Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG is an Australian businessperson, former Australian Army soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia. The VC in 2011, together with his Medal for Gallantry awarded in 2006, made him the most highly decorated serving member of the Australian Defence Force. In 2017, his actions in Afghanistan came under scrutiny in light of an inquiry into breaches of the laws of armed conflict by Australia’s Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan. He sued Fairfax Media for defamation following the publication of allegations that he was involved in the unlawful treatment and execution of detainees. Since June 2018, he has been the subject of a war crimes investigation by the Australian Federal Police.
About Ben Roberts-Smith in brief
Benjamin Roberts-Smith, VC, MG is an Australian businessperson, former Australian Army soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross for Australia. The VC in 2011, together with his Medal for Gallantry awarded in 2006, made him the most highly decorated serving member of the Australian Defence Force. He left the full-time army in 2013 and studied business at the University of Queensland. In 2015, he was appointed Deputy General Manager of the regional television network Seven Queensland. He was subsequently promoted to GM of the rural network and of metropolitan station Seven Brisbane. In 2017, his actions in Afghanistan came under scrutiny in light of an inquiry into breaches of the laws of armed conflict by Australia’s Special Operations Task Group in Afghanistan. He sued Fairfax Media for defamation following the publication of allegations that he was involved in the unlawful treatment and execution of detainees. Since June 2018, he has been the subject of a war crimes investigation by the Australian Federal Police. He is the older son of Sue and Len Roberts- Smith, a former justice of the Supreme Court of Western Australia. Ben was born in Perth and attended Hale School. His brother, Sam, is an opera singer. He joined the Australian Army in 1996 at age 18. He underwent initial employment training at the School of Infantry at Lone Pine Barracks in Singleton, New South Wales. With 3 RAR he was deployed to East Timor twice, the first time as part of the International Force EastTimor in 1999. He took part in operations off Fiji in 2004, and was part of personal security detachments in Iraq throughout 2005 and 2006.
He returned to Afghanistan in 2009, 2010 and 2012. In 2011, he noted that he—and the ADF—expected him to be able to continue to fight as a frontline patrol commander following the receipt of the VC. In 2012 he was also awarded a Commendation for Distinguished Service for his leadership as a patrol commander in 2012. After completing junior leadership training in 2009 he was posted to 2 Squadron as a patrols 2IC, and later as a Patrol commander. In 2013 at age 35 with the rank of corporal, he served part-time with the Army Reserve until 2015. He has been married to his long-term girlfriend, Tanya, since July 2013. The couple have two children, a son, a daughter and a son-in-law. They live in Queensland and a stepson lives in Sydney. They have a son and a daughter, who is studying to be a doctor. He also has a son who is a high school teacher and a brother who is in the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) He was a member of training and assistance teams throughout South-East Asia. He served in Afghanistan on six occasions; the first two were in 2006 and 2007. On 31 May 2006, Lance Corporal Roberts-smith was employed with a patrol scout and sniper that was tasked with establishing an observation post near the Chora Pass in Oruzgan province, Afghanistan. On 2 June, the observation post had become the focus of the Anti-Coalition Militia force and repeated attempts to locate and surround the position ensued.
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