Remembering those who served – P2Perth proves her worth – P2, Centre

Volume 59, No. 21, November 17, 2016

TARGET ENGAGED

Automated missile system passes first test – Page 3

SERVING AUSTRALIA WITH PRIDE

NEWSNAVY

An Enhanced Sea Sparrow Missile is fired from the vertical launch system of HMAS Melbourne off the coast of NSW. Photo: LSIS Peter Thompson

2 NEWS www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

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HMAS Perth has completed a suc-cessful Operation Manitou deploy-ment that included patrolling more than 10 million square miles of ocean, and contributing to maritime security in the region.

Her crew conducted six patrols from June to October, supporting CTF150 and CTF152.

Perth has been at the forefront of advancing new and important Navy maritime capabilities as the first anti-ship missile defence (ASMD) Anzac-class frigate to conduct oper-ations in the MER.

One of Perth’s key events occurred during a scheduled port visit to the Seychelles in August.

The ship’s MH60 Romeo assist-ed local authorities in a Search and Rescue (SAR) mission by locating two survivors, one adult and a small child, from a sunken boat off the coast.

Perth’s support to the SAR pro-vided an opportunity for the air-crew to showcase the MH60R’s capabilities in surface search and surveillance, and was the first time the Romeo had deployed on a Navy operation.

Pilot LEUT Benjamin Thomson

Successful deployment for Perth

said Operation Manitou was a great opportunity to prove the new heli-copter’s capabilities.

“We’ve had a huge amount of success with this helicopter while proving its operational capability in the MER,” LEUT Thomson said.

“The SAR gave us the chance to show what we can do in the surface search environment.

“Most of our surface search sor-ties lasted between 2.5-3 hours, and we swept through huge patrol areas quickly and efficiently, achieving a high degree of confidence.”

The Romeo also proved its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities when Perth partici-pated in the US-led multination-al ASW Exercise – Ship ASW

Readiness, Effectiveness Measuring (SHAREM).

Perth conducted a number of sus-pect dhow boardings at the end of the monsoon season.

LSET Bradley Thomas found this deployment to be different from his previous experience.

“This was a different deployment for me following five years on Op Resolute in Darwin,” LS Thomas said.

“It’s my first big ship, so it’s been an eye-opening experience.

“It’s Perth’s people that made it a great deployment. It’s been hard being away from family, but I love being in the Navy.”

LS Thomas was a member of one of two boarding parties that conduct-ed searches of potential smuggling vessels in the region.

“We were involved in investigat-ing suspicious dhows across Middle Eastern waters,” LS Thomas said.

“When you patrol such long dis-tances, like this 3500-mile round trip, you need to make sure you con-duct your boarding checks, inspec-tions and searches thoroughly.”

Full coverage – centre

HMAS Perth’s MH60R leaves the flight deck to assist the Seychelles’ Coast Guard in a search-and-rescue mission after a civilian boat capsized. Photo: ABIS Richard Cordell

Remembering those who served – P2Perth proves her worth – P2, Centre

Volume 59, No. 21, November 17, 2016

TARGET ENGAGED

Automated missile system passes first test – Page 3

SERVING AUSTRALIA WITH PRIDE

NEWSNAVY

An Enhanced Sea Sparrow Missile is fired from the vertical launch system of HMAS Melbourne off the coast of NSW. Photo: LSIS Peter Thompson

Thousands gather to remember fallenCPL Sebastian Beurich

THOUSANDS of people gathered at the Australian War Memorial (AWM) in Canberra to commemo-rate the signing of the Armistice at the end of WWI on November 11, at one of many services around the country.

The solemn national ceremony was held between the parade ground and dais in front of the AWM, and was attended by members of all three services, as well as members of the Federal Government.

CDF ACM Mark Binskin said the ceremony was important as it allowed people to remember both current and past serving members.

“As we remember the fallen, we also recognise the 2300 servicemen and women who are deployed on operations and peacekeeping around the world,” ACM Binskin said.

“Like those before them, they are making an important contribu-tion to our safety and security.

“Each of them has family wait-ing anxiously for them at home – just as Australian families did more than 100 years ago.”

