Post by Chips on Apr 29, 2008 17:40:42 GMT 9.5
Lance Corporal Jason Marks
He lived his dream to be a soldier, and died in battle
Jonathan Dart, Mark Davis and Arjun Ramachandran
April 29, 2008
Devoted father and loving husband … Lance Corporal Jason Marks with his two children. "All Jason ever wanted to do was join the army."
Photo: The Department of Defence
FROM the age of 12, Jason Marks knew he wanted to be a soldier. It was a journey that took him from his school days in North Queensland to graduation as a commando in Sydney to the mountains of Oruzgan province, Afghanistan.
The 27-year-old father of two was proud of serving his country, his wife Cassandra said yesterday, after he became the fifth Australian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan. Four other Australian soldiers were wounded in the same battle with Taliban fighters, and the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, warned the nation to expect a "dangerous and bloody" season of fighting in the months ahead.
Mrs Marks said: "Jason was a devoted father to our two beautiful children and a loving husband to me.
"All Jason ever wanted to do was join the army. He was the type of man who knew what he wanted. Even from the age of 12, all Jason ever wanted to be was a soldier. Becoming a commando was a dream of Jason's. He was proud of who he was and proud of what he did."
About 6pm on Sunday, Lance Corporal Marks was part of a security detachment, including commandos from the 4th Royal Australian Regiment, that engaged a group of Taliban fighters. They exchanged heavy fire. The Taliban fighters fired automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. The Defence Department would not elaborate on the battle although the Defence Chief, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, said Australian troops would continue to "take the fight to the Taliban".
Lance Corporal Marks and the four other soldiers were
evacuated by helicopter to a medical facility at the town of Tarin Kowt, 25 kilometres to the north-west. The condition of the four injured was described as "not life-threatening".
Lance Corporal Marks was born in Broken Hill and later moved with his family to the North Queensland town of Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, where his parents still live.
His uncle, Kenneth, who lives in Broken Hill, said: "[Jason] was a great young bloke and it's a shame that he was over there. I'm too upset [to say any more]".
Mrs Marks, in her statement, said: "Jason loved to be active, whether it was through playing union, league or rock climbing. He even became a combat fitness leader in the army he loved it so much.
"Jason always strived to be the best he could be. He loved the army, he loved his mates and he loved his family."
Mr Rudd also paid tribute, describing the soldier as a "highly trained and professional soldier" who was an "inspiration to others".
He warned that there would be increased attacks by Taliban fighters in the coming months as the bitter Afghan autumn and winter comes to an end.
"It is likely to become more difficult in the period ahead," Mr Rudd said.
"We are facing a change of season, as the winter snows melt and the spring thaw begins, which usually indicates a heightening in military activity on the part of the Taliban and al-Qaeda."
The Australian commitment in Afghanistan will peak in July, with about 1000 personnel in the country as part of Operation Slipper.
That includes the Special Operations Task Group of 300 personnel providing security to the Reconstruction Task Force.
Mr Rudd said there had been problems with the military strategy pursued in Afghanistan in the past but discussions at the NATO summit in Bucharest this month had agreed on a "new way forward".
"An integrated strategy dealing with military and civilian affairs is critical if we are to have a prospect of success," he said. "Therefore, I have said and committed this Australian Government to being there for the long haul. But it's not a blank cheque. We'll continue to review this as necessary."
Mr Rudd said Australia's continuing commitment would depend on NATO allies providing assistance in the Oruzgan region. "Some of our recent diplomacy has been focused on ensuring that the Dutch would remain in force and the Canadians could remain deployed in the wider south," he said.
"That's been the subject of quite intensive negotiations between governments and some discussions between myself and my Dutch and Canadian counterparts."
The Australian Defence Association executive director, Neil James, said it was naive for Australians to expect there would not be casualties.
"This is warfare and warfare is dynamic. You can't hope to win every single skirmish in every single battle in every single campaign in a war," he said. "Sometimes the other side may get lucky."
Mr James agreed that skirmishes with the Taliban are likely to increase, saying it is part of the "normal climate cycle to the war".
"If previous years in Afghanistan are anything to go by, the fighting tends to pick up in spring and summer and early autumn, and tends to decrease in late autumn and winter."
The Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, said the fight against Islamic extremism was a generational struggle, not a conflict that would be won over the next six or 12 months. "Our generation will be battling terrorism and extremism for the foreseeable future," he said.
Before the battle on Sunday, 31 Australian troops had been wounded in Afghanistan.
The Defence Department said arrangements for Lance Corporal Marks's body to be returned to Australia had begun.
