Photograph by CPL Jason Weeding

Sergeant Rod Richards from the Australian National Command Element (ASNCE), East Timor, takes a break with a couple of local children. Rod was in East Timor for six months providing security for the ASNCE, and was expected to return home last month.

Rod, who with wife Jenni has two children, five-year-old Emma and two-year-old Michael, said the highlight of his tour was 'travelling to sector west and witnessing the tremendous effort by the Australian Defence Force personnel to allow the locals to have a free and safe life'.

There are currently about 1,600 Australian Army, Navy and Air Force personnel serving with the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in East Timor, with more than 1,000 of them serving on or close to the West Timor border. Along with members from the other 24 contributing nations their task is to provide security for the local people as the country transitions to self-government.