During the key moment of the ceremony, the minute of silence held at 11am, it was almost as if the entire city of Canberra had stopped.

Not a sound was heard in the break between the bugler playing the Last Post and Reveille, enabling attendees to reflect on the service offered in the past and present.

Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel Dan Tehan said Remembrance Day offered a chance to reflect on the service of men and women who have died in defence of our nation.

“Everyone should pause and reflect in silence at 11am on Remembrance Day, and think about the lives cut short, and the hole left in the lives of mothers, fathers,

brothers, sisters, families, friends, communities and our nation,” he said.

“In doing so, we seek to under-stand the price we have paid for our freedoms and values, and we honour those who are prepared to serve in defence of our nation.

“We must never forget those who gave their lives so we can live ours.”

Being selected to be in the catafalque party is a great honour, especially for the national ceremony at the AWM.

ABCIS Kerri-Anne Bradshaw, of Australia’s Federation Guard, was proud to be a part of it.

“It was a huge honour to take part in the ceremony as a member of the catafalque party,” she said.”

“Remembrance Day is a great opportunity for all Australians to reflect on the previous conflicts we’ve been involved in, and to hon-our all of our veterans.”

More coverage next edition

Members of the catafalque party, including ABCIS Kerri-Anne Bradshaw (top), mount the Stone of Remembrance during the ceremony while (below) WOFF – AF Robert Swanwick, RSM-A WO David Spinks, and WO – N Gary Wight salute during the playing of the National Anthem. Photos: Lauren Larking

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3NEWSNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

LEUT Andrew Ragless

HMAS Melbourne successfully launched an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) late last month, in a test off the east coast of Australia.

The missile firing was the first conducted in automatic self-defence (ASD) mode from one of three Adelaide-class guided missile frigates (FFG).

The ESSM is a medium range, self-defence weapon, optimised for

anti-ship missile defence. In the recent test, Melbourne’s combat system tracked an incoming target, a Phoenix Jet unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) target drone operated by Air Affairs Australia.

Air Warfare Officer LEUT Rhys Ryan said the activity went smoothly.

“The firing took months of prepa-ration to understand the combat sys-tem, and how various components of it talk to each other,” he said.

In ASD mode, the ship was able

to recognise the drone as a threat and engage the target automatically.

“Our combat system calculates course, speed and closest point of approach to the ship and we can tell it to engage at whatever range we want it to.

“This involves taking the human operator out of the loop in order to achieve a faster engagement.”

ABET Nazmi Kenar performed the role of fire control officer, responsible for coordinating and controlling the

full weapon systems under the direc-tion from the Air Warfare Officer.

He said the missile firing was satisfying.

“We had weeks of preparation, including a few late night drills and early morning starts, but in the end it was all very successful and very much worth it,” he said.

“We achieved our goal to prove auto self-defence capability.”

LEUT Ryan said the missile firing proved the ship was capable

of defending itself in a hostile environment.

“Our mission is to fight and win at sea, and the test was not only impor-tant in proving our combat system works, but to give confidence to our ship’s company in our warfighting ability,” he said.

The test was conducted as part of Melbourne’s three-week sea qualifica-tion trials, following a period of dry docking and maintenance for much of the year.

LCDR Julian Brett

A FOUR-PERSON team from H M A S M e l b o u r n e r a i s e d $ 3 0 0 0 w h e n t h e y p u s h e d their personal l imits in the S y d n e y O x f a m A u s t r a l i a 100km Trail Walk Challenge in late August.

Led by SBLT Katrina Burkett, the team set off from Brooklyn, hiking to Balgowlah Heights, with the aim of raising awareness and money for the impoverished.

With only 48 hours to complete the challenge, the team, which also included CPOET Len Harrison, ABCIS Blake Ridge and ABCIS Jacob Macgregor, was pushed as it negotiated gullies, hills and rocky outcrops by day and night.

“I’d never walked this far before but I was confident that I could make it because of the regular physical training the ship has been doing,” AB Ridge said. “We man-

Personnel test endurance for charity

aged to finish in 40 hours.”AB Macgregor said it was tough

going towards the end, with the physical and mental fatigue kick-ing in.

