Australian Defence Force pauses to remember

As Australians paused to remember more than a century of military service, another group of service men and women were preparing to deploy on overseas operations.

Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin and Australian Defence Force personnel joined local communities around the country this morning to honour all those who have suffered, sacrificed or given their lives in their service to our nation.

“Today as we remember the fallen we also recognise the 2,300 service men and women who are deployed on operations and peacekeeping around the world. Like those before them, they are making an important contribution to our safety and security,” Air Chief Marshal Binskin said.

Later today, family and friends will formally farewell around 300 Darwin and Adelaide based personnel as they prepare to deploy to Iraq.

“The men and women of Task Group Taji 4 take up the Building Partner Capacity mission at a crucial time but they are highly skilled and well equipped for their mission.  I know they will serve our nation with the same courage and pride as their forebears.”

Australian Defence Force personnel are currently deployed as part of the international effort to combat the Daesh terrorist threat in Iraq and Syria and in Afghanistan where they continue to work with NATO partners to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces. The ADF is also contributing to security, peacekeeping missions around the world.

“Each of them has family waiting anxiously for them at home – just as Australian families did more than 100 years ago.”

Media note:

Images of ADF personnel commemorating Remembrance Day can be found at: http://images.defence.gov.au/S20162828

http://www.defence.gov.au/Events/RemembranceDay/