In certain cases the Force Protection Platoon has become deeply involved in the contacts normally initiated by our Afghan/Australian mentoring patrols; adopting the lead in assaults and the rear call sign in fighting withdrawals. The Force Protection Platoon has also been involved in a number of un-partnered missions. These have included: Quick Reaction Force tasks (QRF), detainee handling, convoy escort, and patrol base security. As the QRF we have responded to short notice incidents such as Improvised Explosive Device (IED) finds, IED detonations against Afghan National Army (ANA) or Australian patrols, civilian casualty events, and damaged vehicle recovery.
In addition to operating as a complete call sign, the platoon has encountered situations that have required it to detach sections from its structure so we could bolster the Australian presence within higher risk mentored patrols. At times it has not been uncommon for the platoon to be dispersed around the entire battlefield supporting a multitude of different tasks. On one occasion we had one section providing fire support to a patrol while another provided security to a sniper team - both elements separated by a number of kilometres as well as complex terrain.
In conclusion, the Force Protection Platoon is playing an essential part in the conduct of mentoring operations in Deh Rawud and more broadly Uruzgan province. The platoon’s presence continues to act as an essential ‘enabler’ for mentored call signs that would otherwise have limited support in hostile areas, and we provide a reliable commander’s ‘reserve’ that allows for successful and safe missions within the Combat Team Charlie area of operations. We ensure that the soldiers of Charlie Company 5 RAR (the Deh Rawud Jackals) never fight alone.