Deploying on his first operation so early in his military career was a welcome surprise for Signaller William Horvath.
Having qualified as a battlespace communication specialist last September, the rapid transition from training to deployment marked a significant and unexpected opportunity.
After 14 months' initial employment training at the School of Signals, Signaller Horvath posted to the 1st Combat Signal Regiment last year. With just four days' notice, he deployed to support Operation Resolute in the Kimberley Marine Park region of Western Australia, attached to the 5th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, in December 2023.
"First operation, first ever field or anything outside of initial employment training. It's extremely exciting to sort of cut your teeth straight away on the tools," Signaller Horvath said.
"Being a signaller offers a perfect balance between technical trade skills and thriving in a field operational environment. Operating independently has been a robust challenge, allowing me to apply and refine the trade skills I worked hard to acquire during training."
During his deployment, Signaller Horvath provided a detached, dismounted radio system for beyond-line-of-sight communications for the ADF contingent stationed in the Kimberley Marine Park, linking back to the Joint Operations Room located 600km away at Robertson Barracks, Darwin.
He collaborated with the Australian Border Force crew, conducting reconnaissance of their vessels to assess communications suitability.
"I've been ensuring 24x7 communications for the task unit commander, enabling seamless connectivity with both higher headquarters and our lower command elements. It's been a dedicated effort to maintain effective communication across the board," Signaller Horvath said.
Born in Wonthaggi, Southern Victoria, the 25-year-old grew up in the Victorian town of Leongatha. Always harbouring a desire to join the Army, the road to enlistment proved challenging.
His first attempt during high school in 2015 faced a setback because of medical issues. He embarked on a plumbing apprenticeship, eventually becoming a registered plumber and successfully running his own business for seven years. In 2022, he finally realised his dream, enlisting as a battlefield communications specialist.
"Mum, Dad and my family are immensely supportive of my endeavours," Signaller Horvath said.
For the first time, the young signaller spent Christmas away from home while deployed on Operation Resolute.
"The current deployment has been over Christmas and naturally I had to cancel my leave to see my parents, but they're well and truly understanding," he said.
Signaller Horvath treated the challenges during the deployment as an opportunity to enhance his confidence with the various communications set-ups he built throughout the operation.
"I took this as a strong opportunity to sort of sink or swim, quite literally, being on the ocean. Our Army communication suites aren't necessarily designed for operating on ships. Working in the littoral environment has presented a formidable challenge, and I've been learning something new almost every second," he said.
While operating on the ocean provides favourable conditions for the propagation of radio signals, thanks to the conductivity of saltwater, it also presents a challenge. This is particularly true for marine vessels like the Maritime Vessel Bandicoot. Metal is an ultra-conductive material that can impact radio frequencies. When marine vessels constantly change direction, it poses a challenge for battlespace communication, as radio antennas are directional.
"I must be cognitive of the radio hazard being emitted from the radios and consider the safety of both the military and Australian Border Force embarked crew, as well as the civilian crew aboard the vessel," Signaller Horvath said.
He said with new waveforms and capabilities continually being discovered, and technology advancing rapidly, it was an exciting time for battlefield communications specialists.
"I take immense pride in performing this job. Following Operation Resolute, I aim to make use of the knowledge I have gained to contribute to 1st Combat Brigade's transition to its increased operations within a littoral environment. I want to share my insights and continue to build relationships in my new unit," Signaller Horvath said.
"I'm currently posted here for the next five years. I absolutely love Darwin and the people I work with. Darwin has given me a lot very early in my career. 1st Brigade has provided me opportunities very early on, so I'll certainly stick around and try to give back to it."
Operation Resolute is the ADF's contribution to protect Australia's borders and offshore maritime interests.
