Combat Rescue Specialist
As a Combat Rescue Specialist, you’ll provide a deployable joint personnel recovery capability to the force. You’ll use state-of-the-art recovery equipment and maintain a specialist skillset to provide recovery effects and combat first aid, helping to minimise injury by rescuing within a combat or non-combative environment.
What you'll do
You’ll be trained to:
- employ and maintain personnel weapons, attachments, aiming devices, CES and ammunition in effective working order
- employ and maintain communication and detection equipment
- employ and maintain in-service HAZMAT and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defence (CBRND) protective ensemble
- employ and maintain combat rescue vehicles
- employ and maintain in-service hand and powered rescue tools
- under supervision, manage site hazards to prevent further exposure or physical injury.
Your duties may include:
- providing a deployable joint personnel recovery capability
- conducting mounted and dismounted rescue operations in a threat environment
- conducting hazard mitigation to effect personnel rescue, this may include fire or hazardous materials
- controlling and co-ordinating on-scene personnel recovery operations
- rescuing personnel from military platforms that may include, aircraft, trucks and armoured vehicles
- conducting technical rope rescue, confined space and sub terrain rescue operations
- conducting helicopter insertion and extraction techniques
- combat first aid and resuscitation.
Opportunities for progression and upskilling continue throughout your career. As you progress, the Army will provide you with development opportunities to assist you with your increasing leadership responsibility, as well as further education and specialised training to strengthen your skillset. This will help you to command and run a highly skilled team of soldiers and the employment of their equipment.
Following training, you’ll likely be posted to one of the following locations:
- Brisbane, Qld
- Darwin, NT
- Sydney, NSW
- Townsville, Qld.
Discover where the Army operates across Australia on our base locations map.
Requirements and training
You must be an Australian citizen to serve in the ADF. However, Australian permanent residents may be eligible. For more details, visit the "Citizenship" tab on the Eligibility Requirements page.
You can apply for a role in the ADF from 16.5 years of age and must be at least 17 to join. The maximum age to join is 56 years.
For this role, you’ll need an Australian state or territory full, provisional or probationary C Class licence. If your licence is suspended or cancelled, you won’t be eligible until that suspension or cancellation has been lifted or has expired.
All ADF members require a security clearance. As an ADF member, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate level of security clearance for your role. You’ll need a collection of relevant information including background checks and/or interviews so the Australian Government Security Vetting Agency (AGSVA) can make an informed assessment to ensure the protection of Government resources and information. Your Careers Coach will explain what level of clearance is required for the career you are considering.
For more information or to learn about how security clearance will apply to you, view the eligibility requirements page.
Completion of Year 10 (or equivalent) education required with passes in English and Maths. If you haven't completed Year 10 but are interested in joining, the ADF may be able to support your application.
To join the ADF, you must be healthy and physically fit. This is partially assessed from the completion of an extensive questionnaire covering your medical history, followed by a physical examination.
You’ll also be required to successfully pass a physical fitness assessment.
Female
- Sit-ups (feet held): 45
- Push-ups: 8
- Shuttle Run Score: 7.5.
Male
- Sit-ups (feet held): 45
- Push-ups: 15
- Shuttle Run Score: 7.5.
For further details on medical and physical fitness standards, refer to physical fitness standards for entry into the ADF and medical process for entry into the ADF.
You’ll be enlisted for an Initial Minimum Period of Service (IMPS) of 4 years. Subsequent periods of service may be offered subject to the requirements of the ADF and your suitability for further service. You’ll have a Careers Coach who can advise on how IMPS will relate to your chosen occupation and personal situation.
You may request discharge at any time provided you do not have an outstanding IMPS obligation.
Course: Army Recruit Course
Duration: 13 weeks
Location: Kapooka, Wagga Wagga, NSW
During training, you'll take part in physical training, weapon handling, and shooting, first aid, drill, and field craft. You'll be challenged both mentally and physically.
Although it can be demanding, most recruits gain a sense of achievement, purpose, and confidence during basic training, and on completion of the course feel justifiably proud of what they have accomplished. The priority of our instructors is to help you succeed.
Key components of the course include:
- Physical Fitness: Structured training to improve strength, endurance, and overall fitness, preparing you for the physical demands of Army life.
- Field Craft: Learn how to live and operate in field conditions, including camouflage, movement techniques, and working in outdoor environments.
- Weapons Handling and Marksmanship: Safe handling, maintenance, and use of Army-issued weapons, and participating in live-fire exercises.
- Drill and Discipline: Develop attention to detail, teamwork and discipline through parade drill and military routine.
- First Aid and Battlefield Casualty Care: Gain essential life-saving skills and learn how to respond to injuries in both training and operational environments.
- Military Skills and Knowledge: Introduction to Army structure, values, customs, and basic soldier responsibilities.
- Resilience and Teamwork: Build mental resilience and learn to work effectively within a team in high-pressure situations.
On successful completion of the Army Recruit Course, you’ll participate in a Graduation Parade and have the opportunity to invite family and friends to view the parade. You’ll then move on to your Initial Employment Training (IET), where you’ll learn the specific skills required for your chosen role.
Course: Military Engineering
Duration: 25 days
Location: School of Military Engineering, Holsworthy, NSW
At the completion of your basic military training, you’ll conduct the Military Engineering Course. This course provides you with the skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours to utilise basic military engineering skills under operational conditions. You’ll also learn valuable skills in humanitarian aid disaster relief and high threat weather responses.
As part of training, you’ll be qualified in:
- basic Combat Communications Course
- white card
- working at heights
- chainsaw operator (basic)
- basic tree felling
- basic tools (hand / power tools, small engine driven equipment)
- basic military engineering
- Army Combatives Program LVL 2.
Course: Army Driver Training – Operator MAN 40M & LR2J Course
Duration: 33 days
Location: Puckapunyal Army Base, Puckapunyal, Vic
This course is designed to provide personnel with training to perform operator maintenance and drive the medium weight 40M and G-Wagon with trailer on public thoroughfares and over difficult terrain by day and by night whilst under blackout conditions. The course also includes operating in a tactical environment and the ability to operate the weapon system from the 40M vehicle as well as the Corps Driver B Vehicle Docs and WHS Course.
Course: Basic Firefighter Common Course
Duration: 4 months
Location: RAAF Base Amberley, Qld
This course will provide you with basic emergency response skills and knowledge to work as part of a small team including:
- providing emergency care
- preventing injury in the workplace
- responding to aviation incident
- conduct hazard mitigation
- operating breathing apparatus
- participating in rescue operations
- operating emergency response vehicles under operational conditions.
Course: Combat Rescue Operator
Duration: 25 days
Location: posted unit location
This course will provide you with Army specific Combat Rescue Operator skills and knowledge to enable full employment in the workplace.
Topics include:
- tactical rope rescue
- confined space rescue
- operating specialist equipment
- conduct dismounted Combat Rescue operations
- understanding the ADF Personnel Recovery system.