The School of Postgraduate Studies (SPS) has won the Air Force Training Group's (AFTG) prestigious Sir Lawrence Wackett Innovation in Training Trophy for its comprehensive redesign of Professional Military Education programs.
The award recognises outstanding contributions to advancing professional military education across Air Force.
Presented annually to an AFTG unit that demonstrates a strong commitment to innovative thinking and the application of new ideas to its training mission, the award acknowledges excellence in modern, adaptive training approaches that enhance operational capability.
Commanding Officer SPS Wing Commander Amanda Norris congratulated staff at The School of Postgraduate Studies "for their dedication to innovation and their substantial contributions over the past 12 months towards the unit being selected to win this award, continuing the enduring legacy of Sir Lawrence Wackett within the Air Force".
Key initiatives of the redesign of the Professional Military Education programs included the introduction of fully integrated online learning options, the incorporation of secret-level intelligence, and the use of dynamic war-gaming and scenario-based learning. These innovations have significantly improved accessibility for Air Force members while delivering measurable cost savings.
Named after Sir Lawrence Wackett - an aviation pioneer renowned for his ingenuity during World War I and his lasting influence on Australian aviation - the award honours innovation that delivers practical impact.
While flying with 3 Squadron on the Western Front, then Captain Wackett modified the bomb racks of his RE8 aircraft to airdrop ammunition to frontline machine gunners. This capability, combined with training other aircrew in its use, was later credited as a key contributing factor to the success of the Battle of Hamel.
