Jason Rogalewski-Slade was 17 when he enlisted in the Australian Army in 1988. He had always wanted to join, inspired in part by his grandfather's service in the World War II.
In the 1990s, Jason took the opportunity to join a peace operation to Rwanda. At the time, he was a lance corporal and Armoured Corps crew commander in B squadron, 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment, in Townsville.
Most of the 1st Australian contingent United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda II (UNAMIR II) arrived in Rwanda in late August 1994.
In Rwanda, Jason was the junior crew commander of the 4 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) deployed. The APCs were patched-up Vietnam-era M113 vehicles. With the infantry, the APCs’ main job was to protect the medical force of the Australian contingent.
Jason remembers the Rwanda mission being a difficult one – full of surreal and unconventional experiences.
Jason also deployed to East Timor in 1999 and Iraq in 2007 and 2008.
