Up close and personal

Challenging: MPs conduct CPP duties for Australian diplomatic personnel assisted by troops from 2/12LHR (QMI)(above) using ASLAVs to transport diplomats from the Australian Embassy in Baghdad (below). Photos by WOFF David Pang.

By Capt Darren Curtis
Volume 11, No. 39, March 23, 2006

THE door opening into a Baghdad courtyard slides open and two men glide out forming a human barrier around a man in a suit, carrying a briefcase. No words are spoken — all move as one towards the ASLAV.

By the time you do a double take to look at what’s going on, the group is already locked down and moving in convoy down the street.

It’s a daily task for the military police tasked with close personal protection (CPP) at the Australian Embassy in Baghdad.

When the Ambassador or diplomatic staff leave the compound, their movements are coordinated and secured by the MPs. Embassy staff say personal attendance at business or government meetings is culturally significant in the Middle East and it sends a clear message that Australia is serious about doing business with the new Iraq, and diplomats are not just locked down in the Green Zone.

It’s a policy that’s given Australia a significant diplomatic edge and means a constant stream of planning for the MPs.
Secdet 8 CPP team leader Capt Justin Hunter said every escort duty presented a new challenge, either through language, culture or layout.

“Iraq is changing so rapidly. As part of the handover, security checkpoints are constantly altering and new security firms are establishing their own protocols,” he said.

Capt Hunter said one thing had remained constant — the attitude of the Iraqi people. “If you extend the hand of friendship, it is certainly returned to you. Most Iraqis want to get on with their lives and rebuild the country. Surprisingly, many of them know quite a lot about Australia. They’ve either been there, have relatives living there or would like to emigrate – it’s a common topic that helps build rapport and overcome language barriers.”

The protection team members are prepared to put their lives on the line every time they move through Baghdad.
“The Ambassador or his staff step outside and gunfire and explosions are part of the background noise,” Capt Hunter said. “It’s added another layer of complexity for us, but everyone on the team remains focused on the task — it’s like an in-built filter cutting out the unnecessary sound.”

For the soldiers and diplomats, it’s a learning curve to work with respective agencies and has added a new dimension to the protection team’s tasks.

“Most consul staff haven’t had exposure to the military before and they trust everything we say and do,” Capt Hunter said.
“Having a person hand over their complete security to you is a great responsibility but it’s been the greatest rewarding experience of any operation I’ve ever done.”