Ad Astra Aviator Podcasts

Remembrance Day 2024 Oration by Gareth McCray OAM

Remembrance Day 2024 Oration by Gareth McCray OAM.

ANZAC Day 2024 Oratory - Gareth McCray OAM

ANZAC Day 2024 Oratory - Gareth McCray OAM

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The soldiers in those forces became known as ANZACs. Anzac Day is a commemoration of the anniversary of the landing of Australian and New Zealand troops at Gallipoli, Turkey on 25 April in 1915.

Gareth provides a moving reminder of the sacrifices made by all Veterans over the years including WW1 and up to the present day.

Air Chief Marshal (ret) Mark (Binny) Binskin AC

Air Chief Marshal (retired) Mark Binskin AC is a highly decorated and respected senior executive and leader in the national security, defence and aerospace sectors. Most recently he was Chief of the Defence Force of Australia from 2014-2018, and earlier as Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2011-2014) and Chief of Air Force (2008-2011).

He currently has appointments to Senior Positions with many Defence related Organisations

As Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin successfully led the Australian Defence Force, comprising 80,000 permanent and reserve personnel, to significantly improve capabilities and responses to major global events and championed organisational change across areas of national security, culture, diversity and leadership performance. He oversaw the First Principles Review of Defence and delivered the successful implementation of the One Defence approach.

Mark Binskin has provided specialist advice to the highest levels of governments, industry leaders and international stakeholders and his aerospace knowledge and expertise is extensive. He has over 3,500 hours in single seat fighter aircraft including the A4G Skyhawk, Mirage 3, F-16C and F/A-18 Hornet.  He continues to be active in general aviation, is a warbird owner and holds Commercial, Remote and Recreational Aviation Australia pilot licences.

Mark has completed the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society.

 

Reflections of AVM Glen Braz. AM CSC DSM. Air Commander Australia 2023

Air Vice Marshal Glen Braz AM, CSC, DSM, Air Commander Australia, is responsible to the Chief of Air Force for effectively preparing air combat forces.

Glen joined the Australian Air Force in 1987 and went on to complete pilot training in 1991. Following lead-in-fighter training, he transferred to Amberley for F-111C conversion and joined No 1 Squadron.

In 1997, Glen instructed on the PC-9 advanced trainer and Macchi lead-in-fighter and then in 2001 returned to 1 Squadron where he undertook the inaugural F-111 Fighter Combat Instructor Course and was promoted into the position of Weapons and Reconnaissance Flight Commander.

In 2003 he served in the Combined Air Operations Centre in support of Operations FALCONER, Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.

Glen later served as Commanding Officer of No. 1 Squadron, introducing the Super Hornet to Australian Service.

Some very interesting postings followed as Director EA-18G Growler Transition, Commander Australian Air Task Group Middle East Region and command of No. 82 Wing at RAAF Base Amberley.

On promotion to Air Vice Marshal in July 2020, Glen assumed very senior roles of First Assistant Director-General, Expeditionary and Transnational Intelligence Division, Senior Ranking Australian Defence Force Officer within the Australian Signals Directorate, Deputy Chief of Air Force and now Air Commander Australia.

A Chance in a Million

23 January 1979!  I would be involved in a momentous day with a complete stranger, a compatriot aviator.  As with all momentous events, there was no inkling as to how the day would unfold.

Reflections of AVM Glen Braz. AM CSC DSM. Air Commander Australia 2023:

Air Vice Marshal Glen Braz AM, CSC, DSM, Air Commander Australia, is responsible to the Chief of Air Force for effectively preparing air combat forces.

Glen joined the Australian Air Force in 1987 and went on to complete pilot training in 1991. Following lead-in-fighter training, he transferred to Amberley for F-111C conversion and joined No 1 Squadron.

In 1997, Glen instructed on the PC-9 advanced trainer and Macchi lead-in-fighter and then in 2001 returned to 1 Squadron where he undertook the inaugural F-111 Fighter Combat Instructor Course and was promoted into the position of Weapons and Reconnaissance Flight Commander.

In 2003 he served in the Combined Air Operations Centre in support of Operations FALCONER, Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom.

Glen later served as Commanding Officer of No. 1 Squadron, introducing the Super Hornet to Australian Service.

Some very interesting postings followed as Director EA-18G Growler Transition, Commander Australian Air Task Group Middle East Region and command of No. 82 Wing at RAAF Base Amberley.

On promotion to Air Vice Marshal in July 2020, Glen assumed very senior roles of First Assistant Director-General, Expeditionary and Transnational Intelligence Division, Senior Ranking Australian Defence Force Officer within the Australian Signals Directorate, Deputy Chief of Air Force and now Air Commander Australia.

Reflections of Air Marshal Ray Funnell AC Chief of Air Staff 1987 -92

Air Marshal Ray Funnell, AC is a retired senior commander of the Royal Australian Air Force. He served as Chief of the Air Staff from 1987 until 1992.

A graduate of RAAF College, he began his career flying Sabre jet fighters in Australia and South East Asia in the 1950s and 1960s.

