A signals regiment like no other, with reservists posted in every state across Australia, 8th Signal Regiment (8 Sig Regt) made quite an impression at the annual sporting events last month.
With signallers and officers flying in from all corners of the country for the Royal Australian Corps of Signals 100th birthday celebrations, Commanding Officer 8 Sig Regt, Lieutenant Colonel Rob Curtin, said there was a special feeling as the regiment came together.
"It's something we try and do every year where we get together as a corps and participate in a combination of sports, so there's a good competitive spirit between each of the units," Lieutenant Colonel Curtin said.
Full-timer Lieutenant Gian Ojunga said it was good to catch up with a lot of his mates.
"It was great to just have fun, relax from work and get out of the office for the week," Lieutenant Ojunga said.
Despite not being able to train as a group in preparation for the strong person, tug-of-war, and each of the Caduceus, Athena and Grecians Cups, he said the national regiment put up a fantastic showing.
"Certainly for a team that's come from different areas of the country and really only met a couple of days before, to come second in the tug-of-war is awesome," he said.
Despite the distance between members, there was no shortage of camaraderie, according to Signaller Malgorzata Jaguszewska.
'It's amazing to meet other people from other cities, and we continuously cross paths, whether through exercises or training; it's a family you just don't see very often'
"There is that connection we share that this is our second job and we've decided to do that for a very specific reason, so I think we immediately kind of click in that sense," Signaller Jaguszewska said.
"It's amazing to meet other people from other cities, and we continuously cross paths, whether through exercises or training; it's a family you just don't see very often."
Maintaining a footprint across such a large continent comes with its challenges, but it has given reservists such as Corporal William Head, of 109 Signal Squadron in Perth, the chance to serve in unique ways.
"Since we've been part of the regiment, we've been able to get more involved across the country in different exercises, different deployment opportunities and supporting more operations," Corporal Head said.
"So that's really opened up the opportunity across the country for everybody."
In his first posting since graduating from the Royal Military College, Lieutenant Ojunga said he was proud to represent the regiment as it approached its fifth birthday.
"It's quite special being the national signal regiment. There is a lot of pressure on the team to maintain such a large signal network across the nation," he said
"I think five years of doing so is really a milestone because it shows that we're not just fresh, we're established and we have a few reps behind us to carry forward and build our own little legacy."
Lieutenant Colonel Curtin said 8 Sig Regt achieved a special effect for the Army because of its unique battle order.
"What that means in real terms is that when a squadron has to go and support the local brigade, if they don't have a particular member of a particular trade, we can easily bring someone across from another state and fill that gap, so it's a huge effect that we've created," he said.
