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114MCRU is farewelled
By Andrew Stackpool
Volume 49, No. 10, June 14, 2007 |
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TEAMWORK: 114MCRU CO WGCDR Peter Cooper offers advice to the youngest deploying member of the unit, LAC Andrew Gallagher, before they depart for Afghanistan.
Photo by PTE Shannon Joyce |
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OVER THERE: Toddler Jett doesn’t quite know which way Afghanistan is, but shows his support to dad LAC Peter Savio, a communications technician from 114MCRU. LAC Savio and 31 other members of the 41WG detachment were officially farewelled at RAAF Base Darwin on May 29.
Photo by PTE Shannon Joyce |
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Thirty-two members of 114MCRU have left Australia to join 11 of their colleagues already deployed and members of 41WG on operations at Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan.
Unit CO WGCDR Peter Cooper, who will command the 75-member detachment in Kandahar, led the party.
The detachment comprises air combat officers, air surveillance operators and technical, administrative and logistics staff from 114MCRU. CSG has also deployed a group of support staff to Kandahar.
The Australians will take over from a US squadron in mid-2007. Their role is to provide continuous air surveillance of an assigned area of Afghan air space, and to manage all air activity within that area.
Also deployed was a TPS-77 radar and the Mobile Control and Reporting Centre.
ACAUST AVM John Quaife farewelled the detachment at an informal farewell function on May 29.
CDRCSG AIRCDRE Mark Gower and CDRSRG AIRCDRE Tim Owen also joined families and partners and other members of the unit at the Truscott Club at RAAF Base Darwin.
In his farewell address, AVM Quaife congratulated 114MCRU on its hard work supporting exercises and operations. Over the past three years, the unit has worked very hard to bring new equipment into service and prepare for a possible deployment. The Afghanistan task is an important milestone as it is the unit’s first operational deployment since the 1960s.
114MCRU senior engineering officer SQNLDR Gary Meyers said the function comprised an informal afternoon tea following ACAUST’s farewell speech.
“After that, all the deploying members went to Darwin airport and departed later that evening,” SQNLDR Meyers said.
“ACAUST reiterated that Afghanistan is a dangerous place and wished them well. There were lots of mixed emotions.”
114MCRU had held a families’ open day prior to the detachment’s departure.
“DCO, the padres and Air Force welfare organisations gave presentations to allay their fears and let them know they would be fully supported while their members were deployed,” he said.
“CDRSRG and OC 41WG both briefed family members on the mission that the unit will conduct in Afghanistan.
“We have also elected a family welfare committee who will keep in touch with the members’ spouses to ensure that they are coping, and who will also organise family days throughout the deployment.” |
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