Watchkeeper’s world: Capt Adam Fehlburg at UNMISET. Photo by Cpl Wade Laube, 1JPAU(P)

Keeping watch

By Cpl Jonathan Garland
THE strength and challenge of an operation like UNMISET in East Timor is working with service personnel from around the world, according to one Australian soldier at PKF headquarters.

Capt Adam Fehlberg, Operations Watchkeeper at PKF, said working in operations at a formation level gave you a whole-of-country perspective.

“You get a very good perspective on the way other troop-contributing nations operate and differences in approach,” he said.

“The headquarters comes together well as a team through having a tolerant attitude towards other people's strengths and weaknesses.”

Eight people work in the operations cell, from countries including Pakistan, Nepal, Philippines, Fiji and New Zealand.

The cell orchestrates the operations-level planning for the UN peacekeeping force, based on advice from the Special Representative to the Secretary-General, for the force’s constituent sub-groups of soldiers.

Capt Fehlberg said working as part of a multi-national force had been a great experience.

It gave him an appreciation of the benefits of diversity to an organisation.

“If you approach other cultures with tolerance you can really appreciate the strength that having so many different nations can bring.”

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