Sticking with it

A small country town near Townsville, Queensland, has gave a 22-year-old Australian Army reserve soldier from the central-west of NSW a unique experience during the recent Exercise Talisman Sabre.

CAPTION: Private Thomas Adamson with a Minimi machine gun during protection operations by Battle Group Waratah in and around the town of Ingham, Queensland during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2023. Story by Major Jesse Robilliard. Photo by Corporal Michael Currie.

Private Thomas Adamson was one of more than 200 members of the Army Reserve, mostly from NSW, who spent a week in the Herbert River town of Ingham, practising protection operations as part of Battle Group Waratah.

“This is my first Exercise Talisman Sabre. It’s been good; it’s been the largest exercise involving my unit in a long time,” Private Adamson said during the exercise.

The psychology student, studying at the Australian National University, originally hails from Bathurst, NSW.

“Bathurst is a beautiful town, there is a lot to do – a bit of bushwalking, a bit of camping, a bit of fishing. It’s a beautiful place,” he said.

Rugby, ‘the game they play in heaven’, featured heavily in his youth.

“I played rugby at high school at St Stanislaus’ College and I used to coach as well.

“Rugby is very close to my heart. We used to go up against our rival school in Orange – Kinross – all the time. That was always great to watch.”

Private Adamson lists a family friend and mentor as his inspiration for joining the Army Reserve.

“Without dropping names – I’m sure he knows who he is –  just a good family friend. He’s spent some time in Defence and been deployed overseas,” he said.

“Hearing his stories and seeing the person he became made me want to follow those footsteps.”

Private Adamson has already supported his community during Operation COVID-19 Assist, having the opportunity to work in Indigenous communities in northern NSW.

The member of 1st/19th Battalion, The Royal NSW Regiment. is hoping to eventually combine his studies with his Army career.

“I’m hoping to join Rifle Company Butterworth at the end of the year. I’ve enjoyed learning about the training opportunities in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand,” he said.

“When I graduate from my Masters in Psychology, I’m hoping to join the Army as a psychologist.”

Private Adamson has this advice for anyone considering joining the Army Reserve: “I’d encourage anyone to join and see how you go. It is hard, but it’s a rewarding challenge.

“When you finish an exercise, you come back from what would have been a stressful day and think that was tough, but I’d do it again any day.”

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