Hazing not part of drill
Regiment commander rejects tradition claim as troops acquitted
A HIGH-RANKING Townsville army commander has denied the “customs and traditions” of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment include initiation rituals.
Lieutenant-colonel Patrick Davison’s statement came after five soldiers on trial over allegations they illegally confined a colleague during a hazing challenge on the regiment’s Exercise Brolga Walk at the Townsville Field Training Area on May 5 last year were all acquitted.
The trial of Lance Corporal Blake Ferrington-may, Private Sharun Kachappillil-shajee and troopers Thomas Flemming, James Foschi and James Mulholland lasted 11 days.
Trooper Liam Richard Sohier was pulled from his sleeping bag, wrestled to the ground, had his wrists bound with cable ties and was carried off before members of the squadron gave him a headstart and chased him into the night while barking like dogs, the court was told.
Troopers Arthur James Tecson, Cody Hadden and Samuel Tognetti pleaded guilty this year to one count of assault each over the same incident. Each was fined.
As Trooper Tecson was sentenced in June this year, the court was told the incident “was part of Alpha Squadron culture” and was the younger members’ turn to continue the “traditions of the squadron and the regiment”.
But, in a statement, Lieutenant-colonel Davison, who is the commanding officer of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, said bullying and other unacceptable behaviours were not tolerated.
“Our customs and traditions do not include initiation rituals and any behaviour of that nature has no place in a professional army and in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment,” he said.
“I reject any assertion to the contrary or that this type of behaviour is reflective of a broader acceptance and culture in the unit over the past two years.
“I cannot speak to allegations made over past decades as I was not in the unit, and if, as alleged, they occurred they were as unacceptable then as they are now.
“I am confident bullying and unacceptable behaviour are not normalised behaviour and do not continue unchecked.”
Junior and senior army personnel gave evidence during the trial that it was “part of the culture” for new soldiers to be initiated into the “brotherhood” in initiation tests known as “reo challenges”.
Squadron Sergeant of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment James Wakely gave evidence that he had heard about a plan to “kidnap” Trooper Sohier as part of an initiation ritual after the soldiers planning it were told they could not proceed with their initial plans for the challenge.
The court was told other senior soldiers in positions of authority knew about the plan and did not intervene.
Trooper Tecson gave evidence on day one of the trial that new soldiers were welcomed to the unit by challenges outside of “traditional procedures” and that those who did not participate faced “ramifications”.
He said a few soldiers he marched with “resisted that culture” and had experienced “push back” as a result.
Artificer Sergeant Major Evan Deards, one of the highest ranked on the training trip, gave evidence that a group planning a “reo challenge” approached him with an idea to steal items from his vehicle.
“When they told me they were going to try and steal stuff out of our truck I was rather displeased,” he told the court.
“I told them to f--k off. I was not unfamiliar with the concept but I had never heard it called reo challenge.”
Sergeant Major Deards also told the court he and other higher ranked soldiers witnessed a group of half-naked soldiers approach Trooper Sohier before a scuffle began.
“It dawned on us that maybe this is the reo challenge,” he said.
Squadron Sergeant of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment James Wakely told the court it was “part of the culture for (the) cavalry that they initiate a new soldier into the brotherhood”.
He told the court martial proceedings he heard about the group’s plan to “kidnap” Trooper Sohier and also gave evidence about a second reo challenge that took place on the same trip.
In that challenge, soldiers in the 2nd Cavalry’s B Squadron did a “rat-pack” challenge and ate a full day’s rations in under 30 minutes.
During the incident, one recruit was told he would “win the challenge” if he inserted a musk stick lolly in his rectum.
Other soldiers including Corporal Greg Sagacio and troopers Joshua Langford, Hadden and Tognetti all also gave evidence about their knowledge of initiation challenges in the unit over recent years. Lieutenant-colonel Davison said he was “incredibly proud” Trooper Sohier reported the incident.
“In this case, a concerned soldier came forward to report that something untoward had occurred,” he said.
“It shows that the average soldier does not tolerate, accept or condone this behaviour and has the moral courage to step forward and call out wrongdoing.
“Of that soldier, and the hundreds like him under my command, I am incredibly proud.”
Brigadier Kahlil Fegan, DSC, commander of Townsville’s 3rd Brigade, said the army had welcomed “significant cultural change” within its ranks over recent decades.
“This brigade and army have demonstrated a commitment to eliminating behaviours that are unacceptable and have no place in the Australian Army,” Brigadier Fegan said.
THIS BRIGADE AND ARMY HAVE DEMONSTRATED A COMMITMENT TO ELIMINATING BEHAVIOURS THAT ARE UNACCEPTABLE AND HAVE NO PLACE IN THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY.
BRIGADIER KAHLIL FEGAN (PICTURED)