A Queensland-based ADF member has contracted COVID-19 while training in the US

More than 15 members of the Australian Defence Force are in quarantine in the US after a Queensland-based soldier caught COVID-19.

A member of the Queensland contingent of the Australian Defence Force has contacted Covid-19 while in the US for a training activity, forcing more than a dozen fellow Queenslanders into quarantine.

The soldier and 15 close contacts are undertaking mandatory quarantine in Colorado Springs after the Covid-positive result was discovered as part of compulsory testing before returning to Australia.

“Australian personnel who were not close contacts and returned a negative test result, returned to Australia where they are undertaking mandatory quarantine as required by federal legislation,” a Department of Defence spokeswoman said.

A Queensland-based ADF member is in quarantine, along with 15 of his close contacts, after he contracted COVID-19 while training in the US. Picture: Chris McCormack.

“The response to the positive result and identification of close contacts was a result of a COVID contingency plan developed by Australian and US authorities.”

The Courier Mail has seen evidence members of the Queensland Contingent were able to roam freely in the Colorado community in June.

The defence spokeswoman declined to comment on why the cohort was able to go out into the community and would not confirm if all ADF members sent over for the training were fully vaccinated.

She also refused to confirm if the soldier was a man or a woman or which unit they were from but the Courier Mail understands 141 personnel from Brisbane’s 7th Combat Brigade and 6th Brigade took part in a multinational Joint Warfighting Assessment at Fort Carson, just outside of Colorado Springs, between June 17-25.

Some members of Brisbane’s 7th Combat Brigade and 6th Brigade took part in a multinational Joint Warfighting Assessment in Colorado in June. Picture: Matthew Sullivan

“Due to privacy reasons, Defence will not be providing further details of persons who are being tested or have tested positive for COVID-19,” the spokeswoman said.

The Australians joined with members of the US, Canadian and British Armies for the annual command post-style exercise, which consisted of simulated combat operations by a combined divisional-size force within a fictitious scenario.

The soldiers were scheduled to complete 14 days of quarantine on their return to Australia at the end of June.

The defence spokeswoman said those in quarantine in Colorado Springs will return to Australia once they have received a negative result for COVID-19.

“Significant efforts are underway to bring all personnel back as soon as possible while remaining compliant with Colorado and Australian Health requirements,” she said.