All in order: Pte Sacha Whitaker in Alice Springs. Photo by Cpl Bernard Pearson
A FEMALE Norforce soldier has built a special bond with indigenous women in the remote communities as Operation Outreach continues.
The orderly room was a bustling hive of activity as Pte Sacha Whitaker, Norforce Centre Sqn, zipped around with note pad and pen from one office to the other recording information, taking notes and providing advice for the new faces at the Alice Springs depot.
Apart from her normal clerical duties her role has expanded to look after the administration and monitoring movements of 40 extra personnel in addition to helping out with liaison visits to remote communities.
“I have gone out to Mutitjulu, Imanpa and other Aboriginal communities for the site survey visits,” she said.
“We ended up playing with the kids. That was our main role, to make the locals feel at ease and make them realise that we weren’t there to do anything bad.”
Pte Whitaker had been involved with Norforce recruitment visits to the remote communities and knew some of the locals by their names. She had participated in a conference for indigenous women aged 14-17 shortly before the operation began and conducted a presentation to outline career options for women within Defence. With her friendly demeanour, she found it easy to communicate with the local indigenous women.
“I saw a lot of familiar faces when I went out for the liaison visits and have began building friendships with the locals,” she said.
“I got involved because I think the females of the community felt more at ease being around another female. When I went out again they called out ‘Hi, Sacha’,” she said.
