Rodney Cocks
Encyclopedia
Rodney Damon Cocks CSM
(born 1976), Australian army officer and political candidate, was born in Melbourne
and grew up in the eastern suburbs, attending Melbourne High School
for his secondary education.
, he studied law and commerce while undertaking full time and part time service in the Royal Australian Infantry. His military career took him on training to the UK and Europe on several occasions, South East Asia and on operations to East Timor
as part of the UN peacekeeping force.
, Bali
, at the time of the 2002 bombings that killed 202 people. Injured in the attacks, he helped the injured and dying and performed trauma first aid. He was later awarded an Australian Conspicuous Service Medal and a UN Peacekeeping Force Commander's Commendation for his actions.
In 2003 Cocks joined the United Nation's de-mining team in Iraq
, which was responsible for the removal of millions of mines and unexploded munitions in the country and supporting the establishment of an Iraqi Government de-mining organisation. During his service in Baghdad he was injured when a suicide bomber struck the UN's Headquarters that killed dozens of people. Once again injured, he helped the injured from unstable and burning buildings, perform trauma first aid and load people for evacuation to hospitals; also being commended for his actions.
Cocks then joined the UN mission in Afghanistan
in early 2004 as a security adviser responsible for UN staff, programs and assets in the former Taliban and Al Qaeda stronghold of Kandahar
and southern Afghanistan. He has served there to support two democratic elections, a disarmament process, humanitarian relief programmes and reconstruction projects. He was in Kandahar for nearly three and a half years in the face of deterioration in the security situation which was underpinned by terrorism and the exponential increase in the opium trade.
In mid 2007 Cocks was redeployed as a security adviser to the volatile areas in northern Sri Lanka
, where the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers were fighting a civil war.
At the 2007 federal election
, Cocks was the unsuccessful Australian Labor Party
candidate for the federal seat of La Trobe
.
Conspicuous Service Medal
The Conspicuous Service Medal is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force, it is awarded for meritorious achievement or dedication to duty in non-war like situations. The CSM was introduced in 1989 and is a distinct Australian military award. It is the second...
(born 1976), Australian army officer and political candidate, was born in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
and grew up in the eastern suburbs, attending Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School
Melbourne High School is a selective entry state school for boys in years 9 to 12 located in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra. Being a selective school, it is known mainly for its strong academic reputation...
for his secondary education.
Education
After graduating from the Royal Military College, DuntroonRoyal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
, he studied law and commerce while undertaking full time and part time service in the Royal Australian Infantry. His military career took him on training to the UK and Europe on several occasions, South East Asia and on operations to East Timor
East Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
as part of the UN peacekeeping force.
Career
While on leave from the East Timor peacekeeping force, Cocks was holidaying in KutaKuta
Kuta is administratively a district and subdistrict/village in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations...
, Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, at the time of the 2002 bombings that killed 202 people. Injured in the attacks, he helped the injured and dying and performed trauma first aid. He was later awarded an Australian Conspicuous Service Medal and a UN Peacekeeping Force Commander's Commendation for his actions.
In 2003 Cocks joined the United Nation's de-mining team in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, which was responsible for the removal of millions of mines and unexploded munitions in the country and supporting the establishment of an Iraqi Government de-mining organisation. During his service in Baghdad he was injured when a suicide bomber struck the UN's Headquarters that killed dozens of people. Once again injured, he helped the injured from unstable and burning buildings, perform trauma first aid and load people for evacuation to hospitals; also being commended for his actions.
Cocks then joined the UN mission in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in early 2004 as a security adviser responsible for UN staff, programs and assets in the former Taliban and Al Qaeda stronghold of Kandahar
Kandahar
Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...
and southern Afghanistan. He has served there to support two democratic elections, a disarmament process, humanitarian relief programmes and reconstruction projects. He was in Kandahar for nearly three and a half years in the face of deterioration in the security situation which was underpinned by terrorism and the exponential increase in the opium trade.
In mid 2007 Cocks was redeployed as a security adviser to the volatile areas in northern Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, where the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers were fighting a civil war.
At the 2007 federal election
Australian legislative election, 2007
Federal elections for the Parliament of Australia were held on Saturday 24 November 2007 after a 39 day campaign, in which 13.6 million Australians were enrolled to vote...
, Cocks was the unsuccessful Australian Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
candidate for the federal seat of La Trobe
Division of La Trobe
The Division of La Trobe is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the outer eastern/south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne. It was originally located closer to the city, but redistributions moved it further south-east. It originally included the suburbs of Croydon,...
.