Ordnance Officer

Army General Service Officers are allocated to specific roles shortly before graduation from the Royal Military College - Duntroon. The allocation of roles is based on performance during training.

The Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps is one of the largest supply organisations in Australia and is responsible for a very wide range of logistics tasks not only supporting the Army but also the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force.

The Corps is concerned with providing supply chain management, warehousing and issuing all the Army's equipment. The Corps is also responsible for the demolition and disposal of explosives, salvage of battle-damaged equipment, re-packing of parachutes, provision of laundry facilities for hospitals and troops in the field when required and many other ancillary support services.

RAAOC provides a vast array of supplies and stores for equipment (such as tanks, watercraft, aircraft and vehicles of all kinds), guided missiles, guns, ammunition, parachutes, communication equipment, construction materials for building bridges and roads as well as other tools and machinery. It also provides fuel, clothing, food and medical and dental supplies required to equip and maintain Army units during training and combat operations.

Employment in the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC) is diversified and interesting. RAAOC Officers become experts in logistic management techniques, in particular managing the Army's distribution network. RAAOC officers are in high demand with senior commanders because of their in depth knowledge of the distribution network, and for their all round knowledge of the logistic continuum.

As well as developing the skills required to become effective logistic managers, RAAOC officers must be competent in tactics and staff work. Upon graduation from the Royal Military College and completion of initial training at the Army Logistic Training Centre, RAAOC officers are employed in the following areas:

• Platoon Commander of a supply oriented platoon (eg: Combat Supply Platoon)
• Logistic Operations
• Warehousing
• Supply control
• Administration and
• Training

In later years a RAAOC officer may be employed in both general logistic operation roles such as:

• Logistic operations officer
• Unit Adjutant (Administrative Officer)
• Second in Command of a supply or distribution sub-unit
• Supply officer within a combat unit, such as Armoured units, SASR, Commandos, Infantry and Aviation units
• Instructor
• United Nations observer or logistic adviser

Long term schooling for a relevant post-graduate qualification in Ammunition, Logistic Management and Petroleum operations. And in a specialist area which include:

• Ammunition
• Petroleum
• Parachutes

At the rank of Major, RAAOC Officers are employed as Company Commanders, Instructors, Senior Logistic Operations Officers in ADF Headquarters, overseas training or exchange appointments, United Nations Observers, Logistic Staff Officers and students at Command and Staff College in preparation for promotion to higher ranks.