Posted by Brian Hartigan, Author at CONTACT magazine

RAAF recruits take part in the confidence course at 1 Recruit Training Unit. Photo by Private Nicholas Marquis.

Royal Australian Air Force

Making aviators fitter and stronger faster

30/04/202330/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2240 Views 2 Comments

Underneath the words Fit to Fight, a flight of recruits are marched into the 1 Recruit Training Unit (1RTU) gymnasium

3rd Brigade Commander Brigadier David McCammon inspects soldiers from 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, on their Kapyong Parade at Lavarack Barracks, Townsville. Photo by Corporal Daniel Sallai.

Old Faithful remembers Kapyong

30/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1964 Views 0 Comments 3RAR, Kapyong

Old Faithful’s story was remembered this week, as soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR), commemorated Kapyong Day

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles speaks to Defence hierarchy about defence in the space domain in Canberra. Photo by Corporal Brenton Kwaterski.

ADF News

Defence chiefs ‘react’ to Strategic Review’s major changes

30/04/202307/05/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2488 Views 1 Comment Defence Strategic Review

Defence chiefs have [politely?] described the release of the Defence Strategic Review as a “significant moment” in Australia’s approach to

Commander US 7th Fleet Vice Admiral Karl Thomas, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Commander-in-Chief of Self-Defense Fleet Vice Admiral Saito Akira, Royal Australian Navy Commander Australian Fleet Rear Admiral Chris Smith and Commander Republic of Korea Fleet Vice Admiral Kim Myung-soo are greeted for a shipboard tour at the 2023 Fleet Commanders’ Roundtable Discussion hosted aboard ROKS Hansando in Busan, Republic of Korea. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Reymundo A. Villegas III.

News Pacific Royal Australian Navy

Fleet commanders’ annual roundtable meeting

30/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2579 Views 0 Comments

Australia’s Fleet Commander Rear Admiral Chris Smith recently joined navy leaders from Japan, South Korea and the United States in

Members of the Joint Military Police Unit and No. 25SQN conduct a routine patrol on Defence Land in Exmouth as a part of Exercise Black Hole Sun. Photo by Sergeant Gary Dixon.

News Royal Australian Air Force Videos

Supporting Exmouth in its darkest moment

30/04/202330/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2527 Views 0 Comments

Western Australia’s town of Exmouth was one of the only places on earth to experience a total solar eclipse on

Australian Army soldiers from the 3rd Brigade begin Run Army Townsville 2023 at Jezzine Barracks in Townsville, Queensland. Photo by Lance Corporal Riley Blennerhassett.

ADF People Videos

Army running for a purpose

29/04/202303/05/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2357 Views 0 Comments Legacy, Run Army

Under the north-Queensland sun, Run Army Townsville had a huge turnout for their inaugural event on 21 April. CAPTION: Australian

Australian Army sappers with their explosive detection dogs from the 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment, march during the Anzac Day 2023 parade in Brisbane City, Queensland. Photo by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

ADF People

Community ties grow stronger

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1807 Views 1 Comment ANZAC Day 2023

Members of 7th Brigade took part in Anzac Day commemorations in Brisbane to pay respect to current and former servicemen

RAAF Personnel Branch members support the ACT Relay for Life 2023.

ADF People

Rallying to the cancer cause

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1366 Views 0 Comments Cancer Council Australia, Relay for Life

Squadron Leader Ruth Sagrott has seen firsthand the impact of losing loved ones to cancer, which inspired her to coordinate

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond salutes to the The Last Post during an Anzac Round NRL game at Accor Stadium in Sydney. Photo by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

ADF People Royal Australian Navy

Rabbitohs celebrate Navy submariners

29/04/202329/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1823 Views 2 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

The South Sydney Rabbitohs celebrated Navy submariners in an Anzac Round NRL match by wearing a submarine-themed jersey and hosting

Lance Corporal Sam Kilgour, centre, disembarks a RAAF KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport after his deployment on Operation Kudu. Photo by Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.

