The Cove Audio Articles

This article offers advice for how Defence Force members should use their Reduced Tempo Period. Throughout the training year, many Defence Force members do not have a chance to achieve a true ‘work/life balance’ due to their commitment to duty. This does not only take a toll on their mental and physical health, but it also affects the family and friend support network. Whether you are a digger tha...

This article looks at the changes the author has seen from when they first enlisted into the Army Reserve in 1993, to now. My reason for joining the Reserves was twofold: the first was that I had an interest in being a soldier after being in the Army Cadets and reading about military history; the second was that I had travelled overseas for two and half years and had seen poverty, instability and...

This is the 1st place entry in the soldier category of Cove Comp '24, which asked entrants ‘How does Army need to adapt to the changing character of war?’ The 2023 Defence Strategic Review warned that Australia is experiencing its most challenging circumstances in decades with contests taking place across diplomatic, economic, military, and strategic levels. Traditional kinetic warfare is increasi...

Continuing on from a previous article, this article furthers the discussion on the concept of ‘likership’ and continues the debate on its definition and value as a characteristic of good leaders and followers. It furthers the discussion by looking at the interaction between followership, likership, and leadership.

This article discusses the importance of utilising simplicity in planning and execution to increase chances of success. Occam’s Razor is a philosophic principle that seeks to reduce complexity by selecting models and theories with the fewest assumptions, or complications. It is named for the 14th century English theologian William of Ockham. Occam’s Razor is an antithesis to complexity. A remedy f...

This article argues for a renewed focus on sport and competition to promote faster recovery, improved retention, and a better organisational culture. The Australian Defence Force’s ongoing challenge of retention has been well commentated and documented. In 2021, the Australian Army saw 11.9% of its force separate, with almost a third of those separations being involuntary – including medical disch...

This article provides one soldier’s experience undertaking both Australian and New Zealand Army Reserve training. Choco – “Chocolate Soldier”. An Australian Army Reservist. That full time soldiers hate but want to be, since they get to choose what military activities they are “available” to attend. TF Baggie – “Ball bag”. A New Zealand Part-time (Territorial force, TF) soldier holding the rank of...

This article explores the history of the first imperial decoration for gallantry, the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), and the stories of a number of recipients of the medal, including my great grandfather who was awarded the DCM for his actions at Gallipoli.

This article provides a book review of The Resilience Myth, which challenges prevailing ideas about resilience that rely too much on individual effort and unbridled optimism rather than mutual interdependence.

This article advances the importance of military personnel forming real friendships to improve resilience to what may come, including the changing character of war.

This article provides a book review of 'The Ethics of Special Operations' in which the authors explore ethics across four primary missions: raids, recoveries, reconnaissance, and rebels.

A book review of ‘Jus Post Bellum: Restraint, Stabilisation and Peace’ which unpacks some failures of achieving lasting peace in conflicts since the end of the cold war and the ethics and utility of restraint, reconciliation and all that can foster justice in the aftermath of war.

This article suggests using Google’s 70/20/10 innovation model as an inspiration for adopting systems within Army to increase innovation. Australian soldiers have consistently demonstrated resourcefulness and ingenuity since the formation of our service. There is even an entire book dedicated to Australian innovation in wartime. The opening quote, drawn from the previous Chief of Army’s concept of...

The second in a two-part series exploring air defence during the Falklands War and its lessons for modern conflict. The complexities of operating in an adverse air situation, where air superiority was hardly ever achieved, and where the enemy had a considerable amount of freedom to operate, were quickly learnt but at considerable cost to the Task Force during the Falklands War.

This is the first in a two-part series exploring air defence during the Falklands War and its lessons for modern conflict. The Falklands War, fought between United Kingdom (UK) and Argentina over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, offers contemporary examples of multi-domain operations and Anti-Access/Area-Denial (A2/AD) warfare. Despite being fought 40 years ago, the lessons learned are app...

This article explores the increasingly integrated role that chaplains undertake in the Joint Force and how it could be enhanced by 2045, by Darren Cronshaw

This is a review of the ADF Gender, Peace and Security Awareness Course, by Darren Cronshaw

Two book reviews of 'Endure' and 'The Comeback Quotient', two sports psychology books focusing on how the mental can be harnessed to push physical boundaries, by Darren Cronshaw

The second Cove book review on 'Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging' by Sebastian Junger is written by Darren Cronshaw, by Darren Cronshaw

A book review of ‘The Witness of Religion in an Age of Fear’, which provides a sociological and theological analysis of and solutions for the fears that drive much of the modern world, by Darren Cronshaw

A book review of 'Positive Psychology at the Movies: Using Films to Build Character Strengths and Well-Being', by Darren Cronshaw

'No Visible Bruises' by Rachel Louise Snyder gives readers the opportunity to listen to the voices of victims, perpetrators and responders of domestic violence, by Darren Cronshaw

A book review of Mapping Security in the Pacific: A Focus on Context, Gender and Organisational Culture which discusses (in)security issues including climate change, natural disasters, and gender-based violence in several Pacific island countries, by Darren Cronshaw

This article discusses advancements and experiments in transforming values in Army trainees, by Darren Cronshaw

A book review of Ralph Honner: Kokoda Hero by Peter Brune that celebrates the life and battles of a World War II hero from Tobruk and Crete to Isurava and Buna-Gona, by Darren Cronshaw