Secco

2023

acrylic on canvas

123 x 94.5 cm

This painting represents the infantry section commander, also affectionately known as the “secco”. I wanted to paint a picture that reflected the true professionalism of a soldier in his pinnacle moment. Most infantry soldiers dream of being a secco on operations. It is the one direct command position an enlisted soldier can achieve in their career progression.

What is a secco? He is the man who oversees another seven or eight soldiers. He is the link in the chain of command for the digger to the platoon hierarchy. He is the man who the digger emulates. He is the man who is generally the resilient back bone of the section, who leads from the front. This picture represents a secco in Afghanistan. As you can see, he has been busy, but now he has five minutes for himself. As the leader and the professional soldier that he is, he gives his weapon due diligence and has probably had a quick bite to eat. This scene would have played out thousands of times, by seccos in Australia’s longest conflict.