When the call went out for help to build a forward operating base as part of a joint training exercise in Papua New Guinea late last year, Corporal Corey Millwood was quick to volunteer.
The Queensland-based Army plumber, of 6th Engineer Support Regiment (6ESR), was already in PNG on deployment to Manus Island as part of Exercise Wantok Warrior, tasked with demolishing outdated infrastructure at the Lombrum Naval Base.
"Exercises like Wantok Warrior are an excellent opportunity," Corporal Millwood said.
"It gets the guys out and on the tools, letting you get hands on in a different environment to what we're used to in Australia."
Before joining Army, Corporal Millwood started a plumbing apprenticeship in his home town of Ipswich, but left before becoming qualified, deciding to enlist to experience something different.
The 32-year-old, who is posted to RAAF Base Amberley, has been in the ADF for the past 13 years, initially enlisting in the Royal Australian Armoured Corps before transferring three years ago to the Royal Australian Engineers to revisit plumbing.
"Armoured Corps was the complete opposite to being a plumber," Corporal Millwood said.
"I quite enjoyed it as a job. It gave me all those foundation skills that I think everyone should have who serves in the military.
"But after nine years in a combat corps I was older and a lot more mature and realised having a trade was important.
"Also, knowing that I never finished my trade was something that hung over me. It was something that stayed with me and I always told myself I needed to get around to finishing it one day."
'It gets the guys out and on the tools, letting you get hands on in a different environment to what we're used to in Australia.'
After completing the transfer, Corporal Millwood did 15 months training at Latchford Barracks in Albury-Wodonga.
As a section commander managing a team of plumbers, carpenters and electricians on Manus Island, he contributed to the largest security infrastructure project delivered by Australia in the Pacific.
Lombrum Naval Base officially reopened last year following an extensive redevelopment - a joint initiative between Port Moresby and Canberra to help PNG improve its border security and protect its marine resources.
"Due to the fact there are very few plumbers in the Army, there are a lot of opportunities for deployments like this, where we can be away and on the tools for months at a time," Corporal Millwood said.
Work on Manus Island included helping build a canteen at a local school.
"We do tasks of opportunity working in the community," Corporal Millwood said.
"We spent a lot of time interacting with the locals."
The 6ESR contribution to Wantok Warrior focused on constructing critical infrastructure for more than 100 Australian and PNG Defence Force soldiers training out of Igam Barracks.
"We connected up the toilet blocks, ran water and sewer services, and hooked up the rainwater tanks to pumps to get the showers working," Corporal Millwood said.
"At the end of the day, if you haven't got toilets and showers you have a pretty unhappy camp, so it's not hard to see why plumbing is a vital role in the Army, and we need to attract more to the job.
"Being able to be the person that provides those services feels pretty good."
For more career information, visit www.adfcareers.gov.au/jobs/army/plumber
