AUSTRALIAN troops have been testing their combat readiness on our suburban streets.
Battle Group Ram challenged their skills at dealing with civilians on Exercise Ever Ready Ram last month.
The Royal Australian Regiment (8/9RAR) conducted the exercise with help from RAAF Base Amberley personnel.
The idea was to test Battle Group Ram’s readiness to respond to short-notice tasks by rehearsing a rapid deployment.
The battle group loaded and unloaded Army Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles and troops on a RAAF C-17A Globemaster from No. 36 Squadron.
After being transported to Lismore Airport, soldiers patrolled the community where they were confronted by role-players from The Royal Australian Regiment, acting as disgruntled locals.
Exercise co-ordinator Major Ben Carolan said it was a great training opportunity.
“This type of training is invaluable because we have to be alert and aware of any threats, but are also interacting with actual community members,” he said.
“It’s a unique opportunity that we can’t emulate within our regular training environment.
“We also appreciate the chance to do this in a community where many soldiers already have a connection to because of Operation Flood Assist last year.”
The battle group conducted a blank-fire clearance at the now-unused campus.
Major Carolan said the chance to train in an environment new to the soldiers was also an excellent learning opportunity.
“They hadn’t seen this building until they entered it, so they had to be really clean with their drills and discipline,” he said.
“This is much bigger than any facility we have at our training areas, but it’s realistic to what we could face in an unfamiliar place overseas.
“There were opposing force and civilian role-players within the building, so it tested the soldiers’ judgement and ability to quickly get positive identification.”
Lieutenant Colonel Ben Watson said the exercise was crucial for increasing readiness.
“Having the ability to rapidly recall our team and deploy in quick order is a crucial capability, and this exercise has shown we are ready,” he said.
“To move that quickly, it takes time building readiness and relationships. It takes careful and deliberate rehearsals with well-planned and co-ordinated reconnaissance and relationships.
“It’s a credit to the soldiers to handle that situation calmly and professionally. It’s not easy being dropped into a scenario with role-players and a real community going about its business.”
