FORMER Army legal officer David McBride was jailed this week for the unlawful removal of highly classified documents and for releasing information contained therein. McBride’s supporters have compared him with the arch-narcissist Julian Assange, describing both as...
Afghanistan
Commentary: ‘Armchair moralists sipping lattes lecture us on how soldiers should behave’
From The Australian June 2, 2023 Readers have their say on the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation decision. Welcome to the column where you provide the content. Greg Sheridan weighed in on the Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case loss, suggesting it...
Re-action to the CDF’s Intention to Remove Medals From Afghanistan Veterans
See the joint Media Release from the Australian Special Air Service Association (ASASA), the Commando Association and the RSL National here In addition to this Media Release. the Chairman of the ASASA Martin Hamilton-Smith has written the following letter to all...
ABC NEWS: Australian Defence Force chief Angus Campbell renews calls to strip medals from Afghanistan war veterans
Defence Chief Angus Campbell has launched a fresh attempt to remove awards from some soldiers who held command positions in the Afghanistan war, following the damning findings of the Brereton inquiry. Key points: Veterans groups are furious at the latest attempt...
Media Release: Veterans Condemn CDF Proposal to Strip Soldiers of Distinguished Service Medals awarded in the Afghanistan War
Senior Veteran leaders (are calling on the federal government to reject outright the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) General Angus Campbell’s second attempt to strip awards for distinguished and conspicuous service on warlike operations from soldiers who served the...
Opinion: Responsibility for failure rests at the top
The obscene business which is war has many rules. Command responsibility, also now called the Yamashita Principle, is that obligation of all commanders to ensure their troops fight within those rules. Failure to do so is considered an omission mode of individual...
Opinion: The time for talk is over action is required
Irrespective of your views of Jacqui Lambie, if you have any concern whatsoever about the ability of the Australian Defence Force to protect Australia, then you should watch this five-minute delivery to the Senate. Although she is not the most accomplished...
VIDEO: Calls to stop stripping Afghanistan veterans of service medals over war crimes
Following his joint media release on the 2nd December Martin Hamilton-Smith, National President of the Australian SAS Regiment Association (ASASRA) was interviewed on ABC TV. In it he explains why Veteran associations want any penalties linked to the outcome of the...
Media Statement – ADSO Calls for Due Process and Presumption of Innocence
Yesterday the Australian Special Air Services Association, the Commando Association and the Returned and Services League of Australia issued a joint statement calling on the Federal Government to direct the CDF to respect the presumption of innocence for soldiers...
Have the ADF Chiefs lost the Plot?
The ROYAL AUSTRALIAN REGIMENT ASSOCIATION totally supports the comments made in yesterday's joint statement by the Australian Special Air Services Association (ASASA) National Chairman Hon Martin Hamilton-Smith and Commando (CDO) Association National Vice President...