Image Gallery: March 2006
Minister for Defence visits Australian troops in Iraq
07 March 2006
The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson MP, and the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF), Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, in early March 2006 visited Australian troops deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation CATALYST.
After being greeted by the current Joint Task Force Commander, Brigadier Paul Symon AO, the Minister and CDF visited several locations in which Australia has troops deployed, including the Al Muthanna Province in southern Iraq.
Following meetings with each of the commanders of these Australian Defence Force elements the Minister took the opportunity to speak with and meet as many of the troops as possible.
Operation CATALYST is the ADF’s contribution to the reconstruction and rehabilitation of Iraq. Operation CATALYST commenced on July 16, 2003, and currently comprises 1320 ADF personnel.
Operation CATALYST runs concurrently with Operation SLIPPER, Australia’s contribution to the international coalition against terrorism.
Visit
Operation CATALYST website
| 20060304adf8243116_021 The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, is greeted on arrival in the Middle East by Wing Commander Tony McCormack, the commander of the Royal Australian Air Force P-3C Orion detachment in the Middle East. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_045 The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, speaks with members of the Royal Australian Air Force P-3C Orion detachment in the Middle East. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_048 The Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, speaks with members of the Royal Australian Air Force P-3C Orion detachment in the Middle East. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_063 The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, meets members of the Royal Australian Air Force P-3C Orion detachment in the Middle East. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_086 The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, speaks with members of the Royal Australian Air Force C-130 detachment in the Middle East. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_090 The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, addresses members of the Royal Australian Air Force P-3C Orion detachment in the Middle East. Behind him is the Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_110 The Chief of Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, addresses members of the P-3C Orion detachment in the Middle East. Behind him are (left to right) the commander of the Australian Joint Task Force for Operation CATALYST, Brigadier Paul Symon, the Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, and the Orion task commander, Wing Commander Tony McCormack. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_161 The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson, is briefed about combat body armour by the Officer Commanding the Force Level Logistic Asset, Major Andrew McGeehan, in the Middle East. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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| 20060304adf8243116_238 The Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson and the Commander of the Australian Joint Task Force, Brigadier Paul Symon (left), walk from a British EH101 Merlin helicopter on which they flew into the Al Muthanna Task Group base at Camp Smitty, in southern Iraq. (Date taken: 04 March 2006) Low-res | High-res |
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