Craftsman Rodger Anstis
Rodger served 14 years in the Australian Regular Army (ARA) and The Australian Army Reserves.
Rodger joined the Australian Army Reserves with the 4th/19th Prince of Wales’s Light Horse (4/19 PWLH) as an M113, Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) Driver in 2003, as part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps (RAAC).
Rodgers role as an APC Driver would include providing the Australian Defence Force with protected mobility and armoured fighting capability.
In 2006 Rodger joined the ARA with the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME). He was posted to the Royal Australian Airforce School of Technical Training (RAAFSTT) as an Aircraft Technician. In 2007 Rodger would move to the Australian Army Aviation Training Centre (AAVNTC) to complete his on the job training (OJT) for his trade. Later in 2007, Rodger would be posted to 5 Aviation Regiment (5 AVN) in Townsville as a qualified Aircraft Technician.
As an Aircraft Technician, Rodger would be responsible for inspecting, testing, repairing, rebuilding, refurbishing, modifying and recovering Army aircraft airframes, engines and ancillary equipment. He would also conduct limited inspections and repairs on aircraft safety equipment and armament, including the Eurocopter EC665 Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter, the Boeing CH47 Chinook, the Multi-Role Helicopter (MRH-90) or the Sikorsky s-70A-9 Black Hawk.
In March 2011, Rodger would do an in-service transfer within RAEME and post to the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (ASEME) as a Fitter Armament in Armerment Construction Wing (ACW).
As a Fitter Armament, Rodger would be responsible for inspecting, repairing, modify and reconditioning a wide range of military weapon systems and equipment, including pistols, semi-automatic and fully automatic weapons, grenade launchers and anti-armour weapons. In his trade, he would also undertake to repair composite materials, welding and machining skills, inspection and repair of small engines, miscellaneous equipment and pressurized systems such as fuel delivery equipment.
By October 2013, Rodger would complete his training and be posted to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Darwin and later move to Townsville as part of the army’s restructuring and hardening capabilities around the country. In 2017 Rodger would see his last posting to 3 Combat Service Support Battalion (3 CSSB), where he would be medically discharged on 5 September 2017.
Rodger has received the following honours and awards for his service:
The Australian Defence Medal.
I first met Rodger at Bonegilla in Victoria, I was a Corporal transferring from RAAOC, and he was already at ASEME learning his trade. He is a very humble and knowledgeable man, kind and was always willing to listen. Rodger was the first person to introduce me to pumpkin pie, and bloody hell was it good; you would be going back for more, and it’s got me drooling just thinking about it.
When I asked Rodger to be a part of this project, he was on board, and as time wore on, he became a bit apprehensive about doing it for what memories and thoughts doing this project would stir up. However, he persevered, and I am glad he did. He has created a piece of art that expresses his thoughts and emotions, but a piece that stands out and shows others they are not alone and that validates their thoughts and emotions who are in similar circumstances.
