Our People in QLD
Paul Truong - Thanks Australia
Greenbank’s Paul Truong has laid down his Bachelor of Business/Bachelor of Engineering text-books for eight months soldiering in East Timor.
He reckons it’s a good way of repaying the country that helped him and his refugee parents.
Paul, 21, put his studies on hold to put on his Army Reserve uniform and become part of the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force.
“My parents were a big influence on me joining the Army Reserve,” Paul said.
“They were given the opportunity to migrate from Vietnam to Australia, where they could give me a good home and education.
“I decided a few years ago to join the Army Reserve in part to repay the great opportunity Australia gave my parents.”
“A lot of my time is spent on piquet at various bases in Dili, but we also get out on local and regional patrols where we get to engage with the local population,” Paul said.
“Most East Timorese lives are simple. Their living standards can be very basic, which make them tough both physically and mentally.
“The great thing about my job is that it allows me to understand and appreciate people from different backgrounds and appreciate their different viewpoints and ideas.”
Paul said he also appreciates the mates he has made on his deployment and the opportunity to grow as a person.
“The Army has helped me to become a better man,” he said. “I’ve learnt and done a lot of things most civilians can’t or don’t have the opportunity to do.”