Alumni Profiles

Tony HINCHON

• Graduated :

  1973

Description

Filling in the Gap between December 1973 and Today

Upon graduation I was posted to 42 Transport Platoon (Amphibious) as the 2IC. It was during this posting I had some of the best fun (dangerous at times) in my Army career. My two stints with the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) found me in places like Macquarie Island, Casey, Wilkes, Dumont d’Urville (French Base) and Commonwealth Bay (aboard the Thala Dan, trying to get to Mawson’s Hut).

1975 – Getting ready for ANARE

This highlight was quickly nullified by a posting to Liverpool Transport Unit as the Removals Officer – I have to say this was one of the most soul destroying jobs ever!  However, as it turned out, more fun was yet to be had at Kapooka, where I ran the movements detachment as the SO3 (Mov) for a couple of years. Then heading further south, I had a turn as SO3 (Pers) HQ 6MD – during which time I met up with some of our classmates at the 1/81 Junior Staff Course at Canungra in 1981.

1983 – My Turning Point

The turning point for me was a posting to 30 Terminal Squadron at Middle Head in 1983. This got me involved with forklifts, cranes and landing craft. Lots of time on exercise somewhere in Jervis Bay, Eden, Maclean and Roebourne – where I had some involvement with 3 Brigade and the Navy aboard HMAS Tobruk on K85. A posting as the Operations Officer 10 Terminal Regiment, followed by Command and Staff College in 1987. In 1988 I was posted to the Logistics Support Group, during which time, I had a short detachment to 2 Cav. Regt. (well, I just used someone’s office and got to have lunch in the Mess) while we were chasing a satellite from outer space. I was fortunate to have a command posting as OC 30 Terminal Squadron in 1989 – 1990. On K89 a number of us met up in Darwin, where we had to submit ourselves to a P&S Board chaired by ‘Louigi’ Bryant – what an ordeal!

1996 – Onwards

In early 1996, I came to a personal crossroad – I could continue on or, jump the fence and see what was happening in the commercial world. I chose the latter. So over then next 17 years I have worked in number of Government and Non-Government enterprises such as Transoft International, ACI Glass Packaging, Blue Circle Southern Cement, DAS Distribution, FreightCorp, Pacific National (now Asciano) and for the past eight years at RailCorp.

You might notice a fair bit of ‘train stuff’ in this list. Somehow, I got ‘attached’ to the rail industry at Blue Circle Southern Cement and have been involved ever since. I have had glorious titles such as Business Operations Manager PortLink, Regional Crewing Manager Sector 3 and, General Manager Customer Service (North & West). Now, I am in the Operations Reform Team at Sydney Trains – I work on a secure floor, with limited access (you know – passes, locked windows etc). Sounds rather secretive. It’s not really – but the stuff we are working on is pretty interesting, as we are just about to go intoconsultation with the Unions.

On a Personal Note

On the personal front, Ann and I recently celebrated our 38th  wedding anniversary. We have three beautiful children (Andrew, Sarah and James) and three beautiful grand-children. We live in West Pennant Hills (Sydney) and try to spend as much time as humanly possible moving plant pots around the garden, digging stuff up, shredding other stuff and filling green bins, and alternating between watching Peppa Pig and playing Mario Kart.

We love going to Manly (where I think about how good it was to surf), having a coffee and dreaming of another holiday in Italy.

Like a few of our classmates, I became very ill in 2008, where I was diagnosed with cancer. It became apparent I had a large tumour in my right jaw. So, three procedures in 19 hours of surgery left me in intensive care for a few days with a tracheotomy and some crazy surgery scars, followed by a further two weeks in hospital. Having survived the surgery, the next phase was six weeks of radio therapy (not to be confused with listening to Triple J). Anyway, a few scares later, it is now 5 years and I have been discharged from the Cancer Clinic. I will be seeing the Surgeon for the final clearance next month (August 2013).

So, in summary – Life is good.