Our People in VIC
Andrew Rainbow - Training Afghanistan’s future
Lilydale’s Andrew Rainbow, 22, is now earning his living in the dangerous valleys of Oruzgan Province, southern Afghanistan.
Andrew joined the Army straight from Lilydale High School and he already deployed to East Timor in 2007.
Andrew has now been promoted to Lance Corporal and these days he’s normally based in Townsville. It has been a busy few months for Andrew; just before he deployed to Afghanistan he bought his first house and moved in with his girlfriend.
Now Andrew is working with Afghan National Army engineers, teaching them various skills including how to find improvised explosive devices.
“The aim is to improve their soldier skills so they would be able to provide their own security for the country,” he said.
The stand-out of his deployment so far has been to see their skills improve a lot in a short period of time.
“It’s extremely rewarding seeing all the hard work we put in start to pay off,” Andrew said. “For example, when we find that they are adopting methods of search that we have previously taught.”
“There are tough times on a deployment, like heading out on missions for extended periods of time and losing all the creature comforts, but nothing compares to missing your loved ones back home,” said Andrew.
Andrew heard many different stories about Afghanistan before he left Australia, but says you can’t get the full picture until you arrive in country.
“From the endless vast desert to the barren mountain ranges, or the lush green zone, you can really see how much of a simple life the people live,” he said.
“As dangerous as things get over here, it’s all worth while when small glimpses of the end-state are in sight. I’m enjoying the challenges but can’t wait to get home to see my family.”
Australia's military contribution to Afghanistan is part of the nation’s broader commitment to Coalition efforts against international terrorism, countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and maritime security.