Army Reserve Open Day showcases life of reservists

In her civilian life she is a doctor working in the high pressure world of intensive care medicine but in the Army Reserve Jessica Robert is just a private with a passion for fixing up cars.

In her civilian life she is a doctor working in the high pressure world of intensive care medicine but in the Army Reserve Jessica Robert is just a private with a passion for fixing up cars.

The private joined the Army Reserve in Townsville just under 12 months ago and is loving it.

Wanting to broaden her life skills she did not choose to join the Medical Core but instead the

Transport Core learning to look after and drive army trucks.

She said she had several reasons for joining the reserves.

“Even in high school I had this inkling to serve my country it whichever capacity I could, probably one of the reasons I became a doctor.”

“Another reasons I joined is fitness is a big part of my life I do a lot of fitness outside the army reserve and have done that since I was quite young.

“The other reason for the army reserve was that it enables you to experience lots of things that you would not be able to achieve and experience in general careers and life in general.”

Reservist Private Jessica Roberts is a doctor in her civilian life but drives trucks in the Army Reserve and she will be at the Army Reserve Open Day on Sunday at Jezzine Barracks. Picture: Evan Morgan

She said she made a deliberate choice to join the Transport Core.

“I am still early in my training for being a doctor and certainly I do intend to eventually change to the Medical Core and provide my skills as a doctor.

“But I like the opportunity of joining a different core initially to gain different skills within the Army Reserves that will help me be a better soldier in the long term.

“When I change eventually as a doctor I think it will make me much more well-rounded.

“But also I have other interests outside of being a doctor.

“I particularly enjoy working on cars and I think being able to drive and work on big trucks is quite exciting and does give me an avenue outside of my own work which most people can understand can be a demanding career.

“I have had a great time so far, the army reserve here in Townsville is very supportive it is also a very fun place to be as well.

“It instils a lot of great mateship, it is a great place to go each week and have a group of people who are sometimes very different form people you would generally work with or interactions with outside of your work or your general life.”

Army is the right place for this doc

The Australian Army 11th Brigade will host its inaugural Army Reserve Open Day at the brigade’s historic home at Jezzine Barracks this Sunday.

Mark Earman from the North Queensland Military Reenactors and Collectors Club in a WWI uniform with Musician Sarah Little from 1RAR Band and reservist Private Ellis Williams from 31/42 Royal Queensland Regiment will be at the Army Reserve Open Day on Sunday at Jezzine Barracks. Picture: Evan Morgan

There will be a wide array of military vehicles and equipment, displays and demonstrations, including Army Engineers and Infantry, first-aid, the 1RAR Reserve Army Band, veterans’ organisations and food stalls.

Brigade reservist Major Mark Smith said all the Army Reserve units in North Queensland would be there including one unit that was flying up especially from Brisbane.

“The day is going to be a fantastic day and what we will present to the general public is a good hard, true look at the army reserve and they will get that opportunity to talk to those soldiers and ask them questions about Army Reserve life and why it is such a great option to join the Army Reserve.

He said there would also be Defence Force Recruiting at the open day.

“They will have a number of formal candidate briefs where if you are interested in joining the army reserve you can find out first-hand what those requirements are.”

The candidate briefs would be at 10am and 1pm at the army museum at Jezzine.

The Major said there many opportunities open to those in the Army Reserve.

“There are many opportunities Army Reserve solders to be deployed on operations either as a part of a unit or part of a larger operation such as OP RESOLUTE where they were part of the boarder force up in North Queensland.

But also we teach our soldiers good leadership and management skills that are fully transferable to their civilian life and also practical skills such as how to handle a weapon and how to live in the field,

The open day runs from 9am to 2pm.

Originally published as Army Reserve Open Day showcases life of reservists