386th Airmen contribute to Victoria wildfire relief

Published March 2, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher
386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- When the Australian service members of Force Support Unit 1 passed a bucket around at their last barbecue to raise funds for the victims of the Victoria wildfires, they had hoped for some loose change from their Air Force guests. What they got surprised them.

Between the Australians and the assembled guests, they managed to raise more than $1,600.

"Through the generosity of those Australians at Billabong Flats and our Coalition partners, just over $1,620 was collected towards the Victorian Bushfire appeal," said Australian Army Lt. Col. Ed Smeaton, FSU 1 commander. "I am unable to quantify how much individual groups contributed, however we are grateful particularly to our American guests at the barbecue as they graciously and generously gave."

The money raised will be given to the Bushfire Appeal set up to assist the victims of fire which has killed more than 200 Australians and left hundreds more homeless, Colonel Smeaton said.

Colonel Smeaton hosted Col. Cameron Torrens, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, at Billabong Flats Feb. 27 to thank him for the Airmen's contribution.

Colonel Torrens, who was on leave during the barbecue, said he wasn't surprised to hear about the contributions his Airmen made when he returned.

"I was excited, but I wasn't surprised," he said. "We're all brothers and sisters in arms and we have Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force here, U.S. and Coalition, and we're all here for the common cause. When we find out one of our brothers or sisters in arms, their folks are in trouble, it didn't surprise me at all that folks chipped in to help out. That's what we do in the military. It's who we are, not matter what country you're from."

Colonel Smeaton said it was a similar outlook that drove them to try to have the fund raiser in the first place.

"Mateship and looking after one another is a cornerstone of our Australian culture," he said. "So to chip in when your mate is down and in need of help is only natural for us. "

The Australians may call it "mateship." Colonel Torrens said it's being a good wingman.

"We hear about mateship, what immediately jumps to mind to us in the Air Force is the wingman concept," he said. "We use the wingman concept for a lot of things on-duty, but we also emphasize that off-duty good wingmen looking for each other. A good wingman isn't always an Airman. Sometimes it's a Soldier, sometimes it's a Sailor and sometimes it's a Marine. So with mateship, it's the same thing with the wingman concept. A wingman was in trouble, so the other wingmen pitched in to help out."

While the Australian troops at Billabong Flats had no set goal in mind when they asked their guests to pitch in, Colonel Smeaton said they are more than happy with the outcome, saying their willingness to contribute shows how much all military members have in common, regardless of nationality.

"The generosity shown by all Coalition forces and particularly the U.S. military members is an indication of that common sense all military personnel have about helping your colleagues in time of strife and not leaving your mates behind," he said. "On this occasion, those who attended the barbecue and contributed to the fund raising showed that regardless of our differences in culture, the basic humanity, compassion and charity is within us all, particularly when the forces of nature overwhelm us. We, as Australians, viewed the generosity of our Coalition partners as demonstrative of their respect and regard for Australians and friendship."