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After seven years working as an army reservist, Orange local corporal James Sutherland has taken on a role as a section commander part of Defence Force's Operation COVID-19 Assist. Corporal Sutherland is managing a team of reservists in Canberra to assist ACT Health with contact tracing to understand the coronavirus spread. "I'm part of a group that assists the civil community with monitoring personnel who have come into contact with anyone who has tested positive to the coronavirus," he said. "I ensure my team of eight maintain health standards and are ready to deploy on 24-hour notice tasks to aid the community." Over the past 12 months, he has served in Iraq as a section commander on the Quick Reaction Force and in Canberra for Operation Bushfire Assist. Corporal Sutherland said he is grateful for the support of his wife and children also. "My wife jokes that I've been home for only two-and-a-half of the last 12 months," he said. "Miriam has given me up to the military for nearly 12 months and I can't thank her enough. "She gives me support and runs the house like nothing is different, which allows me to focus on the task at hand." Corporal Sutherland also said his military experience has set him up for civilian work. "The key to both has been the ability to manage people, expectations and personalities," he said. "Though in the civilian world, there are a lot of different personalities compared to the similar traits many serving members have. "From my time in the Army, I'm used to helping and being in a leadership role and I find that if you lead by example, others will follow what you do, which is important for the job that I'm in." Officer Commanding of 1/19 RNSWR Major Mark Whitfeld said he is full of praise for Corporal Sutherland and applauds the backing provided to reservists by their employers and families. "As an officer commanding, I'm grateful for the support of employers like Hanson because we could not do this seamlessly without them," he said. "For our soldiers to perform their reservist duties knowing that they have the hearts and minds of their workplace behind them, makes a world of difference and the same goes for support from families."
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Orange army reservist James Sutherland in Canberra for Operation COVID-19 Assist
Corporal James Sutherland of 1/19 Royal New South Wales Regiment in Canberra during Operation COVID-19 Assist. Photo: Corporal Sagi Biderman
After seven years working as an army reservist, Orange local corporal James Sutherland has taken on a role as a section commander part of Defence Force's Operation COVID-19 Assist.
Corporal Sutherland is managing a team of reservists in Canberra to assist ACT Health with contact tracing to understand the coronavirus spread.
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"I'm part of a group that assists the civil community with monitoring personnel who have come into contact with anyone who has tested positive to the coronavirus," he said.
"I ensure my team of eight maintain health standards and are ready to deploy on 24-hour notice tasks to aid the community."
Over the past 12 months, he has served in Iraq as a section commander on the Quick Reaction Force and in Canberra for Operation Bushfire Assist.
Corporal Sutherland said he is grateful for the support of his wife and children also.
"My wife jokes that I've been home for only two-and-a-half of the last 12 months," he said.
"Miriam has given me up to the military for nearly 12 months and I can't thank her enough.
"She gives me support and runs the house like nothing is different, which allows me to focus on the task at hand."
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Corporal Sutherland also said his military experience has set him up for civilian work.
"The key to both has been the ability to manage people, expectations and personalities," he said.
"Though in the civilian world, there are a lot of different personalities compared to the similar traits many serving members have.
"From my time in the Army, I'm used to helping and being in a leadership role and I find that if you lead by example, others will follow what you do, which is important for the job that I'm in."
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Officer Commanding of 1/19 RNSWR Major Mark Whitfeld said he is full of praise for Corporal Sutherland and applauds the backing provided to reservists by their employers and families.
"As an officer commanding, I'm grateful for the support of employers like Hanson because we could not do this seamlessly without them," he said.
"For our soldiers to perform their reservist duties knowing that they have the hearts and minds of their workplace behind them, makes a world of difference and the same goes for support from families."
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