Our People in SA
James Gorman - No ‘dog’ in Cobdogla
As a Section Commander in the 9th Brigade 10/27 Battalion he filled the same position when he arrived to Command Task Force 635 Head Quartered on its capitol Honiara.
“This is my first overseas deployment. It has been a challenge and certainly a cultural experience, working in another country with people of different beliefs to ours been an eye opener but the lead up training provided by Defence and the Army has been very good and has prepared us for what we were faced with.” James said.
James joined in 1991 as an Infantry Soldier with initial recruit training at Hampstead Barracks in Adelaide and Murray Bridge he has risen in the ranks to Corporal and leads his own section in patrols. James attributes his training and time in the Army to making him a dependable soldier and person. “Being a Section Commander entails leadership and decision making both key attributes employers often look for in an employee.”
James moved to Cobdogla from Sydney 17 years ago and has never looked back.
“It’s great place to raise kids.” He said.
Finding time working as Corporal in the Army Reserve, raising a family as a dad and being a faithful partner to his wife as a husband, James still finds time to coach the under thirteen squad Footy Club.
“With four boys ages 18, 15, 12, and 11 your attention is spent Scouting and Cubs and anything else the kids are involved in.” he said.
“We like the freedom of growing up in small community without the issues you tend to find in the larger cities.”
His son is currently at ADFA undertaking a degree in Engineer of Aviation, something that this father serving in a foreign country is very proud of.
“He’s put in a lot of hard work and now reaping the benefits of undertaking his schooling and has a clear career path”.
When Corporal James Gorman’s duties are done he’ll reflect upon his time spent working in a country that has taught him a thing or two about himself.
“I’ll take a lot from this trip, physically and mentally and when I go home I’ll take a break with the wife and kids, get over to Canberra to catch up with my son Nathan and see how he’s getting on, then back to work in the 9-5 monotony of a civilian job.”
Operation Anode is the name of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) contribution to the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI). RAMSI's assistance is known as Operation HELPEM FREN (Pidgin English for 'Helping Friend'). RAMSI's mission is to assist the Solomon Islands Government in restoring law and order, economic governance, and improving the machinery of government.
The military component of RAMSI is made up of personnel from four troop contributing nations. They are: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Tonga. The main task for the military component is to provide security for RAMSI's multinational Participating Police Force.
The Combined Task Force works closely with the police and civilian elements of RAMSI to assist the Solomon Islands Government and the Solomon Islands Police Force in maintaining law and order.