Our People in QLD
Shannon Shores - Protecting our Baghdad Diplomats
There are 100 Diggers left in Iraq and Gympie’s Corporal Shannon Shores is one of themnow serving with the Australian Army’s Security Detachment protecting Australian diplomats in the Iraqi capital Baghdad.
Having previously served in East Timor, Corporal Shores, 34, is now deployed to Baghdad as a member of the Australian Security Detachment’s “close protection team” which provides personal protection to the Australian Ambassador in Iraq.
Corporal Shores, son of well known local golfer George Shores, is normally based in Townsville where he serves with the Army’s 2nd Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment.
His primary job in Baghdad is to provide all administrative support, including pay, mail and general administration, to his security detachment colleagues.
As a member of the Australian Security Detachment in Baghdad, Corporal Shores complete an eight month deployment in the Iraqi capital.
The Security Detachment is deployed as part of Operation KRUGER - the Australian Defence Force’s ongoing contribution to the provision of security and support for the Australian embassy and its staff in Iraq.
Working in support of the Australian Embassy and its staff in Iraq, the ADF provides a tailored security detail in order to facilitate protected mobility to the Head of the diplomatic mission and his staff.
The Australian Security Detachment, known as SECDET, is comprised of about 100 personnel drawn from infantry, cavalry, military police and combat service support units. SECDET currently consists mainly of personnel from the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (Townsville) and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (Darwin).