Exsandgroper
29-06-10, 10:51 AM
From: AAP June 29, 2010 3:02PM
VICTORIA Cross winner Mark Donaldson has been promoted to corporal in the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and the Australian hero is expected to undertake more operations.
That follows two active service deployments in Afghanistan since winning the VC and passing a junior leader's course earlier this year, taking him a step up the leadership ladder among Australia's best soldiers.
His promotion was gained entirely on merit and was unrelated to his high status as Australia's first VC recipient in four decades, said Brigadier David Mulhall, chief of staff at army headquarters in Canberra.
He said Corporal Donaldson would continue to serve with the SASR plus meet public commitments that came with the VC.
In a brief statement, Corporal Donaldson said he needed to balance numerous invitations to attend events in Australia and overseas with his family life - which came first - and his military career.
"Obviously I can't attend all events to which I am invited but it has always been my intention to try and fulfill my obligations, which I take very seriously, to the best of my ability,'' he said.
Former Trooper Donaldson deployed to Afghanistan last year for four months.
Brigadier Mulhall said he saw action.
"I can say he undertook the full range of duties of an SAS trooper during a normal SOTG (Special Operations Task Group) rotation. Those duties were consistent with what he did in previous rotations in Afghanistan,'' he said.
"His squadron, the fellows he was with when he won the VC, were back in their normal rotational cycle. Mark felt quite strongly that he wanted to deploy again with his mates.
Brigadier Mulhall said Defence head Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston and Army chief Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie speedily agreed, although that did need to be managed so his public profile did not compromise him or any other soldier.
He deployed to Afghanistan again earlier this year for what was described as a short duration task.
Brigadier Mulhall said despite the VC he faced just the same risk as any other soldier in Afghanistan.
"He obviously works as part of a team. Our intention has been to give him the space to allow him to focus on his operational roles which are by any measure very demanding,'' he said.
Trooper Donaldson, 31, won the VC for acts of supreme courage in Afghanistan in September 2008 when he rescued a wounded interpreter while under enemy fire.
That was announced in January 2009, prompting speculation that, like his immediate predecessor Keith Payne, he would have to forgo active service.
However he was assured he could continue his career.
Corporal Donaldson is now back in Australia on standard SASR training activities.
But on top of that there's ongoing commitments related to his VC. He's also Young Australian of the Year for 2010.
For the first year, a six-member defence management team assisted with his public duties. That's now down to two, a senior soldier mentor and a public affairs officer.
"It's trying to ensure that he is properly supported so that he can perform his duties as a VC winner whilst also continuing to be a serving soldier. Probably most important he's a dad and a husband,'' Brigadier Mulhall said.
He said he would do a normal training day. But when other soldiers knocked off, he would head for his own office within the SASR barracks.
"He'll read letters, reply to emails and that sort of stuff. He'll do that most days in barracks,'' he said. "Obviously he'll have events ... although not every day of the week.''
AAP
Good to see he has been able to deploy again.
Cheers
VICTORIA Cross winner Mark Donaldson has been promoted to corporal in the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR) and the Australian hero is expected to undertake more operations.
That follows two active service deployments in Afghanistan since winning the VC and passing a junior leader's course earlier this year, taking him a step up the leadership ladder among Australia's best soldiers.
His promotion was gained entirely on merit and was unrelated to his high status as Australia's first VC recipient in four decades, said Brigadier David Mulhall, chief of staff at army headquarters in Canberra.
He said Corporal Donaldson would continue to serve with the SASR plus meet public commitments that came with the VC.
In a brief statement, Corporal Donaldson said he needed to balance numerous invitations to attend events in Australia and overseas with his family life - which came first - and his military career.
"Obviously I can't attend all events to which I am invited but it has always been my intention to try and fulfill my obligations, which I take very seriously, to the best of my ability,'' he said.
Former Trooper Donaldson deployed to Afghanistan last year for four months.
Brigadier Mulhall said he saw action.
"I can say he undertook the full range of duties of an SAS trooper during a normal SOTG (Special Operations Task Group) rotation. Those duties were consistent with what he did in previous rotations in Afghanistan,'' he said.
"His squadron, the fellows he was with when he won the VC, were back in their normal rotational cycle. Mark felt quite strongly that he wanted to deploy again with his mates.
Brigadier Mulhall said Defence head Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston and Army chief Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie speedily agreed, although that did need to be managed so his public profile did not compromise him or any other soldier.
He deployed to Afghanistan again earlier this year for what was described as a short duration task.
Brigadier Mulhall said despite the VC he faced just the same risk as any other soldier in Afghanistan.
"He obviously works as part of a team. Our intention has been to give him the space to allow him to focus on his operational roles which are by any measure very demanding,'' he said.
Trooper Donaldson, 31, won the VC for acts of supreme courage in Afghanistan in September 2008 when he rescued a wounded interpreter while under enemy fire.
That was announced in January 2009, prompting speculation that, like his immediate predecessor Keith Payne, he would have to forgo active service.
However he was assured he could continue his career.
Corporal Donaldson is now back in Australia on standard SASR training activities.
But on top of that there's ongoing commitments related to his VC. He's also Young Australian of the Year for 2010.
For the first year, a six-member defence management team assisted with his public duties. That's now down to two, a senior soldier mentor and a public affairs officer.
"It's trying to ensure that he is properly supported so that he can perform his duties as a VC winner whilst also continuing to be a serving soldier. Probably most important he's a dad and a husband,'' Brigadier Mulhall said.
He said he would do a normal training day. But when other soldiers knocked off, he would head for his own office within the SASR barracks.
"He'll read letters, reply to emails and that sort of stuff. He'll do that most days in barracks,'' he said. "Obviously he'll have events ... although not every day of the week.''
AAP
Good to see he has been able to deploy again.
Cheers