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Brooke Edwards - Mildura Digger Starts The Big Pack-Up

Mildura’s Corporal Brooke Edwards, 24, is now part of the last Australian Battle Group that will serve in southern Iraq. A big part of her job is now helping prepare the Battle Group for its return to Australia in the middle of the year. The image shows her at work in the weapons store room at the Australians’ main base in southern Iraq.

Responsibility for security in Dhi Qar and Al Muthanna provinces has already been handed over to re-trained Iraqi forces. While Australian Diggers continue their supporting patrols, soldiers like Brooke are also busy packing up stores, including cold weather and non-mission essential equipment. The cold weather kit is definitely no longer needed now daytime temperatures soar above 40 degrees Celsius.

But long after Brooke and the other 500 Diggers are back on Australian soil, their legacy will still be benefiting Iraqi locals because the Battle Group has also been project-managing many reconstruction projects. More than 20 projects have been completed, with more under way.  These include water and irrigation projects, rural projects to enhance crop and animal production, health clinics, and power supply initiatives. Water purification is particularly important as water-borne diseases are a major killer, especially of young children.