Introduction

Welcome to the Defence Values Learning Package on Courage. Embark on a journey to explore one of the core values of the Australian Defence Force—courage.

This module will guide you through inspiring historical accounts, real-life examples, and scenarios designed to challenge your understanding of what it means to exhibit courage. From battlefield heroics to moral bravery in daily decisions, you'll delve into how courage is lived out by Defence members past and present. Through thought-provoking discussions, film illustrations, and practical exercises, you’ll gain insights into strengthening your resolve and embodying this value in every aspect of your role. Whether you’re reflecting on personal experiences or preparing for leadership challenges, this module promises to enhance your character and leadership acumen in under 30 minutes. Are you ready to embrace the courage within? Let’s begin.

Courage Defined

Defence courage is described as ‘The strength of character to say and do the right thing, always, especially in the face of adversity.’

Courage is displayed on the battlefield in putting oneself in danger for the mission and for one’s mates. I have been inspired seeing it embodied by New York firefighters on 9/11 when they ran into the twin towers and climbed the stairs. Closer to home, I appreciate that courage is what Australian Navy personnel are trained to display when there is a fire – their training kicks in when they run towards the fire. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the actions taken despite the fear you feel.

You may have seen values and courage embodied in athletes at their best. I love the story of Bonnie Hancock who courageously paddled around Australia! See my review of her book The Girl Who Touched the Stars. Bonnie paddled 12,700 kilometres through all sorts of challenges someone without courage would shy away from: sharks, sea snakes, crocodiles, challenging weather, nausea, physical challenges, and emotional rollercoasters with loneliness and isolation. She embodied courage and resilience not through easy times but in the face of challenges: “Strength is found not in clear waters but in the choppy seas, the ability to continually fight even when the challenges are seemingly insurmountable is a real superpower.” (p.164) I also appreciated how she recognised courage was a team effort not just individual, commenting: “Alone we go fast, together we go far.” (p.222); and that courage was mental as well as physical, commenting on her blog: “As an ex-ironwoman and all-around fitness enthusiast, I have always focused on my physical health to ensure I perform at my peak. Being fit and healthy not only means physically but mentally too.

Courage is also about moral courage to speak up the face of expectations to the contrary. I asked a group of trainees where they had seen courage since enlisting. They recalled classmates persevering in the obstacle course and sticking at training despite wanting to resign. But they also told me they appreciated a classmate who consistently spoke up even though his ideas were controversial. They admired a Warrant Officer who spoke up respectfully to counter an Officer’s comment. They affirmed mates who were humble and admitted mistakes. They celebrated learners who self-referred issues to staff, who spoke up when they saw something not right, who volunteered when asked for an uncertain task, and who stood up for themselves and one another when appropriate. They remembered a staff cadet at Kapooka who removed a more senior officer from the Command Post when speaking inappropriately to other members. Those experiences helped them to learn that they are not supposed to be just ‘dumb diggers’ but thinking soldiers who live and speak according to the courage of their convictions. Courage is called for against bullying, discrimination, subtle exclusion of others or turning a blind eye. Courage is about behaving bravely in the face of danger, but also speaking up and standing up for what is right despite the risk.

The ADF Philosophical Doctrine - ADF Leadership expands on how we need not just physical courage but moral courage. I know that doing and saying what you know is right can be especially challenging. Yet even though you or I might catch strife, we don’t hold back from being prepared to address issues – for ourselves and for our mates, but also for your Chain of Command and broader unit. Have a read of ADF Leadership and look out for wise words on courage such as ‘Moral courage requires you to take the harder right, not the easy wrong.’

Historical inspiration – ‘Teddy’ Sheean, VC

Ordinary Seaman Edward ‘Teddy’ Sheean VC (28 Dec 1923-1 Dec 1942) served on HMAS Armidale and died heroically during a Japanese aerial attack in WWII. Sheean, born and schooled in Tasmania, enlisted in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve in April 1941 and was posted to Sydney in May 1942. His vessel HMAS Kuttabul was sunk by a Japanese midget submarine attack in Sydney Harbour while Sheean fortunately was on leave in Tasmania. On return he began service as an Oerlikon anti-aircraft gunner on HMAS Armidale. Armidale conducted convoy escort duties along Australia's east and northern coasts. On 29 November 1942, the corvette was sent to undertake a resupply and evacuation mission to Japanese-occupied Timor. During the mission, near Timor's Betano Bay, she was hit by two aircraft-launched torpedoes and began to sink fast.

Ordinary Seaman Edward Sheean, HMAS 'Armidale' by Dale Marsh 1978 - Australian War Memorial Collection - CC BY-NC 3.0

After helping to free a life raft, Sheean was wounded with two bullets. Instead of abandoning ship, he strapped himself to an Oerlikon and engaged the attacking aircraft to protect those in the water as the ship sunk. He shot down two planes. Crewmates saw tracer rising from beneath the surface as Sheean and his gun went under. He was 18 when he died. Only 49 of his 149 crewmates survived the attack and subsequent escape on rafts and lifeboats.