“I always knew we would fin-ish the hike,” he said. “Good team-work, fitness and resilience all helped. We also had a great support crew, which helped us through.”

CPO Harrison said he would have a lasting memory of the challenge, having spent his 55th birthday sacrificing his time and effort for the cause of people less fortunate.

The $3000 raised by the Melbourne team will be allocated to projects in countries such as the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.

SBLT Katrina Burkett, ABCIS Jacob Macgregor, ABCIS Blake Ridge, and CPOET Len Harrison pause for a photograph during the challenge.

Automatic missilesystem on

target

‘‘ – LEUT Rhys Ryan, Air Warfare Officer

The test was not only important in proving our combat system works, but to give confidence to our ship’s company in our warfighting ability.

The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile speeds towards its target after being launched from HMAS Melbourne. Photo: LEUT Andrew Ragless

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4 NEWS www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

Natalie Staples

FAMILY and friends had a chance to explore life on board a submarine when HMAS Farncomb stopped off for a five-day port visit during a recent south-east Australia deployment.

The visit was the first time many of the ship’s company had a chance to show loved ones what their job entails.

Electronic Warfare Officer LEUT Kristy-Ann Youd, who hails from Caveside, Tasmania, invited her

mother, aunt and former teacher and her family on board for a personal tour of the Collins-class submarine.

Maggie Howe, whose grandchil-dren accompanied her on the tour, said it was a wonderful experience.

“How fortunate we are to get such a detailed and personal tour of Farncomb,” she said. “It is fascinat-ing and provides a great insight into the life of a submariner.

“My grandkids Caleb, Jarrod and Ruby and I feel extremely privileged to have been given access. The chil-dren were rapt and so excited and couldn’t wait to share their experi-

ences with their school friends the next day. They will remember it forever.”

It was also a chance for personnel to show the pride they have in their boat.

“Serving on Farncomb is terrific,” LEUT Youd said. “I work with some great people and we do important work. Being able to share some of what we do with the people we love is quite special.”

Aside from providing tours to special groups while in port, the ship’s company also had a chance for some rest and respite.

FOLLOWING its successful demon-stration at Army Innovation Day 2015, Navy and Army have been assessing a state-of-the-art, machine-based trans-lation system to determine its utility on military operations.

The idea of mobile, machine-based translation devices to broaden the ADF’s linguistic capabilities and relieve some of the burden from niche interpreter assets, aligns with Navy’s modernisation efforts.

After a two-day train-the-trainer course hosted at the Defence Force School of Languages, personnel from across Navy’s patrol boat and sea training groups have been testing the Voxtec SQ.410 two-way translation system.

Assessment manager MAJ George Acheson-Thom, of AHQ’s Directorate of Land Force Design, said the robust, lightweight system had the potential to significantly enhance the ADF’s for-eign language capabilities.

“Especially at the tactical level in first-response situations where trust-ed, trained linguist support may not always be readily available,” he said.

T h e m a c h i n e i s c a p a -b l e o f f r e e - s p e e c h t w o - w a y translation in 10 language pairs. It also has a phrase-based, one-way transla-tion capability in more than 60 lan-guages other than English.

Jennifer Biggs, of Defence Science

THE Voxtec SQ.410 has the follow-ing key features:  Two-way, free-speech translation

in 10 language pairs, includ-ing English-Arabic, English-Indonesian, English-Japanese, English-Mandarin and English-Filipino/Tagalog.

  One-way, phrase-based transla-tion of more than 60 languages other than English.

 Weight 283g.  Dimensions 13cm (L) x

8cm (W) x 4cm (H).  Up to 128GB removable

SD card. Up to 32GB internal memory.  Runs on two CR123A

batteries.  Built-in loud speaker with exter-

nal speaker option. Multiple microphone options.  Potential uses include tactical

intelligence collection, force pro-tection, disaster relief and civil affairs engagement.

SPECIFICATIONS

Language no barrier

and Technology Group’s (DSTG) Language Technologies Fusion Group, has been working closely with AHQ to test the device and to deter-mine the most appropriate assessment methodologies.

