For some young soldiers the idea of being on a tropical island surrounded by palm trees, white beaches and friendly locals would sound pretty good. But for Corporal Ian Wells of Kincumber, it will all be in a day’s work.

With a family history of a brother serving in Vietnam, his father being a Merchant Seaman and his Grandfather in the RAAF in New Guinea, Corporal Wells, 48, first joined the Army Reserves in 1989 as an infantry soldier. In 1997 he decided for a career change and he became a qualified combat medical attendant.

Currently with the NSW-based 8 Combat Services Support Battalion, Corporal Wells’ job involves supporting soldiers in the Solomon Islands and, if required, the local population.

Corporal Wells is currently deployed on Operation Anode, the name of the Australian Defence Force’s part in the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). Australian soldiers, together with soldiers from three other Pacific nations, are supporting police from 16 Pacific nations (including Australian Federal Police) as they back up the Solomon Islands Police Force in its task of restoring law and order. RAMSI began in 2003 at the request of the Solomon Islands Government.

“With the backing of my family and my employer, the Gosford hospital where I work as an operating assistant, I decided to take this opportunity to put in to practice the skills and training given to me by the Reserves. I have been overseas before on deployment with Rifle Company Butterworth in Malaysia during 2000/2001 and look forward to helping out the locals where I can,” said Ian.

“Though I am going to be away from my family, there will be opportunities to contact them, especially as my daughter will be turning 21 while I am away,” added Ian.

Corporal Wells is one of Australia ’s 41,500 Reservists, who make up about 42 per cent of the ADF strength. They bring their own civilian skills and experience and in return get the opportunity to gain new skills as part of their Reserve training.

Although Reservists may be “called out” by the Governor-General for compulsory military service, all Reservists currently serving on operations, or elsewhere in the Defence Force, must volunteer to serve overseas. In recent years, Australian Reservists have provided humanitarian relief to tsunami and earthquake victims in our region, and operations in the Solomon Islands , the Middle East and elsewhere. They have served alongside their full-time counterparts in peace missions to East Timor and Bougainville and a Reserve rifle company is regularly deployed to Malaysia as part of Australia 's commitment to the Five Power Defence Arrangement.

Reservists have played key security roles at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Sydney Olympic and Para Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. They also provide much-needed assistance in times of natural disasters such as floods, droughts and fires and in emergency rescue operations.

More: Operation Anode website