Our People in NSW
Ben Britton - WORTH THE EFFORT IN TIMOR-LESTE
These days Ben is normally based in Sydney with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, but now he’s on duty in East Timor.
Now two months into his six-month deployment, Ben, 21, is enjoying a busy, broad-ranging role with the Timor-Leste Battle Group.
The job includes everything from infantry patrolling tasks, liaising with villagers in the Districts and providing a security overwatch in support of Timorese and United Nations police.
“It’s great to get out here among the Timorese people because they really like us,” Ben said. “Especially in the smaller villages, they are very welcoming and always invite us into their homes.
“There was one area where we were putting our hoochies (tents) up. The locals came up and cleared away the scrub with their machetes, preparing the ground where we were going to sleep.”
Ben feels very much at home in Timor —good weather and gum trees growing across the hills give the country an Australian feel.
Ben is one of around 750 Australian Defence Force personnel currently serving on Operation Astute.
The operation is part of the Australian Government's response to a request from the Government of Timor-Leste to assist in bringing stability, security and confidence to the Timorese to allow them to resolve their differences democratically and peacefully.