Jumping out of their comfort zone

1 Armoured Regiment has pushed resilience training to extreme heights during the accelerated freefall course at the Adelaide Skydiving Centre.

CAPTION: Lieutenant Grace Neuhaus gives the thumbs up following a successful landing during the course in Adelaide. Story by Captain Peter March. Photos by Sergeant Peng Zhang.

The group of 10 soldiers took to the skies over Lower Light, South Australia for a week in October, starting as beginners and finishing as qualified and certified skydivers.

Corporal Jack Moore-Lussu said it was an excellent opportunity to develop stress inoculation to assist performance in their combat roles.

“Doing training like this lets us get that experience, so when the time does come where we might be put under stress, we’ll be better equipped to deal with it mentally,” Corporal Moore-Lussu said.

“It doesn’t take long at all to get to a point where you can get super comfortable jumping out of the aircraft.”

Lieutenant Grace Neuhaus echoed Corporal Moore-Lussu’s sentiments, taking part in the training to overcome her acrophobia.

“I personally struggle with heights quite a lot, and it’s been really, really good for that,” Lieutenant Neuhaus said.

“It ties into the resilience piece, overcoming fears to build resilience, which I think can only help us in our jobs.

“It also helps us to strengthen relationships, meeting other people from around the regiment, talking to each other outside of the rank structure. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to interact in an environment that’s completely unfamiliar,” she said.

In acknowledging the benefits, this type of training is something Corporal Moore-Lussu hopes to see his unit replicate in the future.

“This has been an excellent opportunity to get out here and fall through the sky with the team,” Corporal Moore-Lussu said.

“Looking at the guys who have come out and done this course, we’ve seen a massive increase not only on the personal resilience level, but something that will help them to develop as an individual as well.

“It’s quite an overwhelming experience. There isn’t much to compare it to. The sensation is unreal, unlike anything else I’ve done before.”

CAPTION: A member of 1st Armoured Regiment prepares to jump alongside his trainer during the accelerated freefall course.

Commanding Officer 1 Armoured Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Mick Henderson believes this type of training not only injects some well-deserved fun into service, but also solidifies traits that are the backbone of his unit.

“Resilience is a cornerstone of our profession,” Lieutenant Colonel Henderson said.

“The ability of our individuals, teams, and organisations to not just adapt, but to thrive amidst risk, challenge, danger, complexity and adversity.”

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