Kavin Windsor’s Journey From Military To Disaster Relief

Hey folks! Gather 'round and let me tell you a tale, not of dragons and knights, but of one dude’s journey from the Australian Defence Force to the world of Disaster Relief Australia (DRA). Spoiler alert: There are no dragons, but plenty of disasters.

So, here’s the scoop. Our protagonist spent a whopping 21 years in the ADF, never leaving the country and becoming a bit of a legend in his own right. But when he hung up his uniform in early 2008, he found himself in limbo—no longer military, not quite civilian. Adrift and purposeless, he became a temporary hermit.

Fast forward to mid-2008, he scored a gig as an electronics instructor for Defence Force trainees. It was his “halfway house” to civilian life. And guess what? The need to serve the community bit him again. He couldn’t resist the urge to serve, minus the whole “getting shot at” thing. Enter, Australian Volunteer Coastguard, early 2010 he joined the Hastings flotilla (VF4).

This guy quickly became the Flotilla Training Officer, whipping the flotilla into shape to rescue distressed vessels in Westernport and parts of Bass Strait. Over four years, he attended almost 50 activations—saving boaties and searching for missing vessels. Night ops, cold and foggy conditions, and high-speed responses were all part of the job as a volunteer. 

Life threw in a curveball when he decided to pursue a Degree in Adult and Vocational Education. Volunteer hiatus ensued, but the itch to serve never really went away. Cairns called with its tropical warmth, and a new Coastguard chapter began. However, the differences between QLD and VIC flotillas were too much, and he moved on.

Then, in a twist of fate, he found a job as a TAE Trainer Assessor and stumbled upon a Facebook post about Team Rubicon Australia (TRA). A shiny new volunteer organisation led by defence veterans. Sign him up! By October 2018, he was all in, gearing up for the upcoming disaster season.

TRA’s mission? To support communities’ post-disaster while offering veterans a renewed sense of purpose. “Grey shirts,” as TRA members are called, swung chainsaws, relocated debris, and sifted through ashes for mementos during deployments. The worst bushfire season followed, leading to multiple ops and even a stint in the Incident Management Team (IMT).

Name change alert! TRA rebranded to Disaster Relief Australia (DRA) in 2020. The protagonist became a paid DRA staff member to set up their training department. Volunteering with DRA? No fixed commitment, unlike emergency services. Each person contributes what they can, when they can.

Veterans in DRA often face personal challenges, and the organisation’s mantra is "Veterans helping veterans by providing the community a ‘hand up’ following a disaster." DRA’s engagements range from local to national levels, supporting communities post-flooding across QLD and NSW.

Here’s how it all goes down: Local Government Authority asks State Government for help, who then asks the federal government. NEMA activates DRA, and within a flash, volunteers are mobilised to provide much-needed aid. The IMT manages expectations, and volunteers do what they can in the limited time frame.

A whopping 18 deployments across 12 operations in 6 years! Kav has been a team member, strike team leader, and IMT member. With his expertise in IMT and training, he’s developed online courses ensuring future IMT members are ready for the field.

So, there you have it. A tale of transition, purpose, and unwavering service. From the ADF to DRA, one man's journey continues to inspire and make a difference.