WRAP- UP MISSION
AS Australia’s longest military conflict draws to a close, Townsville soldiers are ready to leave a lasting impression on the war in Afghanistan.
About 120 soldiers from the 1st Battalion’s Alpha Company left for Kabul after an emotional farewell by family and friends at Townsville Airport yesterday.
Officer in Command, Major Clarence Hovell said Alpha Company, which will replace 1RAR’s Charlie Com- pany, would provide mentoring and force protection on the six- month deployment.
They are expected home around Australia Day next year – in time for Australia’s first national day commemoration of the Afghan war on March 21.
“The company participated in an intense leadup training from February through to May, after which they were granted some leave to spend some time with their families,’’ Maj Hovell said.
“When we get over there we’ll be tagging along with Charlie Company for three days, then there will be some formal hand over before they follow us around for another three days to ensure the handover is proper.
“C h a r l i e C o m p a n y should return to Townsville by the end of the month.
“It’s the first deployment for a lot of my guys and probably the last to Afghanistan for all of us.
“But there will be others ( defence units) still to follow.’’
The deployment will mark the final months of the UNled period of transition to an Afghan- led and- owned transformation decade that will come into effect on January 1, 2015.
With just 400 Australian troops remaining in the country, Alpha company will provide a quarter of the final force protection after Australia concluded combat operations in the area late last year.
The deployment is a first for Lance Corporal Shawn Lynch who is leaving behind his wife, Erin, and four- yearold son Patrick.
“I’ve deployed to Iraq but never to Afghanistan and never since we had our son,’’ he said.
“I will definitely miss them. Patrick is a big fan of How to Train Your Dragon and has given me his car pillow to take with me and of course we’ll Skype and Facebook.
“We have also been recording bedtime stories for Erin to play to Patrick while I’m away and I’ve made him his own personal mailbox so we can write and receive mail from each other.”