News Story: Australia's special forces to be used during domestic terror attacks

CANBERRA, July 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will soon be given special powers to play a larger role in responding to domestic terror events, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Monday.

In a joint statement released with Defence Minister Marise Payne, Turnbull said that while elite special forces will be given greater powers in the event of domestic terror-related incidents, police will continue to play a leading role in the overall response.

"State and territory police forces remain the best first response to terrorist incidents, immediately after an attack starts," Turnbull said.

"But defence must be able to contribute effectively to domestic counter-terrorism efforts, in addition to its offshore counter-terrorism missions and regional capacity-building activities."

The measures comes months after the prime minister ordered a review of terror response, after it was concluded that police were ill-equipped and too slow in responding to the Lindt cafe siege in Sydney in 2014.

Speaking about the changes on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) radio on Monday, Justice Minister Michael Keenan said police would not be resigned "to the back seat" in terror operations, merely, the special forces would work alongside police to provide the best response to terror attacks.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: New Zealand military chief attempts to refute Afghanistan raid claims

WELLINGTON, March 27 (Xinhua) -- The commander of New Zealand's armed forces on Monday refuted claims that special forces killed civilians in a botched raid in Afghanistan but questions remained about the accusations.

Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Tim Keating told a live broadcast press conference that the claims made by two investigative journalists in the book "Hit and Run" appeared to have confused a raid led by New Zealand's Special Air Service (SAS) with an unrelated action 2 km away.

Keating conceded that civilians might have been killed in the SAS-led raid, dubbed Operation Burnham, on the village of Tirgiran in August 2010.

However, he said, the premise of the book was incorrect, and New Zealand troops had never operated in the two villages named in the book - Khak Khuday Dad and Naik.

The book, released last week claimed the Special Air Service led U.S. and Afghan forces in a raid that killed six civilians including a 3-year-old girl in the two villages in Afghanistan's Baghlan province.

Another 15 civilians were wounded in the villages where the SAS mistakenly believed they would find insurgents who had attacked a New Zealand patrol 19 days earlier, killing a New Zealand officer, in neighboring Bamiyan, the book claimed.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Book details claims of innocent Afghans killed in New Zealand military raid

WELLINGTON, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand military and government covered up a botched raid by special forces that left six civilians dead and 15 wounded in Afghanistan in 2010, according to a book released Tuesday.

The book, "Hit and Run,' by investigative journalists Nicky Hager and Jon Stephenson, detailed the response of New Zealand's Special Air Service (SAS) to the first New Zealander dying in combat in August 2010.

This included an SAS attack on two isolated villages in Afghanistan's Baghlan province where they mistakenly believed they would find the insurgents who had attacked a New Zealand patrol 19 days earlier in neighboring Bamiyan.

SAS officers commanded and led the attack, supported by U.S. and Afghan forces.

The insurgent group was not there, but at least 21 civilians were killed and injured many of them women and children and the SAS and U.S. forces burned and blew up about a dozen houses, said the book.

The SAS also failed to help the wounded, it claimed.

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and government tried to keep the civilian casualties a secret and had repeatedly denied reports of innocents killed in the raids.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Australia, Indonesia agree to resume military cooperation

CANBERRA, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Australia and Indonesia have agreed to resume all military cooperation, following a fracture in the defence relationship earlier this year, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull announced on Sunday.

Following a series of meetings with visiting Indonesian President Joko Widodo, a joint statement released on Sunday said both leaders had agreed to "the full restoration of defence cooperation, training exchanges, and activities."

"Our common interests mean we will be much stronger if we work together in our rapidly changing region," the joint statement said.

"Risks and uncertainties only make it more critical we have a strong partnership that enables us to tackle challenges and seize opportunities together."

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Australian security worker shot dead in Baghdad - FM

CANBERRA, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities will "thoroughly investigate" the death of an Australian security official working at the Australian embassy in Baghdad, after the government confirmed he was shot and killed while on duty earlier the week.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed the news on Friday, after an alleged exchange of gunfire killed the man while he was stationed at the embassy on Wednesday.

"I confirm the death of a 34 year old Australian security contractor working at the Australian Embassy in Baghdad," Bishop said in a statement released on Friday.

"The Government extends its condolences to the family of the Australian man over this tragic incident. All appropriate assistance is being provided to his family.