He lived his dream to be a soldier, and died in battle
Jonathan Dart, Mark Davis and Arjun Ramachandran
April 29, 2008
Devoted father and loving husband … Lance Corporal Jason Marks with his two children. "All Jason ever wanted to do was join the army."
Photo: The Department of Defence
FROM the age of 12, Jason Marks knew he wanted to be a soldier. It was a journey that took him from his school days in North Queensland to graduation as a commando in Sydney to the mountains of Oruzgan province, Afghanistan.
The 27-year-old father of two was proud of serving his country, his wife Cassandra said yesterday, after he became the fifth Australian soldier to be killed in Afghanistan. Four other Australian soldiers were wounded in the same battle with Taliban fighters, and the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, warned the nation to expect a "dangerous and bloody" season of fighting in the months ahead.
Mrs Marks said: "Jason was a devoted father to our two beautiful children and a loving husband to me.
"All Jason ever wanted to do was join the army. He was the type of man who knew what he wanted. Even from the age of 12, all Jason ever wanted to be was a soldier. Becoming a commando was a dream of Jason's. He was proud of who he was and proud of what he did."
About 6pm on Sunday, Lance Corporal Marks was part of a security detachment, including commandos from the 4th Royal Australian Regiment, that engaged a group of Taliban fighters. They exchanged heavy fire. The Taliban fighters fired automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. The Defence Department would not elaborate on the battle although the Defence Chief, Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, said Australian troops would continue to "take the fight to the Taliban".
Lance Corporal Marks and the four other soldiers were
evacuated by helicopter to a medical facility at the town of Tarin Kowt, 25 kilometres to the north-west. The condition of the four injured was described as "not life-threatening".
Lance Corporal Marks was born in Broken Hill and later moved with his family to the North Queensland town of Yeppoon, near Rockhampton, where his parents still live.
His uncle, Kenneth, who lives in Broken Hill, said: "[Jason] was a great young bloke and it's a shame that he was over there. I'm too upset [to say any more]".
Mrs Marks, in her statement, said: "Jason loved to be active, whether it was through playing union, league or rock climbing. He even became a combat fitness leader in the army he loved it so much.
"Jason always strived to be the best he could be. He loved the army, he loved his mates and he loved his family."
Mr Rudd also paid tribute, describing the soldier as a "highly trained and professional soldier" who was an "inspiration to others".
He warned that there would be increased attacks by Taliban fighters in the coming months as the bitter Afghan autumn and winter comes to an end.
"It is likely to become more difficult in the period ahead," Mr Rudd said.
"We are facing a change of season, as the winter snows melt and the spring thaw begins, which usually indicates a heightening in military activity on the part of the Taliban and al-Qaeda."
The Australian commitment in Afghanistan will peak in July, with about 1000 personnel in the country as part of Operation Slipper.
That includes the Special Operations Task Group of 300 personnel providing security to the Reconstruction Task Force.
Mr Rudd said there had been problems with the military strategy pursued in Afghanistan in the past but discussions at the NATO summit in Bucharest this month had agreed on a "new way forward".
"An integrated strategy dealing with military and civilian affairs is critical if we are to have a prospect of success," he said. "Therefore, I have said and committed this Australian Government to being there for the long haul. But it's not a blank cheque. We'll continue to review this as necessary."
Mr Rudd said Australia's continuing commitment would depend on NATO allies providing assistance in the Oruzgan region. "Some of our recent diplomacy has been focused on ensuring that the Dutch would remain in force and the Canadians could remain deployed in the wider south," he said.
"That's been the subject of quite intensive negotiations between governments and some discussions between myself and my Dutch and Canadian counterparts."
The Australian Defence Association executive director, Neil James, said it was naive for Australians to expect there would not be casualties.
"This is warfare and warfare is dynamic. You can't hope to win every single skirmish in every single battle in every single campaign in a war," he said. "Sometimes the other side may get lucky."
Mr James agreed that skirmishes with the Taliban are likely to increase, saying it is part of the "normal climate cycle to the war".
"If previous years in Afghanistan are anything to go by, the fighting tends to pick up in spring and summer and early autumn, and tends to decrease in late autumn and winter."
The Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, said the fight against Islamic extremism was a generational struggle, not a conflict that would be won over the next six or 12 months. "Our generation will be battling terrorism and extremism for the foreseeable future," he said.
Before the battle on Sunday, 31 Australian troops had been wounded in Afghanistan.
The Defence Department said arrangements for Lance Corporal Marks's body to be returned to Australia had begun.