Our People in VIC
Benjamin McPherson - Grampian
29 year old Benjamin McPherson, son of Grampian residents Ron and Kathy, loves the Australian Regular Army so much he joined it twice!
At the tender age of 17, Ben joined as a Tank Driver spending five years in the Army before deciding to give civilian life a go. In 2006 he decided to rejoin the Army, but this time as a carpenter.
He is now a combat engineer (sapper) in the Army and sailing around the Pacific on a United States Navy ship as part of Pacific Partnership 2011.
An annual U.S led humanitarian aid mission, Pacific Partnership is a four month mission to Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and the Federated States of Micronesia. The ADF is participating with a mix of engineering and medical personnel including doctors, nurses, dentists and veterinarians from all three services.
Although Ben gets sea-sick he said he was still determined to go on the deployment.
“They told me I’d be visiting seven different countries in four months – how could I pass that up?” Ben asks.
As part of the 12 man Army engineer team Ben’s role in the mission was to undertake refurbishment and construction projects in schools, town halls, gymnasiums and auditoriums providing better education, recreational and community spaces for the local communities.
“I loved doing the work – it is what we’re here to do and I can see that what we do makes a difference to people’s lives,” Ben said.
On his return to Australia, Ben was looking forward to catching up with his wife, Amy, and playing soccer with their two boys Joshua and Marcus.