
As stated here, our unit had this special occasion to do a visit to our counterpart in Australian uniform. This is a very rare occasion that I couldn't miss out. Thus, I drove all my way back from KL back home once I done with the last exam paper. Gladly, I avoided the usual homecoming heavy traffic during festive season by rode back much more earlier.
The Big DayWell, all of us prepared and gathered in Home of the Reserve, the 509's Reservist Headquarter and Battalion 1 base camp before 7am. But everyone was already awaiting! Geez, everyone was eager for the visit trip.

Since we got more than 80 people inclusive of our officers and instructors, the Penang State Secretariat and Polytehcnic School(14 of us are student there) are happily provided us 2 air-conditioned buses to accomodate our travel to Butterworth Airbase while another 2 3-tans and rover to take in materials needed for later event.
Yupe, we will have friendly contest and games later on with the Australian.
It was a boring 45mins ride across the Penang bridge, it will be shortened much more if we could take the ferry. (Air-condition bus ain't fitting the ferry)

We reached there around 8.30am.
After a line-in and formal speech and introduction by both unit commander, Lt.Colonel Toh and Australian's Major Hamilton, we splited-up by section and started a small tour before the match. The Australian were kindly showing us their equipments and how they do stuffs.
1st Leg: WeaponsTheir standard weaponry is Steyr, supported by a FN Minimi 5.56mm SAW, Claymore and Antitank Rocket Launcher.
Their section line-up is just as similar to ours, around 10 soldiers in each section, with Corperal and Lance-corperal leading the team. The assault element is formed by a 3 man group of Minimi-gunner, steyr with M203 and high-power scoped steyr, the bulk with standard steyr, stand of leading element, radioman and rifleman, the rear wih high-power scoperd steyr and claymore.
They gave us a little demonstration how they operate M203, planting claymore and shooting antitank rocket launcher, which is really interesting for us.
Different weapon specs have slightly different operation procedure right?
Really never thought M203 can be attached to Steyr.
All their weapon system is easily to attach/detach, thanks to pitigany rail.
The 4.3x scope is much more accurate than the 1.5x scope of standard steyr, thus it increased effectiveness up to 6~800meters above, giving them better range advantage. It is really needy component for a country so vast and flat. It is useful in jungle setting too like in Malaysia but will be much more limited due to numerous overgrowths here.
All of them are trained in all weaponry they possessed by role they played, regardless of rank. We may only get the chance to use M203 if you are a NCO, after you went through the small weapon training course. Not to say the Claymore, Minimi and Anti-tank rocket launcher.

Thus, an interesting exposure to me. Hopefully one day I could go for the training course as time allowed me.
2nd leg: Personal Gears and EquipmentsAfter that, we took a look on their personal gear and equipment like backpack, vest and webbing. Mmm, really different than ours. I guess different environment setting will have differently designed equipment.
Their wearing is specially designed to role they in mission. If you are a gunner, then you attach more box magazine pouch to your tactical vest. If you are a driver you gonna have a driver vest then. (You might be not comfortable in prone position with the driver vest

)
One significant item of their gears is waterbottle. They have 2 1-liter water bottle in pouch webbing, then an additional camel back attached in the vest with a further 4x2liters bottle in their backpack. They drink a lot of water. Possible they easily get dehydarated?
In addition, add a shovel, sleeping bag and food supplies can easily surpass 30kg and based on mission carried out it can be over 80kg... That's really say how heavy and sweatful it can be...(Non-inclusive of ammo yet...) No wonder every army in the world always stress that physical fitness is the vital first before anything else.
3rd leg: Australian's Ration and ShelterMmm...I must say it is good. The ration is almost the same as ours, but more ingredients and varitey such as cereal breakfast, isotonic drink powder, curry powder, bubblegum. But my section spent too much time on the 1st and 2nd part so I really don't have time to check it out.
Military Skills Friendly MatchThe joint organisers had friendly matches and programs to make the visit more interesting. One of them is military skills.
We had 5 stations for the military skills, only 4 were we competing, 1 was cooperation. We were mainly tested for physical fitness, teamwork, tactics and quick thinking.
The game I went through in sequence is "damaged trailer pushing“, "memorised the item after a tiring push of truck around the base", "cross an "acidic river" with 3 plastic board", "run with logs" and "field medical handling"
In this little game called "damaged trailer pushing“, we had to push a "damaged" trailer with a lot of heavy stuffs loaded on it and make a run across two football field back and for. The trailer had a wheel purposely detached with approximately 50kg items to be loaded.
How to make the one-legged trailer run?
That's all about the balancing, teamwork and strength. =)
We could put items creatively as long as we finished the course. Of course, good guidance from our officers and others in team discussion too.
We really put things very balance as like all 6 jerry can in the box and rope it up to the long wood as an balancer whereas the Australian only put 4 in it for their whole 3 months training. Too bad, although we made a good headstart but the 1st Australian team had greater stamina and caught up with us in the last part and went ahead by 10 meters. I guess months of training with the trailer gave them good stamina advantage when we dun have any adequate training beforehand. (We got 4 days extended training only

)
Although this was a friendly match, we ain't gonna reserve anything.
Gosh...If I gonna write down my experience on that day, I gonna write them in parts!