Our People in SA
From Wine Country To The Middle East: A South Australian Man’s Journey With The Raaf - Neil Schiller
A former resident of Light Pass in the Barossa Valley has swapped South Australian wine country for the desert of the Middle East.
Flight Sergeant Neil Schiller is part of Headquarters Joint Task Force 633 (HQJTF 633), which commands the operations of all Australian forces in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO).
About 2500 Australian Defence Force personnel are deployed in the Middle East and Afghanistan as part of Operation SLIPPER, Australia's military contribution to international campaigns against terrorism, countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and maritime security.
“I’m part of the Logistics Cell and my role is to assist in the effective management of the logistics supply chain within the area of operation,” said Neil.
“This involves managing and authorizing the movement and requests for stores for the whole of the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) and from the Logistics elements within Australia.”
Neil grew up in Light Pass and attended the local Primary School and Nuriootpa High School. He played cricket and hockey all through his childhood.
He still plays and coaches senior hockey for North East Hockey Club and is a member of the SA Combined Services (Defence) Hockey Team
As a young child right through until the age of 19, he had wanted to join the South Australian Police Force, but an impromptu visit to a Defence recruitment office turned his career aspirations in a new direction.
“I had a chat to an Air Force Recruiting Officer, and after talking for about half an hour and watching some videos, I had changed my mind about the police force and had booked myself in for an enrolment interview,” said Neil.
He joined the Air Force in November 1989, and over the intervening years, he has been posted to RAAF bases across Australia.
Neil has also been on several overseas trips, including the ANZAC Exchange, where he worked with the Royal New Zealand Air Force for three months, and to Canada with 10 Squadron (AP-3C Orions) for five weeks to compete in the Fincastle Trophy. He was a member of the team that won the Maintenance and Fellowship trophies.
In May, the 40-year-old deployed to the Middle East.
“I have never had the opportunity of working in a Joint Environment like this before,” said Neil. “It has provided me with a unique opportunity to have a greater understanding of how a large operation is coordinated and managed.
“We have worked some long hours, but I have met some very professional and dedicated people throughout time in Headquarters and whilst visiting the other Task Groups.”
Neil said it had been difficult to be away from his family, his wife Lee, who is a teacher at Greenwith Primary School, and his two sons, Anthony, aged 15, and Braden, 12, for such a long time.
Plans for when he returns to Australia.
“We are planning on spending Christmas in Tasmania visiting my wife’s family and having a two-week holiday,” said Neil. “We are also planning on going up to the Flinders Ranges and climbing St Mary’s Peak.”