Troops thanked for service

PAPUA New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) engineers deployed to assist during the Australian bushfires have been acknowledged for their service.
PNGDF Commander Maj-Gen Gilbert Toropo commended the 99 members of Kumul Force 17 and, in particular, its two female members during the commemorating of the PNGDF’s engineering battalion’s 45th anniversary at Igam Barracks in Lae on Wednesday.
Maj-Gen Toropo said officers from the battalion were sent to work with their Australian counterparts last year.
“It took two days to coordinate with our Australian defence partners to mobilise 99 of our engineer battalion troops to be deployed to Victoria, Australia, during the bushfires,” he said.
“They worked side-by-side with the Australian defence force and it was a good partnership.
“This is the first time the PNGDF has ever deployed and in that deployment, we had a two female officers who also commanded our troops.”