“A combination of DSTG’s scien-tific rigour and the service operator’s views on the effectiveness and ergo-nomics of the system will be critical to any recommendations for its future utility within the ADF,” MAJ Acheson-Thom said.

The Voxtec SQ.410 or “SQUID” (derived from its title of SQUad Integrated Device) is the latest itera-tion of translating technology result-ing from developments sponsored by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Navy is assessing the device on exercises and during other sea training opportunities. It will look at expanding the assessment to crews readying for deployment overseas, or participating in international engagement activities at home or abroad.

If the assessment is successful it is anticipated the SQ.410, or a similar system, will be considered for integra-tion into future Navy-wide projects to provide readily available linguistic support to individual personnel at the press of a button.

For further information, email george.acheson-thom@defence.gov.au for further details.

Special tour for families

Translation system sets tongues wagging

LEUT Kristy-Ann Youd took her family and friends on a tour of HMAS Farncomb during a visit to Hobart.

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5NEWSNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

CMDR Fenn Kemp

THE crew of the Huon-class mine-hunter HMAS Yarra paid a rare port call to the Indonesian trade centre of Makassar.

Yarra was the first RAN ves-sel to visit Makassar since the opening of the Australian mission in the city in March. Australia is South Sulawesi’s second largest source of imports with goods worth US$135.6 million.

As the gateway to Eastern Indonesia, Makassar is one of the Indonesian region’s most important maritime trade and cultural centres.

While Indonesian port visits are becoming increasingly common for RAN vessels, few, if any, of Yarra’s crew had ever visited Makassar before.

“Several of the crew have previ-ously visited other Indonesian ports, primarily Bali,” CO Yarra LCDR Jason McBain said.

“While those other visits were great fun, Makassar was different in that it was not as big or busy, yet there was plenty to keep them entertained, the highlight being the people and local cuisine.”

The ceremonial side of the visit was also entertaining, with the locals putting on a warm welcome.

“The welcome was far big-ger than I had expected,” LCDR McBain said.

“To arrive in port and be greeted by the TNI-AL band, and so many officers and dignitaries, was quite humbling. Then proceeding ashore to be welcomed with gifts and a cultural performance was indicative of the warm welcome we received for the entire visit.”

Yarra’s v i s i t was impor-tant in raising local awareness of Australia’s presence and the crew was kept busy.

“Selfie diplomacy was alive and well as RAN members mixed with their TNI-AL counterparts and local

officials. I don’t think I have ever seen that many selfies and photos taken before,” LCDR McBain said.

“It really showed that the people of Makassar were genuinely happy that a RAN vessel was visiting their city.”

Makassar and Australia have much in common and share a close maritime heritage. As early as 1700, fishing communities in South Sulawesi made the voyage to northern Australia to trade and to engage with the local Australian population.

LCDR McBain said the visit reinforced the importance of the ADF’s relationship with our nearest neighbour.

“The Indonesian and RAN rela-tionship is exceptionally important,” LCDR McBain said.

“Australia and Indonesia have a shared interest in maintaining a safe and stable region. We are all proud to have played a role in that grow-ing relationship.”

Yarra visit to Makassar bolsters ties

THREE officers have undertaken the Colin East Award study tour to Indonesia with the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC).

CMDR Stewart Dunne participated as part of the directing staff and LCDRs Antony Pisani and Nathan Saunders were course members on the tour, from October 8-15.

During the travel period, they visited all single service command and staff colleges and historical war memorials and cultural activities.

A formal briefing from senior officers at the Ministry of Defence provided a deeper understanding of Australia’s strategic relationship with Indonesia and explored the close military ties which exist between the two nations. Among other points of discussion, dialogue targeted regional security issues and the importance of the maritime domain and geostrategic waterways in the Indo-Pacific region.

“The Indonesia visit forms part of a longstanding overseas visit program with peer-level command and

Officers in Indonesian exchangeCMDR Stewart Dunne and LCDRs Antony Pisani and Nathan Saunders with Indonesian Navy members.

staff colleges,” CMDR Dunne said. “This program aims to enable participants to enhance their under-standing of, and insight into, countries that influence Australia’s security interests.

