Focus on families in India

By Private John Wellfare

CAF AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd ready to go for his flight in an Indian Air Force SU-30 Mk1.

The Indian Air Force’s traditional family hospitality was extended to Mrs Anne Shepherd, centre.

Photos provided by SQNLDR Elsley.

*

* Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd was the first Australian Chief of Air Force to make an official visit to India. He toured several bases and had high-level meetings with senior Indian Government and Defence officials. The Indian Air Force is very community focused, with schools for Air Force children on all bases.

CHIEF of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd has been impressed by the Indian Air Force’s involvement of members’ families and development of advanced facilities during his recent visit to the country.

On the first visit by an Australian Air Force Chief to India, Air Marshal Shepherd toured a number of bases and facilities, met with a range of senior military and government officials and took a flight in an SU-30 Mk1 fighter, which he described as “very impressive”.

“We were extremely well received throughout the visit and I see the Indian Air Force as looking outward and being very willing to engage,” he said in a CAF Update covering the visit.

“They see us as a technologically advanced, highly capable Air Force – quite a mark of respect considering they are about 120,000 strong with 50 fighter squadrons alone.”

The International Engagement Officer for the trip, Squadron Leader Timothy Anderson, said the Indian Air Force set a good example as a family-oriented organisation.

“They are a very community-focused Air Force,” he said. “Spouses of Air Force personnel are heavily involved in the day-to-day life of the Air Force.

“There are Air Force schools on every Air Force base and Air Force schools are attended by Air Force kids and the teachers are all Air Force wives.

“They were really impressive from that point of view – they just involved their families in everything.”

Squadron Leader Anderson said while the Chief took part in high-level talks, his wife, Anne Shepherd, visited a number of schools and community establishments.

“The generosity of the Indian wives and their hospitality was overwhelming,” Mrs Shepherd said.

The visit provided a good opportunity to strengthen the professional and personal relationships between both air forces.

“[The visit] was ground breaking and the things that were discussed are bound to lead to some collaborative activities in the near future,” Squadron Leader Anderson said.

“[The Indians] really are a very capable bunch, and in terms of their people, they are not that different to us – in the way they approach their work, in the types of training that they do and the way they approach that training.”

.