With five generations of service in Corporal Thomas Winton's blood, he feels a connection to family members deployed to similar regions before him.
Deployed on Operation Accordion in the Middle East region, the telecommunications technician will spend Anzac Day reflecting on his family's legacy.
"They deployed in the same region as my grandpa, so it 100 per cent has more meaning," he said.
His grandfather served in the Air Force throughout the 1980s and '90s, deploying to Singapore, Butterworth and the Sinai.
An aunt was a medic and truck driver in the Army, and his uncle a Navy helicopter pilot who deployed across multiple oceans.
"It definitely hits hard for people who have had serving family members, because you understand what they've gone through, not necessarily life or death, but missing birthdays and weddings," Corporal Winton said.
"I feel grateful that we have things like FaceTime. They were writing letters."
'I'm proud that I can wear the uniform my previous generations wore.'
Now a father, Corporal Winton said being away from home gave him a new perspective on the sacrifices made by those who served before him.
"Having a young family, it's definitely hard - even with the technology we have today," he said.
This is his first deployment since supporting operations in Papua New Guinea and flood assist efforts in Sydney.
Corporal Winton's day-to-day tasks involve maintaining the headquarters network, troubleshooting issues and quickly fixing any communications disruptions.
"Things could happen at a moment's notice, and we have to react to it - a lot of things are reactionary," he said.
Corporal Winton usually commemorates Anzac Day by attending a dawn service with his family, but this year he will mark the occasion alongside fellow personnel at Headquarters Middle East's dawn service.
"I have great pride in wearing the uniform every time I put it on," he said.
"I feel that I've earned it - it hasn't been given to me. I'm proud that I can wear the uniform my previous generations wore."
