When Stewart Griffiths joined the Australian Army, he was part of a family dynasty with the defence force.

His three older brothers were all in the Australian Army already, and his father had done a stint in Palestine at the end of World War II with the British Army.

He met his wife, Christine, while she was also in the Army, and two of their three sons are also serving members now.

The Army life is a life Mr Griffiths has enjoyed.

He would have wanted to. He has spent the past 47 years enlisted in the Army, memories from which he will no doubt share as the guest speaker at this year’s Shepparton Remembrance Day service.

Forty-three of those years were with the regular Army, while the past four years have been spent working three days a week as an Army Reservist.

“If you enjoy the job, you might as well keep doing it,” he said.

“I couldn’t see myself getting out as a regular after 43 years and sitting on my back porch and looking at the garden.”

So that’s why he downscaled on the number of days he works each week, but continued as a reservist.

Now a Warrant Officer Class 2, Mr Griffiths joined the Army as soon as he was able to, at the age of 17 years and three months.

The ever-changing role is what he has loved most.

“You’re not doing that same job,” he said.

“As you go through the ranks, roles change.”

Mr Griffiths is currently working as a health and safety representative, as well as working with the S7 training cell.

He is based out of Puckapunyal Army Base these days, but his work also takes him to Albury-Wodonga periodically to monitor civilian-run courses.

While this is his job now, most of his years in the Army were spent as a driving instructor, teaching people how to drive armoured vehicles including Armoured Personnel Carriers, Australian Standard Light Armoured Vehicles and Bushmasters protected mobility vehicles.

His job as a driving instructor, however, meant that he only had one posting overseas.

Generally, instructors were unable to go as they had to remain in Australia to ensure other soldiers were trained properly.

“That annoyed me because people in (the Army) less (time) than me had the opportunity to go overseas,” Mr Griffiths said.

His time came in August 2017 when he was sent to Egypt as part of peacekeeping mission, Operation Mazurka — a peacekeeping mission.

The Multi-National Forces and Observers was a peacekeeping group from 12 nations that was formed following the peace agreement between Eygpt and Israel that was started in 1982.

During his six months with the peacekeeping mission, Mr Griffiths worked in the planning section.

When truck convoys needed to take supplies to MNFO outposts, Mr Griffiths would plan what they needed and the routes they would take.

He also helped with planning of any visitors to the area – including a visit of then Governor-General Peter Cosgrove.

“It was a very educational thing to see what was going on,” Mr Griffiths said.

“I met many people from different ally countries.

“There was a lot to do.

“It wasn’t a typical work process. There was 24-hour movement on base.”

Mr Griffiths was based in MNFO’s south camp near the town of Sharm El Sheikh in the southern part of Egypt.

He said it was a “mostly peaceful” area, with “no major incidents” during his time there.

Mr Griffiths said he had “enjoyed myself immensely” during him time in the Army.

“I’ve had a great time and am still having a great time doing what I do,” he said.

While part of the Royal Australian Armoured Corps himself, Mr Griffiths currently works for the Royal Australian Corps of Transport.

He particularly liked being able to work with people from different corps during his roles.

He also cherished the time he spent in the same unit of a brigade as his older brother as the Regimental Sergeant Major at one point.

And now, he works at the same unit as his youngest son.

While now living in Seymour, Mr Griffiths will be the guest speaker at this year’s Shepparton Remembrance Day service.

For him, Remembrance Day is an important way of making sure the younger generation does not forget the sacrifices of those who have gone to war.

“We wouldn’t be here now if those people hadn’t come forward to defend the country,” he said.

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Wednesday, 4th October 2028

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