Corporal Joshua Bailey, B. Policing, Grad Dip Psych, BPsychSciH.
Joshua has served for 26 years in the Australian Special Forces, Australian Regular Army (ARA), and The Australian Federal Police (AFP).
Joshua has had a distinguished career amongst all three services, having served has in the Australian Special Forces at the age of 21. He was presented with a Sherwood Green Beret and a silver World War II-era fighting knife surmounted by a gold boomerang engraved with the regimental motto "Strike Swiftly".
Joshua's Role as a Commando was to conduct large scale offensive operations beyond the range and capability of other Australian Defence Force (ADF) Elements; Provide the Commando Reserve Response Force (CRRF) to act in support of the Tactical Assault Group (TAG) or Special Operations Engineer Regiment (SOER) for domestic security incidents; to perform operational intelligence gathering and the small and large scale offensive operations.
As well as being a part of the Australian Special Forces, Joshua completed Australia's first Air Security Officer (ASO) course becoming one of 16 of the first Air Marshals in Australia; this was in response to the 9/11 attacks in America.
As an Air Marshal, Joshua's role would include providing Australian civil aviation's discreet anti-hijacking capability by putting armed security personnel on board aircraft. This involves both random and intelligence-led placement of armed ASOs on flights operated by Australian registered air carriers on domestic and international flights.
During Joshua's Service with the Australian Special Forces, he would deploy to Rifle Company Butterworth (RCB) to Malaysia in 2000. With the AFP, he would deploy to Papua New Guinea in 2002 and then The Solomon Islands as part of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI) or Operation Helpem fren in 2003. In 2011 Joshua would Deploy with the army on Operation Queensland Flood Assist in 2011 and again in 2019.
In 2016 Joshua would be posted to the 2nd Commando Regt in Holsworthy Sydney, attached to the TAG-East.
Joshua has received the following honours and awards for his service:
Australian Service Medal (ASM) with clasp CT/SR,
Police Overseas Service Medal (POSM) with clasp RAMSI,
National Medal for Operational Long Service,
The Australian Defence Medal, and
The Soldiers Medallion
I first met Joshua at Bonegilla in Victoria, where we both started and completed the Fitter Armament Maintenance Course (FAMT) together. We have remained close mates ever since, and I see Joshua as one of a few men I look up to and go to for advice. He is incredibly humble and is very knowledgeable, with just having completed his Honours Degree in Psychology. I had the privilege of asking Joshua to be my best man at my upcoming wedding in 2022.
When I asked Joshua to be a part of this project, it was no surprise he said yes, and I was very honoured for him to be a part of it, as a man as distinguished as he is, coming from a community where emotions are not openly displayed or are required to be put aside to achieve mission success, was incredibly courageous of him. It shows other men and women that everyone can come forward and express their emotions if the most formidable man can come forward and express his emotions.
