I joined the ADF straight out of highschool as a rifleman in a Gap Year initiative program. During this year I completed three months basic training and 3 months infantry training after which I was posted to Adelaide. After completing that year I chose to stay on for another year and as such I was deployed to Iraq for 7 months as force protection for the training teams teaching Iraqi armed forces. Whilst in the Middle East I had the chance to work along side other coalition members (Americans, British, Canadian, Kiwis) and expand my skills as a professional.