Posted by Mike Hughes, Author at CONTACT magazine

British Army Staff Sergeant Kalivati Bakani on-site during Exercise Puk Puk at Goldie River Training Depot in Papua New Guinea. Story by British Army Staff Sergeant Kalivati Bakani on-site during Exercise Puk Puk at Goldie River Training Depot in Papua New Guinea. Photo: Sergeant Nunu Campos. Photo by Sergeant Nunu Campos.

PNG deployment feels like home for Pom

30/09/202202/10/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2053 Views 0 Comments British Armed Forces, Papua New Guinea, PNGDF

A British Army staff sergeant is putting his Fijian background to good use building relationships on Exercise Puk Puk in

ADF personnel arrive at President Nicolau Lobato International Airport in Dili, Timor-Leste, for Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022. Story by Flight Lieutenant Courtney Jay. Photo by Corporal Brandon Grey.

Australian Army News Overseas Royal Australian Air Force Royal Australian Navy

Indo-Pacific Endeavour returns in force

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2281 Views 0 Comments Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2022

Indo-Pacific Endeavour (IPE), has returned to full scale this year, engaging with a record 14 countries by air and sea,

Ships participating in Exercise Kakadu 2022 sail in formation during a photo exercise off the coast of Darwin. Story by Commander Emily Curtis and Lieutenant Commander Andrew Herring. Photo by Leading Seaman Tara Morrison.

News Royal Australian Navy

Navy’s largest exercise comes to a close

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1439 Views 0 Comments Exercise Kakadu

Exercise Kakadu 2022 has come to a close, with the theme of ‘partnership, leadership and friendship’ woven through a full

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, prepare to conduct wet and dry exercise rehearsals, during Exercise Sea Raider 2022 near Cowley Beach, Queensland. Story by Captain Joanne Leca. Photo by Corporal Cameron Pegg.

Australian Army News Royal Australian Navy Videos

An amphibious force to be reckoned with

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 3262 Views 1 Comment AAF, ARH Tiger, Boxer CRV, CH-47F Chinook, Exercise Sea Raider, HMAS Adelaide, M777 Howitzer, Military Working Dogs

The 2022 Sea Series has come to a close with the completion of Exercise Sea Raider. CAPTION: Soldiers from the

Head Maritime Systems Rear Admiral Wendy Malcolm speaks to graduates and guests at the graduation ceremony of the Defence Industry Pathways Program at the South Metropolitan TAFE, Western Australia. Story by Phillip Morton. Photo by Chief Petty Officer Yuri Ramsey.

ADF News Royal Australian Navy

Graduates on the pathway to success

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1475 Views 0 Comments Defence Industry Pathways Program (DIPP)

Twenty-seven trainees from the Defence Industry Pathways Program’s first two intakes capped off a year of hard work with a

Lieutenant Jacob McLean on-site during Exercise Puk Puk at Goldie River Training Depot in Papua New Guinea. Story by Major Jesse Robilliard. Photo by Sergeant Nunu Campos.

ADF People

Engineer embraces his change of career path

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1722 Views 0 Comments British Armed Forces, Papua New Guinea, PNGDF

A decision to leave a civilian university degree and walk through the front door of Defence Force Recruitment (DFR) has

WO2 Ken Leggett, front right, leads the Round for Life 2022 peloton for the final stage into Simpson Barracks. Story by Captain Evita Ryan. Photo by Private Michael Currie.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing

Cyclists’ epic ride for cancer research

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1425 Views 0 Comments 7th Signal Regiment, Defence Force School of Signals

Before starting the Round for Life 2022 fundraising bike ride traversing three states and the ACT, Warrant Officer Class One

British Army Lance Corporal Shane Bundy, left, PNGDF Lance Corporal Clement Nibabe, kneeling, and Australian Army Sapper Anthony Toigo, paint the guardhouse walls during Exercise Puk Puk at Goldie River Training Depot. Story by Major Jesse Robilliard. Photo by Sergeant Nunu Campos.

Australian Army News Pacific UK

Renovations a combined effort

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1612 Views 0 Comments British Armed Forces, Papua New Guinea, PNGDF

The guardhouse at the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) Goldie River Training Depot near Port Moresby is being renovated

Sapper Cameron Turner, right, from the 6th Engineer Support Regiment, checks the level of a frame on-site during Exercise Puk Puk at Goldie River Training Depot in Papua New Guinea. Story by Major Jesse Robilliard. Photo by Sergeant Nunu Campos.

ADF People

Sapper living his dream

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1781 Views 0 Comments 6th Engineer Support Regiment, British Armed Forces, Papua New Guinea, PNGDF

Sapper Cameron Turner, from Muswellbrook in the upper Hunter region, is fulfilling his dream of leading a construction activity overseas

Private Billy McAllister, of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, shapes up at Gallipoli Barracks. Story and photo by Captain Taylor Lynch.

