Our People in QLD
Wayne Morris - Cooroy man on Timor Mission
COOROY’S Wayne Morris is at the forefront the Australian Defence Force’s operations in Timor Leste to bring troops and equipment home.
The 30-year-old Australian Army Lieutenant, and former Noosa District High School student, deployed to Operation ASTUTE in August as the aviation liaison officer between various stakeholders and the Joint Task Force 631 Headquarters.
He said his tasks included liaison with the ADF’s Timor Leste Aviation Group and any external agency that required Aviation support including an infantry company, the US Marines and the Government of Timor Leste.
“My primary role was to liaise with the three Australian Army Black Hawks and the two Toll Bell 212 Helicopters that collectively provided a complete around-the-clock aeromedical response capability in all weather conditions,” he said.
“My other duties include watchkeeping tasks at the Joint Task Force Headquarters. I have had the pleasure of working with some great people and hopefully I have made some lifelong friends.”
If working around the clock on his first deployment was not enough, Wayne also donated his few hours of spare time on a Sunday afternoon to assist a local orphanage.
“The most memorable moments have been the interaction with the kids from the local orphanage, the Balibo history tour and taking the opportunity to fly all over the country side – there are some awesome sights from the air here.
“In my spare time I have been exercising a lot, exploring parts of Dili and contacting my family back home. I can’t wait to get home and see my partner Melissa and two boys Ethan (5) and Finn (2) – it’ll be nice to be home to be dad again,” Wayne said.
“I love what I do but I can’t wait to get home and I couldn’t imagine being with any other employer. I would just like thank all the family including my parents Grahame and Debbie (Cooroy) and Mel’s mum Lyndal who have assisted Mel on the home front during my time here,” he said.
Wayne joined the ADF in 2009 and follows in the footsteps of his grandfathter who was in the 2/15 Field Regiment and fought in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He was taken prisoner and sent to the infamous Burma Railway.
Wayne is currently posted to the 5 Aviation Regiment in Townsville and plans to follow his passion for flying with starting a private pilot’s licence when he returns from Timor.
“I want to become a helicopter pilot but I wasn’t successful the first time around. It really is fantastic to be involved with an organisation that is diverse both in personnel and vocation,” Wayne added.
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 East Timor 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 East Timor in late November and bases will be remediated for handover by mid-2013.