Australian Entertainers in Afghanistan - Operation SLIPPER

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• published: 03 Apr 2009
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After a particularly hard fought week in southern Afghanistan, the troops of the 1st Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force had a chance to unwind and relax with the arrival of a Forces Entertainment Tour at their base in Tarin Kowt, southern Afghanistan. On an improvised stage in the soldiers barbeque area, a camouflage net and Australian flag became the back drop for the two and a half hour performance. The soldiers were entertained by Tony Lehmo Lehman and his stand up routine which highlighted some of the hilarity found in the daily lives of Australian Defence Force soldiers, some of the habits of our coalition partners and life in a place as remote as Tarin Kowt. His well aimed shots at some of the officers and international politics had the crowd in stitches. Dynamic rock tunes then came from the female two piece band of Kylie Cowling and Sherree Newton, before upcoming musician Blake Ralph who was accompanied by Victor Rounds, rocked the still Afghan night. Completing the entertainment was former Army musician, Gary Bradbury, whose unique blend of stand up comedy and sax playing had the soldiers in stitches, particularly his song the Track to Kandahar, to the tune of The Road to Gundagai. After six months in Afghanistan, the entertainment was a welcome, if short relief from the stress and hard work of operations. Even as the concert finished, the soldiers gathered in preparation for the next days missions.Operation SLIPPER is Australia's military contribution to coalition efforts against international terrorism. Under this operation our forces contribute to the efforts of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) - led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, aimed at preventing Afghanistan again becoming a safe haven for international terrorists, and the United States-led International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT) efforts in the broader Middle East.