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Recently returned from deployment in the Sinai Peninsula, a part of Egypt surrounded by Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, club chaplain and First Grade runner Scott Minchin always had the Queanbeyan Tigers in the back of his mind. The following explains how a Tigers jumper made its way to the middle-east.
The orange coloured blackhawk helicopters belonging to the peacekeeping mission as part of the Multi-National Force Observers, had a distinctive yellow and black addition from August to November 2015 thanks to Tigers Chaplain Scott Minchin.
After a year in which the Tigers soared over the AFL Canberra competition, the famous yellow and black jumper also flew high over the Sinai desert.
Tigers Chaplain Scott Minchin missed seeing the First Grade Grand Final live when deployed to the Sinai as part of the Australian contribution to peacekeeping operations. But he quickly established a Tigers stronghold among the 1800 soldiers from the USA, Canada, Norway, Fiji, Colombia, New Zealand and the UK.
The Tigers jumper was featured in every helicopter flight, and Blackhawk pilot Johnny Sokolosky became a fan after watching the grand final victory on YouTube. He wore the yellow and black #23 of premiership vice captain Brett Fruend on his missions.
The popularity of the Tigers continued, with an in-demand Tigers warm up top raising the most money at a charity auction to help the victims of natural disasters.
Even in Egyptian deserts, the mighty Tigers are eating them alive.
A Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter used by the Multi-National Force Observers.
A Tigers number 23 jumper belonging to Brett Fruend proudly on display in the window of the helicopter.