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CONTACT BOB
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Having spent the last seven days in Afghanistan, Mr Baldwin said quite simply, that Australia’s troops are making a very real difference to the lives of the Afghan people.
Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Personnel and Assisting Shadow Minister for Defence, Bob Baldwin, has spent the last seven days in Afghanistan visiting troops in Kandahar, Tarin Kowt and at the Al Minhad Air Base in the United Arab Emirates.
‘The men and women of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are doing it tough in some very harsh environments, but the one thing I heard time and again from our people was that despite the dust, the heat and the ever present threat posed by Taliban insurgents, they were just glad to be doing their part,’ Mr Baldwin said.
Mr Baldwin met with numerous troops including members of the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams, Combat Team, ADF Engineering Team, medical staff and members of the Force Support Unit who provide significant logistics support.
‘From training and mentoring the Afghan National Army, to rebuilding schools and infrastructure, Australia’s personnel are treating their time in Afghanistan as a worthwhile challenge and upholding the proud ANZAC tradition,’ Mr Baldwin said.
‘I saw first hand the difference our troops are making on the ground and was left with the distinct impression that they are doing more than simply rebuilding infrastructure, they are rebuilding a shattered nation and building the sprit of cooperation.’
Mr Baldwin also said that he was impressed with the achievements made by the ADF’s Trade Training School, which was teaching Afghani’s valuable skills in areas such as carpentry, plumbing and concreting.
‘Having the opportunity to be on the ground with our forces reinforced my belief that Australia’s military personnel are some of the best in the world and provided me with an opportunity to see first hand the very real difference that their work is having on the lives of the Afghan people,’ Mr Baldwin said.
‘It was a truly rewarding experience seeing all of our motivated and hard working ADF personnel operating as one highly networked and professional modern military.’
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