Junior officers rise to combined arms command challenge

Army’s newest qualified combat arms officers have risen to the challenge of combat team command during the combined-arms Exercise Gauntlet Strike at Puckapunyal.

CAPTION: An Australian Army M1A1 Abrams main battle tank fires its main armament during live-fire training for Exercise Gauntlet Strike at Puckapunyal Military Training Area. Story by Captain Tom Maclean. Photo by Corporal Robert Whitmore.

Exercise Gauntlet Strike was the culminating activity of the armour Regimental Officer Basic Course in tanks, cavalry, artillery, engineers and the Mechanised Regimental Officer Course for infantry officers.

Commandant of the Combined Arms Training Centre at Puckapunyal Colonel David McCammon said the courses qualified Army’s latest cohort of combat arms lieutenants to confidently command their soldiers.

“This world-class training is purposefully demanding. Army expects these men and women to confidently lead,” Colonel McCammon said.

“It ensures the next generation of combat leaders is equipped to fight and win the battle in any conditions or environment they are asked to operate in.

“I’m confident that they can meet the challenge of command and are equipped to face the complexities of our rapidly changing warfighting domains now and into the future.”

The lieutenants successfully completed platoon and troop activities as a combat team against a realistic opposition force.

Lieutenant Levi Ross is training to be a tank troop commander and said it was a great feeling to see the team starting to work together.

“Being able to do your part as a team member and see the result and particularly for tanks it’s a pretty awesome result,” Lieutenant Ross said. http://https://www.contactairlandandsea.com/2021/07/07/tassie-tank-troop-commander-graduates/

For Lieutenant Jake Mouritz, learning to be a cavalry troop leader has been the culmination of two years of training.

“It’s something I’ve aspired to do since I was young,” Lieutenant Jake Mouritz said. http://https://www.contactairlandandsea.com/2021/07/07/dream-comes-true-for-troop-commander/

Lieutenant Hunter Preston has been training on the Mechanised Regimental Officers Course.

“It’s definitely an awesome thing to see it all slowly build up and come together and be able to operate with those other call signs from different corps,” he said.

.

.


.


.


.