No. 2 Security Forces Squadron (2SECFOR) conducted training on Exercise Morotai 19 at Wide Bay Training Area between 4-22 March to test and hone their core skills.
Security Flight operated in an urban training environment, conducting building searches with armed teams and Military Working Dogs, Defensive Operations setup tactical positions in the bush to guard against threats, and Mobility and Communications Section ranged between the locations providing support and conducting drills.
2SECFOR Executive Officer and Director of Practice for Exercise Morotai 19, Squadron Leader (SQNLDR) Adrian Rodgers, said the exercise is a collective training environment where our Security Flight, Rifle Flights, specialist flights and our enablers such as logistics, personnel specialists and Explosive Detector Dogs conduct individual small team and collective training.
“We’re using this as an opportunity to conduct interoperability across all those musterings and specialisations under the coordination and control of a command post,” he said.
“As part of our quality training management framework, we identify fixes and improves, so what we’re doing here is working on fixes and improves from Exercise Pitch Black 18 and conducting further reviews.
“This has been our key aim for the Defensive Operations (Rifle Flights), and we’re also aiming at exposing and reinvigorating training for our Security Flight, especially the Military Working Dog Handlers.”
Exercise Morotai encountered two unique challenges from unseasonal weather; storms and heat.
“One of the challenges has been an unexpected heatwave and we’ve had to adapt our training because of fire danger ratings,” SQNLDR Rodgers said.
“We’ve also had to incorporate work-rest cycles for our personnel, including the Dogs.”
Flying Officer Cameron Maher, No. 2 Rifle Commander, said there’s been a tremendous improvement for all participants, in particular the ones off basic course, and I think going forward Exercise Morotai will be very beneficial.
“Our squadron is currently online, so this is developing a baseline for later on in the year when we move towards the urban operations space for a Quick Reaction Force within the base itself,” he said.
“All this is to make sure we’re able to employ the guys within their core capacity, and build the skills that apply here and of course into different environments as well.
“They’ve all had a great time, and apart from a few low moments due to rain, morale has been very high.”
Flight Lieutenant Jacinta Draper, Officer In Charge of Security Flight for Exercise Morotai, said everyone from Security was having a great time and learning a lot from the urban training.
“The best part of this is being able to create something that our people are learning and enjoying at the same time,” she said.
“We’re giving them ideas on how they can conduct operations in the field, and we’re watching them succeed, which is fantastic.”
Exercise Morotai 19 is forerunner for a live fire exercise to be conducted by 2SECFOR in May 2019.
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