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PROMOTED:
LTGEN Peter Leahy congratulates LEUT Amanda Kerr on her
promotion. She is on deployment in Indonesia for Op Sumatra
Assist.
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By
LCDR Greg Crass
A Navy member was recently promoted by Chief of Army LTGEN Peter
Leahy while on posting in Indonesia, becoming the first person
he has promoted while on operational service.
On February 21, LTGEN Leahy conducted a visit of Australian Defence
Force personnel currently serving on Operation Sumatra Assist
in Banda Aceh, Sabang and Medan in Indonesia and RMAF Butterworth
Malaysia.
During his visit to Force Support Element Butterworth (FSE-BW)
a promotion ceremony was held for SBLT Amanda Kerr, promoting
her to LEUT.
LEUT Kerr has been serving as the 2IC of the Banda Aceh Force
Support Element and Assistant RAN Liaison Officer in support of
relief efforts for Operation.
LTGEN Leahy was assisted during the promotion ceremony in ‘frocking’
LEUT Kerr by the RANLO Joint Force Support Group, LCDR Greg Crass.
The frocking ceremony is part of an Army tradition, where a member
due for promotion is ‘frocked’ in the field prior to the effective
date of promotion if the member is proceeding on leave or posting.
LEUT Kerr departed Operation Sumatra Assist on February 22 for
return to Australia and will go on leave in preparation for resuming
her normal duties with the Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Task
Group at HMAS Waterhen.
During LTGEN Leahy’s address to the FSE-BW staff, he was pleased
to announce this was the first occasion in his military career
that he has had the honour to promote a Naval Officer whilst on
operational service.
He stated this represented the ‘purple’ flavour of Operation Sumatra
Assist, depicting the joint nature of the relief effort to date.
He said that LEUT Kerr was one of the many Australian Defence
Force members serving in Indonesia that have performed exceptionally
well during the operation and that all Australians at home are
proud of the achievements made during this relief effort.
