Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

The Royal Corps of Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME; pronounced Raymee) is a corps of the Australian Army that has responsibility for the maintenance and recovery of all land electrical and mechanical equipment. RAEME has members from both the Australian Regular Army and The Army Reserve.

Prior to being given the title of 'Royal', the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (AEME) were raised on 1 December 1942. Some 64 years later, on 1 December 2006, the last independent RAEME Workshop was disbanded. RAEME soldiers continue in their role to provide support through attachment to other units in Tech Support Troops, Sections or Platoons.

Artificer Sergeant Major (ASM) is an appointment held by a Warrant Officer Class 1 or 2 in RAEME (Depending on the size of the unit) whose function is the senior soldier/tradesmen for the repair and recovery of all mechanical and electrical equipment.

The role artificer is also used in the Australian Army in the Royal Corps of the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) and applies to the senior soldier (tradesman) in the Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSB) or workshop Troop or Technical Support unit.

An ASM WO1 must have passed the Artificer training course and served as an Artificer Mechanical/Electrical or similar discipline as an Artificer Staff Sergeant and ASM Warrant Officer Class 2 prior to promotion to WO1.

RAEME's mission is provide maintenance and recovery of all land electrical and mechanical equipment.

RAEME Officers and Artificers are the asset managers of units and tasked to monitor the equipment condition, reliability and equipment capability. This provides intelligence to the Commander on the operational capability and endurance of his Force now, and for future planning, and, it enables available engineering capacity throughout the support chain to be best directed to conserve the Inventory.

While established engineering principles and techniques remain the guiding light for engineering management, major adaptations have to be made in the Forward Areas especially during active operations.

Forward repair in the field under conditions of threat and constant preparedness to defend and fight, and with limited engineering facilities in the way of cover, hard standing, lift, services, pre-planning, test equipment, machine and power tools and repair parts immediately at hand, demands not only high levels of military and trade skill but also ingenuity and a certain attitude and foresight.

Routinely the field repair, recovery and engineering management techniques needed in an Operational Theatre have to be adapted in a way that is rarely used, or appropriate, in a base or training environment. Often the techniques used in previous conflicts need to be rediscovered.

...
Wikipedia