ADF People

Coming home to a new family member

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1548 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023, Operation Kudu

Returning from Operation Kudu, Darwin local Lance Corporal Sam Kilgour has celebrated his first Anzac Day after deployment – his

Australian Defence Force Women's All Star and Australian Army Corporal Elisha Gallagher kicks a forward 50 entry during the curtain-raiser game against the New South Wales Police Force women's team, as part of the AFL Anzac Round at Manuka Oval, Canberra on Saturday 22 April 2023. Photo by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

ADF People

From small town to Anzac footy crowd

29/04/202329/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1527 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

Once a pepperoni-loving, netballing, small-town girl from Yankalilla, Corporal Elisha Gallagher stands tall with the Anzac spirit after playing for

An Australian Army sapper from 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment stands at rest on arms reversed as a part of the catafalque party during the dawn service at ANZAC Park, Townsville, Queensland. Photo by Corporal Brandon Grey.

ADF People

Townsville brigade’s pride in Anzac connection

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1364 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

It was 4.18am on Sunday 25 April 1915 when Army’s 3rd Brigade landed on the shore of what is now

Musician Scott Collinson, from the Australian Army Band, stands beside the name of his relative, Private Alexander Walker, before the Anzac Day Dawn Service at the Australian National Memorial in Villers-Bretonneux, France. Photo by Sergeant Oliver Carter.

ADF People Veterans

Musician remembers lost relative in France

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1229 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

Musician Scott Collinson was moved to be playing in the Australian Army Band at a Dawn Service in France this

Royal Australian Air Force musician Leading Aircraftwoman Chloe Bruer-Jones sings the French national anthem during a commemoration service at the French Cemetery in Gallipoli. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

ADF People

Singing in tongues

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1377 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

Royal Australian Air Force Band vocalist Leading Aircraftwoman Chloe Bruer-Jones has a talent for national anthems. CAPTION: Royal Australian Air

Royal Australian Air Force musician Leading Aircraftman Michael Fraser plays the Last Post at the Helles Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Türkiye. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

ADF People

Third Gallipoli service for bugler

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1215 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

When Air Force musician Leading Aircraftman Michael Fraser played the Last Post at the Lone Pine service in Gallipoli, he

Australian Army's Corporal Carissa Carter from Australia's Federation Guard at the Canakkale Martyrs’ Memorial on the Gallipoli Pensinula. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

ADF People

A career highlight in Türkiye

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1172 Views 1 Comment ANZAC Day 2023

Whatever else she does in her Army career, Corporal Carrisa Carter doesn’t imagine anything will top commanding Australia’s Federation Guard

The 2023 Anzac Day Dawn Service at Wellington Arch, London – from left, Admiral Sir Ben Key, First Sea Lord; Phil Goff, New Zealand High Commissioner; The Prince of Wales; Stephen Smith, Australian High Commissioner; Brigadier Grant Mason, Head of Australian Defence Staff London. Peter Livingstone Photography, Peter Livingstone.

ADF People Veterans

London service led by royalty

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1302 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

Led by the Prince of Wales, about 1000 people attended the Anzac Day dawn service at the Australian War Memorial

Then Leading Seaman Marcus Salone plays the Last Post during a memorial service at the Bathurst War Memorial in 2016. Photo by Able Seaman Nicolas Gonzalez.

ADF People

Talking the language of music over many seas

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1199 Views 0 Comments Royal Australian Navy Band

Living in New York City and playing Latin music with Puerto Rican and Dominican bands, Sub-Lieutenant Marcus Salone knows how

Australia's Federation Guard march during the Turkish commemoration at the Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Türkiye. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

ADF People

Old foes march together as friends

29/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1240 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

Australia’s Federation Guard paraded at the Canakkale Martyrs’ Memorial on the Gallipoli Pensinula on the eve of Anzac Day, as

Petty Officer Ryan Kuipers and cremates from HMAS Anzac during the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kranji War Memorial, Singapore. Photo by Leading Seaman Jarryd Capper.

ADF People

First port of call significant for HMAS Anzac

29/04/202329/04/2023 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1096 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2023

The ship’s company of HMAS Anzac commemorated Anzac Day in Singapore during the first overseas port visit of their regional