GROWING up Rheanna Vehlow believed she was destined to serve and give back to the community.
Nowadays Captain Vehlow, 29, works as a combat engineer in the army and has recently returned from deployment to Iraq, where she helped to train local forces in basic combat skills to continue the fight against Daesh (Islamic State).
Born in Southend, Rheanna attended Millicent High School and had “no idea” what she wanted to do once she finished Year 12.
“My sights were set on going to university to become a teacher,” she said.
“I was also toying with the idea of getting a trade, maybe becoming a mechanic like my dad, but my heart was not in it.
“It was not until the last few months of school that mum suggested defence, so I called recruiting and never looked back.”
Rheanna was accepted as a direct entry to the Royal Military College – Duntroon and was commissioned Lieutenant after 18 months of training.
She graduated in 2008 and was appointed to the Royal Australian Engineers where she spent almost eight months learning the tactics, technical skills and role of an officer in her corps.
After nearly four years as Lieutenant, Rheanna was promoted to Captain having completed troop command time, various regimental roles and time as an instructor at the School of Military Engineering.
Since then, Rheanna has performed roles in training establishments, reserve battalions and staff roles before she finally returned to the combat brigade and the engineering regiment.
Without a career plan, she was always happy to go where the army sent her.
“The army is an organisation that is devoted to service, to its nation and to the people within it,” Rheanna said.
“It upholds and embodies values such as courage, mateship, endurance, respect and sacrifice.
“I’d always felt, even as a child, that I was destined to serve something bigger than myself to give back to the community.
“Army presents the opportunity to do so in almost everything we do, and I have been so lucky to grow from the experiences.
“Nothing has really worked out how I thought it might, but I have always been a firm believer in everything happens for a reason.
“I would not change a thing and have treasured all the ups and downs equally.”
Rheanna has had plenty of personal career highlights and while she struggles to pinpoint just a few she said responding to the Queensland floods is one of her most rewarding experiences.
“We were tasked with search and recovery operations for civilians in the Grantham region and subsequently supported the return of those that have been evacuated and helped them return to what was left of their homes and starting to pick up the pieces,” she said.
“Being able to conduct our technical role on home soil and make a visible difference in the lives of Australians was immensely memorable.”
Another highlight for Rheanna was participating in an exercise in 2015, which involved hiking the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea from Kokoda to Owners Corner.
As part of the hike she completed over 100km in less than six days, finishing on Remembrance Day and managing to make it to the Bomana War Cemetery just as the clock struck 11am.
“Hiking the track, the tropical mountains and torrential rain, proved to be both physically and mentally challenging,” she said.
“Yet every day there were multiple moments for reflection at places where battles or poignant sacrifices had occurred.
“Moments that stuck with you for the sheer tenacity of the human spirit, and the realities of conflict being laid wide open for us to witness.”
Among the highlights are also challenges and for Rheanna there have been a number of “tough times” in her career.
However, she says she looks at the challenges she has faced as opportunities for growth and resilience.
“Naturally the hardest part of service is the fallout of those that have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and as a commander, losing one of your soldiers,” she said.
“Grieving for their life, supporting their mates and your subordinates, breaking the news to the family, then supporting the family through their sorrow and loss.
“As with most things in army, there are procedures for how we conduct ourselves through these duties, and objectives that must be met.
“It is critical that as commanders, we remain objective and stoic through these times, and are the leaders that our soldiers and our communities need us to be.”
Rheanna’s primary mission during her deployment in Iraq was building partner capacity – training the Iraqi Security Forces to enable them to continue the fight against Daesh.
While her camp was very well protected and relatively safe, Rheanna has been in a country that has been a pivotal geographical location in conflict for centuries.
“What little exposure we get to the local populace reinforces a message of desire for peace and prosperity,” she said.
“The training audiences we interact with are intent on making their country safe from the threat of terrorism.
“Their cultural objectives and methods might appear strange to our western ideals, but at its core is a rejection of extremism, commitment to the fight against Daesh and gratitude to those nations trying to help them.
“It’s been challenging and at times frustrating, but consistently rewarding to see the growth in Iraqi soldiers and officers thanks to our time and efforts.
“What the coalition and indeed the Anzac Task Group is doing, is making a difference, and it’s an honour to be a part of it.”
