DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 422/09
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
AUSTRALIA’S SPECIAL OPERATIONS TASK GROUP FEED THE
FUTURE OF AFGHANISTAN
Children from Tarin Kowt, in southern Afghanistan’s Oruzgan province, were the guests of
honour when soldiers from the Australian Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) took the
opportunity to thank local workers and their families for their support during the past year.
Around 160 guests comprising the SOTG’s Locally Employed Contractors and their families
were treated to a lunchtime feast put on by the SOTG in their compound at Tarin Kowt.
As Afghanistan’s future generation, the large number of children attending the event were
treated to a traditional meal cooked by the SOTG’s Afghan cooks and served by the soldiers.
This was followed by ice cream and soft drinks.
The children had the run of the SOTG mess, and one Australian soldier was heard to remark
that the event was like hosting a large number of seven-year-old birthday parties
simultaneously.
The event was held to coincide with the culmination of the Islamic religious festival of Eid-al-
adha.
The Commanding Officer (CO) of the SOTG said it was the children in particular who
enjoyed the celebration.
“It is so important to give them hope for the future and show them that we do really care
about them.
They had a fantastic time, sitting with the soldiers, and enjoying the food on
offer. We also gave each child a small gift as they left, which brought a smile to their face.
“
But I think the thing they most enjoyed was seeing where their dads worked, and seeing how
proud their dads were to show them their workplace,” the CO said.
The SOTG employs a number of Afghan locals for a variety of jobs inside the Tarin Kowt
base. They are employed to undertake roles such as camp barber, general camp maintenance,
laundry and cleaning.
“We’ve got a good group and many have been here for several years. They’re very loyal, they
look after us and we trust them. They’ve responded in kind by bringing their families here
today.
“It’s only a small thing but it is just our way of saying thanks and letting them know we’re
here to support them,” the CO said.
Imagery is available at:
Media contact:
Defence Media Liaison: 02 6265 3343 or 0408 498 664
DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
Drafted by:
LT A. OLDAKER
S09 TF66
302100NOV09
Cleared by:
ACM Houston
CDF
8 Dec 09
Cleared for transmission
to HQJTF633 and
approval for public
release by:
LTCOL V. KHAN
CO TF66
010900DEC09
Cleared through
HQJTF633:
GPCAPT A. Wright
DCOS HQJTF633
011910DEC09
Cleared SOHQ
COL Patterson
COS SOHQ
2 Dec 09
Cleared MSC
CAPT M Noonan
DMSC
4 DEC 09
Cleared IP DIV
Mr Pat Burke
D/AFG
7 DEC 09
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COL Clingan
J35-Global
2 Dec 09
Cleared MSPA
LTCOL J.Squire
DDGPA OPS
8 Dec 09
Acknowledged MINDEF
Colin Campbell
MAMINDEF
8 Dec 09
NEWS 
