High ranking ADF member demoted after lying about fitness

A high ranking member of the Australian Defence Forces has been demoted after it was found he forged a document to get out of a basic fitness test.

Australian Army officer Lt Colonel Simon Croft. Picture: Gary Ramage / News Corp Australia

The boss of an Australian Army battalion has lost his job after forging a document to get out of completing a fitness test.

Former 6th Battalion (6RAR) Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Simon Croft pleaded guilty last month to one charge of dishonestly forging the document and another charge for dishonestly using it.

Members of the Australian Army are required to complete a twice yearly fitness test that involves performing sit ups, push ups and a short run or walk based on their age.

It is understood Lt Colonel Croft would have been required to complete, at most, seven push ups, 30 sit ups and run 2.4km in 15 minutes and 30 second or be able to walk 5km in 45 minutes.

The high ranking defence force member first lied about having completed the test during a performance review, a military court at the Gallipoli Barracks heard in April

He was later asked to provide documentation to prove he had successfully passed the fitness test and pretended he had given it to a corporal. That corporal later confirmed he had never been given the documentation.

Australian Army officer Lt Colonel Simon Croft in Afghanistan. Picture Gary Ramage / News Corp Australia

Eventually Lt Colonel Croft provided the fraudulent copy of the form with another lieutenant colonel’s signature on the form saying he had supervised the test.

However the date of creation on the form revealed it to be fraudulent when it was many weeks after the test was alleged to have been completed.

In sentencing Lt Colonel Croft, the president of the Court Martial said the role of a commanding officer was supposed to be for those considered the very best, must be beyond reproach and should set and maintain the standards of Army and ADF.

“In this endeavour you failed to meet this standard, not only making a false document but in using it. This not only compromised your integrity, making your position as a commanding officer untenable, but also compromised Army’s readiness system,” the president said.

In relation to the first charge of dishonestly forging the document Lt Colonel Croft was severely reprimanded and as punishment for the second charge of dishonestly using the document he was demoted to a rank of Major.

The president acknowledged Lt Colonel Croft’s exemplary service before and after the incident.

Lt Colonel Croft was honoured in the 2015 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for distinguished performance of duty when serving in Afghanistan from December 2013 to September 2014.