[Australia]: Operation Victorian Fires Assist

[Owen]

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OPERATION VICTORIAN FIRES ASSIST (JOINT TASK FORCE 662)​

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Objective:	The Australian Defence Force contribution to the relief effort following the Black Saturday bushfires.
Date:	8 February 2009 - Present
Location:	Victoria, Australia
Status:	Ongoing
Headquarters:	Tobruk Barracks, Puckapunyal Military Area

COMMANDERS AND LEADERS​

Julia Gillard (Prime Minister) Jacinta Allan (Premier of Victoria) John Faulkner (Minister for Defence) Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston (Chief of the Defence Force) Vice Admiral David Johnston (Chief of Joint Operations) Lieutenant General Natasha Fox (Chief of Joint Capabilities) Lieutenant General David Morrison (Chief of Army) Brigadier Michelle Campbell (Commander, 4th Brigade and Commander of Joint Task Force 662)

FORCES​

Australian Army: Forces Command: 1st (Australian) Division: 6th Combat Support Brigade: 22nd Construction Regiment: 104th Construction Squadron (75x Regular Personnel, 10x RMMV HX77s) 105th Construction Squadron (75x Regular Personnel, 10x RMMV HX77s) 106th Construction Squadron (75x Regular Personnel, 10x RMMV HX77s) 107th Plant Squadron (Heavy) (25x Regular Personnel) 2nd (Australian) Division: 4th Brigade: 4th Combat Service Support Battalion: 4th Transport Squadron (50x Reserve Personnel, 10x RMMV HX81s) 4th Field Workshop (50x Reserve Personnel, 15x RMMV HX77s) 4th Supply Company (50x Reserve Personnel, 15x RMMV HX77s) 38th/59th Battalion, Royal Victoria Regiment (Northern Victorian Regiment): B Company (The Bendigo Company) (250x Reserve Personnel, 20x Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon 4x4s) D Company (The Kyneton Company) (250x Reserve Personnel, 20x Mercedes-Benz G-Wagon 4x4s) Army Aviation Command: 16th Aviation Brigade: 171st Special Operations Aviation Squadron (100x Regular Personnel, 10x Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks) Training Command: Land Combat College: Combined Arms Training Centre School of Infantry (150x Regular Personnel) (accommodation and catering support at Puckapunyal)

 

[Owen]

The vast majority of the units assigned to Operation Vic Fires Assist were based in Victoria, with the exception of the 171st Special Operations Aviation Squadron, which was based at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney. The helicopters and their crew would fly down from Sydney to RAAF Base Williams - Point Cook, where they would be based for the remainder of the operation flying reconnaissance missions and providing vital transport.

The remainder of the assets, based in Victoria, would travel to the Puckapunyal Military Area, which was a training establishment near Seymour, close to where the Kilmore East fire started, and home of the School of Infantry, School of Armour and School of Artillery. The accommodation and other facilities at Puckapunyal would be used to house the regular and reservist army personnel who would come from Melbourne, Bendigo and Kyneton. They would drive convoys of vehicles, predominantly trucks and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagons to Puckapunyal. Brigadier Michelle Campbell, 4th Brigade Commander, would be in charge of the operation and would headquarter herself at the Tobruk Barracks at Puckapunyal.

Trucks arriving at Puckapunyal​