Benny joined the Australian Army in January of 2000 and continues to serve. He is a possesses a wide variety of skills, but specialises in the provision and synchronisation of joint effects and operational planning. He has extensive overseas experience in Singapore, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Solomon Islands, South Sudan and Afghanistan. These opportunities have provided him with a comprehensive appreciation of multinational integration, cultural friction and the multifaceted operating environment of the future. He considers himself a student of history and strategy, and is strongly committed to continuous (formal and informal) academic pursuit concurrent with professional military education and development. Address: Puckapunyal, Victoria, Australia
The paper proposes the development of an integrated system of biometric tools which can be used t... more The paper proposes the development of an integrated system of biometric tools which can be used to track and assess individuals and teams in the conduct of realistic and immersive tactical, technical and ethical problem-sets that could be varied in complexity, intensity, duration, and context. Biometric data collected on physiological responses could then be analysed to determine how effectively an individual or team has performed. Importantly, for the full utility of this approach to be realised, Army requires a paradigm shift in its approach to training.
The modernisation and capability expansion of the Army’s artillery will result in a ubiquitous la... more The modernisation and capability expansion of the Army’s artillery will result in a ubiquitous land-based capacity to blend kinetic multi-domain capabilities into a unified effect. The Australian Defence Force seeks to alleviate the burden on the manoeuvre arm through the convergence of fires and effect across multiple domains. The expansion of longrange lethality announced in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update, will provide flexibility, responsiveness, and firepower that facilitates combined and joint operations to greater effect. Artillery traditionally completes its role in combination with armour and infantry; although it can and should be used to influence the battlespace via deep engagements and strikes.
SoArty’s role is to deliver individual training, nested in the Combined Arms environment, in Join... more SoArty’s role is to deliver individual training, nested in the Combined Arms environment, in Joint Fires & Effects, Surveillance and Target Acquisition, and Air and Missile Defence in order to build and sustain Australia’s best practice in Joint Effects training, education and doctrine. This is to support the generation of the Army’s foundation war fighting capabilities through high quality and safe individual training in the Royal Regiment’s requisite capabilities.
Combined arms is not achieved when we group in the assembly area. The combined arms effect is ach... more Combined arms is not achieved when we group in the assembly area. The combined arms effect is achieved in the target area through the synchronisation of single arm effects generated by the individual arms of the combined arms team; creating an environment where responding to one arm of our combined arms team makes the enemy vulnerable to one or more other arms of our combined arms team.
Combined Arms Training Centre’s (CATC) purpose is to generate combined arms competent combatants who are capable of achieving success in the Joint Land Battle. The legacy land combatant training continuum is single arms centric, delivering training in isolated stove pipes. Noting these issues, CATC is rapidly evolving the elements of the land combat training continuum to a system that is coordinated to meet at appropriate points of synergy, providing formative combined arms experiences to better prepare combat leaders for the workplace, being the operational environment.
Defeat Mechanisms either in concept or in practical application are intended to provide stratagem... more Defeat Mechanisms either in concept or in practical application are intended to provide stratagems for achieving victory over an opponent, how to articulate desired effects on the enemy, describe singular action or patterns of activities by which a force defeats his opponent, and are complimentary to Centre of Gravity analysis. In reality they are an intangible concept intended to assist in sequencing effects to render an enemy force incapable of operating at the operational or the tactical level.
To assist officers attending the Combat Officers Advanced Course (COAC), Combat Command Wing (CCW... more To assist officers attending the Combat Officers Advanced Course (COAC), Combat Command Wing (CCW) staff developed tips on both preparation for and performance on the course. While prepared principally for junior officers, this article contains valid lessons for commanders at all levels.
Contributing Authors:
Major Benny Gray
Major Graham Sowiak
Major Keiran Jackel
Major Alex Bearse
Major Jon Bennett
Major Sam Anderson
Military messes contribute to fighting power by acting as a nexus point that enhances unit esprit... more Military messes contribute to fighting power by acting as a nexus point that enhances unit esprit de corps, cultivates leadership attributes, and fosters a binding military ethos.
