NOLAN WOO - SOCCER DIPLOMACY

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Nolan Woo

Australian Government- Department of Defense

Logan’s Nolan Woo, 22, is now on an eight-month deployment to East Timor, and he’s really kicking goals for Australia.

Throughout his teenage years, Nolan played club level with Logan United and the Beenleigh. He’s only been in the Army two years and this is his first overseas deployment.

In East Timor Nolan’s favourite day of the week is Wednesday. His unit conduct weekly patrols around the perimeter of their Forward Operating Base and into the heart of the capital, Dili. There is always a chance to play a friendly game of soccer with the kids.

“When you go on patrol, the kids are always coming up to us, they are so happy to see us and we hand them out gifts like shirts or lollies or water, it’s a really good feeling,” Nolan said.

“I’ve been here since mid-February and time has flown so far. I always wanted to make a difference in my career and there’s no doubt we are doing that here,” he says.

Nolan is normally based with Brisbane’s 7th Combat Services Support Battalion but in East Timor he works in the main equipment store of the 550-strong international stabilisation force.

“My role is to provide all the supplies needed for the soldiers, all of their equipment, manage the whole Task Group’s stores — and that can include sending kit back to Australia or keeping it here for repair,” he said.

“It’s a very different culture in East Timor. It makes you appreciate what you have at home, but at the same time they are very friendly people and always happy to help,” he said.

Staying in contact with his own family is also a vital part of Nolan’s routine abroad. He has been married to high school sweetheart Lauren for three years, and he is impressed by the welfare access and support back home.

“All the boys are getting heaps of support from their families. Even people we haven’t met are sending extra mail, stories and presents, so it’s awesome that all the families back home get in on it,” he says.

Nolan might lie in the equipment stream or a transfer into physical training but either way he’s staying Army for a while. “We get out and about, meet heaps of new people, the job security is there, helping out the nation and surrounded by a good bunch of people, there is no reason to ever leave.”
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