What’s happening?
Rockhampton soldier Warrant Officer Class 2 Matthew Solis has been recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours.
He received a Conspicuous Service Medal for helping build an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability from the ground up.
The honour was announced on 11 June 2026 and followed years of work inside the Army Reserve.
His work centred on the 31st/42nd Battalion, Royal Queensland Regiment, where infantry reconnaissance was missing from Reserve capability.
Warrant Officer Solis and another soldier identified the gap after he joined the battalion in 2016.
Their work led to a successful trial and the establishment of a reconnaissance platoon.
Why it matters?
Infantry reconnaissance is one of the main ways commanders gather intelligence on the enemy.
It relies on soldiers with strong field craft, exceptional fitness and discipline under pressure.
These soldiers work in small teams and often operate close to enemy forces.
For Reserve infantry units, building that skill set added depth to training and readiness.
It also gave specialised soldiers from full-time service another reason to stay connected to the Army Reserve.
After identifying the capability gap, Warrant Officer Solis said the team put their case in writing.
“So, we drafted a capability paper and were lucky to have a very supportive CO and RSM at the time who understood what we were trying to achieve,” Warrant Officer Solis said.
Local Impact
The medal places Rockhampton’s Army Reserve community in a national honours list.
It also shows how work inside a local battalion helped shape wider Reserve capability.
After the platoon was established, selected reservists attempted the basic reconnaissance course with full-time units.
“We had some motivated individuals who performed very well, and they brought that experience back into the unit,” Warrant Officer Solis said.
The work also helped retain experienced soldiers who wanted specialist roles after full-time Army service.
“It also improved retention, particularly among specialised infantry soldiers coming from full-time service who didn’t necessarily want to join the Reserves as riflemen,” Warrant Officer Solis said.
That progress showed support elements within Reserve infantry units were achievable.
It also helped open the way for mortars and direct-fire support weapons platoons.
By The Numbers
- Warrant Officer Solis arrived at the 31st/42nd Battalion in 2016, after a short break from full-time Army service.
- The platoon was validated during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2021, when two reconnaissance patrols embedded with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.
- In 2023, additional Reserve patrols worked with the 8th/9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, at Shoalwater Bay Training Area.
Zoom In
The work began after Warrant Officer Solis and another soldier saw a clear gap in Reserve capability.
They prepared a capability paper and gained support from battalion leadership.
The idea was trialled, then developed into a reconnaissance platoon.
Reservists were selected for training with full-time units, then brought their skills back to Rockhampton.
The platoon later proved its value during major exercises, including Talisman Sabre and training at Shoalwater Bay.
Zoom Out
What began inside a Rockhampton-based battalion became part of a wider Reserve capability model.
After Warrant Officer Solis and his team showed the approach could work, it expanded across other units.
The work also helped prove that Reserve infantry units could support more specialised roles.
Warrant Officer Solis said the recognition reflected a shared effort.
“While I’ve been recognised, it reflects the work of a lot of people since 2016,” Warrant Officer Solis said.
What To Look For Next?
As more units build on the model, experienced soldiers may have more ways to continue serving after full-time Army life.
The honour also gives the 31st/42nd Battalion a strong example of local initiative shaping wider Army capability.
