Our People in SA
PTE David Laube - LOCAL SOLDIER HELPS PROTECT WORLD LEADERS
The 54 year old from Renmark in South Australia , who serves with the 10 th/27 th Royal South Australian Regiment, is involved in Operation DELUGE as a member of the Security Task Group who provided Low risk searches and checkpoint security during the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference in Sydney from the 2 nd to the 9 th of August.
“It’s great to be involved in something like APEC, the Reserve forces are getting far more opportunities to perform than they used too,” David said.
The Private Joined the Army Reserve in 1981 and has seen them go from being soldiers filling time waiting for the next exercise, to active members involved in operations here and overseas.
“The Reserves have changed dramatically since I first enlisted, the defence cut backs of the eighties did a lot of damage. Now the government’s spending money and we’re being offered deployments, so morale is high and there’s a real sense of purpose in the work we’re doing,” he said
David has been to Butterworth in Malaysia and was a part of Operation GOLD, which was the Australian Defence Forces commitment to supporting the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
“Operation GOLD was a great experience. We provided security for the Olympics and met a lot of Athletes and foreign visitors while performing the task, it was marvellous, ” David said.
When David isn’t with the Reserves he’s a Security Guard for the 16 th Air Defence Regiment.
“I’m in an unusual position, because I’m still working for Defence out of uniform,” he said.
David’s military commitment has rubbed off on one of his son’s who has enlisted in the Army Reserves as well, joining the same Regiment as his father.
“My son Jarrod is in a different company but the same unit. He went through cadets and decided to take the next step. He and I have similar attitudes, but I’d like to think a bit of me rubbed off on him,” David said.
David is one of approximately 1500 Defence personnel deployed as part of Operation DELUGE, to support the security aspects of the APEC 07 Leaders’ Meetings in Sydney during September.
The Australian Defence Force will act in support of the NSW Police and other government agencies as part of the overall security arrangements for the APEC 07 Leaders’ meetings.
A range of capabilities will be in place throughout the period of the meetings in support of the New South Wales Police to ensure that Australia stages a safe, secure and successful event for the delegates.