Up to nine Australian commanders who served in the Afghan war have had their military awards revoked following a war crimes investigation.
Defence Minister Richard Marles called the situation a “national shame.”
The decision, made by Marles, affects several senior soldiers, though their identities and rank are being kept confidential due to privacy laws. The commanders were informed the minister’s decision through letters sent in the past 24 hours.
Marles detailed the findings of the Brereton Report in Parliament on Sept. 12.
The report revealed evidence of unlawful conduct by Australian Special Forces personnel.
“The report identified 23 incidents involving 25 Australian personnel, including the alleged unlawful killing of 39 individuals and the mistreatment of two others,” Marles said.
He said the findings were of “the most serious, disturbing, and consequential nature” and warranted a strong response.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Marles said the decision did not diminish the service and legacy of the majority of those who served in Afghanistan.
He clarified that the action targets those in command positions at various levels rather than individuals directly accused of war crimes. Separate criminal investigations are ongoing for those facing direct allegations.
Andrew Hastie, shadow minister for defence and a former soldier, also addressed Parliament and described the inquiry as “painful.”
“The cost of war has been doubled and tripled as we retraced painful moments, but it was necessary for we believe in accountability and making things right when we uncover wrongdoing,” he added.
However, he raised a point of disagreement with the report, questioning how far it reaches up the chain in assigning responsibility.
“I believe that our troops were let down by a lack of moral courage that went up the chain of command all the way to Canberra, including in this House.”
Yet the president of the national Returned and Services League (RSL) said any move to strip medals should have been done after all investigations were complete.
“Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel serve in a unique and highly challenging environment, and the allegations and the outcomes of the Brereton Report have caused considerable distress and mental health concerns.”
Melick said he was unable to comment further until the full, unredacted Brereton Report was released.
On Nov. 6, 2020, the chief of defence force received the Brereton Report, which was publicly acknowledged two weeks later.
The report included 143 recommendations, all of which were accepted by the Defence Department. Since then, Defence has been addressing these recommendations and implementing changes at systemic, organisational, and cultural levels.
General Angus Campbell, then-chief of defence force, described the alleged behavior as profoundly disrespectful to the Afghan people and detrimental to the mission’s safety.
“Such alleged behavior profoundly disrespected the trust placed in us by the Afghan people who had asked us to their country to help them. It would have devastated the lives of Afghan families and communities, causing immeasurable pain and suffering, and it would have put in jeopardy our mission and the safety of Afghan and coalition partners.”
