Leading Aircraftwoman Melanie Jenkins.

Leading Aircraftwoman Melanie Jenkins has no regrets. A member of Australia's Federation Guard, she has achieved almost everything she had hoped to during her seven years in the RAAF. And she has big plans for the future.

I spent the day with Melanie to find out what life is like as a member of the Guard and just what her future holds.

But first, some background…

Only 24 years old, Melanie joined the RAAF as a clerk after finishing high school. Three years later, she decided to remuster to take on the intelligence role she had always wanted. Following a 10-week basic course and a four-and-a-half month intermediate course, Sydney-born Melanie had become an imagery analyst.

'Basically it means I'm a photographic interpreter, and distribute intelligence to other Defence units and associated organisations,' Melanie explained. 'Intelligence is very interesting, you learn a lot about the way the world tends to work.'

Also interested in the public relations or recruitment field, Melanie jumped at the chance to join the Federation Guard, which she believes, has an important PR role. 'From an Air Force perspective, the Guard is the perfect opportunity to introduce the public to the RAAF and to see all three Services side-by-side,' she said.

Melanie was among the first to volunteer for a two-year posting to the Guard, with the opportunity to see more of Australia, the biggest drawcard. 'I was looking for a change and for the chance to take a few trips,' she said.

The Federation Guard has given Melanie that and more.

LACW Melanie Jenkins, a member of the Federation Guard's drill team, deep in concentration as she practises a rifle drill.

In a little over a year, Melanie, who is a member of the drill team, has been part of ceremonial and credential guards at the Sydney Opera House, in Tasmania and Melbourne, throughout Canberra and in London.

I simply had to ask … what was it like standing guard at Buckingham Palace?
'It was petrifying at first, with so many thousands of people there,' Melanie admitted. 'But after the first guard duty I enjoyed the whole thing. It's a big honour to be asked to be a part of such a ceremony. It made you proud to be an Aussie - particularly when there were other Australians in the crowd.'

However, Melanie's favourite guard duty was at the Tower of London, closer to the public. 'It is when you come into contact with the public that you realise what being a member of the Guard is all about,' she said. 'For people who don't have anything to do with the Services, or who haven't seen a Guard, it is pretty special - the looks on some of the children's faces when they see us … it's an eye opener.'

Melanie was also selected to travel to Gallipoli for ANZAC Day this year. A trip she cannot wait for. 'It will be an awesome experience - there's no other way to describe it.'

In addition to the travel, the Guard has enabled Melanie to further enhance her fitness and discipline.

Day-to-day activities such as PT (physical training) and hours of drill are all in a day's work for Guard members. Even being on parade during some history-making ceremonies is still part of the job.

'When you are on parade, you are doing a job and you simply focus on the job,' Melanie said. 'It's not until you look back on the day later or look at photographs that you realise just how fortunate you are to be a part of it all. The Guard is a great opportunity to do something you normally wouldn't do, especially in the civilian world and even in the Defence world.'

Leading Aircraftwoman Melanie Jenkins.

'Of course it's also hard work - you have to be physically fit and you have to spend hours training - and sometimes you wonder what you're doing. But that's like any job, you have your good days and your bad days.'

So, what lies ahead for Melanie?

In the immediate future she is looking forward to the remainder of the year as a member of the Federation Guard. 'I am making the most of my time in the Guard because we only have a limited time,' she said.

If a position in the recruitment field is not available, Melanie will then return to her imagery analyst role. Happily married to fellow RAAFie, Shane Jenkins, Melanie would like to do her 10 years in the RAAF before investigating the possibility of becoming a physical education teacher. 'I love my sport and being fit and I'd like to help other people to get as much as they can out of sport,' she said.

By Rebecca Bullivant