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NATHAN FREEMAN - MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN EAST TIMOR

The hot, humid and impoverished streets of Dili, East Timor , are a long way from Gawler ( South Australia ), but for Nathan Freeman they have been home for the past five months as he and his colleagues have worked hard to bring stability back to the troubled capital.

"Patrolling out on the streets has been a highlight. Its been good to get out on to the streets and meet the local people who have been very friendly toward us," said Gunner Freeman when asked about his role in this deployment.

Gunner Freeman, an artilleryman with the Adelaide-based 16 th Air Defence Regiment is currently serving with the ANZAC Battle Group in East Timor . For Gunner Freeman and his artillery colleagues, their work in Dili has seen them taking on the role of infantrymen, patrolling the streets to provide a strong security presence through liaison with the local communities.

These presence patrols have been designed to rebuild confidence among the local population by reassuring them that there is security and they can go about their daily business without fear.

"It's been an eye-opening experience, and the fact the elections went well seems to show that we have been making a difference here," Gunner Freemano said.

Gunner Freeman, who has been a regular soldier for seven years, is on his first operational deployment, something for which he is very greatful.

"This is what you join the Army to do, so it's been a great experience," he said.

And its also been a great opportunity to do something different.

Normally dealing with the Army's air defence missile systems, this deployment has seen the artilleryman conducting basic infantry operations, walking the streets and working with the local population one on one.

Gunner Freeman is one of about 1000 Australian Defence Force personnel currently serving in East Timor as part of Operation Astute, the Australian Government response to the Timorese Government request for assistance in restoring peace to their country.

The Australians, as part of the International Stablisation Force, are assisting the Government of Timor Leste and the United Nations Police to provide a secure environment in which the country can conduct its first independent presidential and parliamentary elections since independence.