ADF People

A fighter in and out of the ring

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1720 Views 0 Comments 6th Battalion RAR

Whether in the field or in the boxing ring, Private Billy McAllister epitomises the toughness renowned by the Royal Australian

Royal Australian Air Force Group Captain Adrian Maso marches with the Commonwealth contingent during the Queen’s funeral procession. Story by Lieutenant Commander John Thompson. Photo by Royal Air Force Sergeant Jimmy Wise.

ADF People

More than just a ceremonial sword

30/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2279 Views 0 Comments Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022

A sword is used for ceremonial purposes to display power or authority, but one sword carried during the Queen’s funeral procession

No. 11 Squadron and Airbus maintenance teams celebrate the 100th completed servicing of the P-8A Poseidon platform at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. Story by Flight Lieutenant Claire Burnet. Photo by Leading Aircraftman Sam Price.

News Royal Australian Air Force Sovereign industry

100 services and counting

27/09/202230/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2181 Views 0 Comments No. 11 Squadron, P-8A Poseidon, RAAF Edinburgh

Ordinarily a matter of routine, a post-service aircraft delivery of P-8A Poseidon A47-012 on August 15 was instead an occasion

91-year-old Mr Derek Olley volunteers in the Restoration Support Section of Air Force’s History and Heritage Branch. Story by Flight Lieutenant Karyn Markwell. Photo by Leading Aircraftwoman Kate Czerny.

ADF People History

Fond memories of an RAF career

27/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1736 Views 0 Comments Heritage, RAAF Amberley, RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre, RAF

When Mr Derek Olley started his apprenticeship with the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1947, George VI was the King

Defence civilian Beryl Webber receives her graduation certificate after successfully completing the Certificate II in Security Operations course at RAAF Base Tindal, Northern Territory. Story by Sarah-Kate Melehan.

News Royal Australian Air Force Sovereign industry

Tindal security team welcomes new faces

27/09/202230/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1974 Views 0 Comments Indigenous, RAAF Tindal

Providing security on a Defence base couldn’t be more different from nursing people back to health in aged-care settings and

Soldiers from 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) mounted in an Australian Light Armoured Vehicle conduct integration training with US Marines. Story by Captain Cody Tsaousis. Photo by Corporal Nicole Dorrett

Australian Army News USA

Jungle training tough but necessary

27/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2034 Views 0 Comments 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry), 7th Brigade, ASLAV, United States Marine Corps

Soldiers from 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry) (2/14 LHR (QMI)) completed close country training as part of Exercise

Captain Lara Perkovic on-site during Exercise Puk Puk at Goldie River Training Depot in Papua New Guinea. Story by Major Jesse Robilliard. Photo by Sergeant Nunu Campos.

ADF People

Following in Dad’s footsteps

27/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1904 Views 0 Comments 25th Support Squadron, 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment, British Armed Forces, Papua New Guinea, PNGDF

A desire to follow in her father’s footsteps of civil engineering and see the world has taken Captain Lara Perkovic,

Army nursing officer Lieutenant Lorraine Cheesewright pays her respects at the grave of her great uncle, Corporal Frederick Cheesewright at the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery in Papua New Guinea. Story and photo by Warrant Officer Class Two Max Bree.

Australian Army History Lest We Forget News Videos

Keeping Kokoda memory alive

27/09/202230/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1629 Views 0 Comments 16th Battalion RWAR, Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea, WWII

Corporal Frederick Cheesewright’s new stripes were barely sewn to his uniform when a sniper’s bullet abruptly ended his life on

Navy Clearance Dive Team One conduct a search for suspected unexploded ordnance found in the vicinity of the Ship Lift site at Darwin Harbour's East Arm. Photo by Leading Seaman Shane Cameron.

News Royal Australian Navy

Navy divers blow UXO in Darwin harbour

27/09/202230/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 2150 Views 0 Comments Navy Clearance Diving Team One, UXO

A small team of Royal Australian Navy divers have rendered safe a popular commercial and recreational waterway in Darwin Harbour.

Family and friends wait on the wharf as HMAS Warramunga returns to Australia after completing a regional presence deployment. Story by Lieutenant Gary McHugh. Photo by Chief Petty Officer Yuri Ramsey.

News Royal Australian Navy

Warramunga home from busy deployment

27/09/202230/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1317 Views 0 Comments ANZAC-class, Exercise Noble Partners, Fleet Base West, HMAS Warramunga, RIMPAC

HMAS Warramunga has returned to Fleet Base West following a regional presence deployment that saw the Anzac-class frigate participate in

Lieutenant Melissa Osmand inspects packed red blood cells stored in a dedicated blood fridge on board HMAS Canberra. Story by Lieutenant Nancy Cotton. Photo by Leading Seaman Matthew Lyall.

ADF People

Army scientist deployed at sea

27/09/2022 Posted by Mike Hughes 1498 Views 0 Comments HMAS Canberra, Maritime Operational Health Unit

Army’s scientific officer Lieutenant Melissa Osmand brought her pathology skills to HMAS Canberra’s on-board hospital, ensuring personnel were looked after