Our People in NSW
Keith McPherson - Penrith Anglican Minister works hard in Timor
PENRITH’S Keith McPherson has seen in the New Year on Operation ASTUTE in Timor as prepares the return of equipment to Australia.
The former Blaseland High School product, 29, deployed to Timor Leste in September as a Corporal in the Army’s Combat Engineers and will remain until early 2013 to support base remediation.
A minister at the St Clair Anglican Church, Keith said he has enjoyed his deployment but was hoping to be home in time for the birth of his first child in late January.
“As a combat engineer I am 2IC (Second in Charge) of the Engineer Detachment here at the HPOD in Dili,” he said.
“Our mission during this deployment has been to support the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) with repairs and construction, but now the ISF has ceased, our focus has turned to works in assisting the drawdown and moving our equipment home. I have really enjoyed the camaraderie of our engineer pool and there is also a nice chapel community here as well”, said Corporal McPherson.
He joined the ADF in 2002, is currently posted to 5 Combat Engineer Regiment and deployed to Malaysia in 2007 and 2008 and supported Operations TESTAMENT (Pope Visit) in 2008 and DELUGE (APEC) 2007.
“I joined the ADF because of a family tradition of service. My brother, Flight Sergeant Stuart McPherson, has been in the Air Force since 1988. My paternal grandfather was in the Royal Australian Engineers from 1915 to 1919 and my uncle Bruce was also in the Engineers in the 1950s. My maternal grandfather was in the Canadian Air Force in World War II.”
During the deployment he enjoyed an opportunity to explore Atauro Island and speaking with locals in Dili but was keen to get home to Australia and see his wife Emma McPherson.
“It’ll be nice to get home and hang out with my wife Emma and wait for the arrival of our baby around January 26.
“I also wouldn’t mind being home in my own bed which is long enough for me to sleep in either!”
Keith watches DVDs, reads books and rides his bike in his spare time and will be jumping on the push bike or into a kayak for some trips along the Nepean River on his return.
Timor Leste began an exciting new chapter in its history when the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force (ISF) ceased security operations on 22 November.
After more than six years of supporting the Timor Leste security forces, the ISF role has changed to the redeployment of its people and equipment to Australia and New Zealand.
ISF troops started to depart Timor Leste in late November and bases will be remediated for handover by mid-2013.