13 December 2024
For 18 years, Private Timothy Bernadt has been breaking the language barrier and building shared purpose, understanding and trusted teamwork as an interpreter for Indonesians on the junior officer combat instructor training course.
“A lot of the Indonesians can speak English, but being able to talk to them in their own language builds trust and helps everything run smoother,” he said.
Private Bernadt lived in Indonesia for eight years, working as a school teacher and studying at a local university before he joined the program.
Being a part-time soldier, he was able to combine his infantry and linguist skills to support the annual training in Tully.
Private Bernadt said mastering fluent Indonesian was challenging.
“It’s an easy language to learn at a conversational level, but to actually master grammar and complex sentences is difficult,” he said.
“If they don’t understand, they’ll often come up to me after lessons, and I can just explain what’s going on. It saves a huge amount of time.”
Linguists help clarify lessons and instructions delivered in English, saving time and avoiding misunderstandings by allowing Indonesians to confidently ask follow-up questions.
Private Bernadt said he learnt a lot about diplomacy and the sensitivities of making grassroots connections.
“Just the bigger picture of what it’s all about with foreign armies and the importance of that,” he said.
“They feel more comfortable talking to someone who understands their language and culture, and that builds trust.”
