Gallant Under Fire

Medal of gallantry recipient WO2 Kevin Dolan, 1 Regt RAA, called in offensive support from Apaches and ASLAVs as he fought for his own life during a day of fierce contacts in Afghanistan.
As a joint terminal attack controller with MTF 1 in the Mirabad Valley, WO2 Dolan was on an eventful nine-hour patrol on July 2 2010, which encountered three IEDs and two ambushes, and during which two Australian soldiers were wounded.
The combined Australian and ANA patrol left Patrol Base Wali at 5.30am and started patrolling the Village of Sorkh Lez at 7.30am.
An IED exploded near the patrol five minutes later, which did not wound anyone. Once the immediate area was searched and cleared, the patrol resumed. WO2 Dolan had patrolled Sorkh Lez several times and said he was familiar with the area.
"It felt like the atmosphere was tense all day," he said. "We had struck the first IED, five minutes into the (village) - we weren't on edge, though we were more acutely aware of our surroundings and noticed there weren't any locals about."
The next IED detonated15 - 20m from WO2 Dolan, wounding two Australian soldiers in front of him while he was blown off his feet.
His citation states "WO2 Dolan, despite the threat of additional explosive devices, quickly moved to protect his wounded team members by engaging the enemy and, in so doing, prevented an insurgent ambush."
They secured the area and while an engineer searched for evidence, WO2 Dolan brought in a US Black Hawk to evacuate the wounded to the medical facilities at Tarin Kot before the patrol started to again return to base.
WO2 Dolan said the patrol had only moved about l00m before the third IED exploded 20m to his left. "I was caught in the open with two other soldiers," he said. "We again spotted insurgents who fired at us, so we engaged them with small-arms fire as they took cover behind a wall. "I called in the cavalry with their ASLAVs to fire 25mm at the lane, which temporarily silenced the insurgents. We attempted to break contact, only to be engaged again from the same area, so I called in the Dutch Apaches and directed them towards the lane, which they engaged with their 30mm."
This ambush lasted 45 minutes and during this time WO2 Dolan was controlling two sets of F-16s from the US and Belgium which were flying above the Apaches ready to attack in case the situation escalated. While providing effective fire to allow his team to extract themselves, he was also relaying information from an Australian Heron UAV.
His citation states "these actions, and his skilful coordination of offensive support from helicopters and vehicles, contributed significantly to the successful clearance of the village of Sorkh Lez, and allowed a combined Australian and Afghan company to sweep through the area without resistance."
W02 Dolan said being awarded the medal was a tremendous honour, but said he was in the category of people who didn't think they deserved it. "I don't see it as an individual effort as there were other soldiers working with me on that day,"
"I am immensely proud and humbled, though I have mixed emotions because it was only a few weeks earlier I was on the patrol where we lost Sprs Jacob Moerland and Darren Smith.
"I will be wearing the medal for all the guys that were there with me and the heroes who did not return." W02 Dolan transferred to the Australian Army in 2003 having served on operations in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and Sierra Leone with the British Commandos. Since joining the ADF, he has also served in Iraq. Article by LCpl Mark Doran - Army 23 Jun 2011

Breaking Out The Big Guns

The inaugural firing of the M777A2 155mm Lightweight Towed Howitzer on 1st April 2011 was a first for Australian Gunners. OC New Equipment Training Team (NETT) Major Pete Wiles said the M777A2 matched the firepower of current generation 155mm towed systems at about half the weight of the M198 it was designed to replace.
'The lightweight design allows the gun to be deployed by fixed or rotary wing aircraft,' Major Wiles said.
'The on-board GPS inertial navigation system and digitial fire-control system allow it to be brought into action more quickly than other towed howitzers.
'The digital transmission of fire orders and gun data can greatly reduce the possibility of human error.'
The firing was the culmination of the pilot M777A2 operator's course, conducted by the School of Artillery's Gunnery Trainng Team (GTT). The three-man team spent six weeks with the US Army training on the gun.
Warrant Officer Class Two Darrin Free said the US instructors were very experienced, each with more than 20 years in artillery. 'The instruction was thorough and was used as a base for us to develop drills required of an Australian detachment, deploying and using artillery the Australian way,' he said. GTT instructor Bombardier Matthew Nunn said 'As soon as we got back from the States we went straight into it, writing doctrine and converting US drills into Australian and thinking about how we were going to introduce the gun.'
'It's been hard work right up to the first course and it's rewarding to finally get through it and fire the gun.' Bombardier Nunn made history as the first qualified Australian artilleryman to fire the M777A2.
The decision to replace the current indirect fire support fleet was taken in 2005 and the M777A2 was identified as the solution in 2008.
Combined Arms Training Centre Commandant Colonel Sean Ryan said the Army had moved into the 21st century in terms of combat power.
He said a person on the forward edge of the battle could give data to the gun almost instantly, gaining the protection of indirect fire sooner.
Colonel Ryan said when combined with other state-of-the-art technology such as the Excalibur round and the computer based Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS), the M777A2 provided Australia with a capability that would lead into the future.
He said with the AFATDS 'capacity to link into Air Force and Navy systems, we've now truly got a joint-fires capability for the ADF.'
Some trainees from the first course on the gun will work with the GTT to develop and deliver training to instructors from the School of Artillery and other Regiments. Warrant Officer Class Two Free said the qualified soldiers would also help the GTT train other soldiers from 53 Battery and instruct initial employment courses within Joint Fires Wing.
'Overall we have achieved the aim of the course, but there is room for improvement,' he said.
'It's very early days for the gun so we're still learning as we go, getting better every day.'
Article & Photographs by Leading Seaman Paul Barry - Army 14 April 2011

Final Salvo

Gunners prepare to return home as Australia's commitment to Operation Herrick comes to an end. With only weeks remaining before Australian artillerymen end their attachment to British operations in Helmand province, the Gunners have continued to provide fire missions in support of coalition and Afghan forces.
The 15 gunners from 1st Regiment are attached to the British 7th Parachute, Royal Horse Artillery (7 Para RHA)and are currently operating from a new patrol base at Lashkar Gah Durai, in northern Helmand province.
Commanding Officer 7 Para RHA, Lieutenant Colonel Gary Wilkinson said intergration had been seamless and the Australian troops had been remarkably flexible and shown absolute adaptability to any mission.
'Personally it has ben an absolute pleasure to have the Australians here. I have worked with Australians on a previous Herrick operation and now for this final deployment,' he said.
It has been an effective example of multi-national integration on demanding operations.'
The Australian gunners of 105 'Tiger' Troop have lived and worked alongside their 7 Para RHA colleagues on remote patrol bases in Helmand for th epast five months.
While the security situation in the province has become increasingly more stable, duirng an early stage of their deployment, at a forward operating base in the province, the Australian and British position was attacked by insurgents with rocket propelled grenades and small arms.
The men were forced to defend their position by using the 105mm Hamel gun in a direct fire role, a rare action for artillery.
The Australian Detachment Commander, Captain Michael Cook, said th edeployment had been challenging but the growth of peace and stability had proven worthy of the commitment.
'The warm and friendly reaction of the Afghan civilians to us is a key indicator that our work here is making a diference and worthwhile,' Captain Cook said.
The Australian Gunners will make their way home to Australia next month after what has been a long but rewarding final mission on Operation Herrick.
The British 105mm Hamel light guns provide indirect fire support to troops on th eground many kilometres away.
Troops can call for offensive support to provide additional fire power when in contact with the enemy and often request illumination rounds to be fired to provide vision at night and to deter the enemy.
Article by Captain S. Vesey & Photographs by Sergeant N. Ruskin - Army 31st March 2011