AUSTRALIA'S longest war, the conflict in Afghanistan, was marked with the unveiling of plaques at Albury's Monument Hill on Anzac Day.
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They honour those who served in the 2001-21 campaign and join plaques, for other wars, at the base of the 30-metre memorial.
Albury-raised Laura Rogers and her husband Zak, originally from Port Douglas, officially unveiled the tribute before Monday's Anzac Day commemorative service.
The former soldiers spent eight months in Afghanistan in 2015 as part of Force Protection Element-3, known as Guardian Angels who were involved in training and mentorship.
Mr Rogers told The Border Mail what the ceremonial role meant to his wife after she was unable to speak due to the emotions it evoked.
"Laura was here as a school captain (with Trinity Anglican College) leaving a wreath and to come back as an ex-service member and having lost a friend in Afghanistan it is a monumental occasion," he said.
Another Albury daughter, navy member of 32 years, Captain Lorinda Carlin, gave the address to the service.
She was especially moved to witness the Afghanistan tribute unveiling after having spent 13 months in that country on secondment with the army, a stint that included April 25, 2019.
"On that Anzac Day surrounded by foreigners and on foreign soil I thought of all of those who had lost their lives in Afghanistan in the two decades before - so far from home and their loved ones," Captain Carlin said.
The former Xavier High school student touched on the reminders of defence service in Albury, Noreuil Park and the memorial.
"Think of those from our region when you spend time at Noreuil or when you look up at this monument, those who offered themselves in the service of our nation in the hope that their sacrifice will help preserve peace in the future," Captain Carlin said.
Those who laid wreathes included politicians Sussan Ley and Justin Clancy, Albury mayor Kylie King, Albury councillor and Labor Farrer election candidate Darren Cameron, emergency service representatives and school captains.
Ex-servicewoman Lisa Ride also deposited a floral tribute after having made a patchwork quilt in three days to cover the Afghanistan plaques before they were unveiled.
The piece included the colours of the ribbon for service in Afghanistan and desert camouflage patterns from the Australian and US armies.
On the reserve side were images of barbed wire and sandbags.
Earlier, a group of medics marched as one in the Anzac Day parade in recognition of their service to the community through the COVID pandemic.
Among them was Albury Wodonga Health public health unit operational director Jody Bellette, a former army member who was involved in Operation COVID Assist in Melbourne at the outset of the outbreak.
"I was just blown away by the numbers on the side of the road and everyone calling out for the nurses," she said of Monday's march.
"It shows people understand what it means for the nurses to stay on the line through this pandemic."
Nurse Greg Jackson added: "It was good to show how proud we are to be frontline workers."
He earlier attended the dawn service in Wodonga.
Also in the parade were three generations of the Border's Mooney family with Ken, Shane and Brannick.
Brannick, 22, joined the army last August and is in his first year of training in the vehicle technical wing at Latchford Barracks.
Shane was rapt to have the opportunity to march with his son and father after nine years ago joining his pop Jim and Ken in an Anzac Day parade.
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