Army nose how to help By Capt Gabrielle Parker
and Capt Michael Brooke
Edition 1171, July 26, 2007
Red nosed: RAEME workshop members with OBG(W)3 show their support at Camp Terendak. Photo by LS Phillip Cullinan
Put your money where your nose is: 1CSSB truckies Pte Jordan Watt, Pte Rick Soares and Pte Anthony Mastrippolito.
Photo by Gnr Shannon Joyce
AUSSIE soldiers have shown their support for Red Nose Day both in Australia and overseas.
Soldiers in southern Iraq put on red noses on June 29, leaving many of the 10,000 coalition troops also based at Ali Air Base to wonder what was going on.
The Australians share the base with US, UK, Romanian and Polish soldiers, many of whom thought the Aussies were “being clowns”.
But it was serious business as scores of Australian soldiers deployed with the Overwatch Battlegroup (West) 3 in Dhi Qar province wore red noses to raise awareness and funds for SIDS and Kids.
“As we went around the base wearing our red noses many of our coalition partners laughed at us,” WO2 Brett Neil said.
“But now they know about SIDS and Kids and how community-minded members of the ADF really are.”
Sgt Rebecca Cunningham, of the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Brigade, said: “I thought it was an Aussie joke, but it turns out it’s for a really good cause to help kids.”
Back in Australia, 1 Bde’s soldiers and trucks also donned red noses and hit the streets to raise money for the good cause.
About 20 soldiers from 1CSR collected donations over a two-week period to raise more than $14,000.
Army vehicles are also sporting red noses after 1CSSB soldiers passed a hat around their unit and raised $350 to purchase the noses.
“Our vehicles travel great distances and have a high profile so by displaying red noses we can raise awareness of this charity among the Northern Territory community,” said Chaplain Andrew McNeill, 1CSSB.
“Perhaps members of the public may see a red nose on a military vehicle and be encouraged to donate to this very worthy cause.”
