Inquiry slams culture and command of Australia's SAS during Afghanistan war

A secretive inquiry into the culture and command structure of Australia's elite Special Air Services (SAS) soldiers during the Afghanistan war has been partially released, years after its completion. The investigation, conducted to examine potential systemic cultural issues and warning signs from command levels, revealed a concerning lack of intervention in the face of alarming data.

The report, handed to the former Chief of the Defence Force Mark Binskin in 2022, was publicly released in 2023, although the full report remains private due to sensitive data from the original Afghanistan Inquiry. The inquiry's findings indicated a deeply ingrained culture within the SAS, characterized by an "abandonment of curiosity" and an "inversion of authority" that allowed alleged war crimes to occur.

This culture was fueled by a belief among some SAS operators that they were exceptional and that ordinary norms and standards did not apply to them. The issues were attributed to both the government and Special Operations Command for fostering the belief that the SAS was superior, rather than merely a specialized unit. The report also criticized the SAS for an unhealthy imitation of US special forces units and an overall tendency towards arrogance.

Furthermore, the chain of command within the SAS was found to be effectively inverted, with junior officers displaying a submissive attitude towards non-commissioned officers. Despite the damning revelations, the inquiry noted that efforts towards cultural reform within the SAS were underway at the time of completion. The findings have sparked controversy, with some criticizing the initial Afghanistan Inquiry for placing the blame mostly on relatively low-ranking soldiers, while the additional inquiry highlights the critical role of higher-level command in addressing alarming information.