‘Disturbing’: Army chief Rick Burr responds to Afghanistan Inquiry

Chief of Army Rick Burr has called on personnel to repair trust and support ‘cultural renewal’.

Chief of Army Lieutenant General Rick Burr.

Chief of Army Rick Burr has described the findings of the Afghanistan Inquiry as “disturbing and extremely serious” and called on Australian Defence Force personnel to repair trust and support “cultural renewal”.

Lieutenant General Burr, who led the Special Air Service Regiment between 2003 and 2004, said he was “deeply concerned that some people did not feel empowered or safe to speak up sooner when they saw or knew of misconduct”.

The army chief, who has been tasked with leading the ADF cultural shake-up, said the inquiry findings were not “easy to read or hear”.

“As the Chief of Army and a Special Forces officer, I have questioned why did this happen? What could have been done to prevent this? And how do we ensure this does not happen again? Anywhere in our Army,” Lt-Gen Burr said.

“Some of our people strayed from our values by not operating lawfully, ethically or responsibly. These individuals will be held to account.”

Lt-Gen Burr said “not holding each other to account and tolerating misconduct is not what we stand for”.

“Although it was not everyone it affects us all. The findings are not easy to read or hear. But dealing with them and learning from this experience is essential for our profession,” he said.

“As we hold ourselves to account, we must understand what has happened and commit to restoring trust with the nation we have sworn to defend.

“Trust is critical to our profession and our standing as a national institution. Trust in each other, ethical leadership at all levels and being our best selves everyday strengthens our culture.”

The 38-year ADF veteran said culture inside the Army was “what we allow it to be”.

“We own it, we all contribute to it, and we define what we stand for. Our culture is capability. The Army has been working hard on cultural renewal. But there is always more work to do.”

“We must always live by our values and act with integrity. Our profession demands this. I have every confidence that we will emerge from this experience a stronger, more capable, and effective Army.

“But it is up to us. Regardless of when you joined our Army, whether you deployed to Afghanistan or not, whether you were involved or not, this inquiry is something we all live with. We inherit, we own it. In our Army we share the good with the bad. We must continue to learn and improve.”

“We owe it to those who are serving today but also to those who have served in our past, and those who will serve in our future.”

Lt-Gen Burr urged ADF personnel to seek support, acknowledging the process had been a “tough road for many people”.

“I commend those who had the courage to provide information to the inquiry. As we navigate our way forward, please continue to look out for each other.”

“If you need help ask. You will be supported. There is a wide range of welfare support available.”