|
Exercises
benefit students
 |
|
No.
3 Squadron Commanding Officer WGCDR Neil Hart presents books
to RMAF primary school principal Muhammad Noor Gharni in
the presence of teachers and students from the school and
personnel from 3SQN and the RMAF.
|
CHILDREN
from a Royal Malaysian Air Force primary school and Thailand’s
Korat primary school are the lucky recipients of textbooks, sporting
equipment and a fridge donated by No. 3 Squadron RAAF Base Williamtown
during the recent Exercises Thai Boomerang and Stardex.
Exercise Thai Boomerang is conducted every two to three years in
Thailand and involves mock air battles between Australian and Thai
Air Forces.
Exercise Stardex is conducted annually involving nations from the
Five Power Defence Agreement. In 2002 this involved New Zealand,
Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.
More than 110 3SQN personnel were involved in the exercises, which
provided valuable training for aircrew, maintenance and support
personnel.
During the deployment, Squadron personnel took time out to get to
know the Thai and Malaysian communities a little better and to provide
much-needed educational and recreational items for the local schools.
Administration Officer for 3SQN Flying Officer Les Crawford said
these activities benefitted local communities and increased Air
Force personnel’s cultural awareness.
“No. 3 Squadron has adopted the philosophy it is more beneficial
to provide tangible items a community can use rather than donate
money,” FLGOFF Crawford said. “It also allows squadron
personnel the opportunity to deploy overseas and experience cultures
away from the main tourist areas.”
One of the highlights of Exercise Thai Boomerang involved Thai and
Australian Air Force personnel arriving at a local school with tubs
of vanilla ice cream, doughnuts, a refrigerator and sporting equipment.
FLGOFF Crawford said there were smiling faces everywhere as children
queued for ice cream and doughnuts. Unfortunately wet weather prevented
the Squadron personnel from participating in planned sporting activities
with the school students.
Immediately following Thai Boomerang, 3SQN deployed to Royal Malaysian
Air Force Base Kuantan, where No. 81 Wing Warrant Officer Disciplinary
Warrant Officer Ian Wheatley, along with squadron administration
and logistic staff, arranged the purchase, delivery and presentation
of English books dealing with maths, spelling and reading.
Children were also given the opportunity to visit the Squadron detachment
and look over an F/A-18.
No. 81 Wing, of which No. 3SQN is part, plans to redeploy to Malaysia
and Thailand for ongoing training in the near future.
|
