Navy makes their Mark in KAF, Afghanistan
24 November 2010 By ABCIS Melanie Schinkel
Far from HMAS Melbourne and the ports of the Middle East, three Navy personnel deployed to Kandahar Airfield (KAF) confirm that the RAN’s commitment to Op Slipper stretches even further than maritime security operations in the Gulf.
CMDR Kevin Lawson, CPOWTR Michael Davis and LSIS Neil Richards all have very different roles at KAF, but they are united by their RAN service.
Camp Baker’s Chief Clerk, CPOWTR Davis, 43, has been deployed for eight-and-a-half months.
He said the trio made the most of being a rarity at KAF.
“We find it quite funny and often exchange banter with the Air Force and Army personnel about how we serve in the ‘senior service’. It’s all part of giving as much as we get from the other two services,” CPOWTR Davis said.
As part of the Force Support Unit, CPOWTR Davis’ job at KAF is to facilitate a level of administrative support for the Force Support Unit Team, embedded and Heron Remotely Piloted Vehicle (RPV) detachment personnel.
“Working in a tri-service environment is fun. We’re all just here to firstly do our jobs and secondly have a good and safe deployment,” CPOWTR Davis said.
“Living through what the troops are going through here has really increased my appreciation for the job they do on the frontline. I also realise the importance of our job, which is to provide them with a level of support so they can focus on getting the job done.”
LSIS Richards, 33, is the first Navy member to work as an Imagery Analyst for the Heron RPV detachment. He said the best part about his four-month deployment was the work itself.
“To assist our troops on the ground in real time is a rewarding feeling,” LSIS Richards said.
“It is very different working with Army and Air Force because they just do things nothing like Navy does, but it has been a great opportunity to learn how to work in a tri-service environment with various corps and musterings.
“We have a lot of fun though, recently the Heron team encouraged me to shave off my beard for Movember – I ended up raising US $625.”
Technical Operations Chief, CMDR Kevin Lawson, 51, said that his eight-month deployment had given him the opportunity to interact with Coalition partners such as the US, Canada and Britain.
“I guess we’re a little out of place, we need a ship at KAF. We do see a few other Australian Navy personnel float through here every now and then. There are a few British and US Navy personnel around, so we’re not entirely alone.”
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