Mentoring Task Force One (MTF-1) was a

combined arms Combined arms is an approach to warfare War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme vio ...

battle group formed by the

Australian Army The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (Austral ...

for deployment as part of

Operation Slipper The Australian contribution to the war in Afghanistan has been known as Operation Slipper (2001–2014) and Operation Highroad (2015-2021). Australian Defence Force (ADF) operations and the size of the forces deployed have varied and ADF invo ...

during the

War in Afghanistan War in Afghanistan, Afghan war, or Afghan civil war may refer to: *Conquest of Afghanistan by Alexander the Great (330 BC – 327 BC) *Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (637–709) *Conquest of Afghanistan by the Mongol Empire (13th century), see als ...

. Formed in 2009 from the 7th Brigade, the unit consisted of infantry, engineers, cavalry, artillery and logistic elements from 55 different units, but was predominately based on the

6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) is a mechanised infantry battalion of the Australian Army. It was originally raised in Brisbane, Queensland, on 6 June 1965 and has since then served in a number of overseas deployments and conf ...

(6 RAR). Based at Forward Operating Base Ripley outside of

Tarin Kowt Tarīnkōṭ ( prs, ترين کوت), also spelled as Tarin Kowt, is the capital of Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan in the Tarinkot District. Tarinkot city has a population of 71,604 (2015), with some 200 small shops in the city's bazaar ...

Uruzgan Province Uruzgan (Dari), also spelled as Urozgan or Oruzgan, is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. Uruzgan is located in the center of the country. The population is 436,079, and the province is mostly a tribal society. Tarinkot serves as th ...

as part of a multinational brigade known as Combined Team Uruzgan, MTF-1 was tasked with counter-insurgency operations in conjunction with United States, Dutch and other coalition forces, operating from a number of patrol bases in the Mirabad, Baluchi and Chora valleys. MTF-1 served in Afghanistan from January to October 2010.

History

Formed in 2009 for deployment as part of

during the

, Mentoring Task Force One (MTF-1) was raised from the

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

-based 7th Brigade. The 750-strong

battle group consisted of infantry, engineers, cavalry, artillery and logistic elements from 55 different units, but was primarily based on the

(6 RAR). Based at Forward Operating Base Ripley outside of

as part of a multinational brigade known as Combined Team Uruzgan, MTF-1 was tasked with counter-insurgency operations in conjunction United States, Dutch and other coalition forces, operating from a number of patrol bases in the Mirabad, Baluchi and Chora valleys. After completing mission-specific training in Australia, MTF-1 arrived in Afghanistan in January 2010. Initially commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Jason Blain, MTF-1 formally took over responsibility for the area of operations (AO) from Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force Two in February. Partnered with the 4th Brigade, 205th Corps of the

Afghan National Army Afghan may refer to: *Something of or related to Afghanistan, a country in Southern-Central Asia * Afghans, people or citizens of Afghanistan, typically of any ethnicity **Afghan (ethnonym), the historic term applied strictly to people of the Pas ...

(ANA), MTF-1 operated throughout Uruzgan Province, with their AO extended west into the

Tangi Valley Tangi Valley (also known as Wardak Valley or Tangi Wardak) is located in the south of Wardak Province in Afghanistan. Between 2009 and 2011 it was occupied by US forces, and became known for the large number of US troops killed there.{{{cite book ...

following the Dutch withdrawal in August, while it also provided convoy escort and force protection in support of ANA resupply convoys into neighboring

Kandahar Province Kandahār ( ps, ; Kandahār, prs, ; ''Qandahār'') is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the southern part of the country, sharing a border with Pakistan, to the south. It is surrounded by Helmand in the west, Uruzgan ...

. Meanwhile, following a change in command Blain subsequently handed over to Lieutenant Colonel Mark Jennings on 21 June 2010. During its eight-month deployment MTF-1 conducted over 1,700 patrols involving more than 560 small-arms fire incidents, locating over 100 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and more than 250 weapons and explosives caches. Involved in sustained operations, MTF-1 suffered nearly 40 battle casualties, including six killed in action, the majority from IEDs. While attached to MTF-1, soldiers from Combat Team Delta (based on D Company, 6 RAR) took part in heavy fighting during the

Battle of Derapet The Battle of Derapet was fought near the village of Derapet in the Tangi Valley in Deh Rahwod District, Deh Rahwod, Orūzgān Province, southern Afghanistan, between a combined Australian Army and Afghan National Army patrol and Taliban forces on ...

Deh Rahwod Deh Rawood is a district in Uruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan, and the name of the town that serves as district seat. Deh Rawood lies along the Helmand River. The tribes in the district are Pashtun, dominated by the Noorzai and Populzai sub- ...

on 24 August 2010, sustaining one killed. Corporal

Daniel Keighran Daniel Alan Keighran, (born 18 June 1983) is an Australian soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia, the highest award in the Australian honours system. Keighran was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions in ...

was later awarded the

Victoria Cross for Australia The Victoria Cross for Australia is the highest award in the Australian honours system, superseding the British Victoria Cross for issue to Australians. The Victoria Cross for Australia is the "decoration for according recognition to persons w ...

for his role in the battle, the first member of the

Royal Australian Regiment The Royal Australian Regiment (RAR) is the parent administrative regiment for regular infantry battalions of the Australian Army and is the senior infantry regiment of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps. It was originally formed in 1948 as a t ...

to receive such an award. MTF-1 handed over authority to Mentoring Task Force Two and returned to Australia in October and November 2010. On 20 November, the task force marched through Brisbane's central business district along with other deployed units from the 7th Brigade, as the returning soldiers were officially welcomed home in the biggest such parade since the end of the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

. MTF-1 was subsequently awarded the

Meritorious Unit Citation The Meritorious Unit Citation is a collective group decoration awarded to members of Australian military units. It recognises sustained outstanding service in warlike operations. The Meritorious Unit Citation was created in 1991, along with the ...

in the 2011 Queen's Birthday Honours for "sustained outstanding service in warlike operations on Operation Slipper in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, between 20 January and 30 October 2010". A number of other members of the task force were also decorated for their service with MTF-1, including both Blain and Jennings, who were each awarded the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) *Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) *Distinguished Service Cross (U ...

Notes

References

External links

The Australian Army in Profile 2011
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Military units and formations of the Australian Army Ad hoc units and formations of Australia Military units and formations established in 2009 Military units and formations disestablished in 2010 Recipients of the Meritorious Unit Citation

History

Notes

References

Further reading

External links