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Hundreds Embark Boxer for Talisman Saber

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS050616-09
Release Date: 6/16/2005 2:29:00 PM

By Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel Jones and Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class James Bartels, USS Boxer (LHD 4) Public Affairs

TOWNSVILLE, Australia (NNS) -- Australian army, navy and air force service members embarked USS Boxer (LHD 4) in Townsville, Australia, June 8 through 11 in preparation for Talisman Saber 2005, a joint exercise involving more than 16,000 service members from Australia and the United States.

The more than 700 Australians joined 80 of their fellow service members who earlier had boarded Boxer in Darwin, Australia, forming the largest concentration of Australian forces aboard a ship since World War II.

Leopard AS1 Main Battle Tanks (MBT), M113A1 Armored Personnel Carriers, Armored Command Vehicles, ambulances, more than 10 pallets of food, and 30 crates of assorted weapons, which will be used in the amphibious portion of Talisman Saber, were also brought on board.

“Setting up was pretty quick. We just dumped out and set up our gear and got settled into our berthings,” said Cpl. Brendan Brady, from Tamworth, New South Wales, who is assigned to 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. “All of the American personnel have been extremely helpful with directing us around this massive ship.”

Australian service members will be integrating themselves aboard Boxer while performing their duties over the course of the exercise.

“This whole evolution is very exciting. The Australians seem polite, outgoing and willing to work,” said Damage Controlman 3rd Class Andy Ouellette, Thorton, Colo. “I am interested in seeing how our teamwork will pay off during Talisman Saber.”

Talisman Saber provides an opportunity for Australian and American military personnel to fine-tune their shared skills by exchanging ideas with units they do not usually work with. Through mid- to high-intensity training, including a command post exercise (CPX), a field training exercise (FTX) and a strategic air drop, forces will establish the capability to better contend with emergent situations requiring joint operations on land and at sea.