THERE is trepidation in Group Captain Mark Larter’s voice as he contemplates life after RAAF Base Tindal.
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After three years, Gp Capt Larter will finish his posting as the Senior Australian Defence Force Officer of the base next month and explained that watching Katherine disappear in his rear-view mirror as he embarked on the journey to his new role would be an emotional experience.
“I’ve been thinking about the last few days of my command for the last two or three months,” he said as he invited the Katherine Times into his office to look back on his time at the base.
“When I finally turn right on that Stuart Highway, that’s going to be an emotional day as well, because all those positive memories will start flooding into my mind.”
With numerous high-profile military exercises taking place at the base during 2015, Gp Capt Larter said his proudest professional achievement had been maintaining the operational capability of the facility.
He added that the role had allowed him to develop close ties with the community, a unique experience because of RAAF Base Tindal’s remote location.
“It’s about maintaining base capability … but it’s also about those all-important interactions with the Katherine community and that’s something that’s going to be lasting for me,” he said.
“Here’s an autonomous base.”
When asked what he would miss most about the role, he did not hesitate before answering.
“Anzac Day is the one that stands out for me … and the whole of the town comes out … and we all stand very proud together,” he explained.
“Giving that keynote address is a real honour.”
Wing Commander Andrew Tatnell will replace Gp Capt Larter in the SADFO role and said he got his first taste of Katherine more than 25 years ago.
“I first came here in 1989 and then I was here for the next four years supporting F-111 training operations,” W Cdr Tatnell said.
He praised his predecessor for transforming the base to operate at a “peak performance” level and said he believed a planned $500 million Department of Defence investment over the next decade would be a boon for Katherine.
Gp Capt Larter’s next posting is a staff headquarters job at RAAF Base Glenbrook, near Sydney, and he admitted that, while he was eager to embrace the new challenge, his time in Katherine would be difficult to top.
“I’ll never do another job like this,” he said.
“We get one crack at being a commanding officer; one crack at being a base commander.”