Ex-Australian soldier talks to WION on secretive torture training, 'sexual abuse'

A whistleblower has talked to WION about a secretive training programme, known asConduct After Capture Level C, which caused immense trauma to some Australian soldiers. The training involved some unreal and shocking methods such as forcing the soldiers to rape child dolls and masturbating sex toys over Bibles.

Damien De Pyle, a former soldier, accused the Australian Defence Forces' methods of the so-called training course. When reached out by WION, he revealed that he formally registered a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) when he thought his human rights were breached. The training even left some candidates with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Asked what made him speak about it now, Damien told WION that he is speaking up because he has "exhausted all avenues of getting this complaint sorted directly with the government."

He said that in August 2020, he made a complaint to the Australian Defence Force Investigative Service (ADFIS) about the treatment he received during this course.

"I was told I wouldn't know about the results of that investigation and so there was no way of me being able to appeal the decision if he disagreed with it, or even knowing what their conclusion was," he said.

Damien said he made a formal complaint to the AHRC in July 2021. He said his human rights were breached, specifically articles 7 and 18 of the ICCPR. Damien claimed he "was sexually harassed."

"However, after the government wouldn't agree to make any changes to the course the AHRC decided to close the case in August 2022 because it would be too difficult to investigate. I was left with no other options to have my complaint addressed and so I went to the Media," he added.

While investigating the training, it was found that it is being practised in some other countries as well, such as Canada, but the details are not available.

The training is aimed at personnel at risk of being captured. To make this training effective, it is supposed to be stressful. But what is the magnitude of stress that is considered humane and who should decide it?

Below is the conversation WION had with Damien:

WION:What exactly is Conduct After Capture Level C? Do all soldiers go through it, or is it for some special/selected ones?

Damien De Pyle:The Conduct After Capture training is a series of courses ranging from Level A to Level C. Nearly all soldiers complete level A which is a quick online course. Level B is a theoretical lesson with an instructor. Level C is a practical assessment where you are placed in realistic scenarios and have to engage with trainers who will test you in different ways. Only elite soldiers go through the Level C training which ends up being a very small group of people.

WION:What are your recommendations to improve the programme?

Damien De Pyle:I wish for the following changes to be made to the course:

a)The government to accept the recommendation by Senator Jacquie Lambie (from the 2017 Senate Inquiry) to allow the Commonwealth Ombudsman to independently review the thousands of hours of CCTV video recordings made of Resistance to Interrogation and/or Conduct After Capture for an independent assessment as to whether any United Nations or Geneva Convention principles on human rights were violated in order to ensure that Australia has upheld, and continues to uphold, its international obligations with respect to any treaties it has entered into.

b)Immediately do the following: limit the amount of sleep deprivation on the course to 48 hours (starting from the time they wake up on that day, or reveille; whichever is earlier); allow the monitoring psychologists to act anonymously in recommending the withdrawal of participants; and to stop the use of any stressors that force or compel a participant to do anything sacrilegious, blasphemous or seriously objectionable by the standards of the participant’s faith.

c)That monitoring psychologists on the course becomes a position chosen by the Australian Psychological Society, or The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, subject to security vetting by AGSVA.

d)The use of the ‘Five Techniques’ be made illegal in Australia and nationally recognised as a form of torture.

e)That PTSD claims submitted to the Department of Veterans Affairs by any soldier who participated in this course be de facto accepted. https://f.An official apology by the Parliament for how it has treated soldiers during this course.

WION:Do you think you were discriminated against based on your faith?

Damien De Pyle:I was definitely discriminated against because of my faith. I was forced to renounce my Christian faith by throwing a Bible on the ground and stepping on it which is a clear breach of article 18 of the ICCPR and a breach of my human rights. It is completely unacceptable.

WION:Was it particular to the programme you mentioned, or this training is being followed across the Army?

Damien De Pyle:The techniques described in my complaint are only used in this course and aren’t being done in any other part of the Army as far as I’m aware.

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