The Cove Podcast

This short podcast series features members from the 7th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment who highlight lessons learned during the Battalion’s ‘ready’ year and their deployment in the Middle East region. In this first podcast we meet Lieutenant John Pandoulis, who deployed to Afghanistan from June 2016 to February 2017 as a Force Protection Platoon Commander as part of Operation HIGHROAD.

In this final episode of Experiences on the Ground we again hear from Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scott. In this episode he reflects on his time as the Commanding Officer at the Academy.

In this eight episode we again hear from Warrant Officer Jorja Jones. Here she shares her thoughts on  ‘recruiting soldiers from challenging backgrounds’. Jorja wrote a paper on this topic and a copy of this is available in the 2017 WONCO-A papers.

In this next episode we hear from Warrant Officer Jason Rubie who is also a student on the Regimental Sergeant Major Course.

In this episode we hear the thoughts of Warrant Officer Carl Hemburg, a student on the Regimental Sergeant Major Course.

In the fifth episode we again hear from Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scott. In this episode he explains what to expect from a posting as an instructor at WONCO-A.

In this fourth episode we hear from Warrant Officer Jorja Jones who is an instructor on the Subject One for Corporal Course.

In this third podcast we meet Warrant Officer Matthew Dickson who is the Senior Instructor (SI) of the Warrant Officer Training Team; the Team responsible for delivering training to the Subject One for Warrant Officer and Regimental Sergeant Major courses.

In this first podcast we meet the 2017 WONCO-A Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scott and Regimental Sergeant Major Warrant Officer Andrew Stuart, who tell us about the Academy and the courses conducted there.

In this first podcast of a 9 part series we meet the 2017 WONCO-A Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scott and Regimental Sergeant Major Warrant Officer Andrew Stuart, who tell us about the Academy and the courses conducted there.

In this episode, Lieutenant Colonel Doug Pashley Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment discusses: How the Australian Army is using its amphibious capability to contribute to contemporary operations; what opportunities does an amphibious capability offer commanders; lessons learned about conducting amphibious operations on Exercise Talisman Sabre and other unit experien...

In this episode, Warrant Officer Class One Trent Morris Regimental Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment discusses: How 2 RAR’s structure supports amphibious operations; the development of the pre-landing force; unique challenges with the unit’s composition; the importance of robust Standing Operating Procedures, challenges of working in the Joint space, balancing multiple...

In this episode, Captain Samuel McKenzie from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment discusses: the definition of amphibious capability; what we need to know about amphibious operation; the littoral environment; how the relationship works between the Commander Amphibious Task Force (CATF – Navy) and the Commander Landing Force (CLF – Army) and Australia’s amphibious platforms.

ADF on operations - In this final episode, Colonel Richard Vagg looks back on what has been achieved as the men and women of Task Group Taji IV complete their mission and prepare to return home.

ADF on operations - In episode fifteen, members of the Task Group reflect on their deployment experiences as they prepare to return to  Australia. 

ADF on operations - In episode fourteen, we visit the Anzac hospital at the Taji Military Complex to meet some of the medical specialists from the full-time Army and the Army Reserve delivering healthcare to the Task Group.

ADF on operations - In episode thirteen, we meet Major Brian Hickey, the Officer Commanding Task Group Taji IV’s ‘Advise and Assist’ unit. His team is on a mission to support Northern Baghdad Operations Command to prevent terrorist attacks and secure northern approaches to Baghdad.

ADF on operations - In episode twelve, we meet Sergeant Peter Papalia who is delivering training to Iraqi Security Forces at the Taji Military Complex just north of Baghdad.

ADF on operations - In episode eleven, we meet Captain Isabelle Cowley who tells us about the training delivered to Iraqi police at the Taji Military Complex just north of Baghdad.

Task Group Taji is a combined force of Australian and New Zealand Defence Force personnel that first deployed to Iraq in May 2015 at the request of the Iraqi Government.  In series two, we follow the members of Task Group Taji IV as they complete their six-month deployment in Iraq. In episode ten, we meet Craftsman Adrianna Rogers who tells us about her job as a heavy diesel mechanic in support of...

ADF on operations - In episode nine, we meet a NZ Army soldier who provides force protection for the Task Group and has built a garden at Taji. He also talks about his Anzac heritage.

ADF on operations - In episode eight, we hear the story of two former school friends – one Australian and one New Zealander – who were unexpectedly reunited on deployment with Task Group Taji IV.

ADF on operations - In episode seven, Corporal Levi Stripp tells us about the medical training delivered to Iraqi Security Forces as part of the mission.

ADF on operations - In episode six, Colonel Richard Vagg explains how the mission is progressing as the Task Group reaches the halfway point of its deployment.

ADF on operations - In episode five, we meet Lance Corporal Dylan Hart who has set himself the challenge of learning five new Arabic words each day as part of his mission to train Iraqi Security Forces.