"The circumstances surrounding his death will be thoroughly investigated."

Bishop said the man was a former member of the Australian SAS, and was working as part of private security detail Unity Resources Group, which protects Australian diplomats stationed overseas.

Read the full story at Xinhua

Editorial: Philippines, Australia to Hold Joint Military Exercises

By Prashanth Parameswaran

The two countries are set to hold twin drills.

The Australian and the Philippine armies are preparing for twin joint military exercises later this year as part of their ongoing defense cooperation, Philippine military sources said Sunday.

Australia and the Philippines have a bilateral defense relationship dating back to a 1995 memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between the two sides. Ties have only deepened over the past few years. In 2013, the two countries agreed at the 12th meeting of their Joint Defense Cooperation Committee to add an equivalent army-to-army training activity called “Dusk Caracha” to be held in Australia to complement “Dawn Caracha” conducted in the Philippines.

On Sunday, the Philippine Army announced details regarding those two joint annual military exercises to be held later this year with Australia.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: New Zealand Rules Out Combat Troops To Fight Islamic State

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — New Zealand will not send combat troops to battle the Islamic State (IS) group but is prepared to help boost the Iraqi military’s capacity to fight the jihadists, Prime Minister John Key said Wednesday.

Key unveiled a range of policies aimed at countering the threat from IS both at home and abroad, including boosting domestic intelligence agencies to guard against a Canada-style attack.

He said the emergence of IS, also known as ISIS or ISIL, was a “game changer” for Western nations, because it not only destabilized the Middle East but also increased the risk of domestic attacks by radicalized extremists.

Wellington was willing to play a part in international efforts to defeat the group but this did not extend to sending New Zealand troops into battle, he added.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Subs, Indonesia, F-35s And Gas - Australia’s Strategic Choices

By COLIN CLARK

SYDNEY: In World War II, this country served the allied cause as a giant aircraft carrier and port, providing planes, men and materiel to deploy throughout the Pacific. Allied aircraft flew from the northeastern town of Cairns during the Battle of the Coral Sea — known by some as the “battle that saved Australia.”

The Battle of Milne Bay on the eastern tip of New Guinea, little known to Americans, marked the first time allied troops turned back what had been the unstoppable Japanese. Australians fought that battle, aided by allied aircraft flying from an airstrip inland of the port of Townsville, which played crucial roles in virtually every battle of the Pacific.

Today, the strategic situation is very different. The greatest threats to peace in the region are North Korea and an increasingly assertive China. Indonesia has replaced Japan as the central threat faced by the Australia, although relations between the two states have improved considerably over the last two decades. Defense policymakers still consider the Aussie military’s ability to defeat Indonesia a primary benchmark.

What does all this translate into? Defend Australia from the north (hence the carefully circumscribed agreement to allow US Marines to operate from Darwin but not to be based there) and ensure Australian submarines can avoid its enormous shoal waters and deploy undetected from the deep water ports in the south to help protect the country.

That has been the essential model for a long time but some basic strategic facts have recently changed.

Sea lanes and shipping traffic through the Indian Ocean and the presence of gas and oil (click on the map below for details) in the country’s remote far northwest demand more attention be paid to the Indian Ocean, as opposed to the Pacific. 

Read the full story at Breaking Defense

AUS: Indonesian Defence Minister visits Perth for bilateral discussions

Stephen Smith: Minister for Defence

Today Thursday, 25 July and tomorrow Friday, 26 July I (Stephen Smith: Minister for Defence) host Indonesia’s Minister of Defence, Dr Purnomo Yusgiantoro, in Perth for bilateral discussions and the second Annual Australia-Indonesia Defence Ministers’ Meeting. 

This will be the ninth time I have met with Minister Purnomo in my capacity as Minister for Defence, and the third time we have met this year. 

Australia and Indonesia have a comprehensive strategic partnership, which is characterised by increasingly strong political, security, trade, investment, development and people-to-people links. 

As the 2013 Defence White Paper states, Australia’s partnership with Indonesia remains our most important defence relationship in the region.  My regular engagement and productive working relationship with Minister Purnomo underscores the close cooperation between our two countries as we work to further strengthen our defence-to-defence and military-to-military partnership. 