Sheean’s courage was posthumously Mentioned in Despatches and upgraded to the Victoria Cross for Australia in 2020. A Collins Class submarine, the HMAS Sheean, was named after him – the only RAN ship named after an ordinary sailor.

Movie illustration – Hotel Rwanda

Watch an episode form Hotel Rwanda, about the courageous bravery and perseverance of Hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina (best viewed off the DPN): ‘Hotel Rwanda (New Raw Footage/How Can They Not Intervene?)’ (3:50).

Scenario – Clearing IEDs

Imagine yourself in this scene and discuss your responses. (This is a scenario Chaplains developed for ADFA’s Character Mentoring Cell.)

Imagine you are a Private on patrol in a country in the Middle East. Your patrol has been tasked to prove and clear a known Improvised Explosive Device (IED) route. Two previous patrols over the last month have resulted in friendly casualties; and there have also been numerous civilian injuries over the same time span.

As the patrol moves along, it comes across an area that has a lot of rubbish, particularly empty cans. The patrol commander decides that the area needs to be cleared and the majority of the patrol is tasked to provide perimeter security. A party is tasked with ensuring that there are no IED’s in the area.

You have been placed on flank security. You notice that some children are hanging around the patrol commander and the soldiers who are about to systemically start to clear the area.

You then notice that the children seem to be receiving money from the group of soldiers and are then going to pick up the cans.

A – You stay put and continue to scan your arcs – no further action

B – You go over and challenge the patrol commander as to what he is doing

C – You wait to the end of the patrol and then report the incident through the chain of command.

D – Propose another alternative: __________________________________________.

Courage in vulnerability and teamwork

There is another final important aspect of courage we all need – the courage to be vulnerable with and supportive of one another.

Dr Kirstin Ferguson AM was a RAAF officer and now leadership writer. In Head & Heart she says that courage is the capability to speak up and make decisions that are right, and to create a culture for others to do the same. Alongside courage, she says we also need humility and self-awareness. These qualities need courage in themselves but they also help build courage. Ferguson helped me understand that humility is accepting our own limits and eagerly seeking the contributions and new ideas of others, i.e. not getting stranded on the ‘Mount Stupid’ of not admitting ignorance. Self-awareness is the insight into our own limits, abilities, character, motivation, triggers and cognitive biases that hamper judgment and decision-making, and being aware of how we impact others.

Courage is displayed by being transparent and honest about our need for support. For example, sometimes we need a mental health check, just like we need an annual trip to the doctor. Sometimes we need to tell a mate or a therapist that we are struggling with a difficult relationship, or emotional baggage, or unresolved grief. Courage expressed in help-seeking makes us healthier and more resilient people. Vulnerability is not a lack of courage, but simply what we all experience during times of uncertainty, risk and exposure as Brené Brown teaches in Dare to Lead.

Reflection exercise – courage reps & sets

Defence values and especially the behaviours of courage are not taught in a classroom but learned in practice. This exercise is about having ‘reps and sets’ that can helps to build your character and courage muscle memory. As a drill over the coming day, when you are faced with a decision, ask yourself:

·        ‘What will I as a person of character guided by COURAGE do here?’

Take a mental note of how the Defence value of courage guided your actions, note it in your journal and/or be prepared to discuss your lesson with your team.

If you have further time, you could start discussing this question now and/or leave it till another session for review:

Other activities

If you would like to discuss another contemporary example of courage and self-sacrificial good soldiering, read about Corporal Dan Keighran VC on Operation Slipper in ADF Leadership or his book Courage Under Fire.

If you are interested in a scene in which Australian soldiers demonstrate the Defence value of courage, watch: ‘Danger Close: The Battle of Long Tan | Artillery Target My Location’ (4:06).

If interested in courageous stories of Coastwatchers who were Australian civilians scattered throughout the Pacific during WWII and recruited to Defence, enjoy watching Australia’s Secret Army (The Cove 26 Mar 2024). Also have a read or listen to the Podcast about Mrs Ruby Boye (Jones) who was in the Solomon Islands as Australia’s only female Coastwatcher.

To see more of Bonnie Hancock’s story of sea-kayaking courage, see her TED video ‘My Epic Journey Becoming the Fastest Person to Paddle around Australia’ (10:01).

If you enjoyed this activity, why not try other Learning Packages on Service, Respect, Integrity or Excellence from the Forge, or an introductory Quick Military Education (QME) session on ADF Values or other QMEs available on The Cove?

Comments

If you have suggestions for improvements – other readings, scenarios, movies, discussion points, delivery methods, or if you have seen this value embodied by someone – or if you just want to provide feedback, please login to comment.