At this time as modern military organisations pursue greater capability via increasing levels of ... more At this time as modern military organisations pursue greater capability via increasing levels of modernisation, digitisation and technological advancement. However, resultant second and third order effects are retarding the pursuit of mastery by junior officers. The Australian Army aspires to levels of connectivity, technical capability and platform lethality never before achieved, but potentially at the cost of disruption to junior officer excellence. Task saturation, intermittent professional fulfilment, paradoxical military culture and a pervasive self-sabotaging arrogance are all factors that in some way influence junior officers. There is an expectation that military professionals unceasingly strive to improve themselves; crucially, self-assessment is expected with subsequent self-study to diminish weakness. Nevertheless, unless command priorities and conditions are geared to energise self-investment and a drive for excellence, disappointing and pervasive mediocrity will endure. Junior officers are being functionally dislocated from achieving optimum development due to organisationally imposed friction points. These points significantly dilute the physical, moral and intellectual conditions permitting the pursuit of professional mastery. Individual responsibility and drive are key, however the creation of an organisational environment that generates the conditions for this is essential. This should not be taken as advocacy for any specific fresh solution or 'innovation', but to highlight and isolate key trends and themes of friction that are at cross-purposes with the Army's declared organisational atmosphere. The key factors are that disrupt a junior officers pursuit of mastery is a lack of professional nourishment and ego-based attitudinal toxicity.
Abstract strategy games such as Chess are a proven method for increasing intellect, critical thou... more Abstract strategy games such as Chess are a proven method for increasing intellect, critical thought and development of the military mind. As the Army embraces emerging methodologies such as blended learning, simulation, online study and academic blogs, it would be prudent to maintain equilibrium with traditional approaches. Military commanders must possess the ability to face unanticipated circumstance and react with considered purpose, intent and boldness. Playing chess on a regular basis develops imagination and creativity, encourages initiative, decisive action and provides familiarity with making decisions under pressure; without the risk or resource expenditure required by other methods. Crucially, time in uniform does not inevitably result in professional competence. Therefore, intellect must be intentionally nurtured and desirable traits, encouraged. Chess is not war – but it can be used as a mechanism to develop many of the traits desirable in a commander; decision-making, creativity, patience, vision and adaption. Playing chess will not directly produce a genius of either academics or war, nor can it act as preparation for the rigours and complexities of the modern battlespace.
Decisive Events (DEs) in the Australian Army are the principal building blocks to designbattle at... more Decisive Events (DEs) in the Australian Army are the principal building blocks to designbattle at the tactical level. Unfortunately from an organisational perspective, the Armyhas fostered a culture of mediocrity as it has tolerated, advocated and acceptedineective DEs that have been poorly derived. This results in plans that merely describea series of actions lacking specic intent or direction that consequently do not defeat anadversary. DE planning is fundamentally interwoven within the Australian Army’splanning apparatus and is a key component to the development of plans and theirarticulation.
A junior commander seeking to expand their knowledge, insight and emotional intelligence would do... more A junior commander seeking to expand their knowledge, insight and emotional intelligence would do well to supplement contemporary examples with timeworn, but nonetheless enduring, lessons from antiquity. Interrogation of Homer’s 'The Iliad'
can serve to exercise and nourish the moral and intellectual components of fighting power, whilst also developing understanding of military ethos, providing examples worthy of emulation or avoidance, and contextualising the nature of war.
This series addresses battle command, decision making and combat culture, in order to distill the... more This series addresses battle command, decision making and combat culture, in order to distill the unique the demands of leadership at this level. The Combined Arms Training Centre (Australian Army) purpose is to generate Combined Arms competent combatants who are capable of achieving success in the Joint Land Battle. Implicit in this is partnering with Combat Brigades, Regiments and Battalions to produce soldiers, NCOs and Officers who are brilliant within their trade and can adapt to changing situations across the spectrum of war.
Quartered Safe Out Here is the personal account of George Macdonald Fraser on his time as a rifle... more Quartered Safe Out Here is the personal account of George Macdonald Fraser on his time as a rifleman in Slim’s 14th Army during the Burma Campaigni. This most excellent memoir brilliantly recounts the frontline action he saw while serving as a young soldier during the British army’s savage campaign against the Japanese. The authenticity of his story, merged with the talents of a gifted novelist, result in an unforgettable read. There is little doubt that soldiers of all ranks and experiences will find great resonance with the humor, horror and camaraderie described.
The paper proposes the development of an integrated system of biometric tools which can be used t... more The paper proposes the development of an integrated system of biometric tools which can be used to track and assess individuals and teams in the conduct of realistic and immersive tactical, technical and ethical problem-sets that could be varied in complexity, intensity, duration, and context. Biometric data collected on physiological responses could then be analysed to determine how effectively an individual or team has performed. Importantly, for the full utility of this approach to be realised, Army requires a paradigm shift in its approach to training.
