Our People in SA

Childers man Robert Anderson is always ready to lend a hand, and that’s just what he’s doing right now in West Sumatra as a key element of Operation Padang Assist.

Now an Army Corporal, Robert has specialised in supply, and he’s ensuring the Army medics have what stores and equipment they need to get the job done. As the medics are based in Sungai Geringging, an earthquake-ravaged village 75kms from Padang, that’s no easy task.

“I was based at the airport initially to coordinate the delivery of unit stores as they flew into the country,” said Robert. “I was managing everything from food and water through to generators and fuel.”

Now in Sungai Geringging, Robert is proud of what he and his health support unit have achieved.

The facility has already treated 400 patients but, without the logistics expertise that Robert provides, the health facility would not have been able to help anything like that number of people.

“It has been challenging working with limited resources and with very short notice to deploy but what we are doing here is really important,” Robert said.

“It’s very rewarding seeing the smiles on people’s faces and we get to play soccer with the local kids after hours, it’s good.”

Australian soldiers, sailors and airmen are working day and night to provide health care, purified water, and to deliver aid supplies to the people of Padang and the surrounding areas of West Sumatra in the wake of the devastating earthquakes that rocked the Indonesian province on 30 September.