Army Reserve Archives - CONTACT magazine

Warrant Officer Class Two Kim Johansen stands alongside his wife, Michelle, after being presented the Federation Star clasp to his Defence Long Service Medal for 40 years of service, at Gallipoli Barracks, Queensland. Story by Captain Nigel Jacobs. Photo by Lance Corporal Luke Donegan.

Four decades of dedication to Army

18/04/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 2249 Views 1 Comment Army Reserve, Federation Star, Gallipoli Barracks

Warrant Officer Class Two (WO2) Kim Johansen has trained and mentored young soldiers and officers, in Australia and overseas, for

Sergeant Paul Dennis, left, and Lieutenant Jack Macklan talk to Lismore resident Chris McNamara near the flooded Wilsons River during a joint patrol to monitor floodwaters as part of Operation Topical Cyclone Alfred Assist. Story by Lieutenant Emily Tinker. Photos: byWarrant Officer Class 2 Raymond Vance.

Australian Army News

Local knowledge vital in assisting community

21/03/2025 Posted by Mike Hughes 671 Views 0 Comments 41st Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment, 8/9 RAR, Army Reserve, Operation Tropical Cyclone Alfred Assist

Showing how quickly the ADF can mobilise when needed, the Lismore-based 41st Battalion, the Royal New South Wales Regiment (41

US Army Major General Glenn Dean, centre, speaks with Commanding Officer Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering Lieutenant Colonel Tim Soper, left, during the Abrams M1A2 main battle tank maintainer course at Gaza Ridge Barracks, Bandiana, Victoria. Story by Captain Krysten Clifton. Photos: bySergeant Andrew Sleeman.

Australian Army News

Tank course reflects partnership with US

13/12/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 821 Views 0 Comments Army Reserve, Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (ASEME), Bandiana, M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams, US Army

Vehicle mechanics and electronic technicians across Army finally have their hands on the new M1A2 system enhancement package version 3

Australian Army soldier Sapper Luke Barnes leads a joint patrol with Indian Army soldiers during Exercise Austrahind 2024 in Pune, India. Story by Major Dean Benson. Photo by Corporal Nakia Chapman.

ADF People Australian Army Overseas

Combining culture and training in India

27/11/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1364 Views 0 Comments 13th Brigade, Army Reserve, Exercise Austrahind, India, Indian Armed Forces

From delicious food to in-depth combat engineering training, with a side of intense physical training, Exercise Austrahind served up a

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Simon Stuart talks with North-West Mobile Force patrolman Private Kamahl Korrabubba from Centre Squadron in Alice Springs. Story and photos by Corporal Michael Rogers.

Australian Army News

Praise for regional security unit

20/11/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1238 Views 0 Comments Army Reserve, Chief of Army, NORFORCE, Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG)

In the vast, rugged expanses of north-western Australia, soldiers from the Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG) act as Defence’s eyes

Private Riley Wakenshaw and his father Sergeant Paul Wakenshaw, who worked together on logistics at a cadet exercise. Story by Cadet Lance Corporal Elijah Dunks.

ADF People

Father and son come full circle with cadets

29/10/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1042 Views 0 Comments 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion (3CSSB), Army Reserve, Australian Army Cadets, Exercise Emu

Two soldiers who participated in a recent cadet exercise took the ADF’s aim of fostering a family-like culture literally. CAPTION: Private

Army officer Captain Alison Mountain, of the Unrecovered War Casualties – Army Unit, tests some samples of soil in Canberra, ACT. Story. by Flight Lieutenant Marina Power. Photos by Corporal Cameron Pegg.

ADF People Australian Army Lest We Forget

Archaeologist gets hands dirty in new Army role

25/09/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1117 Views 0 Comments Army Reserve, Unrecovered War Casualties – Army Unit

If asked to picture an archaeologist, some people might think of Indiana Jones running through dark, booby-trapped tunnels fighting off

Army soldier Corporal Shannon Griffith at the Rotary Wing Aircraft Maintenance School at Oakey, Queensland. Story. y By Captain Tadek Markowski. Photo by Bradley Richardson.

ADF People Australian Army Sovereign industry

Experienced civvies a boost for Army aviation

20/09/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 697 Views 0 Comments Army Reserve, Lockhead Martin, Oakey, RAEME, UH-60M Black Hawk

In the close-knit world of Army Aviation, 35-year-old Corporal Shannon Griffith is something of an outlier. CAPTION: Army soldier Corporal Shannon

A Melbourne University Regiment part-time soldier detonates an M18A1 Claymore under the supervision of an instructor during the Land Combat Module conducted at Puckapunyal Military Training Area. Story by Captain Rohan Hurst and Captain Andrew Lee. Photos by Captain Rohan Hurst.

