Timor Awakening with Michael Albrecht

 

The country of East Timor had descended into unrest after a UN sanctioned vote for independence in late August 1999. Australian and multinational forces moved into Timor in Sep 1999 to restore order to find a country that had been largely razed to the ground. Indonesian had ruled Timor from 1975 – 1999, under a military dictatorship. During this period a Timorese guerrilla fighting force fought an enduring campaign to obtain independence. The impact on the Timorese people over this period is often described as genocide.

The Timor Awakening (TA) program is an 11-day veteran wellbeing program that takes place in the country of East Timor. Many of the veterans who participate in this program are veterans of the initial Australian military involvement in Timor, starting in September  1999. The program affords many of them an opportunity to return to this area of operations to obtain closure, see first hand that their service made a difference, and potentially make amends with the Indonesian soldiers that had previously occupied the country. Often the veterans obtain some new perspective on their own problems, by comparing their current challenges with what the Timorese guerrilla fighters persevered through (and have coped with), over a 24-year struggle for independence from Indonesia. The program also involved peep to peer sharing, mindfulness, coaching, open communication and instructional lessons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety depression. When the trip [TA] came up, I was very apprehensive and very scared to come back, I didn’t know what to expect or what I ‘d see.’

To hear the stories of these [Timorese] veterans and then compare yourself to them, it’s very humbling because what we went through, is very small compared to what they have endured, what they’ve seen, what they’ve had to do, the sacrifices they’ve had to make.’

‘And you really have a good hard look at yourself and go, wake up mate, what you’ve got going on tomorrow is nothing compared to what they’ve been doing for the last 24 years.’

‘To go around and visit the areas we used to patrol with weapons…and see the kids running around. Animals buffalos, pigs, goats everywhere, you step over them all the time. There is just so much life in this country now.’

When I stayed at the house in the jungle, that was the first night I went to sleep where I didn’t wake up and I had no dreams. That’s the first time in 15 years.’

 

I am so humbled by what you did over here [Timorese soldiers] over that period to win freedom for your people. It makes me as an Australian Army veteran feel very respectful…because I don’t know if I would have had the determination over that period of time to fight as long and as hard as you did.’

So I look up to these resistance fighters, because it was a very sophisticated and very effective campaign over the long term.’

‘It has been good for me to come here, good for my soul to see that a whole country can work together.’

 

‘I went to the border and I saw the TNI, the Indonesian soldiers, and I started crying, and shook their hands and I hugged them and I said I’m very happy to make peace with you. And that was just a huge feeling of relief, and some anger from witnessing what the Indonesians had done. The anger had settled.’

 

More about Timor Awakening

Timor Awakening 8 Program Report Final As At 29 April 2019

More about Michael Albrecht

Michael is a former Australian Army soldier, having spent 11 years in the full-time army, as well as two years of reserve service. He is 35 years old and lives in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. During his military service he served on operations in The Solomon Islands, East Timor and two tours to Afghanistan.

After separating from the full time army in 2015, Michael commenced designing a new life surrounding his ambition for being a results coach and serving other military members. He was trained and certified by a highly selective coaching organisation, Ultimate Coach, based on the Gold Coast.
Two  years later he is now one of the senior coaches of this organisation. Another organisation called Veterans Care Association (VCA), also currently employs him as a results coach, helping veterans to re-design their lives post transition from the military. Michael is an active reserve member at Gallipoli Barracks in Brisbane.

His other passions include music, acting, hiking, snowboarding, fitness and nutrition, martial arts, meditation, travelling and personal development. He has spent a total of 3.5 years of his life abroad, as part of military operations, travel and language study. He has had a number of coaches in his life, including a results coach, which formed the genesis of why he decided to become one himself.

Michael’s vision as your coach is to be somebody in your corner, who sees aspects of your life better than you currently see them and can enable you to see the path in getting there as soon as possible. He knows first hand some of the effects of pro-longed military service upon re-entering into the civilian world and some of the challenges that are often faced. Having had a coach during this period himself, he understands how powerful it is to have this specialised support in difficult times of transition.