Jamahl Tamwoy

Jamahl Tamwoy

Badu Island
Torres Strait Islands
Sergeant
51st Battalion, Far North Queensland Regiment
Regional Force Surveillance Group
Australian Army

Medals

Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection
Australian Defence Medal

“I joined the Australian Army Reserves, 51st Battalion Far North Queensland Regiment (FNQR) in 2009 and went on my first operation (Operation Resolute) in 2011. I was promoted to Lance Corporal in 2013, then the following year, in 2014, I took on a mentoring role for three months with the Defence Indigenous Development Program (DIDP) in Batchelor, Northern Territory. In 2016, I further mentored the Indigenous Pre-Recruitment Course (IPRC) and Indigenous PreRecruitment Program (IPRP) for three weeks each at HMAS Cerberus in Melbourne, where I got to work alongside Navy and Air Force personnel. Later, in November 2016, I was promoted to Corporal. In 2020, I deployed on back-to-back COVID operations as a Regional Patrol Craft (RPC) skipper with Private Leo Akiba as my bowman. At the end of 2021, I was promoted to Sergeant, and the next year, in 2022, I participated in Coastwatchers operations in the Solomon Islands for three weeks.

Looking back on all the years I’ve been in the ADF and all the challenges I’ve been through, it wasn’t easy, but it has made me a better person, so if I can do it, so can you. CHALLENGE YOURSELF, LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES & KEEP MOVING FORWARD.”

– Jamahl Tamwoy