QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY AWARDS

The Queen’s Birthday Honours and Awards list this year contains a bumper crop of recipients with no fewer than six members of the Australian Army aviation community being recognised in both the civil and military lists.

Helen Bawden, OAM WO1 John Phillips, OAM Brian Huddleston, PSM MAJ Terry Johnson, CSC Group Captain David Scheul, OAM WO2 Viv Anderson, CSM Frank Benfield, OAM

Civil List

Civil List Helen Bawden and Frank Benfield, two very well known Association members, have both been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Civil Division.

In Helen’s case it is for her services to the community particularly in respect of her work as a volunteer and secretary of the board of the Museum of Australian Army Flying, the Oakey Carers Support Group and on the board of Toowoomba, Golden West and South Burnett Tourism. A long time volunteer at the MAAF for more than 20 years, Helen has worked tirelessly in promoting the museum in the regional area and wider.

Frank has been awarded the OAM for his services to the veteran community, and again he has been a committed advocate for improving services and conditions for ex-service men and women. A former President of the 161 Recce Association, he has been a member of the Veterans Review Board for the past 12 years and is currently serving on the Prime Minister’s Advisory Council on Ex-Service Matters. Frank has also served on the Military Compensation Board.

Another on the civil list is Brian Huddleston from the Army Aviation Centre at Oakey who has been awarded the Public Service Medal for outstanding service as the Project Manager of the MRH 90 project and his planning for the helicopter’s introduction into service.

Military List

The military list also sees the services of another Association member recognised and four other serving members have also received awards.

Warrant Officer Class One John Phillips has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Military Division. The former RSM of the 5th and 6th Aviation Regiments and 16 Aviation Brigade is recognised for his commitment and dedicated hard work in these most challenging appointments as well as his time as the Aviation Corps Career Manager in the Soldier Career Management Agency. John is continuing his string of demanding postings and is currently both the Aviation Corps RSM and RSM of the Aviation Training Centre at Oakey.

The other members of the Army aviation capability on the list are Major Terry Johnson who has been awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross for his outstanding achievement as the Staff Officer Grade Two Maintenance Standards at Headquarters 16 Aviation Brigade; Warrant Officer Class Two Vivian Anderson, awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal for his meritorious achievement as the acting officer-in-charge of the Oakey Detachment of the Joint Logistics Unit (South Queensland); and Corporal Ben Balchin from 6 Aviation Regiment, also awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal for his achievements in very demanding and unusual circumstances performing the ground liaison duties in PNG during the recovery of bodies from an aircraft crash site.

Finally, (then) Wing Commander David Scheul has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for meritorious service as a professional design engineer and project manager on the Armed Reconnaissance and Multi Role Helicopter projects.

To all the recipients the Australian Army Aviation Association extends our warmest congratulations on the awards and our deep appreciation for the work done in maintaining Army aviation history, improving the lot of our ex-servicemen and women, and maintaining our current Army aviation capability at such a high standard.