Medic heads to Iraq

By Melissa Meehan
AS Australia’s participation in the Iraq war is winding down, the journey has just begun for former Badger Creek resident Richard Rodway.
Corporal Rodway left Darwin for a six-month stint in Iraq early last week, both a sad and “proud moment” for his mother.
Joyce Rodway said that although her son was in Iraq as a medic, he would still fight on the front line against insurgents.
“It’s still very dangerous. He’ll be fighting on the front line. He will still carry a gun,” Mrs Rodway said.
“The only difference is that when someone is injured he will be called on.”
Before arriving in Iraq, Corporal Rodway spent two days working in a trauma hospital in Kuwait. His deployment to Iraq occurred amid positive news that Australian troops were facing a less hostile environment than in recent months.
It has been reported that Iraqi Security Forces were becoming more confident in their efforts to restore order with little need for allied forces.
The news followed newly elected Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s announcement that Australian troops would be withdrawn from the area by the middle of this year.
Corporal Rodway joined the army at 31, after leaving his job as a security guard at Knox City Shopping Centre.
“He trained in Wagga Wagga and Singleton, was a Federation Guard in Canberra, a foot soldier in Darwin, and has been to Brisbane, Adelaide and back to Darwin again,” Mrs Rodway said.
She said her son left the Federation Guard, a ceremonial post, to become a medic, something he had always wanted to achieve.
“He always wanted to be in the army. When he was 17 he tried to join but got knocked back because he wasn’t a member of a sporting team. But he forgot to mention he was a member of the local CFA and SES,” Mrs Rodway said.
Although worried about the danger in the volatile nation, Mrs Rodway said she and her family were very proud of Richard.
She said there was a lot of family support for him, as he would finally be able to achieve his dream.
“He has always wanted to do this; we are all very proud,” Mrs Rodway said.
Corporal Rodway is well known in Healesville. He attended Badger Creek Primary School and Healesville High School.
He was also a member of the Badger Creek CFA, where his brother Nick is now the captain.