Page 190 - The Bugle 2018

Australian Army
Melbourne University Regiment, 65 Grattan St, Carlton, VIC, 3053
MY TIME WITH 2LI WAS A FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE FOR ME AS A YOUNG OFFICER AND I RECALL IT WITH GREAT FONDNESS
To the members and friends of The Rifles and affil- iated Regiments,
I would like to start by thanking the editor of The Bugle for his kind invitation to update you on the latest chapter in Melbourne University Regiment’s 138 year history (a long time, by Australian standards). I have a particular connection with The Rifles having served for a number of months as a Platoon Commander in C Coy, 2LI (as it then was) in 2001. My time with 2LI was a formative experience for me as a young officer and I recall it with great fondness.
In December last year I accepted handover of command from LTCOL Tom Nairn. I want to take this opportunity to thank LTCOL Nairn and his team for the excellent condition in which I inherited the Regiment. He has been an outstanding custodian of the Unit for the last three years and I wish him well for his future.
Whilst the Regiment’s role of training soldiers and officers for employment in the Army Reserve has not changed, the Regiment itself is in the middle of quite significant change.
Our first key change is MUR’s placement, from 15 January 2018, under command 8 Brigade (Training). 8 Brigade was formerly a ‘line Brigade’ of the 2nd Division, delivering collective capability from part-time soldiers and officers based in country New South Wales. The Division, which contains the vast majority
of the Australian Army’s part-time force, reorganised late in 2017. 8 Bde units were absorbed into other Bdes in the 2nd Division and 8 Brigade assumed command of all the University Regiments in Australia. 8 Bde was re-roled as the specialist individual training brigade of the 2nd Division, delivering all-corps and some specific-to-corps training for Army Reservists from initial soldier and officer training through to courses for Warrant Officers and Majors.
Our second key change is that we have estab- lished a Regional Induction Company (‘RIC’) – a company of instructors that accepts almost all local Army Reserve recruits, inducts them into Army and ensures that they attend recruit course and initial employment training before releasing them to their gaining units as employable soldiers around Victoria.
Our final significant change is that we have been entrusted to conduct the Army Reserve’s new Subject 1 for Warrant Officer Class course. For the past several years Army Reserve Sergeants seeking promotion to Warrant Officer Class Two had to attend the Regular Army course to be eligible for promotion. The length and structure of that course meant that few part-time Senior NCOs were able to attend around their civilian work commitments and there was a degradation in the strength of the Army Reserve Warrant Officer cohort.
The result of these changes is that the Regiment has increased in size from 180 all-ranks in January this year to 638 all ranks as at 1 July. We are struc- tured into a Regimental HQ and three sub-units: Monash Company (training our Officer Cadets), Training Company (instructors delivering a suite of courses to Army Reserve trainees from around Australia), and the RIC. The Regiment’s mission is to generate operationally-focused Army Reservists ready for initial employment in Forces Command in order to support Army’s force generation cycle.
MUR has an excellent reputation and a proud history. My challenge to all members of the unit this year is to not just to be a part of MUR’s legacy, but to own it.
My key initiatives this year are:
1. To support our integration into 8 Brigade and the
delivery of our directed training to Army Reserve
members from around Australia.
2. To restore our links with the community to
promote Army Reserve service and the profile of MUR, particularly with the families and employers of unit members, and Melbourne University and its colleges.
3. To reinvigorate the messes as a place of profes- sional and social interaction, and to promote the Regiment as the home of individual professional mastery for Army Reserve members in Victoria, regardless of rank.
The commitment, leadership and professionalism of the men and women of MUR are the foundations on which we will build on the Regiment’s legacy. I take great pride in having that team entrusted to me for the moment, and look forward to working with them and our affiliated Regiments during my tenure. Gerard O’Shea
Lieutenant Colonel, Commanding Officer
Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke
From one challenge to another
Historically, Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke always answered the call in major conflicts which marked Canadian history. Our participation in the two Great World Wars can attest to that.
In 2001, Canada engaged in OP APOLLO in Afghanistan. Many members of the regiment volun- teered to be part of it. Because of this, our regiment was awarded the Battle Honour “Afghanistan” that is now embroidered on our Colours. In fact, we are the first Primary Reserve Unit in Canada to have this new Battle Honour included on our Colours. It was shown in public for the first time at our 108th Regimental Anniversary in April 2018.
Again this year, our regiment will have to show its cohesion and its capacity to quickly react as we are given a brand new mission oriented task. In order to better support the Regular Forces, Primary Reserve Units are now asked to take on specialized tasks. From now on, Les Fusiliers de Sherbrooke will be responsible to provide a Direct Fire Support capacity, such as the heavy machine gun .50 cal and the automatic grenade launcher C-16 which were recently added to our arsenal. This is quite an undertaking!
In the near future, all units from the 2nd Canadian Division will have such new tasking and will be supported in this by a second unit, in our case, the Royal Montreal Regiment. Our CO, Lieutenant Colonel Alexandre Grégoire will command this new capability.
Droit au but
Major Jessy McNeil, Ops Officer
Sjt Jane Eagle receiving the Divisional Commendation
196 ALLIANCES
THE RIFLES