International Women’s Day
As Australian forces were withdrawing from Tarin Kot, behind the scenes Lieutenant Colonel Kari Webster was managing personnel support from the departing brigade-size element.
This meant planning and reporting on the day-to-day drawdown of personnel from the base, ensuring they left at the right time.
She also had oversight of aspects such as awards, entitlements and leave tracking.
“The hardest part of these trips is always coming home and slowing down. I went from working seven days a week, 16 hours a day for eight months, to being home,” Lieutenant Colonel Webster said.
The dusty Afghan environment was a far cry from her start as a seaman officer.
Lieutenant Colonel Webster graduated from ADFA in 1997 and attained a bridge watch-keeping certificate three years later, but the life of a naval officer wasn’t for her.
After separating from the ADF, she worked in civilian roles for three years. During this time, Lieutenant Colonel Webster missed a sense of purpose and pride in what she was doing.
She re-joined the ADF, this time with Army, as a Military Police (MP) officer.
“I appreciate that not many people like MPs, but we are a necessary capability across all domains,” she said.
“I love demonstrating this capability, showing what we can do to support the combat brigades, protect the force and enable tempo.
“I love the challenge of convincing people to appreciate what MPs can do for them.”
She has now risen to command 1 MP Battalion, which compromises sub-units in Darwin, Townsville, Brisbane and Melbourne, with reserve units in Adelaide, Sydney and Perth.
They are responsible for providing security, mobility, law enforcement and detention in support of land operations.
Lieutenant Colonel Webster is 1 MP Battalion’s second female commanding officer. The first was now Major General Cheryl Pearce, who is the UN Deputy Military Adviser for Peacekeeping Operations under Secretary-General António Guterres.
Lieutenant Colonel Webster said she had a people-first leadership approach and aimed to help personnel balance work and home demands.
Being a mother of three boys she understands the challenges Defence women face balancing family and work.
“I have been lucky during my career to have amazing mentors to look up to that are also busy mums with successful careers,” Lieutenant Colonel Webster said.
This includes Brigadier Melanie Cochbain, a fellow mother of three boys and current Deputy Head of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Task Force.
Lieutenant Colonel Webster is often asked by fellow commanders for people-management advice and urges colleagues to take a sympathetic approach.
“Following policy can be black and white, and often when they reach out to me for advice, I advise them to be compassionate and flexible, and find solutions within policy after understanding their individual circumstances,” she said.
