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Letter to the Editor In his 2006 Australian War Memorial Oration, Dr. Stanley questions that there ever was a Battle for Australia. Instead, he attempts to decry the emergence of a concept that thousands have embraced but which few historians have endorsed. He believes it is an idea that has captured popular imagination but is too restricted in concept and generally ill-conceived. I do not agree. The commemoration of the Battle for Australia seeks to ensure that the knowledge and understanding of the …

Letter to the Editor I thoroughly enjoyed Dr Peter Stanley’s thought-provoking paper titled ‘What is the Battle for Australia?’ in the Winter 2007 edition of the Australian Army Journal and would like to make some personal observations. I agree with Stanley when he states that there was no battle for Australia in the literal meaning of the term. However, in 2007 we should also acknowledge that the ability to confidently make that statement comes with the benefit of hindsight, including some detailed …

Listed below is a selection from the review copies that have arrived at the Australian Army Journal . Reviews for many of these books can be found online in the relevant edition of the Australian Army Journal at: http://www.defence.gov.au/army/lwsc/Publications/journal/journal.htm Battle of Crete (Australian Army Campaign Series) , Albert Palazzo, Army History Unit, ISBN 9780980320411,178 pp. (Copies are available to serving Army personnel—please apply directly to the Army History Unit)   China’s Rise and …

Introduction In the counterinsurgency environment Australian forces are most likely to face, one of the most important contributions to an effective civil affairs program will be military civic action. Although, in its broadest sense, military civic action is a responsibility of every soldier, it is the specialist who will provide the greatest return from a short-term investment. Civic Action and the Engineers More than any other corps the engineers can provide the most effective assistance in the material …

Abstract This paper addresses the three themes of tactics, training and technology on the Western Front during 1917 from the perspective of the 1st Australian Division. The introduction of the Lewis gun led to a process of innovation at the tactical level, producing changes in both tactics and training. Such changes were indicative of widespread adaptations that were occurring throughout the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in 1917. Introduction From the time of Napoleon the ‘division’ became a standard …

Abstract This article explores the ways in which the Australian Army’s 1st Reconstruction Task Force, deployed to Afghanistan in August 2006, implemented complex adaptive systems theory to develop an adaptive approach to their role as part of counterinsurgency operations. For highly complex missions, it is not realistic to expect to “get it right” from the outset. The initial conditions are much less important than the ability to improve performance over time. 1 Contemporary counterinsurgency operations in …

Abstract The purpose of this article is to increase the level of understanding of operational analysis (OA) within the Australian Army, and in particular the utility of Tactical OA teams deployed in support of the tactical commander. Operational analysis is a decision support capability and is offered at most military universities in the Western world as a discipline of academic study at the postgraduate level. The article coins the phrase Tac OA and provides the author’s views on what comprises Tac OA, …

Abstract Contractor support is an overlooked aspect of Army operations. This article outlines the conditions where Army can best use the considerable capability provided by deployed contractor support, highlights the pitfalls if implementation of this support is not conducted in a comprehensive and integrated manner, and details the management considerations necessary if this support is to be successful. ... the US, and to a lesser extent the UK, now rely extensively on private firms to provide logistics …

Abstract Reading is the core of not only military professionalism but also human development over the last 5000 years. Reading provides a foundation for broadening Army’s capability, especially in the complex and uncertain environments of the twenty-first century. With the launch of the Chief of Army’s Reading List , the Australian Army provides an important tool to aid soldiers and officers develop their thinking skills. Every man who knows how to read has it in his power to magnify himself, to multiply …

Abstract This paper makes explicit a process for developing moral leadership and ethical decisionmaking. It provides insight into the theoretical frameworks and practical outcomes that have been inserted into the All Corps Soldier Training Continuum promotional courses and provides a series of recommendations for further effort. Introduction In a world of far-flung deployments, uncertain and fluid environments and persistent media coverage, the strategic soldier makes snap decisions every day that may have …