By
Peter Johnson and FLTLT Glenn Buesnel-May
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Keeping
in step ... the careers of Flight Lieutenant Sean Bamforth
and Flying Officer Mark Thomas have followed similar paths.
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Photo
by LACW Simone Liebelt
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KEEPING
in touch with your mates is a typical Australian characteristic,
but Flight Lieutenant Sean Bamforth and Flying Officer Mark Thomas
have made a career out of it.
What started as a firm friendship during primary school years
at Cobar in rural NSW is still going strong. They joined the Air
Force together on January 10, 1983 – Sean as an Instrument Fitter,
Mark as a RADTECH. And they have both recently graduated from
01/2004 RAAF Initial Officer Course at Officers’ Training School.
“After 21 years as enlisted airmen, it’s amazing that we’d meet
again on the same OTS course,” FLTLT Bamforth said.
Now electronics officers, they have both been posted to Canberra.
In 21 years, it is only the third time they have been posted to
the same location – the other two occasions were RAAF Base Williamtown
in 1986 and 2001.
It wasn’t until 2002 that Sean decided to discuss his aim to gain
a commission with his career manager at DPA – none other than
then Flight Sergeant Mark Thomas, who was also interested in commissioning.
“With all the friendly rivalry that we’d engaged in over the years,
the thought of Mark holding a DPA trump card was an uneasy one,”
Sean joked.
That trump card was dealt into Mark’s hand when he took up the
Avionics Manner position at DPA. This led to some light-hearted
banter with Sean over a barbecue invitation.
Sean had been at Williamtown for about four years when Mark arrived
on posting in 2001. Stirring, Mark asked: “So when are you going
to invite me around for a barbecue?” Sean replied: “You know I’d
love to, but I don’t want you anywhere near my house.”
After almost a year, the two ran into each other at the Mess,
where Mark announced that he was now Sean’s Manner. Mark said:
“I bet you wish you’d invited me to that barbecue now.”
Both were commissioned this year and were boarded to the 01/2004
Initial Officer Course at OTS.
They agreed that besides the pleasure of once again becoming re-acquainted,
this time as officers, they valued the OTS experience.
They had been concerned they would re-cover ground they were exposed
to as airmen, but it had been pleasing to discover that they were
“simply offered more tools for their leadership toolbox.”
In addition to that, FLGOFF Thomas drew another interesting parallel.
His graduation from 01/2004 Initial Officer Course was almost
19 years to the day since his graduation from 1/1984 RADTECH course.
“Looking back at the mateship we’ve had, it will be interesting
to see what the coming years hold for both of us,” FLGOFF Thomas
said.
