Defence ties strengthened

Corporal Todd Goldsmith, centre, with some East Timorese he helped train.

By SQNLDR Tim Anderson

AN Air Force Airfield Defence Guard from RAAF Base Fairbairn has helped provide an ongoing commitment to East Timor.

A team from the ADF, headed up by Battle Wing at the Army’s Land Warfare Centre, helped train the new East Timorese Defence Force’s (ETDF) junior leaders. Air Force was represented on the project by Corporal Todd Goldsmith.

CPL Goldsmith, who served in East Timor with No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron during INTERFET, said he thoroughly enjoyed the project.

“We were all very proud to have the opportunity to help build the new East Timorese Defence Force. I think we have all made a lot of new friends while really improving our language skills,” he said.
Making the project all the more challenging was the requirement for the course to be conducted by ADF instructors in
the Bahasa language.

Colonel Gary Hogan, who heads the East Timor Section of Strategic International Policy Division – the project’s sponsor – praised CPL Goldsmith for his language and leadership skills.

Phase one of the initiative ended recently with a graduation parade for 30 ETDF personnel at Canungra.

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