Army officers' nude shame
By LUKE McILVEEN
December 01, 2005
NAKED army officers posed for photographs wearing head dress and brandishing firearms in the latest shameful episode to rock the defence forces.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the tasteless prank - which included male officers from Randwick Army Barracks - is now the subject of an Defence Department investigation.
The episode occurred during a joint training exercise between Australian and US troops in July.
The huge joint exercise, dubbed Talisman Sabre, was a mock training run between the Australian armed forces and their US allies.
But for a group of soldiers seconded to the Shoalwater Military Base near Rockhampton, it became an opportunity to ridicule Arab men in front of the cameras.
It was not clear whether the soldiers were poking fun at Iraq, where Australian troops are working to re-build the country.
Shocked staff at the Parramatta RSL Club discovered copies of the photographs on a table following an army function two weeks ago.
It is believed the photos were shown on the night as entertainment for the soldiers' comrades.
RSL bosses were appalled by the pictures, which depicted officers wearing head dress associated with men in Middle Eastern countries.
The case is similar to the Ku Klux Klan scandal revealed in November last year when soldiers at Townsville's Lavarack Barracks wore KKK-style hoods to intimidate black comrades.
After the KKK case, former defence chief Peter Cosgrove ordered a full review of anti-discrimination guidelines in the armed forces.
The latest incident could force the Defence Department to take more decisive action.
In a statement released to The Daily Telegraph last night, Defence confirmed it was investigating the case at the highest level.
"Army is investigating the matter," the statement said.
"Unacceptable behaviour is not tolerated in the army. It goes against the values and ethos of the Army and is an insult to soldiers past and present who represent Australia's cultural diversity."
The latest incident involving soldiers at Randwick barracks comes as the army investigates claims of sexual harassment at the base.
Defence is investigating claims soldiers made explicit remarks to female reservists at the barracks.
Operation Talisman Sabre, held in June, saw 17,000 Australian and US troops combine in one of the largest training exercises held between the two countries.
The contingent included army, navy, air force, marine and special forces units from both countries.
They travelled to north and central Queensland to take part in scenarios including parachute drops and air combat training.
Link Here
December 01, 2005
NAKED army officers posed for photographs wearing head dress and brandishing firearms in the latest shameful episode to rock the defence forces.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal the tasteless prank - which included male officers from Randwick Army Barracks - is now the subject of an Defence Department investigation.
The episode occurred during a joint training exercise between Australian and US troops in July.
The huge joint exercise, dubbed Talisman Sabre, was a mock training run between the Australian armed forces and their US allies.
But for a group of soldiers seconded to the Shoalwater Military Base near Rockhampton, it became an opportunity to ridicule Arab men in front of the cameras.
It was not clear whether the soldiers were poking fun at Iraq, where Australian troops are working to re-build the country.
Shocked staff at the Parramatta RSL Club discovered copies of the photographs on a table following an army function two weeks ago.
It is believed the photos were shown on the night as entertainment for the soldiers' comrades.
RSL bosses were appalled by the pictures, which depicted officers wearing head dress associated with men in Middle Eastern countries.
The case is similar to the Ku Klux Klan scandal revealed in November last year when soldiers at Townsville's Lavarack Barracks wore KKK-style hoods to intimidate black comrades.
After the KKK case, former defence chief Peter Cosgrove ordered a full review of anti-discrimination guidelines in the armed forces.
The latest incident could force the Defence Department to take more decisive action.
In a statement released to The Daily Telegraph last night, Defence confirmed it was investigating the case at the highest level.
"Army is investigating the matter," the statement said.
"Unacceptable behaviour is not tolerated in the army. It goes against the values and ethos of the Army and is an insult to soldiers past and present who represent Australia's cultural diversity."
The latest incident involving soldiers at Randwick barracks comes as the army investigates claims of sexual harassment at the base.
Defence is investigating claims soldiers made explicit remarks to female reservists at the barracks.
Operation Talisman Sabre, held in June, saw 17,000 Australian and US troops combine in one of the largest training exercises held between the two countries.
The contingent included army, navy, air force, marine and special forces units from both countries.
They travelled to north and central Queensland to take part in scenarios including parachute drops and air combat training.
Link Here
posted by Kangaroo Brisbane Australia at 9:10 PM
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