Australian Army troops on Thursday Island patrol the Torres Strait as part of Operation Resolute, to detect and deter illegal activity in Australian waters. In preparation for their deployments they practice the vital skills of concealment and surveillance.
Sergeant Troy Stow is a Patrol Commander with C Company 51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment, and leads patrols throughout the Torres Strait. He says the majority of their work as Army Reservists is providing surveillance throughout the region.
"We conduct six-man patrols using 4.4m dinghys and other vehicles for surveillance throughout the Torres Strait," he said.
"On surveillance patrols we could be watching shipping channels or communities looking for things that are normal or out of the ordinary."
