Great Friend and Mentor

By Group Captain Dave Steele

WGCDR Angela Rhodes served on Operation Catalyst as the Senior Air Traffic Controller, Baghdad International Airport. She passed away on October 27 after battling cancer.

Photo provided by the Morgan family, relatives of WGCDR Rhodes.

THE Air Force community, civilian Air Traffic Control network, family and friends are mourning the loss of Wing Commander Angela (Angie) Rhodes – a great lady and dignified officer – who lost her battle with cancer on October 27.

Wing Commander Rhodes’ remarkable life and strong character was celebrated with a service at the Tobin Brothers Chapel in Doncaster, Melbourne, on November 4.

Wing Commander Rhodes’ family and friends were joined by a significant Air Force presence, with Commander Joint Logistics Air Vice-Marshal Chris Spence representing the Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd, and many other serving and retired members gathering to pay their respects.

Airservices Australia was also well represented – the large and varied congregation a true mark of the esteem in which Wing Commander Rhodes was held.

The School of Air Traffic Control (SATC) provided a pallbearer party and Wing Commander Rhodes was sent off in true military style, for which her family was grateful.

Wing Commander Rhodes had an extensive military career with many notable accomplishments. Her contribution to ADF air traffic control capability in Australia and overseas was significant, as was her role in the recent creation of the Australian Public Service ATC category stream of employment.

She retired from the Air Force for the second and final time on October 10 this year after 28 years of service in the ADF and an equally impressive, yet shorter, period in the civilian work force.

Wing Commander Rhodes joined the Army in 1972 and served for more than four years, initially as a driver, then as an Air Traffic Control Officer, a graduate of No. 60 ATC course in the days of C Flight, Central Flying School.

In October 1976 she transferred to the Air Force. As a junior officer she served at Richmond, Mascot, Townsville, Edinburgh and Point Cook as the Air Force’s first female Air Traffic Control Officer.

In addition to serving as an on-line Air Traffic Controller, Wing Commander Rhodes
was an Instructor at the School of Air Traffic Control (SATC) East Sale, and the Examination and Standardisation Officer and Senior Air Traffic Controller at East Sale.

She also served as the Commanding Officer of SATC and as the Commanding Officer of No. 21 (City of Melbourne) Reserve Squadron.

Wing Commander Rhodes even managed to fit in a stint as the Station Leader with the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition at Casey Station down on the ice – something she was immensely proud of.

After 20 years of full-time Air Force service, Wing Commander Rhodes retired to civilian life.

Her civilian service is noteworthy in itself. She was the Manager of the Airservices Australia Operational Training Unit in Melbourne, held several manager level positions within Air New Zealand and Ansett, and oversaw day-to-day operations in the Australian Maritime Safety Authority in Canberra.

Wing Commander Rhodes was lured back to the Air Force in 2001, initially as a Reservist undertaking project work, then back into full-time service in 2002, where she served in Air Force Headquarters as Deputy Director Air Traffic Services, with responsibility for the strategic management of the ADF air traffic control capability.

During this time she was also deployed to Iraq on Operation Catalyst where, as Senior Air Traffic Control Officer Baghdad International Airport, she managed the transition from Coalition control back to the Iraqis and then took the Air Traffic Control Detachment up to Balad to work with the United States Air Force.

Wing Commander Rhodes was a thorough professional. A report from her superiors (in part) reads: “An exceptional officer who has consistently displayed professional excellence and outstanding dedication to duty in an extremely demanding and challenging staff environment. …”.

Wing Commander Rhodes enjoyed a full life. She had a lifelong interest in sailing, and participated in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. She loved travelling, especially to Europe, where she was able to indulge her passion for the centuries of history, culture and cuisine that only the continent can provide.

Her latest passion was a love affair with a silver car, a Mercedes CLK 320 – her pride and joy. Much to her dismay, there were “threats” that it would be used as a “shooting wagon” during her absence in Iraq.

Wing Commander Rhodes had previously fought and beaten cancer several years ago. She was extremely proud to be a breast cancer survivor.

In her last years, she was very supportive of others enduring similar experiences and proved to be a great friend and mentor to many.

 

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