DPDU Jacket : Lieutenant Commander N Tate, Royal Australian Navy Logistic Support Element, Middle East

Four pocket long sleeved shirt in Mk II (grey-toned) Disruptive Pattern Desert Uniform (DPDU) with khaki plastic buttons. The sleeves are reinforced between elbow and wrist with a second layer of fabric, and are adjustable at the cuff by a fabric tab and three buttons. The shirt has a five button closure, all but the topmost button being concealed. The four expanding pockets are each closed by two buttons concealed under flaps. The upper (breast) pockets are angled downwards from the shoulder. Above the right hand breast pocket is a sewn-on khaki name tape, machine embroidered in brown cotton with the word 'TATE' in both English and Arabic. A similar, but smaller, tape above the left hand pocket contains the word 'NAVY'. Markings on the inside of the shirt beneath the tapes show that the words 'TATE' and 'NAVY' were previously directly machine embroidered onto the fabric in black cotton. The shoulder straps are secured near the collar by a single button, and have machine embroidered slides upon them showing the rank rings of a Lieutenant Commander and the word 'AUSTRALIA' in black cotton.

The Royal Australian Navy Logistic Support Element (LSE) - Middle East is a small team operating from the island of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. They coordinated and managed strategic and logistic supply to RAN and Coalition naval forces engaged in Operation 'Slipper', the interception and boarding of suspected smuggling vessels, and performed similar tasks during the war in Iraq. Their primary tasks involve the movement of stores, mail, spare parts and personnel.