AUSTRALIAN Defence Force (ADF) trainees from the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (ASEME) in Albury spent seven days on a live fire range activity to test their tolerance to adversity at the Puckapunyal Army base late last month

The Puckapunyal Army base is no back yard game of Capture the Flag; at over 40,000 hectares its base is also home to key training institutions like the School of Armour and the School of Artillery.

Major Dominic Buchan said the fight exercise scenario refreshes skills and builds basic maintenance in defensive and offensive combat.

“These soldiers deployed straight onto this range by strategic lift,” he said

“Which happened to be a bus, but it could have been a plane. They haven’t seen any infrastructure; they could be in another country for all they know. That’s the realism in training. It’s bonding under adversity.”

The platoons were issued kits containing only the barest of essentials— a change of uniform, six litres of water, bedding, personal items and rations.

On top of the kit, the soldiers were issued with a weapon, ammunition belts and radio’s and next they tested the firing capacity of their armoury.

Lieutenant Tahlia Balliet was Platoon Commander said she followed in the footsteps of her male role models and enlisted five years ago.

“I’m also a platoon commander back at the Albury trade school as well,” she said.

“The soldiers learn different trades, mine are Electrical and Mechanical Engineering.

“A normal day [for me] involves administration and welfare of the soldiers [28 per platoon]. If they need anything fixed or if they have anything going on mentally or physically, we help them deal with that.

“There’s physical training (PT) three times a week at 6.55am, there’s room inspections, dress inspections, and sport.”

Next in the chain of command is Sergeant Daniel Saniksi whose experience with the Army is also positive.

“I’m a chief mechanic for Team Army as well,” he said.

“Lieutenant Tahlia Balliet and the Section Commanders work together, she comes up with a plan, its disseminated down from the Operational Commanders. She gives the plan to the Section Commanders, and they coordinate the section to carry out the task.

“My role out here is to make sure they have everything they need.”

Saniksi has not yet been in a real-life war scenario, but he was deployed to Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu for critical support rescues following disastrous cyclone events.

Privates Shakira Maney and Cody O’Connor trades are in mechanics and electronics.

After marching in formation for 34km the fight exercise included following instructions to dig bunkers and shell scrapers, they also built a dummy shelter site to misdirect their enemies who were using drone technology.

Private Maney said she joined the ADF to serve her country.

“But I also wanted to challenge myself,” she said.

“Having an apprenticeship out of it and doing something bigger than yourself really caught my eye.”

The privates said they easily navigated their ADF applications on line.

“Balancing our soldier skills and the trade can be hard,” said Private O’Connor.

“I recommend it…defence has really set me up. I’m close to buying my first home.”

The soldiers were on alert the entire time the Review was on base, and the mood changed when gunshots were heard, and soon after a crackle on the radio announced an enemy capture.

The soldiers hilltop position presented an advantage of seeing a platoon approach. “We found them, they’ve found us…a bit of both,” Lieutenant Tahlia Balliet said.

“It is exhilarating! People are yelling; go left, go right, forward!

“And you’ve got all the weapons firing too. I’ve never been in a real situation, but it certainly gets your heart rate up.”

Protocol required the soldiers to work through the process of searches to collect intelligence.

We have it from a reliable source that the exercise will be repeated in March and that at least six red belly black snakes were identified.