Mother’s new medical career

A beaming Flight Lieutenant Cindy Britten receives her Graduation Certificate from DCAF Air-Vice Marshal Chris Spence.

By FLTLT Tracey Atkins
and Peter Meehan

IF there was a true grit award for graduates of the most recent Initial Officer Course (IOC) at Officer Training School (OTS) RAAF Williams, then FLTLT Cindy Britten would have been the walk-up favourite.

Having left high school in Year 10 and become a single mother of four, FLTLT Britten was working as a technician in the Army, tasked with maintaining tele­communications equipment and infra-red relays.

For most mothers in her situation, raising children and facing work responsibilities would have been challenging enough.
At a time in her life when personal challenges were plentiful, she went back to basics.

“I simply wasn’t satisfied and needed to realise my dream of achieving academic excellence and living that dream with my children,” she said. “I’ve always believed that if you want something, you should work for it and for me it’s a career as a medical officer in the Air Force.”

She went back to school and completed Year 11 by correspondence and gained adult entry to the University of Queensland with a place on a Bachelor of Science Course.

On the strength of her marks, the university invited her to study for a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery.
With the support of new husband Paul and the RAAF Undergraduate Sponsorship Scheme, FLTLT Britten completed her degree and her internship.

Graduating from OTS added another layer of skill and excellence to her career. The graduation parade for the 36 members of the 02/03 IOC was hailed as one of the finest in recent times, with all participants gaining extremely high standards throughout the 17-week course.

All graduates are preparing to begin the next chapter of their lives in their new units. FLTLT Cindy Britten is about to embark on her newest venture as a medivac medical officer with No. 1 Air Transportable Hospital Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley.

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