There’s no place like home for new dad

WELCOME HOME: ABBM Michael Jack is met by members of his family including wife Monica and son Anakin, who he met for the first time, at Sydney Airport on return from the Persian Gulf. Photo: Michael Brooke

Volume 49, No. 16 , September 07, 2006

By Michael Brooke

It was a homecoming to remember for ABBM Michael Jack when he arrived home from HMAS Ballarat to the arms of a baby son he had never seen.
ABBM Jack laid eyes on his four-month-old son Anakin when he flew into Sydney Airport along with a dozen other lucky crew members from Ballarat.

Coincidentally, at the same time Ballarat (CMDR Malcolm Wise) was handing over Operation Catalyst duties to HMAS Warramunga (CMDR John Heilscher) in the Persian Gulf, Monica Jack was handing over baby Anakin to her husband in Sydney.

Anakin was born two months into Ballarat’s deployment and ABBM Jack’s happiness at meeting his son for the first time helped overcome his disappointment at not being present at the birth.

“It’s so awesome to be home and finally meet my little boy,” he said.

Mrs Jack, who is a SMN Writer at HMAS Albatross, said now that her husband has come home she would hand over some of the many baby-care responsibilities.
ABBM Jack said Ballarat’s deployment was quite challenging at times but the camaraderie among the crew enabled them to meet any challenge with gusto.

“Ballarat is a very tight-knit crew which is why I think we did such a good job on this deployment,” he said.

ABBM Jack and the other dozen crew members received a warm welcome from BRIG Mick Kehoe, Commander 17 Brigade, who was at the airport to welcome home his soldiers returning from Iraq.
“I know from the way Navy does its business that you guys ‘lucked in’ and got the quick ticket home for a bit of leave before the ship returns to Fleet Base East,” he said.

“Certainly from speaking to the staff at Maritime Headquarters they are very pleased with the work that you have done and you should be rightly proud of the job that you have done.”
The hand-over in the Persian Gulf marked the end of Ballarat’s first operational deployment and the beginning of celebrations for a job well done.

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