Day reserved for tributes
Volume 11, No. 47, July 13, 2006
By Michael Brooke

What a day: Keith Payne VC (left) and Comd 2 Div Maj-Gen Ian Flawith (right) with reservists at the Sydney parade. Photo by Michael Brookes

THE loyal service of current and past members of the ADF reserves has been celebrated nationally at Reserve Forces Day services.

From Darwin to Hobart reservists marched with pride as family, friends and grateful communities lined the streets on July 2 to applaud their service to the nation.

In Sydney VC winner Keith Payne and Comd 2 Div Maj-Gen Ian Flawith did their best to meet as many of the marchers as possible.

RSM 5CSSB WO1 Trevor Worland said the Sydney parade was a fantastic tribute to reservists.

“It isn’t every day that a soldier has the honour to meet a VC winner or get a pat on the back from a two-star general,” he said.

Mr Payne, who was awarded the VC in Vietnam, praised the reservists for their valuable contribution to deployments and operations.

“Keep up the good work because the Army and the country need you to help sustain the ADF’s high operational tempo,” he said.

Maj-Gen Flawith told the reservists they were doing a fantastic job and that the parade was fitting recognition for their commitment to the defence of Australia.

In the largest parade, more than 7000 current and former ADF reservists marched in Sydney.

The parade also acknowledged the Centenary of the Australian Army Cadets Corps and the 90th anniversary of the Royal Australian Corps Military Police.

Of the 21,000 Active Reservists who provide both supplementary and complementary support for the ADF, about 1100 reservists are on continuous full-time service in Australia and ADF deployments overseas.