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Sergeant Matthew Castek - CRAIGMORE SOLDIER BRINGS PEACE TO DILI STREETS

The hot, humid and impoverished streets of the Timor-Leste capital Dili are a long way from the Adelaide suburb of Craigmore, but for Matthew Castek, they have become a familiar scene as he and his colleagues work hard to bring stability back to the troubled capital.

Matthew, a Sergeant with the Townsville-based 4th Field Regiment, is currently serving with the Australian-led International Stabilisation Force in Timor-Leste. For Matthew and his gunner mates, 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.

Matthew, who joined the Army in 1993, is enjoying his third tour of duty and is the operations sergeant for Golf Company.

"My role here is to plan the tasks, liaise with the other Australian units and provide logistical support to the guys.

"It keeps me busy and the days fill up very quickly. We have a number of patrols going out every day which need support," Matthew said.

Having been in Timor-Leste for approximately three months, Matthew says the team are coping well.

"Things can get pretty hectic, but the guys are a great bunch and they just get on with the job.

"A cricket match was held between the UN and the stabilisation force and that was a lot of fun. Keeps morale high when you can take time out to relax occasionally," Matthew said.

On returning to Australia later this year, Matthew looks forward to seeing his wife Lydia and son James and sharing stories of his experiences with them.

Matthew is one of about 1100 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 Stabilisation 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.