A trial currently taking place in the Australian Army is attracting an enormous amount of online criticism. The testing and evaluation of the Advanced Accuracy Solutions Reaper weapon-support system is being trialled by frontline infantry battalions over the next six months to assess its overall suitability. A recent video posted by the Australian Army’s official Facebook page … [Read more...] about Is Australia’s bizarre Reaper weapon-support system the result of lifted gender restrictions?
Mitchell McAlister Articles
The Rise of Private Military Security Companies (Pt. 3)
Note: This article is part of a series. You can read part one and part two here. PMSCs have transformed from "historically ubiquitous mercenaries" to highly corporatised firms that have dominated the conduct of every major American military operation in the post-Cold War era, and they appear to be making yet another professional evolution. PMSCs have drawn a considerable … [Read more...] about The Rise of Private Military Security Companies (Pt. 3)
The Rise of Private Military Security Companies (Pt. 2)
Note: This is part of a series. You can read part one here. The reallocation of the provision of military services from public to private and an increase in regional and ethnic conflicts around the globe have been two of the major drivers that have expedited the growth of private military security companies (PMSCs) into the multi-billion dollar industry it is today. This … [Read more...] about The Rise of Private Military Security Companies (Pt. 2)
The Rise of Private Military Security Companies (Pt. 1)
Private military security companies (PMSCs) are by no means a new phenomenon, and the outsourcing of military services is as old as war itself. What is new, however, is the highly privatised way in which war is now being conducted and how the corporate world is being contracted to fulfil what have been traditionally state-dominated tasks. The predecessors to the highly … [Read more...] about The Rise of Private Military Security Companies (Pt. 1)
Terrorism, Military Contractors, and the Inadequacy of the Private Security Industry (Pt. 1)
The focus on security and the threats to Australia has gone through an incredible change over the last 15 years. Security issues have undergone a number of critical transformations as a result of transnational terrorism where, prior to September 2001, terrorism was pooled with a number of other competing international issues and there appeared to be no great sense of urgency … [Read more...] about Terrorism, Military Contractors, and the Inadequacy of the Private Security Industry (Pt. 1)
Australian Commando Reveals How You Can Become a Better Leader (Pt. 2): Three Styles of Leadership
Note: This is part of a series. Read part one here. The Australian Army and Special Forces’ unique organisational objectives make it quite difficult to slide the expectations of leaders neatly into just one of the academic theories presented during my studies. The Australian Army and SOCOMD are not businesses in the traditional sense, however there are three theoretical … [Read more...] about Australian Commando Reveals How You Can Become a Better Leader (Pt. 2): Three Styles of Leadership
Australian Commando Reveals How You Can Become a Better Leader (Pt. 1): Theories vs. Experience
Leadership is an interesting topic and can be viewed as one of the most complex and connotative words in the English vernacular. It is both discriminately and indiscriminately applied across a wide range of contexts and has been described as one of the most observed and least understood phenomena on earth. History is littered with examples of people who have been labeled … [Read more...] about Australian Commando Reveals How You Can Become a Better Leader (Pt. 1): Theories vs. Experience
15-Year-Old Murders Police Worker: Australia’s Latest Terrorist Attack
On 2 October, 2015, a 15-year-old by the name of Farhad Jabar shot and killed a police civilian finance worker outside of the New South Wales Police Force headquarters in the New South Wales suburb of Parramatta. Curtis Cheng was leaving the headquarters and was on his way home when he was shot at point-blank range by Jabar and was killed instantly. Immediately after the … [Read more...] about 15-Year-Old Murders Police Worker: Australia’s Latest Terrorist Attack
Australia to Support the Assad Regime in Fight Against ISIS
Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has recently indicated that our government is considering softening its opposition to the Assad regime in Syria. While still backing Australia’s earlier tough stance taken against the Syrian president, Ms. Bishop has been quoted as saying: “The fear that a number of countries have is that if the Assad regime were either removed or … [Read more...] about Australia to Support the Assad Regime in Fight Against ISIS
“Not Our War”: The Danger of Isolationism
In my previous article, I touched on the events of September 11 and discussed the reasons behind why we cannot forget them. I did not pen the article because I thought people would somehow actually forget that it took place, but instead wrote it with the intention of urging people to retain some piece of the emotion that they felt that morning. Reflection and self-awareness … [Read more...] about “Not Our War”: The Danger of Isolationism
September 11, 2001: Why We Can’t Forget
Like most people who are old enough to remember and process the events that transpired on 9/11, I find each anniversary is a poignant reminder of a very dark place in our collective history. Even as far away as Australia, there was a very noticeable sombre mood when everyone awoke that morning to the devastating news. Even as a young 18-year-old, I still remember as clear as … [Read more...] about September 11, 2001: Why We Can’t Forget
Australia Exemplary With Refugee Intake Criteria: No Single Men Allowed
The migrant and refugee crisis throughout the Middle East and Africa is putting an unprecedented strain on the entire world’s social, economic, and political systems. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has estimated that over 350,000 migrants have been detected at the European Union’s (EU) borders from January-August, 2015. This figure is nearly one-and-a-half … [Read more...] about Australia Exemplary With Refugee Intake Criteria: No Single Men Allowed