By RUSSELL BENNETT
“HERE people act like it’s the end of the world when their mobile phones go flat, but over there it made me realise how lucky we are to even have running water.”
Phil Hicks had a simple way of putting into context just what it was like to serve in the army in Afghanistan and East Timor.
He spent four-and-a-half years representing his country overseas as a Private and then Acting Section Commander and much of that time was spent alongside his great mate, Josh Arnold.
The two have been almost inseparable for most of their lives – through their time at primary school, high school, the Nar Nar Goon Football club, the armed forces and now the CFA.
Josh will even stand alongside Phil as his best man at his wedding in two weeks.
And on Friday under lights at Cora Lynn, the boys will be side by side again – this time representing the Goon in the Reserves against the Cobras on Anzac Day.
Phil has never played footy on Anzac Day before, but he expects the game will be just like any other.
“Both Josh and I are pretty level-headed – we joined back up at the club to play with our mates, really,” he said.
“I went four-and-a-half years without footy and this is my second year back playing.”
Phil and Josh served for four years together – including some time in Afghanistan, the vast majority of that at Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province.
“People just have it so much harder over there,” Josh, now 25, recalled.
“You’re only over there for nine months but those locals are there for life.
“We’d go out on a mission for two to three weeks at a time and it was about being out there and reassuring the locals and denying the enemy their freedom.”
Josh finished his tour of duty in July 2009 and officially left the army in February 2011. He joined the CFA as a professional firefighter six months later and “moved on”.
He’s now based at Dandenong, with Phil also a firefighter at Hallam.
“I’m definitely glad to have had the experience (in the infantry),” he said.
“It helps in other ways like learning discipline and gaining some life experience.”
But when it comes to Anzac Day, Josh and Phil both prefer to stay away from the spotlight.
“I just like to keep it pretty low-key – it’s not about me,” Josh said.
“I like how we celebrate Anzac Day as a country but I don’t feel like it’s my day or anything like that.
“I can’t say I’ll be going into the game on Friday all sentimental.”
For Phil, Anzac Day provides a great opportunity to catch up with mates he’s served with.
“It’s almost like we haven’t been apart,” he said.
“You become really close over there – you’ve got four people in a tight room or a tiny vehicle.
“You do make life-long friends.”
And as for the Goon’s game against their nemesis Cora Lynn on Friday night – Phil is just looking forward to playing.
“I’ve played night games in Darwin before but I’m meant to be working straight after the game. I might have to leave straight after and shower at the station!” he said. Life goes on.
For more on this Friday’s Anzac Day footy, turn to the Football liftout.
