For Papua New Guinea Defence Force Senior Ammunition Technician Officer, Captain Aquila Jack, returning home to East New Britain as part of Operation Render Safe has been both a professional duty and a personal mission.
Born and raised in Vunamami near Kokopo, Captain Jack completed his PNGDF officer training at Igam Barracks in Lae and then further developed his skills through military training in Australia. Captain Jack is now helping address a long-standing danger in his home province caused by unexploded ordnance from the World War II.
“Most people here in East New Britain rely heavily on the land,” Captain Jack said.
“Many families depend on cash crops and food from their gardens, and these hazards reduce their ability to do those activities safely.”
Operation Render Safe is a multinational initiative involving the PNGDF, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and partner nations, working together to locate and safely dispose of explosive remnants of war across the Pacific.
Captain Jack has been involved in the operation since 2025, when he contributed to the technical reconnaissance phase, helping identify and map unexploded ordnance across the Gazelle District.
This year, he returned in the role of Ammunition Technician Officer, overseeing ammunition storage and supporting explosive ordnance disposal teams operating across multiple sites in East New Britain.
“Coming here to reduce those risks allows people to live more safely,” he said.
“It also allows the province to grow and develop.”
Captain Jack’s contribution reflects the strong and longstanding partnership between Papua New Guinea and Australia, built through decades of cooperation in training, exercises and operations.
He emphasised that the partnerships formed through operations like Render Safe go beyond military cooperation.
“These partnerships aren’t just about work; they’re about people-to-people connections,” he said.
For Captain Jack, the impact of Operation Render Safe is deeply personal, with lasting benefits for his community and future generations.
“It gives me peace of mind knowing that my family can go to their gardens and conduct their daily lives safely,” he said.
Operation Render Safe continues to play a critical role in removing the dangerous legacy of war in Papua New Guinea, supporting safer communities and enabling sustainable development across affected regions.
