Exercise Talisman Sabre was underway across the Bundaberg Region last week, with a range of defence personnel descending along the Queensland coastline.
The exercise is the largest bilateral combined training activity between the Australian Defence Force and the United States Military.
There were over 17,000 military personnel who took part in the exercise throughout the state, with 8300 Australian Defence Force members who were located off the Australian coastline and along the Queensland coast.
Major David Long said exercise Talisman Sabre ran very smoothly after working closely with local emergency services personnel and organisations.
“Bundaberg was chosen as a location as it is along the Queensland coastline and is a city that allowed US troops to exercise in an urban but friendly environment with close proximity to the other exercise locations, that being Rockhampton, Ingham and Bowen,” Major Long said.
“The support from local Bundaberg community and the emergency services, council and port authority, SES depot due to their hospital and their pre-planning for the activity – it has been phenomenal.
“With the help of the local community and the emergency services and the like it was quite a large number which enabled this exercise to be the success that it was.”
Working in collaboration with Queensland Police, Ambulance and local SES depots, the exercise has been beneficial for all parties involved.
Bundaberg Police Senior Sergeant Glenn Cameron said local officers were involved in the exercise to ensure the community was informed and safe throughout all training.
“The police have been involved in daily briefings with the exercise control team from the Australian Defence Force and they give us a run down of what the activities that the US Marines have been doing each day for the next 24 hours.”
“This allowed our local police and our communications to have an understanding of where these soldiers will be operating so when we got calls from members of the public we were able to reassure them that it was all part of the exercise and it didn’t present any issues within the community.”
The opportunity to work with the Australian Defence Force during exercise Talisman Sabre provided a learning opportunity for the entire team.
“It is always good working and talking with people from other organisations, especially the military,” Snr Sgnt Cameron said.
“They do a lot of training and their general way of working is different to the general police so it is interesting to see what they do and be provided with some knowledge we can take back into our organisation.
“The response from the community was really positive to the US Marines and the ADF throughout the Bundaberg area and I am sure they will be welcomed back again.”
In 2021, exercise Talisman Sabre was a process of refining and improving the processes that the marines employ with their equipment they currently use including practicing setting up and packing down quickly.
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