Nearly 100 soldiers go to Melbourne to help contain COVID-19

WHILE most people prepare for Christmas, additional soldiers have deployed from Townsville to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

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WHILE most people prepare for Christmas, additional soldiers have deployed from Townsville to help contain the spread of COVID-19.

On Friday, 75 members of Army’s 3rd Brigade flew out of Townsville via military aircraft and landed at Melbourne Jet Base Airport as part of Operation COVID-19 Assist.

The deployed soldiers will join 35 RAAF members from RAAF East Sale in Melbourne, expected to commence tasks from today (Monday) after spending the weekend undergoing ADF task-specific and Victorian Government mandatory training.

Australian Army personnel from the The 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, based in Townsville, have arrived in Melbourne as they prepare to support Victoria Police with hotel quarantine of international arrivals.

A Defence spokeswoman said Defence was working closely with the Victorian Government to determine how the Australian Defence Force (ADF) could best support the hotel quarantine of international arrivals in Victoria.

“The members will not be authorised as law enforcement officers and will be working in support of Victoria Police at hotels across Melbourne,” the Defence spokeswoman said.

“The ADF has continued to provide assistance to states and territories in their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Since March 2020, more than 10,000 ADF personnel have deployed nationally under Operation COVID-19 Assist, including almost 3,000 in Victoria.

Since December 3, Defence reported 30 ADF and Defence APS personnel were embedded in various Australian Government agencies, including the Department of Home Affairs and Services Australia.

Originally published as Nearly 100 soldiers go to Melbourne to help contain COVID-19