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| Selection is from serving Australian military personnel and involves a gruelling 3 week selection course which assesses both individual attributes and the ability to work effectively in a small team. This is followed up to 18 months of further courses before the candidate joins a squadron as a junior ] or ] commander (]). Officers only complete the necessary courses to qualify them. In general, they do not get the opportunity to complete all the specialist courses required of the ]. | Selection is from serving Australian military personnel and involves a gruelling 3 week selection course which assesses both individual attributes and the ability to work effectively in a small team. This is followed up to 18 months of further courses before the candidate joins a squadron as a junior ] or ] commander (]). Officers only complete the necessary courses to qualify them. In general, they do not get the opportunity to complete all the specialist courses required of the ]. | ||
| A new troop commander is carefully mentored by his troop ] and patrol commanders. Generally, a troop commander will only serve in the unit for two or three years but may come back as a ] if he has performed well. Soldiers may serve in the Regiment for their entire career, but this will usually include one or more two year external postings to instructional positions on the east coast. On average, of the over 300 men who commence each selection course, only six will make it to the end of 18 months of reinforcement courses. |
A new troop commander is carefully mentored by his troop ] and patrol commanders. Generally, a troop commander will only serve in the unit for two or three years but may come back as a ] if he has performed well. Soldiers may serve in the Regiment for their entire career, but this will usually include one or more two year external postings to instructional positions on the east coast. On average, of the over 300 men who commence each selection course, only six will make it to the end of 18 months of reinforcement courses. It is not uncommon for people to die during the course. | ||
| Throughout his career, an SAS soldier is under constant assessment. Promotion for soldiers is quite slow in the unit. On receiving their coveted SAS sandy beret, all soldiers are given the rank of Trooper, which may involve a reduction from their previous rank. They usually also change ] if they are not already members of the Infantry Corps. | Throughout his career, an SAS soldier is under constant assessment. Promotion for soldiers is quite slow in the unit. On receiving their coveted SAS sandy beret, all soldiers are given the rank of Trooper, which may involve a reduction from their previous rank. They usually also change ] if they are not already members of the Infantry Corps. | ||
Revision as of 11:01, 1 November 2005
The Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) is a special forces regiment modelled on the original British SAS and also drawing on the traditions of the Australian World War II 'Z' Special Force commando unit. It is based at Campbell Barracks, Swanbourne, Perth, Western Australia and is a unit of the Royal Australian Corps of Infantry, part of the Australian Defence Force.
The regimental motto is Who Dares Wins.
Uniform and equipment
The uniform of the regiment is Australian issue camouflage and a sand-coloured beret with metal gold and silver winged dagger badge on a black shield. This differs from the British 22 SAS, who have a woven cap badge of the same design. SAS 'Ibis' style parachute wings (rounded at the bottom and straight on top) are worn on the right shoulder only on formal ceremonial dress. On operations, dress can be a mixture of the Australian green or desert camouflage pattern depending on the enviroment. Rank, qualification and name badges are not worn. Operators may also wear assorted coalition military dress.
Around barracks, SAS soldiers conform to normal Australian army dress standards, although some latitude is given in the wide array of boots that are issued to the unit. When attending courses run by the general army, operators from SASR are careful to dress appropriately and correctly, including short haircuts.
Formal ceremonial dress is the normal Australian Army 'polys' with medals, rank and qualification badges worn. Gold 'SAS' bars are worn on shoulder tabs and SAS 'Ibis' style parachute wings are worn on the right sleeve.
Marching, saluting and drill is not generally carried out by SAS soldiers whilst at their Perth barracks.
In Iraq and Afghanistan, Australian SAS operators were distinguished by their long hair and beards. Generally, shaving is not carried out whilst on patrol.
Basic patrol weapons are the M4 Carbine with M203 40mm grenade launcher and F89 Minimi light machine gun. A popular patrol weapon is the 7.62mm SR-25 rifle. The main pistol used is the Heckler & Koch 9mm USP. Many other weapon systems are used as the mission dictates. Up to a third of SASR operators are qualified snipers. Operators are multi-skilled and all are parachute-qualified, but they specialize in either Air, Water or Vehicle-mounted insertion methods.