From 1972 to 1975, he commanded No. 6 Squadron, during which time the General Dynamics F-111C swing-wing bomber entered Australian service.

He held senior staff posts in the early 1980s. In 1986, he was promoted to Air Marshal and became the inaugural Vice Chief of the Defence Force.

Appointed Chief of the Air Staff in July 1987, Ray was closely involved in the development and dissemination of air power doctrine.

He retired from the RAAF in October 1992 following his term as Chief, and was founding Principal of the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies from 1994 to 1998.

Since then, he has served on various Federal Government committees on immigration and detention.

Henry Young: WW2 Naval Seafire and Sea Fury pilot. “I’m a fighter pilot. I’m competitive.

Introducing Henry Young, a former Naval Seafire and Sea Fury pilot.  Henry served with both the Fleet Air Arms of the British and Australian navies during the last days of and after World War 2.

Born in Glenelg near Adelaide, his family relocated to New Zealand where he enlisted for service as a 19-year-old in the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy as war broke out.

After the war, Henry transferred to the Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm, and around that time met his late wife of 72 years, Madge.

Henry said "Being a navy wife is very, very hard so I told her she could have me as an airline pilot or as a farmer.

Henry started putting in for soldier-settler blocks

Then Henry heard about the Australian Mutual Provident Society land development scheme near Keith, in South Australia's South East, and couldn't get there fast enough."

He bought a truck and built a canopy on the back, then set off for farmland at Sherwood, near Keith.

He had five and a half years in a bush hut, with no electricity.  Henry says “it was an exciting time and we all seemed to thrive – it was a bit like a collective farm with all of us soldier settlers in the community at that time.  We were young and when you're young you think you're invincible.  “I'm a fighter pilot. I'm competitive. I love the challenge of a tennis match – you can be down and make a comeback. Even if you lose, the challenge is always there."

Playing tennis on Rod Laver Arena to a cheering crowd of 15,000 is a dream held by every tennis player.  For Henry Young, 99 years old, the dream came true at a recent Australian Open.  "It was just a glorious moment."

Henry believes that the games you enjoy the most are the ones you had to fight the hardest. This is the way to keep young: to be active and keep some purpose in life.

Henry Young has lived a full life.

 

 

Vern Roberts WW 2. Witnessed signing of the Surrender in Morotai

Vern Roberts reaches 100 in October! He is possibly the oldest living person who witnessed the signing of the Surrender in Morotai with General Sir Thomas Blamey and the Japanese Generals on September 9^th 1945 .

He was born 25^th October 1924 in Footscray in Melbourne.  At 18 he joined the RAAF in November 1942 and reported to Royal Exhibition Buildings, Melbourne for uniforms.

Vern, V.F. Roberts RAAF 120410 LAC Fitter, was stationed at East Sale air base only a matter of weeks after it first opened in 1943.  He was in a B-24 Liberator Squadron which was attached to 82 Wing of 21, 23 and 24 squadrons.  He spent time in Tocumwal, NSW and Darwin NT.

The signing of the Instrument of Surrender was carried out on Morotai on September 9^th, 1945 where he was present along with many other servicemen.  The General in Charge with his other Officers, was General Sir Thomas Blamey.  Japanese Generals were brought over to Morotai from the islands for that great occasion.

Every ANZAC Day, he walked in the Parade to the Shrine of Remembrance along with a very few remaining gentlemen from his Squadron.  At 94, it was the last time he participated in the march and now watches the ANZAC service on television.

Since 1994 he was heavily involved in the restoration of a B24 Liberator in Werribee, Victoria.  This restoration is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and accredited by the National Trust.

 

Air Commodore (ret) John Oddie AM, CSC - Operations in War, Border Protection, Peace Keeping, Humanitarian Disaster Relief

Introducing AIR COMMODORE (ret) JOHN ODDIE AM, CSC

During over 38 years’ service with the Army Reserve and the Royal Australian Air Force, John accrued substantial experience flying helicopters, heavy transport and training jets.   He was a qualified flying instructor and commanded a range of units and operations in war, border protection, peace keeping, humanitarian disaster relief and for the protection of Australians in dire circumstances. John has served on the Defence Airworthiness Board and in 2013 published a book on military service, family and society – Flight Command (Allen& Unwin).

Throughout a range of Command roles John was responsible for leading or providing critical support to a wide range of security, peacekeeping, combat and humanitarian assistance missions across Asia, the Pacific and the Middle East. 

Taking up duty as Director General Aerospace Development (2006 – 2008), John was responsible for over 100 projects including replacement transport aircraft, helicopters and training systems.  He also held leadership of the development of Defence’s force level electronic warfare program..

Commanding Air Lift Group (2008 – 2010) John drove substantial performance reforms.

John subsequently deployed as Deputy Commander Joint Task Force 633 from early 2011 with responsibilities for operations and sustainment for Australian forces across the Middle East.

Since retiring from military service, moved to live in a very rural environment and has engaged in manufacturing and energy systems development.  He has also rejoined the NSW Rural Fire Service where he recently qualified as a structural fire fighter for offensive fire attack and rescue and became Deputy Captain of the Robertson Brigade.