of students. Many asked about whether I drove around in tanks all day or whether I had been to a combat zone; some were interested to hear that I was a RA Sigs Officer and what that was like. To be able to speak proudly about the Corps, the Army, and Defence developed an acknowledgement that this was an important moment; that there was a deep sense of responsibility for us as Service men and women to steward these historical stories for each generation and ensure that our Nation pays the respect and gratitude to the fallen by not forgetting.

This does not have to rest on a single day of the year. Every time we step into the public whether during domestic operations, community events, or ceremonial duties, we have the opportunity to reinforce our history and values. It should be sought after, encouraged, and recognised as a critical component to building a capable Defence Force and Country.  I want to thank all the other members who donated their time to speak into those public squares and honour those who Served before us. Lest we forget.

7th Combat Signal Regiment, Right where we needed them.

Reflections on the 2022 Lismore and South East Queensland floods – CPL Joshua Marshal and CPL Ryan Davies.

In March 2022, soldiers of  the 7th Combat Signals Regiment (7 CSR) were called upon to respond to the flood disasters of Lismore, NSW and communities of SE QLD. Myself, and one of my peers, CPL Davies, were tasked with varied roles. I was in command of a small team who were to enable C2 for the Task Unit (TU) HQ within the impacted region. While CPL Davies led a small team of General Duties (GD) soldiers who deployed into those impacted communities to assist in restoration and clean-up efforts. With these reflections, we seek to share with our Corps and others, are a piece of our story as we experienced it. We hope it serves as a reminder of our mission to this nation, maybe nostalgia to those who served before in a similar situation, or a primer to those who’ll undoubtedly face the same circumstances we did in the future.

It became apparent at this point that there was certainty in the people of impacted communities needing our help. This specifically hit me as I ran to help my mates, and fellow soldiers, in moving their vehicles out of the flood-ridden carparks. Gratefully, all of my team safely made it home that afternoon before flood waters increased even more. Upon reflection, I remember leaving home that morning thinking I wouldn’t leave for at least a week. However, from the experiences of that day and the orders we received that night, I returned home to inform my family I was likely leaving in the next few days. It was at this moment the chatter of OPERATION FLOOD ASSIST 2022 began.

We were force assigned to Task Unit (TU) RAM and Task Element 3 (TE3) as part of the Joint Task Group (JTG) 629.3.

My role served primarily within a HQ environment where we enabled its C2 through supply of power, radio communications, Satellite Communications, access to Deployed Information Environments, internet for quality of life, and other traditional HQ tasks like making sure the brew urn was still running hot. Specifically, upon arrival to Tweed Heads we established a Command Post (CP) in the Tweed Heads Police Station Emergency Response Room, an exhaustive name we quickly simplified to the ‘Ops Room’. We deployed the recent acquisition of Jack-Stay Land “Tango” Suites, a Deployed Information Environment, for HQ staff who require access to strategic services. We were fortunate in being able to use the terrestrial infrastructure, the National Broadband Network (NBN) as it had not been destroyed or degraded. However, we ensured redundancy was provided in the event this infrastructure failed; through the provision of our own Wide Band (WB) SATCOM capability.

These enabled Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) communications with Task Elements working in areas with minimal or degraded service.

I assessed this was extremely effective for the operational environment as multiple stakeholders were able to communicate with each other. Across all locations, we enabled the de-confliction of local councils, State Emergency Services (SES), Queensland Police Service (QPS), New South Wales Police Service, and local Fire Brigades including a plethora of other Whole of Government (WoG) and Non-Government Organisation’s (NGO).

I should note that my team was not the only group of communicators supporting this operation. CPL Davies led his team of GD’s tasked with clean-up efforts, rescue efforts, and other non-trade task alongside us. Specifically, I was fortunate in witnessing CPL Davies’ team deploy as far as Mullumbimby, NSW to support those communities who needed it the most. Retrospectively, CPL Davies’ team in Mullumbimby were unfortunately not well received by local residents. Whilst conducting House to Kerb (HTK) and Kerb to truck (KTT) tasks, being clean-up operations, they received an overwhelming amount of poor encounters and brutal verbal abuse. I believe it is important how the fear of this treatment, from the very people we sought to help, would develop pocketed anxieties and fatigue across the teams in these locations. The persistent pressure and anxiety of worrying if they could or could not eat without local scrutiny, or out-of-perspective criticism of efforts, became taxing and encumbering on morale. If our reflection on this experience specifically were to serve as lessons learnt, I would argue there is one we would take forward in our careers. We as junior leaders must serve our soldiers and teams by inculcating resilience to best prepare them for operations of all kinds. The fatigue and impost to mental health our soldiers experienced from communities is testament to this.

The deployment from a communications perspective worked well however I note we were astutely lucky to have no terrestrial outages for the duration of the operation. The main roadblock we encountered as communicators was the process for procuring ICT equipment during a Domestic Operation, specifically disaster recovery, requires significant levels of authority and endorsement creating extreme frictions and constraints for time-sensitive or operationally required equipment. Between the two teams deployed from 7 CSR on OP FLOOD ASSIST 22 there was a massive difference between experiences gained and capability provided. We believe these experiences compliment the truth in the flexibility of RASIGS and its Signaller’s when deployed on operations.

DFSS Support to Australia day, 26 Jan 2022 – Government House Melbourne.

On Australia Day 26 Jan 2022, 108 DFSS staff and trainees from Simpson Barracks and HMAS Cerberus formed a Royal Guard for the Flag Raising Ceremony at Government House, Melbourne. The Guard was commanded by SQNLDR Samuel Bartlett, and reviewed by Her Excellency, the Honorable Linda Dessau, Governor of Victoria. By all accounts, the Guard performed exceptionally despite the heat. The full parade can be viewed here.

7th Combat Signal Regiment in the Pacific.

WO2 O’Neill was the lead instructor on the Sergeants Training Team, helping to guide the future generation of leaders in the VPF, while SIG Gallagher was responsible for the establishment and maintenance of communications for the MTT for the duration of the activity. She also delivered basic cyber security training to several separate courses as part of the overall training package.

WO2 O’Neill outlined how important the leadership training on the Sergeants Course was to the VPF.

“We taught a very enthusiastic group of leaders within their organisation. They loved learning and picked up lessons quickly,” WO2 O’Neill said.

“As part of the course we ran through the basic foundations of leadership, navigation, operational planning and delivering orders to a large team.”

“The VPF were receptive and appreciative; we’re proud of how far they’ve come in a short period of time. We were absolutely humbled by how warm and inviting the VPF and the Vanuatu people were to us especially with teaching and sharing their culture.”

When asked about her time in Vanuatu, SIG Gallagher stated that she “met with the students early in the course to deliver Cyber security training, where I was met with a host of communications related questions and interest.”

“The course members were aware that their jobs would be interlinked with their own radio operators in the future, and so they sought to learn as much from me as they could.”

“I was also fortunate to spend a lot of time with the VPF in this aspect and with help began speaking Bislama over their HF network.”

The OC of MTT Vanuatu MAJ Zach Lambert said “WO2 O’Neill and SIG Gallagher performed to an excellent level in their respective areas, so I wanted to provide some feedback, and my appreciation to 7 CSR for providing such high quality personnel”. After three weeks of training with the VPF, it has been good to see our 7 Combat Signal Regiment members proudly represent the Unit and have made a positive difference with Pacific partners in our region.