Vehicles and Equipment

During my life as a civilian and as a member of the ADF, I have been in and or used a variety of military equipment from tanks to light armored vehicles and from launchers to rifles. Also I have learnt about many other internal and external operating systems. It has been great learning how to use the equipment and I’m going to explain some of the equipment I have used of the years.

Bushmaster PMV

The main armored vehicles I have been in and learnt about are the Bushmaster PMV (Protected Mobility Vehicle) and the ASLAV (Australian Light Armored Vehicle). These both are used heavily in the Australian Defence Force in Australia and overseas. I’ve been both multiple times at ADFA, Duntroon and at Singleton military training area. The Bushmaster PMV, designed be Thales Australia, has advanced operating systems in electronics as well as weaponry. For example it has advance GPS and combat intelligence heads-up-display, for battle awareness and safety, another is the hydraulic systems used to turn the Mag 58 that is located to the front of the Bushmaster. This vehicle even has push start ignition. The Bushmaster is equipped with armor that exceeds the STANAG 4569 level 1 Monocoque Hull, meaning that the vehicle is safe from Kinetic Energy, artillery, and Improvised Explosive Devices. I've been in this vehicle and have operated its systems and think it’s the best vehicle ever made.

ASLAV

The other vehicle I have been in and around is the ASVAV. I haven’t had as much of experience with this vehicle compared to the Bushmaster but is still pretty cool. This vehicle was designed by MOWAG General Motors Diesel Division in 1992. One unit costs $2.2million. This vehicle is heavily armoured and can with stand heavy artillery and is also designed to deflect Improvised Explosive Devices. It has multiple Defence systems and offence systems. For example, in the passenger’s seat the person has multiple screens showing information on enemy positions, GPS, SAT-NAV, and other up-link visors. This vehicle also has forward attack systems. For example it has a manual or automatic 25mm M242 Chain gun, with a MAG 58 attached to the top of the chain gun. This vehicle also has flares for disrupting guided artillery for example guided missiles. This vehicle definitely makes you feel like the most dangerous vehicle on the road and that’s why I like it.

Australian soldier holding an F88 Steyr

I have had hands on experience with a variety of weapons as a ADF personnel. I have held, starting from small arms, Browning Hi-power, MP5, M4A2, F88, F88T, H&K 417, Remington 870, FN SAW, FN MAG 58, FN Minimi, FN Maxim, M60E4 and many more. The weapon I have most experience with is the F88 Steyr, on the firing range and at the WTSS. The Weapons Training Simulation System provides a great opportunity to get lots of weapons training without having to actually shoot. In the WTSS every weapon has been outfitted with a very high powered laser that if you look down the barrel of the weapon you are at risk of sever eye damage or permanent blindness. There is a pressure system inside the weapon to simulate the weapon recoil. The WTSS can simulate many scenarios for the shooter for the best possible training. There is a load more to the WTSS, though too much for me to explain. I’ve used the WTSS at ADFA/RMC Duntroon and Singleton School of Infantry. The WTSS is considered the best arcade game in the world.

Being a ADF personnel is pretty sweet gig, you get to use a lot of equipment and it’s a ton of fun in the process. Civilians can also have a look at the equipment at the ADFA and RMC Duntroon open days though it’s not quite the same. Overall having hands on experience with the equipment is the best way to learn about it, and I have so much fun while using the equipment.

Sporting Experiences

Over the years I have had multiple sporting experiences and in soccer and baseball. I have been doing each for a number of years. I also play a large variety of other sports from pin-pong to rugby. I enjoy playing multiple sports because they are fun and provides new challenges within each sport. Over the years after playing multiple sports my confidence and ability to work in a team and as team, and also the ability to lead has improved immensely.

The first sport I played was soccer. I started when I was 4 years old and have been playing ever since, all up I have been playing for 10 years. During those years my team and I have won the title of ACT Champions, which was pretty awesome. I enjoy this sport because it requires a lot of team work and coordination. Soccer is different to a lot of other sports for example rugby union, they stay in one line and move from one side of the field to another and whilst in one line the ball generally moves up and down the line. This is different to soccer because you have to use lots of coordination for multiple manoeuvres, also the ball in the game goes everywhere. I like playing soccer because it’s different and because the amount of teamwork.

The second sport I play is baseball. I’ve been playing baseball for 5 years. My team and I are currently top of the ladder. This season I have hit multiple doubles, triples and I have hit multiple home runs. I play u16's and in this game the high end pitchers throw the ball at 70mph to 85mph. I decide to play this sport because I only played soccer in the winter and I wasn’t playing a sport in the summer, so I had the option of playing cricket or baseball, so I chose baseball. I chose baseball because it was so different to soccer. It is an entirely different from kicking a ball around a field and scoring goals, in baseball your fielding the ball around the bases using different tactics to win the game.

I play a large variety of other sports outside weekend sports, like at school and during Physical Education. Some sports I play are rugby union, rugby league, basketball and many other sports. I also compete in the Athletics Carnivals, such as 100m sprints to 1500m to relays events. Some field events I compete in are shot put, discus, long jump, triple jump and javelin. In 2012 I came 1^st in javelin at my school, throwing 49.80m on a wet day, then come 2^nd at Zone Athletics and then coming 4^th at ACT Athletics. Overall I’m pretty proud of my achievements in the athletics.

I enjoy playing sports because they keep me fit and healthy, it also immensely improves my skill set in courage teamwork, initiative and leadership, I encourage anyone and everyone to get up and be active, not staying in their rooms and playing computer games, or video games, I don’t think it’s healthy doing that and ruining their eyes and health. Overall do something active like a sport.

Future Plans

This post is about my future plan for when I finish collage. I intend to join the Royal Australian Army through the Australian Defence Force Academy and also through Royal Military Collage Duntroon. I want to do multiple degrees, jobs and to do as much as I can for Australia. At first I want to do a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering, and then become an Armoured Core Officer, though if I can I want to join the Special Air Service Regiment.

I wanted to join the army since I was 10, and it was only until recent years I knew what I wanted to do in the army. I want to a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering. I choose this of all things I could do because if I ever chose to leave the army I would have something to do so, I have narrowed it down to a group of choices and I chose to do a degree in electrical and mechanical engineering. To get accepted into the Australian Defence Force Academy you will have to be 18 years of age, and for the degree in mechanical engineering you will have to have an 85 HSC in English, mathematics, physics and chemistry. I wanted to do mechanical engineering because I like creating new things and challenging myself. After I complete the service years, I want to be an Armoured Core Officer. In this job you travel in an armoured vehicle doing multiple objectives right in the danger, and will also be securing areas of interest. What I really want to do is become an officer in the Special Air Service Regiment. Officers in the SAS do basically everything physical. The soldiers being deployed over to Afghanistan are SAS and Special Service Personnel.

I want to do this because I was inspired by my grandfather. My grandfather was a Captain in the army for 20 years and a Group Captain in the air force for 38 years, and he talk a lot about his history with the armed forces and he has inspired me to the same if not better. I’m also inspired by other soldiers for example the three most recent VC holders. VC stands for Victorian Cross and is given to soldiers for their valour hence why it’s called the Victorian Cross for Valour. The most recent three VC holders are Mark Donaldson 2008, War in Afghanistan, Special Air Service Regiment, Ben Roberts-Smith 2010 War in Afghanistan Special Air Service Regiment and Daniel Keighran 2010, War in Afghanistan, 6^th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. All three VC are located at the Australian War Memorial.