One of our own in Afghanistan

Louisa Rust

When Kanahooka High School leaver Del Madge joined the Australian Defence Force (ADF) as a way to “get some skills” while deciding what to do with her life, little did she know she would still be with the ADF and serving in Afghanistan 21 years later.

Captain Madge arrived in the Oruzgan province of Afghanistan around three weeks ago as part of a Reconstruction Task Force.

The task force is working to improve security, infrastructure and community based projects to assist the nation’s government.

“I joined (the ADF) when I finished school to get some education and skills under my belt before I decided what to do,” Capt Madge told the Lake Times from her base in Afghanistan.

“But then it ended up being that good I ended up staying.”

While she may be on the other side of the world, Capt Madge said she celebrated ANZAC day in a similar way to most Australians.

After attending a dawn service, she took part in ANZAC day activities such as two-up at the base’s recreation hall, Poppy’s – named after serviceman David ‘Poppy’ Pierce who was killed by a roadside bomb last October.

Despite the obvious dangers involved with her job, Capt Madge said she felt confident in her abilities and fellow task force members.

“Being (in Afghanistan) is still pretty surreal,” she said.

“There is always an element of danger in any operation but we’ve got very good training and high-risk management.”

Capt Madge, who also served in East Timor in 1999, is working as a geomatic engineer with the task force, working with positioning and navigational equipment.

She is scheduled to return to Australia in six months.

While she is currently based in Queensland while in Australia, Capt Madge said she regularly travels back to Kanahooka, where she grew up, and the Shellharbour area to visit family and friends.

Capt Madge’s grandmother, Mt Warrigal resident June Madge said Del was not the first in the family to be posted overseas.

“Del is in Afghanistan and my son (Capt Madge’s father) is a Vietnam veteran who served in Vietnam for 12 months,” she said.

Ms Madge said she naturally worried for her granddaughter, but was “very proud of her.”

“Well you are always going to (worry), but she has trained well and she does her job very well.

“But you often can’t help thinking about it,” she said.

“I was more worried when my son went to Vietnam.

“It was a nastier war. She seems to be more protected.

“She has always been very good, and very independent.”