Influenced by the elderly members of his family as a child growing up in China, Melbourne-based army reserve Private Alex Zhang had always had a fascination with the armed forces.
He would dream of one day serving in his army fatigues, and learn all there is to know about being in the military.
It was in 2019, while in his 30s, that he found the opportunity to join the Australian Defence Force as a part-timer. He was thrilled to have made the leap but still had to pass the physical and theory tests.
“The physical requirements for applicants differ in age and gender. I had to complete 60 sit-ups and 40 push-ups to pass the test,” he tells SBS Chinese.
A similar entry requirement applied to Royal Australian Air Force inflight caterer Vivienne Jin when she joined at the age of 35.
Army Private Alex Zhang. Source: Alex Zhang
“I joined a training group of 50, and I could achieve 60 push-ups, and the 5km run took me 23 minutes.”
Lieutenant Xiaobei Ye, who has dedicated five years of service to the Australian army, is a physiotherapist working at the Robertson Barracks in the Northern Territory.
She explains that there was a six-week build-up to the Physical Employment Standards Assessment and all cadets, regardless of the positions they applied for, had to meet the standards as a requirement.
“There is an online application. Then, you will join a review session, which is a computer-based theory test. And then you should pass the physical standards.
"I started training one year before the test and had a pass.”
Army Private Alex Zhang in training. Source: Alex Zhang
The Challenges
There is a good reason for the implementation of such difficult standards, Private Zhang affirms, recalling the initial five-week spell of military training.
“We took on a journey from Melbourne to Wagga Wagga in NSW. Once you got off the bus, you would feel storm clouds are gathering,” he says.
He says the drill instructors, whom he appreciated for their kindness and assistance, kept a straight face and never smiled during the training exercises.
“You never get enough sleep and don’t have hot food. There could be times you want to quit as you were physically exhausted.”
Private Zhang recalls a time when he was assigned with six other soldiers to take turns guarding the gun pit. He was rostered on during a wet and freezing night.
With a sudden drop in the temperature in the forest they were stationed in, he became drenched in the rain and began to shiver.
“Some quit the army in the second day of training. A platoon of 54 people would have 44 people remaining at the end.”
Working in the catering section of the Royal Australian Air Force also requires cadets to attain a required physical standard, says Ms Jin.
Apart from providing breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even late dinner for her comrades, she also works in a team preparing and delivering food to incoming flights.
“We would take orders with the required number of passengers and hours of flight. We would wrap up the meals hot from the oven and deliver them to a dedicated place. Otherwise, someone might come for pick-up.”
She recalls a time when the team accommodated military personnel from other countries when they joined a training drill in Australia.
Royal Australian Air Force caterer Vivienne Jin helped set up the table on a camping site. Source: Vivienne Jin
During this assignment, she experienced sleep deprivation as there were only a few hours of rest in between the 10-hour morning and night shifts.
She couldn’t take a proper shower or even change into clean clothes as they were housed in the field.
As a physiotherapist, Lieutenant Xiaobei was tasked with taking care of those who had sustained injuries in the cadet drills.
“We were helping doctors and nurses with non-critical injuries, such as back pains or ankle twists.”
Among the regular challenges she faced were the long periods of separation from her family, as she’s transferred to a new barracks every two to three years.
Australian Army Physiotherapist Lieutenant Xiaobei Ye treats a colleague during Exercise Talisman Sabre 2017. Source: Xiaobei Ye, ADF
My family is living in Melbourne. I have few chances to visit them.
“I have been to Brisbane, Townsville, and Darwin. So, I have missed some important events of my relatives and friends, such as the birth of my nephew.”
She relies on video chat platforms to see her parents. But despite the separation, she says there's a silver lining in that she’s able to learn new skills and make lifelong friends.
Appreciation
As a single mother, Ms Jin appreciates the flexible working arrangement afforded to her in the defence force as she can pick up her teenage son from school in Brisbane.
“The air force considers my situation and adjusts the working time for me. They are supporting me, so I don’t need to worry about anything.”
She says senior members in the air force would even check in with the families overseas to see if they needed any assistance.
Vivienne Jin's cabinets at the dorm in the air force Source: Vivienne Jin
Diversity
Ms Jin appreciates the multicultural environment in the air force which allows her to perfect her skills in the kitchen by taking on recipes from around the world.
“It is a country built on migrants, so we need to provide food in terms of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian and French. We provide whatever we can make.
“You will have a good day by having a good meal.”
She says the cooking staff have created theme days to stimulate their comrades’ interest, and therefore provides them with maximum support.
“Friday is about fish and chips. Tuesday is about Italian, my colleagues always look forward to enjoying their meals in the canteen.”
In the army, Private Zhang also immerses himself in a multilingual environment.
Vivienne Jin creates food for functions. Source: Vivienne Jin
“We were learning different languages from each other within the training intervals. It makes me feel like we are like a French Foreign Legion with people from different countries speaking English in different accents.
“Among 54 of us, the age ranges from 17 to 53. Female members account for 40 per cent.”
Lieutenant Xiaobei says she’s glad that the ADF is welcoming more female members and people from CALD communities.
“People from multiple racial and cultural backgrounds will provide us with different angles and perspectives.
“The ADF is to strive for diversity and inclusion. One the key objective is to increase the representation of women in defence to better reflect the Australian society.”
Ms Jin echoes those sentiments as she has witnessed an increased number of female members in the air force during her five years of service.
Army Private Alex Zhang's camping site. Source: Alex Zhang
She's also proud to be part of the ADF that her son has become an air force cadet in 2021.
“One of the reasons I joined the air force is to set a role model for my son.”
Private Zhang says he is “happy and satisfied” with fulling his "childhood dream".
“I am an Australian soldier and I am a member of the Australian Chinese community.
“I have taken the training of rifles, grenades, bazookas and anti-tank guns, and the ADF is aiming to assist you to achieve more.”
He says the priority for the ADF is to provide help to communities instead of getting prepared for a war, which is not foreseeable in a near future.
“ADF is to aid during mass disasters. There have been the Queensland floods and Victorian bushfires. Army reserves were helping the communities.
“So, I am always thinking about what I can do for the country I love.”
Lieutenant Xiaobei says one of her proudest moments was travelling to Papua New Guinea in 2019.
She and two other comrades were tasked with helping military wives in PNG, providing them with medical service and guidance.
She also took part in the Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programs (AACAP) for three months, where she travelled to remote communities and provided health checks for locals.
Exercise Puk Puk: Australian army physiotherapist Lieutenant Xiaobei Ye meets with local people from the Lae area in 2019 in PNG. Source: Xiaobei Ye, ADF
“It is a privilege to wearing the uniform.”
For Anzac Day 2021, she says, “I have joined an Anzac Day parade in Brisbane. It is a day to remember those who fought for peace for us.”
