Tully based training facility to become a major player in the future training of Australian troops

AUSTRALIAN soldiers will hone their jungle fighting skills in Tully as part of the Australian Army’s 10-year strategy, Plan Beersheba. 
 
Commander of the 1st Division and former Townsville brigadier, Major General Stuart Smith, said Tully would become a major player in the training of Australian troops.

Maj Gen Smith visited staff at the Jungle Training Wing at Tully last week to provide an update on future plans concerning the site.

“As part of the ready phase the army will step through ... they’ll seek to rotate combat team-size groups, 120 soldiers at a time, through here to keep them up-to-date and ready to deploy within the region,’’ Maj Gen Smith said.

“So what we’ll see is that it’s being used by a wider part of the army, so it won’t just be here to support 3rd ­Brigade but all brigades to achieve readiness.’’

Maj Gen Smith said the Tully- based jungle training facility was one of a kind in Australia but, due to it’s location, had not been fully used by all of Australia’s Multi-role Combat Brigades which comprise of Townsville’s 3rd Brigade, Darwin’s 1st Brigade and 7th Brigade based in Brisbane.

“They have the opportunity in their areas to do close country training but to get rainforest – a proper, thick jungle training area – this is where they can get it,’’ he said.

“This is one of the units we use to get other units ready for specified contingency operations and we’ll rotate forces through here to keep them ready for the likely conditions in the ­region.’’

Jungle Training Wing Officer in Command, Major David Seers, said the centre had already undergone a $400,000 refurbishment in recent months which included upgrading kitchen facilities, repainting staff facilities and resealing of roads.

Staffing has also been increased by 30 per cent over the past 12 months to facilitate the increase of training to be conducted across the 32,000ha site.

Defence is also currently investigating the construction of more defence housing in Tully, with the majority of staff currently residing at Mission Beach or at the training wing.

Maj Seers said the Jungle Training Wing was one of the busiest units in the army, with not only Australian troops using the facility but also soldiers from defence partners Indonesia, East Timor, the US and Britain.
Maj Gen Smith said while the facility’s primary focus was on Australian troops, he was eager to attract more international visitors to the wing.

Sumber : Town