Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have maintained the world's oldest continuous warrior culture for thousands of years.
Today they make an invaluable contribution across the whole of the ADF and particularly through the Regional Force Surveillance Group (RFSG), which is responsible for patrolling and protecting roughly 50 per cent of the Australian continent.
RFSG soldiers combine tactical stealth with traditional knowledge and language to create a globally unique military capability: the 'ears and ears of the Army in remote Australia.'
"We see bush, it's like walking in a library. Just like you read a book, we read the land. You walk with me, I'll talk you through."
RFSG is comprised of three units: the Pilbara Regiment, the NORFORCE Regiment, and 51st Far North Queensland Regiment. Each is responsible for an enormous Area of Operations that together span 52 per cent of Australia, 2.5 per cent of the world’s total landmass and numerous local language groups. Some RFSG soldiers speak as many as 17 languages and regularly acting as interpreters on operations.
Soldiers from the RFSG are also the first in Army to parade with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander weapons of war, merging their ancient warrior traditions with those of the Australian Army.
All three units conduct significant engagement with local communities, which in recent years include those in Borroloola and the Barkley region, Jigalong in WA and Wujul Wujul. In 2018, Wujul members joined the ADF for the first time since World War 1.
In 2020 the Group was required to quadruple their efforts compared to the previous year as biosecurity controls impacted operations and staff were required to co-run the Territory's response to the pandemic.
Nonetheless, in late 2020, RFSG opened a new Training and Education Centre to support Australia’s border protection capability while delivering new education and employment opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
Images and video credit: Department of Defence