Our bilateral security and strategic cooperation with Indonesia has steadily increased in recent years under the auspices of the Lombok Treaty, which came into effect when I exchanged notes with then Indonesian Foreign Minister Wirajuda in Perth in February 2008. 

AUS: Battle honour presented to Special Air Service Regiment

The Chief of Army, Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO has presented the Battle Honour Eastern Shah Wali Kot to the 2nd Special Air Service Squadron of the Special Air Service Regiment at a parade at Campbell Barracks, Swanbourne attended by the Minister for Defence, Stephen Smith MP on Friday, 10 May 2013.

The battle honour had previously been announced by the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard MP and the Minister on 26 March 2013.

Eastern Shah Wali Kot is the first Army Battle Honour awarded since the end of the Vietnam War and was awarded by the Chief of Army to the Special Air Service Regiment and to the 2nd Commando Regiment for their outstanding performance during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive in Afghanistan from May to June 2010.

“This is an exceptional achievement for the Special Air Service Regiment and typifies the professional excellence that is synonymous with the unit,” Lieutenant General Morrison said.

“That this is the first Australian Army battle honour awarded since the Vietnam War is an indication of how rare such awards are.

AUS: Special Operations Units awarded Battle Honour

Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Defence Stephen Smith today announced that the Australian Army’s Special Operations Command will receive the first Army Battle Honour since the end of the Vietnam War.

The Battle Honour is for outstanding performance during the Shah Wali Kot Offensive in Afghanistan from May to June 2010.

The Battle Honour, titled Eastern Shah Wali Kot, has been awarded in recognition of the operational actions of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and 2nd Commando Regiment (2 Cdo Regt) from the Australian Special Operations Task Group Rotation XII.

The Prime Minister congratulated the Special Operations Task Group on the Battle Honour, which was awarded under revised guidelines that acknowledge the way the Army fights in the modern era.

AUS: Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN)

On 14 November, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Carr and I (Stephen Smith, Minister for Defence) hosted the US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and the US Secretary of Defense, Leon E. Panetta, for the annual Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) in Perth.

At AUSMIN, we reiterated our shared commitment to Afghanistan, and discussed progress towards transition to Afghan-led security responsibility by the end of 2014. Australia is the largest non-NATO contributor to the mission in Afghanistan, the tenth largest contributor overall, and the third largest Special Forces contributor. We also discussed possible post-2014 contributions. For Australia’s part, this will include trainers and advisers, including for an Afghan National Army Officer Academy, and a possible Special Forces contribution in the right circumstances and under the right mandate.

Ahead of AUSMIN, Secretary Panetta and I visited the SASR (Special Air Service Regiment) at Campbell Barracks, to meet with troops and recognise the progress of international efforts in Afghanistan. Secretary Panetta and I took the opportunity to thank our troops for their efforts in Afghanistan, noting the high regard that US and ISAF commanders hold for the professionalism and commitment they consistently exhibit.

At AUSMIN, we reaffirmed our strong commitment to cooperating on emerging challenges in space. In a demonstration of our commitment to strengthening Space Situational Awareness, Secretary Panetta and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding governing the relocation and establishment of a C-band space surveillance radar at the Harold E. Holt Naval Communication Station in Western Australia. We also agreed to our two nations to work together to progress a proposal to transfer a highly advanced space surveillance telescope to Western Australia.

Secretary Panetta and I welcomed the progress both countries have made in implementing the US Global Force Posture initiatives in Australia that were announced by Prime Minister Gillard and President Obama in November 2011. The rotation of around 200 US Marine Corps personnel in 2012 was a success, and Australia looks forward to welcoming a similar sized rotation in 2013. 

We commenced a discussion on closer cooperation between the Royal Australian Air Force and the US Air Force that will result in increased rotations of US aircraft through northern Australia.

Meeting in Australia’s Indian Ocean capital, we recognised the growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean and our shared strategic interests across the dynamic Indo-Pacific region, stretching across the Asia Pacific and the Indian Ocean Rim.  We committed to explore the opportunity to cooperate on Indian Ocean matters, particularly through working with India and in the longer term increased access by the US Navy to HMAS Stirling.

As Australia’s Indian Ocean naval port, HMAS Stirling will continue to grow in significance over time. 

We welcomed the recent passage by the Australian Parliament and Royal Assent to the Defence Trade Controls Act. We will continue progressing implementation of the Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty.  This Treaty will increase opportunities for cooperation between our Defence industries and enhance interoperability.