The modernisation and capability expansion of the Army’s artillery will result in a ubiquitous la... more The modernisation and capability expansion of the Army’s artillery will result in a ubiquitous land-based capacity to blend kinetic multi-domain capabilities into a unified effect. The Australian Defence Force seeks to alleviate the burden on the manoeuvre arm through the convergence of fires and effect across multiple domains. The expansion of longrange lethality announced in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update, will provide flexibility, responsiveness, and firepower that facilitates combined and joint operations to greater effect. Artillery traditionally completes its role in combination with armour and infantry; although it can and should be used to influence the battlespace via deep engagements and strikes.
SoArty’s role is to deliver individual training, nested in the Combined Arms environment, in Join... more SoArty’s role is to deliver individual training, nested in the Combined Arms environment, in Joint Fires & Effects, Surveillance and Target Acquisition, and Air and Missile Defence in order to build and sustain Australia’s best practice in Joint Effects training, education and doctrine. This is to support the generation of the Army’s foundation war fighting capabilities through high quality and safe individual training in the Royal Regiment’s requisite capabilities.
Combined arms is not achieved when we group in the assembly area. The combined arms effect is ach... more Combined arms is not achieved when we group in the assembly area. The combined arms effect is achieved in the target area through the synchronisation of single arm effects generated by the individual arms of the combined arms team; creating an environment where responding to one arm of our combined arms team makes the enemy vulnerable to one or more other arms of our combined arms team.
Combined Arms Training Centre’s (CATC) purpose is to generate combined arms competent combatants who are capable of achieving success in the Joint Land Battle. The legacy land combatant training continuum is single arms centric, delivering training in isolated stove pipes. Noting these issues, CATC is rapidly evolving the elements of the land combat training continuum to a system that is coordinated to meet at appropriate points of synergy, providing formative combined arms experiences to better prepare combat leaders for the workplace, being the operational environment.
Defeat Mechanisms either in concept or in practical application are intended to provide stratagem... more Defeat Mechanisms either in concept or in practical application are intended to provide stratagems for achieving victory over an opponent, how to articulate desired effects on the enemy, describe singular action or patterns of activities by which a force defeats his opponent, and are complimentary to Centre of Gravity analysis. In reality they are an intangible concept intended to assist in sequencing effects to render an enemy force incapable of operating at the operational or the tactical level.
To assist officers attending the Combat Officers Advanced Course (COAC), Combat Command Wing (CCW... more To assist officers attending the Combat Officers Advanced Course (COAC), Combat Command Wing (CCW) staff developed tips on both preparation for and performance on the course. While prepared principally for junior officers, this article contains valid lessons for commanders at all levels.
Contributing Authors:
Major Benny Gray
Major Graham Sowiak
Major Keiran Jackel
Major Alex Bearse
Major Jon Bennett
Major Sam Anderson
Military messes contribute to fighting power by acting as a nexus point that enhances unit esprit... more Military messes contribute to fighting power by acting as a nexus point that enhances unit esprit de corps, cultivates leadership attributes, and fosters a binding military ethos.
At this time as modern military organisations pursue greater capability via increasing levels of ... more At this time as modern military organisations pursue greater capability via increasing levels of modernisation, digitisation and technological advancement. However, resultant second and third order effects are retarding the pursuit of mastery by junior officers. The Australian Army aspires to levels of connectivity, technical capability and platform lethality never before achieved, but potentially at the cost of disruption to junior officer excellence. Task saturation, intermittent professional fulfilment, paradoxical military culture and a pervasive self-sabotaging arrogance are all factors that in some way influence junior officers. There is an expectation that military professionals unceasingly strive to improve themselves; crucially, self-assessment is expected with subsequent self-study to diminish weakness. Nevertheless, unless command priorities and conditions are geared to energise self-investment and a drive for excellence, disappointing and pervasive mediocrity will endure. Junior officers are being functionally dislocated from achieving optimum development due to organisationally imposed friction points. These points significantly dilute the physical, moral and intellectual conditions permitting the pursuit of professional mastery. Individual responsibility and drive are key, however the creation of an organisational environment that generates the conditions for this is essential. This should not be taken as advocacy for any specific fresh solution or 'innovation', but to highlight and isolate key trends and themes of friction that are at cross-purposes with the Army's declared organisational atmosphere. The key factors are that disrupt a junior officers pursuit of mastery is a lack of professional nourishment and ego-based attitudinal toxicity.
