Brian Hartigan - the Big Irish Git - was employed as a photojournalist at Army Newspaper Unit from January 1998 where he developed from a junior reporter to Senior Reporter and Acting Sub Editor before leaving in May 2002

During his time at Army News, the Big Irish Git wrote news and feature stories and took supporting photos for the unit's fortnightly newspaper and quarterly magazine

As Senior Reporter he was responsible for the selection, employment and continuing education of staff reporters and was the unit's resident expert on house style

He joined the Australian Federal Police as editor of Platypus magazine - the AFP's professional journal - in May 2002. Over time, the Big Irish Git morphed into the AFP's first full-time PR photographer

As a civilian member of the AFP, Brian was deployed with the first rotation of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands as the Australian Federal Police official photographer. During this mission he wrote several articles for the Solomon Star - the country's national daily newspaper - as well as having photos and article published at home in Australia. Brian left the AFP in July 2007

Brian Hartigan is now the Managing Editor and co-owner of CONTACT Air Land and Sea - a quarterly Defence-focused glossy magazine sold in newsagencies across Australia