“In this context, the main aims of the Indonesia visit were to enhance the ADF’s military engagement with the Indonesian Armed Forces and provide exposure to Indonesian history, culture and thinking in order to enhance professional understanding and awareness.”

THE RAN’s Admiral’s Own Big Band launched its latest album, Straight Ahead, on November 4 with a concert at Coogee Diggers Club in Sydney.

For more than 100 years, the band has been one of Australia’s premier musical acts and the newest album con-tinues this fine tradition.

Executive producer for the project LEUT David Coit said the recording exceeded the band’s expectations.

“We brought together the best musicians in Navy from units across Australia and the results are outstand-ing,” LEUT Coit said.

“The music was arranged entirely by Navy members and Straight Ahead showcases the depth of talents within the band.”

Straight Ahead is the second album

released by the band and features tunes from the past 70 years, with a modern approach.

LSMUSN Cameron McAllister was involved in both albums as an arranger, composer and performer, and said it was exciting to be part of a world class big band.

“The playing is first rate and we are very proud of both Compositions [the first album] and now Straight Ahead,” LS McAllister said.

“This new album is more accessible than Compositions, but equally interest-ing and exceptional, and will be one of the best big band releases in Australia this year.”

Copies of Compositions and Straight Ahead are available free of charge by contacting the band at navy.band@defence.gov.au

Album a high note for Own Big Band

HMAS Yarra’s Navigator LEUT Amy Brauns hosts a guided bridge tour during a three-day visit to Makassar in Eastern Indonesia.

Admiral’s Own Big

Band’s latest album

includes modern

takes on music from

the past 70 years.

Photo: LSIS Nina Fogliani

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6 NEWS www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

LEUT Jake Leonard

SOMETHING caught the atten-tion of Officer of the Watch LSBM James Cole while on watch in HMAS Glenelg recently.

“I stepped on to the bridge wing to get some fresh air and as I did, I noticed a net floating past,” he said.

“As I looked closer, I saw that it was moving – there were three large sea turtles caught in the net.”

A call was quickly made to CO LCDR Gary List, who decided to stop the Armidale-class patrol boat and attempt to rescue the turtles.

Glenelg launched one of her rigid hull inflatable boats with three sail-

ors on board. One of the sailors in the RHIB, ABBM Sarah Anderson, recounted the rescue effort.

“We pulled the boat up next to the net and grabbed a hold of it, and set to work cutting the turtles free,” she said.

“The first one was well and truly wrapped up.

“It took all three of us working with knives to cut it free. The second one wasn’t tangled as badly and we got it free pretty easily.

“The last turtle seemed to be there more to try to help his mates than anything – he came free as soon as we moved the net.”

The turtles all appeared grateful for their release – one dived almost imme-diately, and the other two were last

seen swimming free and catching their breath on the surface.

Once the turtles were released, the relatively small fishing net was recov-ered for disposal ashore, to prevent any more sea life becoming entangled.

One of the other sailors in the RHIB who worked to free the turtles, LSBM Simone Van Dam, said it was a great result.

“It’s an incredibly rewarding thing to be able to help out such beautiful animals,” she said.

“We see marine animals all the time at sea and it’s nice to be able to help them out from time to time.”

Glenelg is currently on her way back to Darwin after participating in Exercise Lumbas in the Philippines.

Quick action saves turtles

LEUT Ryan Zerbe

FOR HMAS Creswell’s CPOATA Amy Vickers, supporting her team-mates is an integral part of her job, but a recent experience has given her an opportunity to reflect on how far Navy has come in supporting those with stress-related illnesses.

C P O Vi c ke r s c o m p l e t e d the 2016 Trojan’s Trek in South Australia, supporting more than 20 other current and former ADF members and emergency service workers managing stress-related illnesses, including post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety.

“One of the key lessons for me was that people managing men-tal health challenges are often not accurately reflected in their behav-iours,” CPO Vickers said.

“It is a humbling experience to sit beside those who are suffering and feel, see and hear what it is really like for them.”