Our discussions yesterday underscored the strength of our long standing relationship and the importance of our Alliance to the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific, including increasing bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The Australia-US Alliance, of more than 60 years standing, will continue to positively shape regional security and prosperity as both our countries adapt to the challenges and opportunities of the future. 

Following AUSMIN, Secretary Clinton, Secretary Panetta, Minister Carr and I visited the family home in Cottesloe of John Curtin, Australia’s wartime Prime Minister, who started what has become the modern day Alliance between our two countries.

AUS DoD

USA: Locklear Lauds Australia’s Commitment, Sacrifice in Afghanistan

By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service

CANBERRA, Australia, July 13, 2012 – Acknowledging Australia’s strong commitment to the mission in Afghanistan, the U.S. Pacific command chief said the lessons learned through a decade of shared operations there lays a foundation for closer future U.S.-Australian cooperation in addressing regional challenges.

Navy Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, speaking to reporters here today at the National Press Club, expressed condolences for Australia’s losses in Afghanistan. An Australian Special Forces soldier serving his seventh deployment there was killed July 2, bringing the number of Australia’s combat casualties in Afghanistan to 33. In addition, two Australian troops were wounded July 12 in a roadside bomb attack on a NATO convoy in southern Afghanistan’s Uruzgan province.

“It has been very difficult,” Locklear said. “Some of the challenges we have faced in Afghanistan together have been very difficult.”

The admiral noted the size of Australia’s contributions to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, particularly in light of the country’s population. About 1,550 Australian Defense Force troops, about one-third consisting of special operators, are working in what Locklear called “very challenging environments,” predominantly in the south.

Their focus is on training and mentoring the Afghan National Army’s 4th Brigade and Afghan National Police and improving the Afghan government’s capacity to deliver core services and generate economic opportunity in Uruzgan province, according to Australian defense officials.

Meanwhile, troops assigned to the Special Operations Task Group concentrate on disrupting insurgent operations and supply routes, they said.

Locklear lauded the Australians for their commitment to Afghanistan. “We are all hopeful that we will have a better security environment in that part of the region when this is all over,” he said.

As both the United States and Australia look forward drawing down their forces by December 2014, Locklear said they’ll apply the enhanced interoperability gained as they refocus on the Asia-Pacific.

The question, he said, is “how do we take those interoperabilities, [those] aspects of the U.S.-Australia alliance and the relationship, as well as the demonstrated capability of Australian forces to lead in a multiple of environments, and how do you translate that into the security challenges that we face in the Asia-Pacific?”

Locklear has been meeting with senior Australian military leaders over the past two days to explore ways to continue to bolster the two allies’ robust military-to-military relationship.

The Australians “have demonstrated themselves to be a very reliable partner with us in a lot of different areas,” Locklear told American Forces Press Service during the flight here. “They have done a lot to contribute to global security and they have been a good partner to the United States.”

US DoD

AUS: Personal details of Australian soldier killed in Afghanistan – Sergeant Blaine Flower Diddams

It is with deep regret that the Australian Defence Force announces the death of Sergeant Blaine Diddams who was killed during an engagement with insurgents on operations in Afghanistan on 2 July 2012.

Sergeant Diddams was a member of the Special Operations Task Group and was from the Perth-based Special Air Service Regiment (SASR). He was employed as a SASR Patrol Commander.

Sergeant Diddams is survived by his wife Toni-Ann, their daughter Elle-Lou and son Henry, his parents Peter and Cate, and siblings Nikki, Sian, Christian and Luke.

Sergeant Diddams was born in Canberra, ACT, in 1971. He enlisted in the Army on 24 April 1990 and after completing his initial employment training for infantry was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in Townsville, Queensland on 2 November 1990. Sergeant Diddams successfully completed his SASR selection course and was posted to the Regiment in 1995.

This was his seventh tour to Afghanistan since 2001, although he had deployed previously on four occasions to Somalia, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

Sergeant Diddams, ‘Didds’ to his mates, was a devoted family man and a dedicated professional soldier. Known for his outwards personality and quirky sense of humour, he was held in the highest regard by his mates and comrades alike.

