Volume 48, No. 23, December 14, 2006
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Governor-General MAJGEN Michael Jeffery
AS Commander-in-Chief of the Australian Defence Force, I extend season’s greetings and congratulations to all Air Force personnel on a job well done during 2006.
You have again worked at a high operational tempo, including defence of our national interests at home, supporting the Commonwealth Games and providing disaster relief in Queensland after Cyclone Larry, and conducting operations abroad. This is in addition to fulfilling rigorous training and readiness requirements. You have consistently demonstrated dedication, professionalism and compassion in carrying out these vital tasks.
While many of you will spend Christmas at home with family and friends, others will remain on operational duty in locations throughout Australia and overseas. I hope that those absent on duty will find some time to share in the festive season, bolstered by the knowledge that their commitment is especially valued by all Australians.
The Air Force has much to be proud of. It is recognised internationally for its adaptability, enthusiasm and compassion and for always getting the job done.
Marlena and I take this opportunity to express our deep appreciation to all Air Force servicemen and women, and also to the wives and husbands, partners, friends and family members who provide much invaluable support to the Air Force family.
Keep up the good work. Have a joyous Christmas and New Year and a safe return home for those overseas.
Minister for Defence Dr Brendan Nelson
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NO GROUP of Australians, no one, has done more to shape and define our identity as Australians than all of you.
Mateship counts for a lot in life and you, you men and women who wear our uniform, have really defined it.
As your Defence Minister, it’s my great honour and privilege to be the Minister because of what you do on our behalf and I wish you the best possible Christmas that you can have serving our country – whether on Australia’s borders, in our region or in more distant parts of the world.
We are very proud people as Australians and there is no group of people we are more proud of than you.
All of you who wear our uniform - Navy, Army and Air Force – no matter what your rank or what you do, whether you be at the most senior positions of leadership or whether you be working as a ‘loggie’, a clerk, a loadmaster or any other position – every single one of you we are proud of.
You are foremost in our thoughts, particularly my thoughts, at Christmas time.
You are away from your families, your people who love you and give meaning to your lives. I know that in most cases you have been able to communicate with them and wish them the very best over Christmas and the New Year period.
At this time, especially when we think about what’s important to us in life – our beliefs, our Aussie values, what’s important in giving a hand to other people throughout the world – you must understand that every one of us in this country is proud of you.
You are doing a very important job on behalf of our country.
We think of you throughout Christmas and beyond.
I look forward to seeing you soon in the New Year as I visit deployments and God speed; have a great time with your Air Force family.
Chief of Defence Force ACM Angus Houston
THIS year has undoubtedly been a busy time operationally for the Australian Defence Force.
In early June, our commitment peaked with around 5200 people deployed on operations overseas, as well as another 300 people undertaking security tasks in our maritime protection zone.
Of course, when our operational tempo is busy there is a flow-on effect to the rest of the organisation. Our people on operations have received marvellous support here at home this year from the entire Defence organisation. I want to pay tribute to everyone in Defence for their outstanding service this year. Once again, you have shown the nation that our people stand ready to defend Australia and its national interests.
To those of you who will be deployed during the festive season and to those who will be supporting them back here at home, I thank you for your continued hard work and commitment. Your efforts are very much appreciated and I hope you are able to spend some time with your loved ones at a later date.
To those of you who will be on well-deserved leave, I hope you enjoy your time off with your family and friends.
My very best wishes to you and your family for a happy and safe Christmas and New Year. I look forward to working with you again in 2007 when I am sure we will be presented with many new and exciting opportunities and challenges.
Chief of Air Force AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd
WELL, I don’t know about you, but the year has been pretty huge for me.
It only seems a few weeks ago that I was writing last year’s Christmas message. With the festive season around the corner I am positive that all of you will enjoy being at home with your families.
If the job requires you to work over the period of operational standby, I understand the sacrifice that you are making in doing your duty and I encourage you to keep up the great work. Be confident that you are making a difference.
I would have liked to have caught up with every one of you over the past twelve months, however, I did get a chance to personally talk with many of you when I visited the bases and our people on deployment throughout the year. I always get a kick out of being out in the field with you – it recharges my batteries.
Let me once again tell you that I am extremely proud of what you do and what we achieve as an Air Force, of course, and as a part of the greater team – the Australian Defence Force. You have brought great credit to yourselves, the Air Force, the ADF and Australia. You should all feel proud of what we have done this year and what we are continuing to do in many difficult places such as the MEAO in both Iraq and Afghanistan, Sudan, the Solomon Islands, Butterworth in Malaysia, Timor-Leste and, more recently, Tonga.
2006 has been another big year for our Air Force family. Not only did we serve on operations overseas, but we were heavily involved on home ground providing support to Operation Larry Assist in North Queensland and Operation Acolyte supporting the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. It is a year that we can look back on with great satisfaction.
A long way from home, Operation Ramp was heavily supported by our Air Force people contributing much to the smooth evacuation of Australians from Lebanon. Presently, we are involved closer to home with instability causing disruption for some of the countries in our Pacific region.
The buzz at the moment, of course, is the arrival of the C-17. What the Air Force has achieved here is absolutely outstanding. To have progressed from the announcement by the Minister in March, to the delivery of our first C-17 on December 4 is a first for the ADF and the Air Force, and was made possible by the extreme dedication, teamwork and co-operation of the various people involved. Well done all of you.
I know that this is just the beginning of a new era for us as we head down our reshape and rebalance path in providing air and space power for Australia’s security. There are plenty more exciting opportunities and challenges ahead of us, and I am very upbeat about what we can achieve and that we have demonstrated to government, the Australian public, and our international colleagues that we are up there with the best. In fact, in many cases we are setting the standard. You can all be proud of being part of this team, I know I am.
None of this would be possible without the support of your families and friends. I know how much we depend on them and it is important to recognise the essential role that partners, friends and family members play in the Air Force family. It is what goes on behind the scenes that makes everything we do possible. I thank your families and your friends for their strength and dedication during this time and I especially would like to thank my family and my wife Anne for their unstinting support to me and the Air Force.
I wish all of you in the Air Force family all the very best for the Christmas and New Year period. Please take care on the roads as we need you back. I look forward to catching up with you in 2007, which is promising to be equally busy, challenging and exciting, but most of all good fun.
Stay safe, have a few beers and enjoy.
Cooee
Warrant Officer of the Air Force WOFF-AF Ray Woolnough
GREETINGS, Airmen and Airwomen of the Air Force.
A year has already passed and it is true when they say ‘time really flies when you are having fun’. I have learnt a lot in the past 12 months, not only about this job, but more importantly about our people in the Air Force, uniformed and civilian alike.
Regardless of where you are working, or what you are wearing, you are all professional and we all strive for the same ultimate goal – being the best that we can be, with what we have got, here and now.
I acknowledge that it has been a very busy year again, but we have once again pulled together and done a lot of fantastic work. Please remember that Christmas is about family, and I ask you all to spare a thought for those members who will be away from their family during this Christmas break on deployment overseas.
Sheryl, my children Dale and Kylie, and I, would like to wish you, one and all, a very merry and peaceful Christmas. Please be careful and travel safely.
Our thoughts are also with those who are serving overseas, and we all hope that next year is all that you want it to be.
Till next time, please keep on smiling – merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
