The women volunteered to take part in the Australian Defence Force program, Exercise Boss Lift, which last week was a five-day deployment to Malaysia.

The program places executives and small business owners with reservists so they can experience the training their civilian employees undertake.

During the trip, participants fired an F88 Austeyr assault rifle and a F89 minimi light support weapon. They also witnessed reservist exercises being planned and undertaken.

Mrs Whittaker is the Bathurst Business Chamber president and Bathurst Real Estate principal, while Ms Barrett is Skillset’s manager for education.

Skillset employs army reservist, Mark Whitfeld, who is currently on deployment in Malaysia’s Butterworth Air Force Base where the group were dropped.

Ms Barrett said she has returned home with a greater understanding of the skills of reservists in their army and civilian life.

“The leadership, resilience and stamina it takes to do anything over there shocked me,” she said.

“The development that individual comes back with is beyond what I could offer.

“I believe that anyone would benefit from that level of training.

“You get the sense that if they were put in any civilian situation that they’e be able to handle it.”

A Department of Defence spokesperson said Exercise Boss Lift participants gain a deeper understanding of the training, skills and capabilities that reservists can bring back to the civilian workforce. 

“Recognising the contribution that civilian employers make, in releasing employees for training and operational service, is crucial in the Reserve’s ability to deliver relevant capability to Defence,” they said.

Mrs Whittaker said the trip was an education for herself and the other 18 people who took part.

“It was probably around 40 degrees, the humidity was at 100 per cent. There were mosquitoes, leeches and monkeys,” Mrs Whittaker said just days after returning to Australia

She said while she does not currently employ any reservists, her business is listed as a ‘Defence Reserve Employer’.