Abstract strategy games such as Chess are a proven method for increasing intellect, critical thou... more Abstract strategy games such as Chess are a proven method for increasing intellect, critical thought and development of the military mind. As the Army embraces emerging methodologies such as blended learning, simulation, online study and academic blogs, it would be prudent to maintain equilibrium with traditional approaches. Military commanders must possess the ability to face unanticipated circumstance and react with considered purpose, intent and boldness. Playing chess on a regular basis develops imagination and creativity, encourages initiative, decisive action and provides familiarity with making decisions under pressure; without the risk or resource expenditure required by other methods. Crucially, time in uniform does not inevitably result in professional competence. Therefore, intellect must be intentionally nurtured and desirable traits, encouraged. Chess is not war – but it can be used as a mechanism to develop many of the traits desirable in a commander; decision-making, creativity, patience, vision and adaption. Playing chess will not directly produce a genius of either academics or war, nor can it act as preparation for the rigours and complexities of the modern battlespace.
Decisive Events (DEs) in the Australian Army are the principal building blocks to designbattle at... more Decisive Events (DEs) in the Australian Army are the principal building blocks to designbattle at the tactical level. Unfortunately from an organisational perspective, the Armyhas fostered a culture of mediocrity as it has tolerated, advocated and acceptedineective DEs that have been poorly derived. This results in plans that merely describea series of actions lacking specic intent or direction that consequently do not defeat anadversary. DE planning is fundamentally interwoven within the Australian Army’splanning apparatus and is a key component to the development of plans and theirarticulation.
A junior commander seeking to expand their knowledge, insight and emotional intelligence would do... more A junior commander seeking to expand their knowledge, insight and emotional intelligence would do well to supplement contemporary examples with timeworn, but nonetheless enduring, lessons from antiquity. Interrogation of Homer’s 'The Iliad'
can serve to exercise and nourish the moral and intellectual components of fighting power, whilst also developing understanding of military ethos, providing examples worthy of emulation or avoidance, and contextualising the nature of war.
This series addresses battle command, decision making and combat culture, in order to distill the... more This series addresses battle command, decision making and combat culture, in order to distill the unique the demands of leadership at this level. The Combined Arms Training Centre (Australian Army) purpose is to generate Combined Arms competent combatants who are capable of achieving success in the Joint Land Battle. Implicit in this is partnering with Combat Brigades, Regiments and Battalions to produce soldiers, NCOs and Officers who are brilliant within their trade and can adapt to changing situations across the spectrum of war.
Quartered Safe Out Here is the personal account of George Macdonald Fraser on his time as a rifle... more Quartered Safe Out Here is the personal account of George Macdonald Fraser on his time as a rifleman in Slim’s 14th Army during the Burma Campaigni. This most excellent memoir brilliantly recounts the frontline action he saw while serving as a young soldier during the British army’s savage campaign against the Japanese. The authenticity of his story, merged with the talents of a gifted novelist, result in an unforgettable read. There is little doubt that soldiers of all ranks and experiences will find great resonance with the humor, horror and camaraderie described.
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Papers by Benjamin Gray
doctrine. This is to support the generation of the Army’s foundation war fighting capabilities through high quality and safe individual
training in the Royal Regiment’s requisite capabilities.
Combined Arms Training Centre’s (CATC) purpose is to generate combined arms competent combatants who are capable of achieving success in the Joint Land Battle. The legacy land combatant training continuum is single arms centric, delivering training in isolated stove pipes. Noting these issues, CATC is rapidly evolving the elements of the land combat training continuum to a system that is coordinated to meet at appropriate points of synergy, providing formative combined arms experiences to better prepare combat leaders for the workplace, being the operational environment.
Contributing Authors:
Major Benny Gray
Major Graham Sowiak
Major Keiran Jackel
Major Alex Bearse
Major Jon Bennett
Major Sam Anderson
can serve to exercise and nourish the moral and intellectual components of fighting power, whilst also developing understanding of military ethos, providing examples worthy of emulation or avoidance, and contextualising the nature of war.
Book Reviews by Benjamin Gray
doctrine. This is to support the generation of the Army’s foundation war fighting capabilities through high quality and safe individual
training in the Royal Regiment’s requisite capabilities.
Combined Arms Training Centre’s (CATC) purpose is to generate combined arms competent combatants who are capable of achieving success in the Joint Land Battle. The legacy land combatant training continuum is single arms centric, delivering training in isolated stove pipes. Noting these issues, CATC is rapidly evolving the elements of the land combat training continuum to a system that is coordinated to meet at appropriate points of synergy, providing formative combined arms experiences to better prepare combat leaders for the workplace, being the operational environment.
Contributing Authors:
Major Benny Gray
Major Graham Sowiak
Major Keiran Jackel
Major Alex Bearse
Major Jon Bennett
Major Sam Anderson
can serve to exercise and nourish the moral and intellectual components of fighting power, whilst also developing understanding of military ethos, providing examples worthy of emulation or avoidance, and contextualising the nature of war.