War crimes report: Unit’s coveted award revoked after ‘betrayal’, honours reviewed

Up to 3000 special forces personnel who served in Afghanistan will have to immediately hand back one of their coveted service awards – the meritorious unit citation.

Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell has announced a review into all honours for Afghan War combatants. Picture: Getty Images

Up to 3000 special forces personnel who served in Afghanistan will have to immediately hand back one of their coveted service awards, the Meritorious Unit Cita­tion, and Distinguished Service Medals for senior commanders will be up for review after the Brereton findings.

Chief of the Defence Force Angus Campbell has announced a review into all honours for Afghan War combatants — which would include his own Distinguished Service Cross in 2012 — after revel­ations that 25 Australian Defence­ Force personnel are allegedly­ linked to the deaths of 39 innocent Afghans.

After accusations of murders, fabrications, and a “profound betrayal­” of ADF standards levelled­ at some members of the Special Operations Task Group, the inquiry found there was no longer a case for the unit as a whole to be considered worthy of an honourable citation.

“Although many members of the Special Operations Task Group demonstrated great courage and commitment, and although­ it had considerable achievements, what is now known must disentitle the unit as a whole to eligibility for recognition for sustained outstanding service,” the report states.

“It has to be said that what this report discloses is disgraceful and a profound betrayal of the Australian Defence Force’s professional standards and expectations. It is not meritorious.

“The inquiry has recommended the revocation of the award of the Meritorious Unit Citation, as an effective demonstration of the collective responsibility and ­accountability of the Special Operati­ons Task Group as a whole for those events.”

The inquiry also calls for a review­ of Distinguished Service Medals — handed to a series of senior commanders during the war in Afghanistan — as the report­skewers top brass for not controlling the actions of lower-ranking officers.

General Campbell is among those who received honours for his leadership of Australia’s ­Afghanistan War combatants. He was given a DSC for his work as the commander of Joint Task Force 633, where he was respon­sible for all Australian troops ­stationed in the Middle East.

The Defence Force Chief said that he would pursue a review of all medals awarded during the perio­d the Brereton inquiry ­covers.

“I will review … the honours and awards received by a range of officers both in Australia and ­Afghanistan,” he said in Canberra on Thursday.

“Justice (Paul) Brereton ­mentioned a recommendation to review awards, in particular to ­officers, but not exclusively, with regard to meritorious, disting­uished or conspicuous service.

“That will happen.

“I don’t know right now what that total number of review also be. It will be what is required to deal with the issue.”

While the Brereton inquiry says it is difficult to offer a blanket recommendation on individual honours, it does suggest that anyone responsible for troops implicated in war crimes should lose their medals.