Although he just considered it part of his job, Captain Holloway-Roden was awarded a bronze commendation for his role in supporting Operation Flood Assist in Townsville.
Captain Holloway-Roden collaborated with the SES incident manager in Lismore to coordinate ground and air evacuation tasks during the operation this year.
He was a liaison officer during the first seven days of critical evacuations as floods devastated much of northern NSW and south-eastern Queensland.
Growing up in Linton, Victoria, Captain Holloway-Roden spent his childhood playing for the local football and cricket clubs.
Graduating from Ballarat and Clarendon Secondary College, he started in a career in IT, but began looking for a more meaningful job in the Army at age 26.
“I always had the aspiration of being an infantry officer in the Army,” Captain Holloway- Roden said.
“But it took some time to realise this dream.”
After his basic training and corps courses, his first posting was to 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment in Townsville as a platoon commander, and deployed to Operation Flood Assist in Townsville.
During the operation his platoon was positioned in the flood area to conduct the evacuation.
“We were tasked to evacuate over 100 people from Oonoonba to Lavarack Barracks after the Ross River dam spillway gates were fully opened,” Captain Holloway-Roden said.
“We started at night as the water level kept on increasing.
“It turned out to be 48 hours of non-stop support to ensure all the locals around the area were able to evacuate safely.
“It was a rewarding experience. I joined Army because I had a strong desire to do my part for the community and help those who are most in need.”
