Our People in WA
Gavin Rudrum - GREENWOOD SOLDIER PLAYS PART IN TIMOR PEACE
These days Gavin, a former student of Warwick Senior High School, is an Army Captain and he normally works as the Operations Officer for the Sydney University Regiment. But now he is working as the “Battle Captain” for the Joint Task Force.
Gavin, who joined the Army in 1998, has also served with 3 RAR but this is his first tour of duty with the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) in Timor Leste.
“I have served in Malaysia before, but I consider my deployment to Timor Leste to be the absolute pinnacle of my career so far. Being in Timor Leste has allowed me to do my job for real.
“My role here is to ensure we maintain our awareness of what’s going on in the environment we work in.
“I get the chance to be challenged professionally, and see my orders carried out,” Gavin said.
As the Battle Captain, Gavin has had the chance to help make a real difference in the lives of local people in Timor Leste. “It’s great being able to contribute to the security of Timor Leste and see people able to go about their every day business safely.
“My most memorable moment — so far — was helping to coordinate an aero-medical evacuation of a new-born baby from a remote island of the coast of East Timor,” Gavin said.
“The baby was experiencing respiratory problems after a difficult birth, and required evacuation from Atauro Island to Dili hospital.
“It was gratifying to be part of the team that made the decision to evacuate the baby. Seeing how the ISF worked together and responded to these Timorese people — who were isolated and experiencing great difficulties — was fantastic.
“The culture of the Army is to be part of a team that achieves goals. The opportunity to lead such people is certainly a privilege”
With less than three months before he returns to Australia, Gavin is looking forward to seeing his wife, Janine, and his new baby boy, Flynn.
“Flynn was only 3 weeks old when I left for Timor Leste so I’m really keen to spend time with him. I imagine he will have grown heaps.
“My parents have lived in the same house in Greenwood, Perth, for the last 31 years. I know they speak about what I do to their neighbours and friends, so it’s important to me that we keep on with job and work hard,” Gavin said. “It’s important to me that my parents know about the good work we do in Timor Leste and about goals that are being achieved here.
Gavin is one of about 850 Australian Defence Force personnel currently serving in Timor Leste as part of Operation Astute, the Australian Government response to the Timorese Government request for assistance in restoring peace to their country.
As part of the International Stabilisation Force, the Australians are assisting the Government of Timor Leste and the United Nations Police to provide a secure environment for all East Timorese.