By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS
PHIL and Shari Brown might be thousands of kilometres a part, but when the Last Post echoes through the city on Anzac Day, it will be like they are standing right next to each other.
Shari will be at local Anzac Day Service in Melbourne, while her husband, Phil, will be at Camp Baird in the Middle East, serving for Australia.
Phil is a member of the Royal Australian Air Force and has been for the past 35 years.
He is currently on his sixth deployment, his fourth to the Middle East.
While he couldn’t disclose his location when we spoke, he could say he had been oversees for almost six months and was expected to return to his home in Hoppers Crossing within days.
Phil said Anzac Day was an occasion that meant a lot to Australians in the Middle East.
He said it was something he looked forward to each year, because it was a day to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
“Anzac Day is a time of reflection of the people who have served and are currently serving,” Phil said.
“It is about honouring these people and paying respect.
“We will be having a ceremony here, there will be Anzac Day ceremonies all over the Middle East.
“We will play the Last Post, it will be identical to what will happen back home.”
Footy has now become synonymous with Anzac Day.
The Collingwood and Essendon Football Clubs have owned the day for more than 20 years.
The match has become one of the biggest games of the home and away season, but it isn’t just about playing a game of footy, it is about paying respect to those who have and are currently serving for this country.
Phil said the connection between football and the meaning of Anzac Day was so strong because footballers and those in the military both shared the same values.
“Footy is about mateship and the military is built on mateship,” he said.
Phil decided to join the Airforce back in November 1981 because he enjoyed travelling.
He is a currently a Procurement Liaison and is a responsible for a small team whose aim is to support all local procurement requests.
“I get up at 6am, I go to work, have breakfast, go back to work, have lunch and it goes on,” he said.
“I do that 13 out of every 14 days.
“In our summer the weather it is reasonable, it is easing up 35 degrees now, but, it can get up to over 50 degrees, that’s when it is unbearable.”
As well as being a proud Australian servicemen, he is also a proud member of the Tarneit Football Club.
The 51-year-old has been involved with the club since its inception three years ago.
The Titans are never far from his mind, he wears the club T-Shirt wherever he goes.
Not one to miss chance to promote his club, the father of three used this opportunity to thank those involved with Tarneit and encourage juniors to get on board in 2016 and beyond.
“I want to send a big thank you to the people at Tarneit and the wonderful sponsors, without them we wouldn’t be a club.
“We are also always looking for juniors, so new players are welcome.”
Last Modified on 22/04/2016 13:37