Some of the Australian Defence Force personnel embedded within the Coalition at Camp Victory. Photo by Maj. John McPherson.
Posted on 10/30/2006 4:41:07 PM PST by SandRat
BAGHDAD -- A small group of Australian Defence Force people working in and around Baghdad are making a big difference to the progress of the Coalition in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Iraq. Some of the Australian Defence Force personnel embedded within the Coalition at Camp Victory. Photo by Maj. John McPherson.
They are an unusual group in that they are embedded into elements of the Multi-National Force - Iraq headquarters, which is ran by the U.S., and with Americans and a number of other nationalities.
Based predominantly out of the Camp Victory’s Al Faw Palace - with a number within the International Zone here - the reputations of these 27 Australians are held high throughout the Coalition. They are a mix of Army, Navy and Air Force commissioned and noncommissioned officers and their duties directly affect the outcomes of daily operations.
They are employed in all facets from troop movement, resource and sustainment, telecommunications, intelligence, explosive ordinance advice, engineering and legal ... all the way through to designing and maintaining web pages and troop morale.
The group is just as diverse as their jobs, according to Flight Sergeant Matt Clarke, who’s involved in signals and communications.
“The most junior member of the group - and only female - is Army Corporal Rebecca Kane who is responsible for the movement of all embedded coalition (non-US) troops into and out of the theatre. The most senior, Royal Australian Navy Captain Paul Kinghorne, is chief of resource and sustainment,” Clarke said.
Most are specialists in their respective areas of expertise. Another giving witness is Lt. Col. Craig Hersant, who works in tasking and operation of a wide range of surveillance assets.
Clarke says without doubt the larrikin of the group would be Navy Chief Petty Officer Jamie McGinley, who takes his role as a Sergeant Major extremely seriously. “But he’s also a bit of a softy and is known to often visit injured coalition troops in the combat hospital and share a few well received Aussie stories,” says Matt.
These members of the Australian Defence Force work tirelessly with their Coalition counterparts day-in and day-out and are essentially the front line operators - although they never fire a shot.
The good old Aussie “G’day Mate” is often heard throughout the halls of the Al Faw Palace headquarters although, sometimes, with a range of American and other country accents.
Although most of the embeds sleep in the same facilities as the rest of the Australians at Camp Victory they can sometimes be overlooked in the wider scheme of things because they aren’t seen in the daily work environment with everyone else.
But there should be no doubting the impact their contribution is having on the wider Coalition efforts to restore this country to its former grandeur and their work deserves to be fully recognised on the broadest possible front.
OHH AUSSIE Dasher
You are going to like this! An Aussie Beccy Cole singing about the Diggers in Iraq.
"video of Aussie lass Beccy Cole who is singing "Poster Girl" in response to some of her fans who disagree with her supporting the Diggers, the Australian soldiers fighting in The Long War."
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2006/10/beccy_cole_post.html
(Go to the second picture and play the music video)
Been there and have been spreading her site around at work here in Arizona.
"I've never been more proud to say that I am Australian!" -- Beccy Cole
Don't you wish we had Americans signing that sort of thing!
Most of the Country Singers are like that as well as most of the NASCAR drivers too but, yes we need more like her.
HOOuuuuu-RRRAAAGGG ,,,, Bump...TANKS...
Beccy Cole's video is here.
Thanks for the direct link! I have been looking for it!
She's quite impressive.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