Sergeant Diddams has been awarded the following honours and awards:

• Australian Active Service Medal with Clasp Somalia, Clasp East Timor, Clasp ICAT

• International Forces East Timor (INTERFET) Medal

• Afghanistan Campaign Medal

• Australian Service Medal with Clasp Solomon Islands, Clasp ‘CT/SR’

• Defence Long Service Medal

• Australian Defence Medal

• NATO ISAF Medal

• Meritorious Unit Citation

• Infantry Combat Badge, and

• Returned from Active Service Badge.

During Sergeant Diddams’ service in the Australian Army he deployed on the following Operations:

• Operation Solace (Somalia) – Jan – May 1993

• Operation Warden (East Timor) – Jan – Feb 2000

• Operation Tanager (East Timor) – February – May 2000

• Operation Trek (Solomon Islands) – 2002

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – Nov 2001 – Apr 2002

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – May – Oct 2007

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – Jan – April 2008

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – May – July 2008

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – Jun – Nov 2009

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – Jan – Jul 2011

• Operation Amulet (CHOGM Perth) – 2011

• Operation Slipper (Afghanistan) – Feb 2012 – April 2012.

AUS DoD

AUS: Australian soldier killed in Chorah Valley

An Australian Special Forces soldier has been killed as a result of a small arms engagement in the Chorah Valley, Afghanistan, yesterday afternoon.

The soldier was shot in the chest during an engagement with insurgents while on a partnered mission with the Afghan National Security Forces to target a known insurgent commander.

The Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley extended his sympathy to the soldier’s family and friends.

“Words cannot ease the overwhelming grief they feel today but I hope they can find comfort in the knowledge that this soldier served his country with pride and distinction,” General Hurley said.

The patrol’s advanced first aider provided immediate assistance and continued attempts to resuscitate the wounded soldier until he was evacuated by helicopter to the Role 2 Medical Facility in Tarin Kot. 

“Sadly, despite the best efforts of all, attempts to resuscitate the soldier were unsuccessful,” General Hurley said.

The soldier’s family has been notified and are receiving support from Defence.

The 40 year old Special Forces soldier was a member of the Perth based Special Air Service Regiment.  He enlisted in the Army in 1990 and joined the Special Air Service Regiment in 1995 deploying on six operations during a career spanning more than 20 years.

This was his seventh tour to Afghanistan over an 11 year period.

“His colleagues describe him as a highly professional operator who earned great respect within the Special Operations community over many years of service,” General Hurley said.

The soldier’s family has requested that personal details not be released at this time and we ask that you respect their privacy.

An ADF military dog was also shot and killed during the engagement.

This mission is ongoing and Defence is unable to provide further detail at this time.

AUS DoD

News Story: Australian soldier killed in incident in Afghanistan

AN AUSTRALIAN soldier has been killed in Afghanistan after being shot in the chest by insurgents.

Chief of the Defence Force, General David Hurley, said the 40-year-old special forces soldier – who he described as “a soldier’s soldier” – was killed during an operation in the Chora Valley region of Oruzgan province yesterday morning, local Afghan time.

The experienced soldier, who was on his seventh tour of duty to Afghanistan, was shot during an engagement with insurgents while on a mission with Afghan National Security Forces to target an insurgent commander.

Read the full story at The Herald Sun

News Story: Australia Picks Supacat Vehicle for Special Forces

Supacat Extenda  WebSite

By ANDREW CHUTER

LONDON — Australian special forces are to be equipped with Supacat’s Extenda high mobility vehicle, the British-based company announced.

Supacat said it had been selected by the Defence Materiel Organisation in Canberra as the preferred bidder for the special operations vehicle element of Australia’s wider JP2097 Ph1B Redfin vehicle program.

The deal covers the project definition and evaluation phase of the program. Supacat’s Australian subsidiary has already been awarded an initial contract for this phase of the work. Acquisition of a fleet of vehicles is expected under a separate contract.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

NZ: SAS to come home in March

Prime Minister John Key has confirmed that the NZSAS deployment to Afghanistan will end as scheduled in March next year – a decision which has been foreshadowed for some time.

“The SAS has achieved the job they were sent to do with Kabul’s Crisis Response Unit (CRU), and they have done that job to the very highest of standards,” says Mr Key.

