Amalgamation of RAAF Combat Support Unit in the Middle East Region

The New Year commenced with a new role and patch for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Combat Support Unit (CSU) in the Middle East Region.

The CSU was originally formed in 2009 to support air operations for the P-3s, C-130s and the Heron detachment, as part of the Air Component Command. Now the role of CSU is more focused on infrastructure support that includes messing, supply, medical, postal, pay and psychological support and from 01 January, 2015, the CSU became part of HQ Joint Task Force 633.

In a small ceremony, Commander JTF633 Rear Admiral Trevor Jones, AO, CSC, RAN, presented the members of the unit with their new patches.

Rear Admiral Jones said it was a great privilege to present the unit with their patches.

“While CSU is the first to be amalgamated into one unit, I don’t think you will be the last,” he said.

“The new command and control structure will see other elements elevated to unit status in the near future.

“So accept these new patches and take pride in coming together as a single unit, and continue to do the fantastic work you have been doing.”

Commanding Officer CSU 12 SQNLDR Steve Wellings said the new patch maintained the historical links with previous CSU patches.

“We’ve retained the eagle to symbolise we are still an Air Force body, even though we are under the tri-service environment of JTF633 and we have removed the numbering designation to align with current operational patches,” he said

Air Component Coordination Element –Middle East Region (ACCE-MER) Commander WGCDR Steve Larado said it was a historical day.

“We are currently involved in the most significant RAAF operation since the Vietnam War, with the deployment of TG630 Air Task Group and the commencement of kinetic air operations over Iraq.”

“That has been enabled because the CSU is here to support operations and it continues to happen because of the work you do – none of that will change now that you are under command of JTF633.”