Australian Army News

New training module bolsters reserve capability

23/08/202423/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1804 Views 0 Comments 8th Brigade, Army Reserve, Claymore mine, Puckapunyal

8th Brigade’s Melbourne University Regiment has been training Australia’s newest part-time soldiers through the new Land Combat Module (LCM) this

A soldier from 11th Brigade checks on his mates as he advances forward during an assault on an 'enemy' defensive position at Cowley Beach training area in northern Queensland. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News Videos

11th and 13th Brigades test domestic security responses

09/08/202410/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 2576 Views 0 Comments 11th brigade, 13th Brigade, Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield

In the largest Army Reserve exercise in three decades, nearly 2000 personnel practised a rapid deployment to Australia’s north to

Army soldier Corporal Scott Christian, of 2nd Force Support Battalion, guides a forklift operator as they load rations onto a MAN 40M truck at Cairns airport, Queensland, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Corporal Michael Rogers. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

New logistics unit hits the ground running

07/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1251 Views 0 Comments 2nd Force Support Battalion, 8th Operational Support Unit (8OSU), Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield

Soldiers from the 8th Operational Support Unit (8OSU) escaped the southern winter to conduct the unit’s first major exercise since

Australian Army communications systems operator Signaller David Muwandi, of the 109th Signal Squadron, at RAAF Base Curtin, WA, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Captain Diana Jennings. Photo by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

ADF People

No comms, no bombs

07/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 952 Views 0 Comments 109th Signal Squadron, Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield, RAAF Curtin

An engineer by trade, Signaller David Muwandi decided he wanted a challenge, so he joined the Army Reserve and hasn’t

Corporal Timothy Rymill, right, and other Army medical personnel from 1st Health Battalion triage a simulated patient inside the Role 1 treatment facility at RAAF Base Curtin, WA, during Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Captain Diana Jennings. Photos by Corporal Lisa Sherman.

Australian Army Health and Wellbeing News

Exercise Austral Shield troops in safe hands

02/08/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1511 Views 0 Comments 1st Health Battalion, 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment, Army Reserve, Exercise Austral Shield, RAAF Curtin

Corporal Timothy Rymill has been an Army Reserve treatment team medic with the 1st Health Battalion for three years, but

Soldiers from 11th Brigade move out from Porton Barracks in Cairns in their Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles at the start of Exercise Austral Shield. Story by Captain Andrew Lee. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Australian Army News

Austral Shield turns up the heat

19/07/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1733 Views 0 Comments 11th brigade, 9th Battalion Royal Queensland Regiment, Army Reserve, Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles, Exercise Austral Shield

On a comfortable 26-degree winter’s day in Far North Queensland, Army personnel, vehicles and equipment from Brisbane’s 11th Brigade arrived

Army environmental health officer Lieutenant Joel Bright, of the 3rd Health Battalion, at his field laboratory during Exercise Rhino Run at Cultana Training Area, South Australia. Story and photo by Sergeant Matthew Bickerton.

ADF People Australian Army Health and Wellbeing

Health officers play a crucial role

25/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1063 Views 0 Comments 3rd Health Battalion, Army Reserve, environmental health officers (EHO)

Sometimes feared and often misunderstood, environmental health officers (EHO) work to reduce gastrointestinal illnesses, vector-borne diseases and other non-combat-related injuries.

Laurie Wallace walks his family dogs Patch and Zelda around their north Brisbane suburb. Story by Major Evita Ryan. Photo by Lance Corporal Luke Donegan.

ADF People Health and Wellbeing Veterans

Marching for a cause

14/06/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 834 Views 0 Comments 6th Brigade, 7th Brigade, Army Reserve, Kokoda Track, Soldier On

Walking the 96km Kokoda Track has always been on Laurie Wallace’s bucket list. CAPTION: Laurie Wallace walks his family dogs Patch

Private Chen Shi raises a communications mast off the ground during Exercise Arras Sprint. Photos by Private Peter Mosley.

Australian Army News

Soldiers tested to seize enemy base

17/05/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1434 Views 0 Comments 41st Battalion Royal New South Wales Regiment, 4th/3rd Battalion RNSW Regiment, 5th Brigade, 5th Combat Service Support Battalion, Army Reserve, Exercise Arras Sprint

Soldiers from 5th Brigade deployed to the Bathurst region of NSW in early May to demonstrate critical operational capabilities. CAPTION: Private

An Australian Army soldier delivers a Platoon and Company Sergeants Battle Course lesson to Armed Forces of Ukraine personnel in the United Kingdom during March for Operation Kudu. (Image has been digitally altered for security purposes.) Story by Lieutenant Carolyn Martin. Photos by Corporal Nicole Dorrett.

Australian Army News UK

Reservists enhance Ukrainian soldiers’ survivability

17/04/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1838 Views 2 Comments 9th Brigade, Armed Forces of Ukraine, Army Reserve, Finnish Contingent, Operation Interflex, Operation Kudu

Four Australian Army Reserves engineers have deployed with the first rotation of Australian Army soldiers delivering leadership training courses to

Lance Corporal Winston Li of 10th/27th Battalion, the Royal South Australian Regiment, yells instructions during training at the Murray Bridge Training Area, South Australia. Story by Captain Peter March. Photos by Sergeant Peng Zhang.

Australian Army News

Flexible training benefits reservists

16/02/202418/02/2024 Posted by Mike Hughes 1930 Views 0 Comments 10/27 Battalion Royal South Australian Regiment, 9th Brigade, Army Reserve, Reserve Accelerated Training Scheme (RATS)

9th Brigade’s Reserve Accelerated Training Scheme (RATS) is being run again in 2024 after a successful pilot last year. CAPTION: Lance

Australian Army soldier Sergeant Lachlan Youll plays the didgeridoo at the opening of the The Australian Embassy in Washington DC. Story by Captain Katy Manning.

ADF People

Didgeridoo connects soldier to heritage

10/11/2023 Posted by Mike Hughes 966 Views 0 Comments 2nd (Australia) Division, Army Reserve, Indigenous Cultural Performer (ICP)

An Australian soldier with family ties to Bidjara country in south-western Queensland had the rare opportunity to perform didgeridoo at

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