Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
AS the Australian Airforce takes the fight to Islamic State in Syria and Iraq its colleagues in the Navy are disrupting the drug trade used to fund terrorist organisations throughout the Middle East.
The crew of HMAS Melbourne were welcomed home warmly at Garden Island Navy base yesterday following a seven month deployment where they seized a ton of heroin worth $390 million.
Among the hugs and kisses from children and loved ones was a strong sense of pride about the mission that the 223 officers and sailors had achieved.
HMAS Melbourne Commander Bill Waters was like many of the happy sailors warmly embracing his family as they disembarked.
“It’s good to be home. I’m really looking forward to spending some time with my children. It’s just great to be home and Sydney has turned it on,” he said.
Part of the 25-nation Combined Task Force 150 HMAS Melbourne made five major seizures of heroin from small dhow wooden boats in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
Commander Waters said finding and boarding the small vessels was difficult and dangerous
“The Arabian Sea is an enormous area, we travelled 49,000 nautical miles, which is more than twice around the world, looking for small wooden vessels carrying heroin,” he said.
“Our main role was counter narcotics. Our job was to disturb the funding lines for terrorism. Heroin is a key funding line. There is a lot of terrorism throughout that region.
“These searches are not easy as the drugs are concealed within difficult to access compartments in small dhows and boarding teams work incredibly hard in arduous conditions to find these drugs.”
He said he could not be prouder of his crew and their families.
“They’ve just been brilliant. They need to be on guard and ready at all times. They are quite an extraordinary group and I’m incredibly proud of them. The families have really helped us though this, we cannot do this job without them. They are the real heroes,” he said.
HMAS Melbourne boarded 50 vessels during its 203 days at sea and destroyed 977 kilograms of high grade heroin.
Leading Seaman Mitchell Barrie missed the first birthday of 16-month son Jackson but planned to make up for it with quality time together at the family’s Jervis Bay home.
“Pretty excited to be home. We were very busy but very productive,” he said.
Wife Kaylene said the time apart was difficult.
“It’s awesome. It’s been a long time apart. It’s great to have him home.”
Three-year-old Isabella Jones was over the moon when she embraced her father Chief Petty Officer Trevor.
“It’s good to back. We can do a little bit of messaging and email and phone calls home. Nothing beats being home,” he said.
Defence Minister Marise Payne told the waiting families their nation thanked them for their support.
“I know it’s a long time for all of you. I’ve heard they’ve served 100,000 meals on board but I’m betting the one you share with your loved one at home will be the best one they have had in seven months,” she said.
Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Barrett said the drugs seized would dent the terrorism funding network but admitted none of the smugglers were detained.
“It’s very difficult to detain at sea under the conventions we have. The best means is to destroy the contraband at sea,” he said.
Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...s/news-story/fa56cfa7ae903c7f5054626ddf165fe2
The crew of HMAS Melbourne were welcomed home warmly at Garden Island Navy base yesterday following a seven month deployment where they seized a ton of heroin worth $390 million.
Among the hugs and kisses from children and loved ones was a strong sense of pride about the mission that the 223 officers and sailors had achieved.
HMAS Melbourne Commander Bill Waters was like many of the happy sailors warmly embracing his family as they disembarked.
“It’s good to be home. I’m really looking forward to spending some time with my children. It’s just great to be home and Sydney has turned it on,” he said.
Part of the 25-nation Combined Task Force 150 HMAS Melbourne made five major seizures of heroin from small dhow wooden boats in one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.
Commander Waters said finding and boarding the small vessels was difficult and dangerous
“The Arabian Sea is an enormous area, we travelled 49,000 nautical miles, which is more than twice around the world, looking for small wooden vessels carrying heroin,” he said.
“Our main role was counter narcotics. Our job was to disturb the funding lines for terrorism. Heroin is a key funding line. There is a lot of terrorism throughout that region.
“These searches are not easy as the drugs are concealed within difficult to access compartments in small dhows and boarding teams work incredibly hard in arduous conditions to find these drugs.”
He said he could not be prouder of his crew and their families.
“They’ve just been brilliant. They need to be on guard and ready at all times. They are quite an extraordinary group and I’m incredibly proud of them. The families have really helped us though this, we cannot do this job without them. They are the real heroes,” he said.
HMAS Melbourne boarded 50 vessels during its 203 days at sea and destroyed 977 kilograms of high grade heroin.
Leading Seaman Mitchell Barrie missed the first birthday of 16-month son Jackson but planned to make up for it with quality time together at the family’s Jervis Bay home.
“Pretty excited to be home. We were very busy but very productive,” he said.
Wife Kaylene said the time apart was difficult.
“It’s awesome. It’s been a long time apart. It’s great to have him home.”
Three-year-old Isabella Jones was over the moon when she embraced her father Chief Petty Officer Trevor.
“It’s good to back. We can do a little bit of messaging and email and phone calls home. Nothing beats being home,” he said.
Defence Minister Marise Payne told the waiting families their nation thanked them for their support.
“I know it’s a long time for all of you. I’ve heard they’ve served 100,000 meals on board but I’m betting the one you share with your loved one at home will be the best one they have had in seven months,” she said.
Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Barrett said the drugs seized would dent the terrorism funding network but admitted none of the smugglers were detained.
“It’s very difficult to detain at sea under the conventions we have. The best means is to destroy the contraband at sea,” he said.
Source: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...s/news-story/fa56cfa7ae903c7f5054626ddf165fe2
