Our People in NSW
Luke Connery - Grounded in Afghanistan
Flying Officer Luke Connery, 24, is an Air Force Ground Defence Officer who has been deployed to the RAAF’s Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) at Kandahar Airfield in southern Afghanistan, part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.
Flying Officer Connery said he had wanted to serve in the Defence Force since the age of seven. “Both of my grandfathers had served in the Defence Force, so I grew up with war stories,” he said. “I was interested in aircraft but I also wanted to work in the field, so I decided to become a Ground Defence Officer.”
At the age of 18 the adventurous Southern Highlander attended Army’s Royal Military College – Duntroon for eighteen months to be skilled in land operations. Next stop was RAAF officer training before he launched his career as a ground defender. “As a Flying Officer I am the equivalent of an Army Platoon Commander,” he said. “I get about 30 troops to train and work with, which I really enjoy.”
Flying Officer Connery said he first served overseas in East Timor in 2006. “Being my first deployment it was very exciting to put my training into action,” he said. “Seeing another country made me really appreciate Australia as well – we are fortunate people who have all the things we need.”
Normally posted to the RAAF Base Edinburgh’s 1st Airfield Defence Squadron in South Australia, Flying Officer Connery said he is enjoying his time in Afghanistan with NATO forces. “I get to liaise with the British, Dutch, Bulgarians and French Force Protection Officers,” he said. “We all get along well, and I’ve learned quite a lot. I’ll have some lessons-learnt and training ideas to take back home with me when I leave.”
While his deployment to Afghanistan is a major milestone in his life, Flying Officer Connery said he had an even bigger moment just before he left Australia. “My fiancé and I were engaged three weeks before I left for Afghanistan,” he said. “She was very supportive of my deployment as she knows I love the job. As for my parents, they want me to be safe, but they’re also very supportive.”
Another person providing Flying Officer Connery a lot of support seems to be the local Kandahar postal clerk from the Australian Defence Force. “I am in the position to have received the most mail in the Task Group,” Flying Officer Connery said. “I get about 20 packages a week from family and friends. They want to make sure I get a taste from home, like Vegemite and Tim Tams, which are so popular they are like chocolate currency. I get letters and pictures too.”
Flying Officer Connery said he was missing his fiancé, and is looking forward to spending some quality time with her on his return. “I’m taking her to the Barossa Valley for a couple of weeks, and then I’ll visit my parents in Robertson,” he said. “While I’m there I’ll catch up with some friends I haven’t seen for a couple of years and have a few beers at the Robertson pub.”