Corey Wooten served in the Australian Regular Army as an Infantry soldier. He deployed on operations with the 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, to Afghanistan's steep mountains and valleys in 2009. During his time there, he would do what he was trained to do, seek out and close with the enemy to kill or capture him.
Today Corey lives a different life. He has traded the hills and valleys of Afghanistan for the Flinders Ranges; his enemy is no longer the Taliban; it is now the feral pests that destroy the natural flora and fauna, the wild goat. Corey spends his time here helping the landowners cull the feral pests to rejuvenate the area.
The landowners study the effects that culling goats have on the native flora and fauna, particularly the native birds; however, for Corey, this is not just about culling goats; It is a way for him to get out of the chaotic life of civilian society and get into the wilderness and take it back to basics, reset his mind and focus, ready to head back into his family life and job as a fly in fly out miner.
For a lot of veterans, life after service can be a tumultuous time. So, finding a hobby or activity that helps ease the uncertainty and storm that rages on inside the mind is vital to remain focused. Shooting and being out in the wilderness is just that for Corey; in the Flinders, he walks with ease about him, a sense of calm and tranquillity in an otherwise chaotic world.