“Tragically, they have also paid the highest price, with two of the SAS’s fine soldiers losing their lives in the course of this work and I would, once again, like to pay tribute to Corporal Doug Grant and Lance Corporal Leon Smith who were killed in action.

“I deeply regret the loss of our soldiers but I do not regret our commitment to operations in Afghanistan.

“Thanks to the SAS’s efforts, the CRU is widely considered to be one of the best trained and most professional units operating in Afghanistan today.”

New Zealand remains committed to Bamyan province and completing the job begun in 2003. The Provincial Reconstruction Team continues its important work in building the security, governance and development capacity in Bamyan province.

“On behalf of the whole country I want to thank the SAS for their courage and professionalism over the two-and-half years they were in Afghanistan on this deployment.

“You made a difference. It’s time to come home.”

Beehive 

NZ: NZSAS Afghanistan - Death of a trooper

It is with deep regret that the Chief of Defence Force, LT GEN Rhys Jones, has announced that a serving member of the NZSAS has been killed in Afghanistan.

The man’s immediate next of kin have been informed.

“Once again we are facing the death of one of our brave men in a country far away. My thoughts and indeed the thoughts of all New Zealanders are with this trooper’s family as they face the loss of their loved one.

“The SAS mission in Afghanistan was always going to involve high risk as they actively worked with the Kabul based Crisis Response Unit (CRU) to try and confront the insurgent threat in the country.

“On this occasion a group from the CRU including Interior Ministry legal officials, were serving a Ministry of the Interior judicially authorised arrest warrant in a compound suspected to house suicide bombers in Wardak Province, south east of Kabul. They were accompanied by a number of NZSAS personnel.”

It’s believed that the intent of the insurgents was to conduct an operation in the Kabul region.

“In the early hours of the morning (Afghan time) on Wednesday 28 September, as the group moved to the compound it was engaged by suspected insurgents.

“The SAS trooper was struck in the head by a bullet gravely injuring him, and he was medically evacuated to a hospital where he later died.”

The coalition hospital was approximately ten minutes away by air and had a neurosurgeon working in it.

The battle is ongoing with significant exchanges of fire and reports of explosions.

The name of the deceased will not be released for at least 24 hours to give the family time and space to grieve.

Up Date: SAS trooper, LCPL Leon Smith, was killed in action yesterday.

1. NZ Army

2. NZ Army

NZ: Corporal Grant farewelled at Linton

About 1500 people gathered at Linton Camp yesterday (29 August) to farewell SAS soldier Corporal Dougie Grant, who was killed in action in Afghanistan on 19 August.

CPL Grant died when he was hit by a bullet fired by insurgents while trying to rescue civilians following an attack on the British Council building in Kabul.  Despite the efforts of New Zealand and Coalition medics at the scene he died en route to Bagram Air Base hospital. 

The Prime Minister, John Key, gave a eulogy at the funeral, as did CPL Grant’s Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Parsons, his father, brother, and wife, Tina Grant.

Mrs Grant, who is also a soldier in the New Zealand Army, said her husband loved many things—being an SAS soldier, being a member of the Defence Patriots Motorcycle Club, being a carpenter—“but the most important thing in his life was his children,” she said.

LTCOL Parsons spoke about how he and CPL Grant began their Army training together in 1996. He recalled how they were mounted troopers together, how they had been shot at together, and how they had been together with their Australian counterparts when they helped rescue 600 East Timorese from the militia. “He was selfless, fearless and a free spirit – that was our Doug. The Prime Minister, Mr Key is right – Dougie Grant was a hero.”

LTCOL Parsons said he had been in a Kabul restaurant with Doug the night before he died, “and he was full of enthusiasm for the mission, and to be once again on operation with his SAS mates.”

 He said CPL Grant had told him he believed the SAS’s contribution in training the Afghanistan Crisis response Unit and passing responsibility on to that unit was “doing it right”

“It is often tempting to ask can we win or not, and thereby weigh up the merits of helping the Afghans. But perhaps there’s a more important question to be asked: who are we if we do nothing to avert brutality?

He said New Zealand had always been a country that had helped others less fortunate.

“As a nation our finest hours have been when we have calculated the need rather than the odds. And it was this great sense of purpose in which Dougie Grant epitomises the indomitable Kiwi spirit.”

CPL Grant is survived by his wife Tina, and two children, Jemma, 7, and Jaden, 5

NZ Army