Our People in NSW
Nigel Brien - On Patrol with Afghan Soldiers
Former Killarney Vale boy Nigel Brien is now a Warrant Officer Class 2 and he’s earning his living in the dangerous valleys of Afghanistan.
The 38 year old is part of the second rotation of the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force.
The former member of the Merrylands Rugby League Club joined the Australian Defence Force in 1992 and these days he’s normally based in Townsville. But now he’s helping train Afghan soldiers at a Forward Operating Base in the Chora valley.
His job is to mentor the Afghan National Army (ANA), teaching them various skills including infantry tactics and logistics planning. He lives, trains, patrols and fights the insurgents along side his Afghan soldiers every day.
“I’m working with Afghan soldiers on patrols with only a small group of Australians,” said Nigel. “I feel more like I’m part of the ANA than a member of the International Security Assistance Force.
“Over here you never see clouds and there are great stars at night. I respect the customs the locals have, but I’m very cautious about what local food I eat!”
This is Nigel’s second overseas operation. He was part of the International Force East Timor for six months during 1999 and 2000.
Whilst deployed in Afghanistan Nigel has missed his daughter Crystal’s sixth birthday as well as Fathers Day, so when he gets home he is planning to chill out first and then catch up with his extended family.
Nigel is part of Operation SLIPPER, Australia's military contribution to international campaigns against terrorism, countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and maritime security.
Under this operation our forces contribute to the efforts of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, which seeks to bring security,stability and prosperity to the country and aims at preventing Afghanistan again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists, and the United States-led International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT) efforts in the broader Middle East.