Our People in VIC
Katherine Valentine - On the job training in East Timor for Upwey soldier
For Upwey soldier Katherine Valentine a small taste of life as an Army Cadet at school was enough to tempt her to try soldiering full-time.
Two years later, Katherine (20) is now keeping track of helicopters and communicating with pilots in East Timor with the Timor-Leste Aviation Group 11. She’s part of the International Stabilisation Force assisting the East Timor government and UN maintain stability and security in the country.
Katherine arrived in East Timor shortly after completing her trade training, and says that most of her on-the-job experience has occurred while in the country.
“I specialise in radio communication and setting up various antenna arrays,” she said.
It is only the second time Katherine has been out of Australia and she says her highlight has been seeing some of the country from the air in an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
“I got to have a trip to Baucau in a Black Hawk a few weeks ago. The pilot was doing tactical flying practice, flying low level through the mountains, and then we cruised along the coast for a while,” she said. “Pretty exciting.”
Katherine is looking forward to catching up with her mother and sister when she returns to Australia.
“I miss being at home, because Upwey is such a nice place,” she said.
Katherine is one of some 650 Australian Defence Force personnel now serving in East Timor with Operation Astute.
The operation is part of the Australian Government's response to a request from the Government of East Timor to assist in bringing stability, security and confidence to the East Timorese.