RAAF Headquarters Ground Academy

Headquarters Ground Academy (HQGA) was formed on 01 Jan 2019 as a result of the amalgamation of Headquarters RAAF College and Headquarters Ground Training Wing in order to realise Chief of Air Force intent to modernise Air Force education and training.

HQGA will realise important organisational changes and efficiencies to better align functions, roles and responsibilities and performance management across Air Force Training Group (AFTG). The main focus of Ground Academy is to provide through-life education and training, and deliver enhanced leadership skills and professional mastery, through modern learning tools, methods and processes across all levels and specialisations.

HQGA enables the Officer Commanding Ground Academy (OC GA) through executive staff support, the conduct of training design and development and by delivering centralised administration, logistics and training support to GA units across Australia.

Ground Academy Units 

The following units make up the Ground Academy:

• No 1 Recruit Training Unit (1RTU) at RAAF Wagga
• Air Force Band at RAAF Williams, Laverton
• Officers’ Training School (OTS) at RAAF East Sale
• School of Postgraduate Studies (SPS) at RAAF Wagga
• RAAF School of Technical Training (RAAFSTT) at RAAF Wagga
• RAAF School of Administration and Logistics Training (RAAFSALT) at RAAF Wagga
• RAAF Security and Fire School (RAAFSFS) at RAAF Amberley, near Ipswich, QLD
• Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School (DEOTS) at Defence Establishment Orchard Hills near Penrith, NSW.

GA is an element of AFTG coming under the command of Commander Air Force Training Group (CDR AFTG). HQ AFTG is located at RAAF Base Williams, Laverton.

Mission Statement

‘GA will design, develop and deliver contemporary military education and training that equips our people with the airmanship, professional mastery and military resilience required to succeed in a 5^th generation operating environment.'

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The badge for GA incorporates the Australian Swift and the motto 'True'.

The Australian Swift is one of the speediest, high-flying birds in the world: it flies in all weathers: its flight is steadier and faster than that of the smaller swallow. In the Australian autumn, the Swifts forsake their remote summer hunting grounds and make accurately timed rendezvous: from here they navigate a course of about 5000 miles in their true, powerful and speedy manner of flight. On the ground, the Swift climbs difficult obstacles by using its whole body, back, claws and barbed tail. Its tapering swept back wings find a counterpart in the design of the modern aircraft. 'True' recalls the flight of the Swift and serves to remind us of the personal qualities which the GA seeks to confirm in its graduates - loyalty, tenacity, steadfastness and accuracy.

Ground Academy Executive

The executive staff at HQGA are focused on providing quality and timely support to the OC GA and Commanding Officers of subordinate units. Executive subject matter experts will provide support to GA units and will facilitate solutions requiring external decisions and will aim to execute effective decision-making. GA will be excellent at what it does and enable essential, efficient and effective education and training.

Ground Academy Service Centre 

The role of the Ground Academy Service Centre (GASC) is to provide logistics, administrative and course support to Ground Academy units via the provision of centralised services to staff and students.

GROUND ACADEMY TRAINING SYSTEMS TEAM

Ground Academy Training Systems Team are responsible for the provision and governance of all training conducted. They work collaboratively with each of the schools to assure that the quality of training is effective, efficient and at the requisite standard. This ensures that training programs and curricula meet Air Force’s workplace and capability needs, and professionally develops Air Force personnel throughout their career.