I did the ADF Gap Year program in 2010 when I finished high school. I wanted to try something different before going to university.

I’ve always been into highly physical activities. I completed the Kokoda Cup Challenge at the Gold Coast in 2008 and 2009 where we walked 96km. This was quite a challenge and gave me the motivation to push myself within the military to experience things you can’t find anywhere else.

In my civilian job, I work as a Corporate Security Advisor organising and maintaining the security for our larger buildings throughout Australia and New Zealand. My Army Reserve role is completely different, but there’s a bit of overlap in the way a Headquarters operates in the military and the way our security offices work to maintain awareness of multiple events and issues at once.

In the Army Reserve, I’m an Artillery Light Gunner with the core role of calling in fire from mortars and artillery guns. The role can also include things such as working in a military HQ, flying drones and radio communications.

In both my civilian and military roles, I’ve learnt how to brief my leaders on security and other issues and work on how to resolve them in a short time frame, helping deliver good outcomes.

Assisting in Anzac Days as well as working with the Navy have been very fulfilling for me. But my most rewarding experience would be doing the brigade exercises with people from all backgrounds, meeting people from across the country and having shared experiences.

I’ve found this role suits me well as it is a mix of physical and technical work. And I love having the chance to fly around the country to teach new soldiers different skills. I hope to continue to learn new skills from the military and help to influence soldiers and tactics in the future.