Posted by Brian Hartigan, Author at CONTACT magazine

Australian soldiers from the Special Operations Task Group and Reconstruction Task Force farewell fallen comrade Private Luke Worsley during a ramp ceremony at their base in Uruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan on 27 November 2007. Photo by Captain Al Green.

Poets Corner

FOR LUKE

23/04/202224/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2638 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

There’s a soldier’s memorial at the end of our street, from a war they claim we lost For 41 Australian

United States Air Force F-16C aircraft from the 18th Aggressor Squadron conduct air-to-air refuelling operations with a Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A multi-role tanker transport from No.33 Squadron during Exercise Diamond Shield. Photo by Corporal Kieren Whiteley.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Exercise Diamond Shield concludes

22/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2213 Views 0 Comments

The Royal Australian Air Force has successfully completed the first two exercises in the 2022 Diamond Series for the third

ANZAC Day 2020 in Kiama Downs NSW. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

Australian News Veterans

RSL LifeCare poll finds strong support for ANZAC Day

22/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1961 Views 0 Comments

RSL LifeCare is encouraging Australians to remember and support veterans on Anzac Day – and every day. FILE PHOTO: ANZAC

One of the first two Royal Australian Air Force F-35A Lightning Joint Strike Fighters flies overhead RAAF Base Williamtown on delivery day. Photo by Brian Hartigan.

News Royal Australian Air Force

Australia-wide fly-past support on ANZAC Day

21/04/202223/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 5599 Views 0 Comments ANZAC Day 2022

New South Wales Date Town/City Location Time Aircraft 25th April 2022 Doyalson Pacific Hwy, Doyalson 9.05am F-35A Lightning II 25th

New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicles on exercise. NZDF photo.

New Zealand News Pacific

New Zealand sells LAVs to Chile

20/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 5110 Views 0 Comments

The New Zealand Defence Force has finalised a sale of 22 surplus New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicles (NZLAVs) to the

Australian soldiers march with packs at the Royal Australian School of Infantry in Singleton. Photo by Sergeant Janine Fabre.

Letters to the Editor

Advice for a sleep walker

19/04/2022 Ben King 2246 Views 0 Comments sleep walking

I’m looking for some advice more than anything and not sure who to reach out to… I enlisted in the

Editor's Vlog Videos

Extracting beauty from a ‘killer log’

18/04/202218/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1542 Views 0 Comments Make-n-Do

In the last video, I was nearly killed (OK, so I’m exaggerating just a little bit) by a log I

The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis and the aircraft carrier USS George Washington underway in the Andaman Sea with ships from their carrier strike groups. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kenneth Abbate.

News USA

US Navy offering $25k bonus to all new enlistees

17/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2536 Views 0 Comments

The United States Navy has launched a major recruitment drive, offering enlistment bonuses of up to $50,000. FILE PHOTO (October

A new AMCU baseball-style cap will roll out across Army this year, as an alternative to the bush hat.

Australian Army News

Army authorises new ball cap – for limited use

17/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 10901 Views 8 Comments

A new AMCU baseball-style cap will roll out across Army this year, as an alternative to the bush hat. This

An Indian Navy P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft lands at RAAF Base Darwin, Northern Territory. Photo by Corporal Rodrigo Villablanca.

India News Royal Australian Air Force

Indian P-8I Neptune visits Darwin

17/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2051 Views 0 Comments

India’s Navy deployed a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to Darwin from 11 to 15 April to conduct coordinated exercises with

US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 268 reinforced Air Combat Element of the Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 22 are staged for Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment inspection at Darwin Port, NT after delivery by sea. US Marine Corps photo by Corporal Cameron Hermanet.

MRF-D News

MRF-D 22s aviation support established in Darwin

17/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3438 Views 0 Comments MRF-D

The Marine Rotational Force-Darwin (MRF-D) Aviation Combat Element (ACE) has arrived in Darwin. CAPTION: US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey from

Photo by Warrant Officer Class Two Gary Ramage.

Poets Corner

THE ANZACS ARE WATCHING

16/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1519 Views 0 Comments By George Mansford

Amid constant gloom and distant frowns Increasing debt, and heads drooping down Comes a time when a youngster will ask

News Veterans

Suicide Royal Commission extended for 12 months

15/04/202215/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1534 Views 0 Comments Suicide Royal Commission

The Chair of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide says the 12-month extension of the inquiry, announced this

Australian Defence Force personnel deployed on Operation Flood Assist 2022 march down Casino's main street to the applause of locals after assisting northern New South Wales communities respond to the devastating floods. Corporal Jonathan Goedhart.

ADF News

ADF flood support in northern NSW ended

15/04/202216/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2494 Views 2 Comments Operation Flood Assist 2022

Since 27 February, more than 4,000 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel have deployed on Operation Flood Assist 2022 in the

Defence Minister Peter Dutton chats with NIOA’s armoury manager Keith Grundy (right) and General Manager, Weapons and Munitions, Ben James at the company’s Brisbane headquarters. Photo supplied.

ADF News Science & Technology Sovereign industry

NIOA wins contract to deliver next stage of ADF weapons upgrade

14/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 3375 Views 0 Comments NIOA

NIOA is proud to have been selected to deliver the first stage of a major weapons upgrade for the Australian

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules departs Auckland for Europe. NZDF photo.

Europe New Zealand News

New Zealand deploys significant enablers for Ukraine support

13/04/202213/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 2498 Views 1 Comment Ukraine

A Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules has departed New Zealand for Europe to assist with shipments of weapons

Minister for Defence Peter Dutton sits inside a Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle with Ukrainian Ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko, talk to Commander of 1st Division Major General Scott Winter at RAAF Base Amberley, just before the protected mobility vehicle was flown to Ukraine to assist in their war effort against Russia. Photo by Kym Smith.

Poets Corner

You Bastard

10/04/202210/04/2022 Mick Shave 1689 Views 0 Comments By Michael Shave

You bastard Putin, what’s it for? Sending people off to war What reason gave you any right To send your

Life on the Line Podcast

David Buckwalter – Life on the Line

09/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1772 Views 0 Comments Life on the Line Podcast

Alex Lloyd interviews Vietnam veteran David Buckwalter. David served in Vietnam in 1966-1967. He was a signaller in the 6th

My new Veteran's Lapel Pin, box-mounted in the shirt pocket. Photo by self.

Poets Corner

THE MASK

09/04/202209/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 1858 Views 0 Comments By Tomas 'Paddy' Hamilton

. PEOPLE RARELY SEE MY FACE. IT HIDES BEHIND A MASK TO FREE ME FROM ITS VACANT STARE, IS NOT

A Bushmaster protected mobility vehicle ambulance variant awaiting loading onto a C-17 Globemaster at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. Photo by Kym Smith.

Australian Europe News

First of 20 Bushmasters leave for Ukraine

08/04/202209/04/2022 Posted by Brian Hartigan 4970 Views 0 Comments Ukraine

The Australian government has provided further support to the government of Ukraine by gifting 20 Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles, including