Exercise Steele Tuff 2009
Sunday 13th September was the date set for 9 RQR's annual exercise "Steel Tuff the aim of which is to determine the best Section in 9 RQR.
Over the years our association has annually presented a Certificate and a Medallion which features the badges of both 9 RQR and PNGVR to the winners.
The CO of 9 RQR is very keen on this annual presentation as it gives the Battalion a chance to test its soldiers in basic military skills and enables it to determine just what stage of proficiency the Battalion has reached.
The competition commences on Friday night with, normally, a tactical move through the bush to take up a defensive position and set up a patrol base for the next day. On the Saturday various patrol exercises, contact and ambush drills are carried out culminating in a tactical withdrawal from the defensive position. Then a number of tasks are set which require Section co-operation as well as a great degree of ingenuity. This is followed by a written test of each soldiers military knowledge and some classics come out of this - see the General Military Knowledge Test below.
The culminating exercise is a Section movement over the Obstacle course. It is good to see that the Army now recognises the name Obstacle course - for many years it was called the Confidence course, and believe me, nothing on the course raises confidence at all, if anything it puts your confidence somewhere around the sole of your boot. Many of the obstacles on this course cannot be overcome by individual soldiers -they need the Section to work as one. At all times various staff move around the Sections awarding points, and when all the points are tallied, the winning Section can be determined. On Sunday afternoon the whole Battalion gathers and the winning Section is announced and presented with their Certificates and Medallions by members of our Association.
This year the winning Section came from C Coy, Loganlea and comprised. Cpl Morris, L/Cpl Wintzloff, Ptes ,Boyle, Burnett, Caldwell, Day, Markovich and Williams
Over the years our association has annually presented a Certificate and a Medallion which features the badges of both 9 RQR and PNGVR to the winners.
The CO of 9 RQR is very keen on this annual presentation as it gives the Battalion a chance to test its soldiers in basic military skills and enables it to determine just what stage of proficiency the Battalion has reached.
The competition commences on Friday night with, normally, a tactical move through the bush to take up a defensive position and set up a patrol base for the next day. On the Saturday various patrol exercises, contact and ambush drills are carried out culminating in a tactical withdrawal from the defensive position. Then a number of tasks are set which require Section co-operation as well as a great degree of ingenuity. This is followed by a written test of each soldiers military knowledge and some classics come out of this - see the General Military Knowledge Test below.
The culminating exercise is a Section movement over the Obstacle course. It is good to see that the Army now recognises the name Obstacle course - for many years it was called the Confidence course, and believe me, nothing on the course raises confidence at all, if anything it puts your confidence somewhere around the sole of your boot. Many of the obstacles on this course cannot be overcome by individual soldiers -they need the Section to work as one. At all times various staff move around the Sections awarding points, and when all the points are tallied, the winning Section can be determined. On Sunday afternoon the whole Battalion gathers and the winning Section is announced and presented with their Certificates and Medallions by members of our Association.
This year the winning Section came from C Coy, Loganlea and comprised. Cpl Morris, L/Cpl Wintzloff, Ptes ,Boyle, Burnett, Caldwell, Day, Markovich and Williams
General Military Knowledge Test.
Q. What is the weight of the MAG 58 unloaded? A. Heavy
Q. What are the methods to judging distance? A. Knowing & guessing
Q. The 9th Battalion has many battle honours. Name at least five. A. One of you summed it up by writing "I'm in so much trouble."
Q. Who is the current RSM Army? A. 92% of the battalion thinks it should be our RSM WO1 Darcy .
Q. Regimental motto "Pro Aris-Et Focis" means in English? A. Toughest Battalion in Queensland.
There are two types of patrols. What are they? A. Standing & moving. Long & short. Passive & aggressive.
Q. What is the weight of the MAG 58 unloaded? A. Heavy
Q. What are the methods to judging distance? A. Knowing & guessing
Q. The 9th Battalion has many battle honours. Name at least five. A. One of you summed it up by writing "I'm in so much trouble."
Q. Who is the current RSM Army? A. 92% of the battalion thinks it should be our RSM WO1 Darcy .
Q. Regimental motto "Pro Aris-Et Focis" means in English? A. Toughest Battalion in Queensland.
There are two types of patrols. What are they? A. Standing & moving. Long & short. Passive & aggressive.
Paul Brown, John Holland, Bob Collins, Colin Gould, Mike Griffin and Phil Ainsworth with the winning section
The start of the overhead roping stand on the Obstacle Course.
Many of the obstacles can only be overcome by teamwork.
A soldier emerges from the water tunnel.
Association members need a break just from watching the Sections go over the Obstacle Course.
Phil Ainsworth L. Bob Collins R.
Phil Ainsworth L. Bob Collins R.
Summing up after the weekend's competition.
CO 9RQR presenting the award of Best Soldier 9RQR at the Steele Tuff Ceremony.
