SAS death in Afghanistan raises workload question
Alison McMeekin,
Daily Telegraph
July 03, 2012 4:14PM
UPDATE: Australia's 33rd soldier to die in Afghanistan will be remembered as a ''soldier's soldier'', but his death has raised questions about the operational tempo of the Special Air Services Regiment (SASR) in the conflict.
The 40-year-old soldier was killed after being shot in the chest by insurgents.
He was on his seventh tour of Afghanistan and had taken part in six different operations.
Australian Defence Association director Neil James said the elite SAS regiment had suffered a disproportionate number of casualties compared to the rest of the Defence Force, because there were no alternatives.
''One of the reasons people are having to do, in our opinion, too many tours, is there aren't enough of them and the reason there aren't enough of them is the defence budget is too small,'' Mr James told AAP.
The price of years of government under-investment was being paid by ''a very small part of the national family who are doing most of the country's war fighting'', he added.
Well at least the Labor Party and their Green Loon Peace pals are not actively supporting the Muslim Terrorists the way they supported the North Vietnamese Communists during the Vietnam war ANV.
Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, said it was ''probably unusual'' the trooper was on his seventh tour of duty, but he was confident Australian soldiers were not being asked to do too much.
''It's an issue we need to keep a sharp eye on,'' he said.
General Hurley, said the 40-year-old special forces soldier – who he described as “a soldier’s soldier” – was killed during an operation in the Chora Valley region of Oruzgan province yesterday morning, local Afghan time.
The experienced soldier was shot during an engagement with insurgents while on a mission with Afghan National Security Forces to target an insurgent commander.
General Hurley said the patrol’s advanced first aid officer provided immediate assistance and continued attempts to resuscitate him until he was evacuated to a medical facility in Tarin Kowt.
“Despite best attempts by all, attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful,” he said.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley and Minister for Defence Stephen Smith address the media after news of the 33rd Australian solider killed in Afghanistan. Picture: Brad Fleet
Source: Northern Territory News
The soldier’s family were told overnight of his death, and have asked that at this stage, his personal details not be released.
General Hurley said the soldier enlisted in the Army in 1990, and then joined the Perth-based Special Air Service Regiment – the SAS – in 1995.
“His colleagues describe him as a highly professional operator who earned great respect within the special operations community over many years of service,” he said.
“On behalf of the Army and the Defence community I extend my deepest sympathy to the soldier’s family, his comrades and his mates.
“I know that these words can not ease the overwhelming grief they feel today but I hope they can find comfort in the knowledge that this soldier served his country with pride and with distinction.”
It is Australia’s 33rd fatality in Afghanistan since 2001.
General Hurley said while “every combat death” was deeply felt by all members across Defence, “our men and women remain committed to our mission in Afghanistan”.
“This man was a soldier’s soldier and I know that the members of the special operations task group will ensure his service and sacrifice will not be forgotten,” he said.
Australian leaders have paid tribute to the 'extraordinary work' of the veteran SAS commando.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who was with General Hurley at Larrakeyah Barracks in Darwin to make the sad announcement, said the loss of another Australian soldier was “a dreadful blow for our nation”.
“And I know Australians today will stop, will pause, will reflect and will mark with respect the loss of this brave soldier and will honour his service and his sacrifice,” she said.
The PM said she understood “many” Australians would again question Australia’s mission in Afghanistan.
“To Australians, I want to say this: this is a tragic and incredibly difficult day,” she said.
“We are all absorbing tragic news. But this tragic incident is part of what we are doing in Afghanistan because that mission is so important to our Australian nation.
"We went there to make sure that Afghanistan would not continue to be a safe haven for terrorists. That continues to be our mission which has a defined purpose and a defined timeline so we will continue our mission in Afghanistan even as we grieve this loss.”
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