The Regiment is organised into three 'sabre' squadrons, each of up to 80 'beret qualified' operators, and a signal squadron (152 Signal squadron), logistic support squadron, and Operational Support Squadron, which conducts the selection and training courses. Only a small percentage of the Regiment are ' beret qualified' operators. The majority of the regiment personnel are highly trained specialist staff who are posted to the unit to provide support for all operations. These include signallers, mechanics and technicians, medical staff, storemen, and various specialists.
'Beret qualified' SAS members are known as 'Operators' and support staff are affectionately known as 'Blackhats', due to the dark blue berets they wear. Infantry soldiers who are posted to the unit as storemen, drivers, clerks etc wear the dark 'rifle' green Infantry Corps beret.
There are also a number of support personal who are qualified to wear the sandy beret but have chosen or been directed to remain serving in their particular specialist field. There are also beret qualified members who have been injured and subsequently moved into a support related area.
Personnel from 152 Signal Sqadron are encouraged to attempt selection, but as a rule, if successful they remain in the signal squadron and do not transfer into a 'Sabre' squadron. However, in being 'Beret' qualified, they receive a significant pay rise and increased posting longevity to SASR. Members of 152 Signal Squadron are affectionately known as 'Chooks'.
Selection and training
Selection is from serving Australian military personnel and involves a gruelling 3 week selection course which assesses both individual attributes and the ability to work effectively in a small team. This is followed up to 18 months of further courses before the candidate joins a squadron as a junior trooper or troop commander (Captain). Officers only complete the necessary courses to qualify them. In general, they do not get the opportunity to complete all the specialist courses required of the ORs.
A new troop commander is carefully mentored by his troop sergeant and patrol commanders. Generally, a troop commander will only serve in the unit for two or three years but may come back as a Major if he has performed well. Soldiers may serve in the Regiment for their entire career, but this will usually include one or more two year external postings to instructional positions on the east coast. On average, of the over 300 men who commence each selection course, only six will make it to the end of 18 months of reinforcement courses. It is not uncommon for people to die during the course.
Throughout his career, an SAS soldier is under constant assessment. Promotion for soldiers is quite slow in the unit. On receiving their coveted SAS sandy beret, all soldiers are given the rank of Trooper, which may involve a reduction from their previous rank. They usually also change corps if they are not already members of the Infantry Corps.
Promotion up through the ranks is very slow and often SAS soldiers will find themselves wearing a much lower rank than their peers in their former unit. Officers are not reduced in rank when posted to the unit. Despite a reduction in rank, SAS soldiers receive significant allowances, which make them among the highest paid soldiers in the Australian Defence Force.
Since their beginnings in 1954, the Australian SAS has lost more men in training than on combat operations, due to the nature of their training regime.
Organisation
Australian Special Air Service Regiment
- Training Squadron
- Base Squadron
- 152 Signal Squadron
- 3 Sabre Squadrons -each of which contains 4 troops
- Headquarters
- Airborne
- Amphibious
- Vehicle Mounted
Operations
SASR has served in numerous major overseas operations since its formation, including Borneo, Vietnam, Somalia, Rwanda, Cambodia, East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The details of SAS involvement in all operations are generally secret. However, it is known that they operate in small groups, mostly performing surveillance and calling in air strikes. In Afghanistan, Australian SAS allegedly discovered Osama Bin Laden and called in US air support, but US fire missed their target. There are some reports that the SAS may have been in Iraq before the coalition officially declared that the invasion would go ahead . It is confirmed that the Australian SAS captured the large Al Asad airbase in the Western Desert of Iraq.
On 13 July 2005, Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced that a squadron of SAS soldiers and support units would be re-deployed to Afghanistan to assist in the War on Terror. During their previous deployment in Afghanistan, Australian SAS troops came to be held in very high regard by other coalition partners, and subsequently, were directly sought after by the United States to take part in the 2003 war in Iraq. The SAS's actions in Afghanistan and Iraq led President George W. Bush to describe them as being amongst the best soldiers in the world.