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.
Armoured Officers (Armoured Corps Officer, Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC)) are a combat arm with a range of capabilities that can be employed by the Army. Armoured Officer units are able to participate in a range of operations including direct attack, reconnaissance and armoured mobility to infantry. Units of the Armoured Officers are equipped with the Abrams Main Battle tank (MBT) family of vehicles or the Australian Light Armoured vehicle (ASLAV), M113AS4 Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and Bushmaster (PMV) family of vehicles.
Officers who graduate to be an Armoured Officer undertake six months Corps focused training at the School of Armour, Puckapunyal which includes learning to operate armoured vehicles. On completion of this training Armoured Officers are most likely posted to troop command positions across the various units of the Corps.
A typical Armoured Officer demonstrates a high standard of leadership and command ability, develops a thorough knowledge of tactics, and ability to quickly analyse complex and changing situations.
An Armoured Officer requires its officers to command and lead soldiers who operate high-tech weapon systems with skill and speed. Officers are skilled at conducting independent operations for protracted periods in remote areas and under harsh conditions. Armoured Officers must be able to work closely with soldiers as part of an armoured fighting vehicle crew which presents unique challenges.