CPO Vickers has been involved in Trojan’s Trek since 2014, when a women’s program was first imple-mented, and has been a program

Providing supportTrek for mental health

mentor and facilitator since last year.

“It has given me an opportunity to reflect on how my behaviours can impact others and understand my people to build supportive and resilient teams,” she said.

“Trojan’s Trek has provided me with an opportunity to reflect on my years of service and how Navy has culturally evolved.”

“It is worthwhile work being able to offer self-help tools to make positive choices that can benefit people in the future, and navigate troubles in their post-service lives.”

Founded by Vietnam War veter-ans in the 1990s, Trojan’s Trek is a peer support program to enable par-ticipants to identify how thoughts and feelings influence behaviour and bring about positive change.

CPO Vickers encouraged others to take advantage of opportunities to professionally and personally develop their skills to understand how stress illnesses can impact their teammates, friends and family.

Coping with life’s stresses – Page 22

From left, ABBM Chay Westcott, ABBM Sarah Anderson and LSBM Simone Van Dam work to free one of the turtles caught in a drifting net. Inset: One of the freed turtles swims away. Photos: ABCIS Declan Burt

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7NEWSNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

INNOVATION works best on a daily basis, according to LSMT Justin Faint, who features in a Navy engi-neering video promoting technical

mastery.LS Faint and his team showcase the

work done at the Diesel Maintenance Facility at HMAS Waterhen in Sydney.

Working alongside private industry, the team has taken on harder and more complex tasks, which have challenged sailors with invaluable hands-on tech-nical experience.

LS Faint is one of several Waterhen members interviewed for the program, which he says shows the strong pro-gress made in recent times.

He is a diesel supervisor monitor-ing most diesel work within the unit, as well as training personnel.

“The training I have received here has prepared me to take on any work with confidence,” LS Faint said.

That sense of confidence is critical to fixing problems and taking action across Navy as a whole.

“I believe that innovation is a day-to-day occurrence within our unit,” LS Faint said.

“As an organisation we are always

trying new and innovative ways to improve our workload.

“The key is to approach everything with a positive attitude and I tell the new arrivals to use their time here wisely as there is so much you can achieve.”

To see this and more videos, go to Navy’s YouTube site.

Show of technical masteryIn part two of a three-part series, CMDR Fenn Kemp looks at the use of innovation on a continual basis by Navy engineering.

‘‘– LSMT Justin Faint,

diesel supervisor

I believe that innovation is a day-to-day occurrence within our unit.

LSMT Justin Faint, centre, and his team at the Diesel Maintenance Facility at HMAS Waterhen in Sydney.

MIDN Brooke Turner

TWO foreign naval officers were wel-comed aboard HMAS Leeuwin recently as the ship carried out hydrographic surveys off the northern WA coast.

LEUT Mohammad Rafeq Paimin, of the Royal Malaysian Navy, and MIDN Eric Yalom Aikung, of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, joined Leeuwin – manned by Hydrographic Survey Red Crew – in Cairns under an inter-national exchange program designed to foster shared knowledge and practices between navies in the region.

During their time in Leeuwin, LEUT Rafeq and MIDN Aikung observed survey work in the remote location of Brunswick Bay, including deploying tidal gauges, managing one of the ship’s survey motorboats and running a camp ashore.

“I am impressed with the profession-alism of the RAN,” LEUT Rafeq said.

“In Malaysia, we have 100 crew members on ships of a similar size, so it is good to see you can operate a survey ship like Leeuwin with just 70 people.

“This has been a good experience to

learn from the Australian Navy and how they carry out their survey operations.”

LEUT Rafeq departed Leeuwin while alongside in Darwin to take his new skills back to the National Hydrographic Centre in Port Klang, Malaysia.

MIDN Aikung attended the Royal Australian Naval College in Jervis Bay where he completed his New Entry Officers’ Course under a train-ing arrangement between Australia and PNG.

MIDN Aikung was selected to com-plete his naval studies in Australia and will now undertake the Junior Warfare Application Course at HMAS Watson in Sydney following five weeks in Leeuwin.

“My time training with the crew of Leeuwin could not have been better,” he said.

“They are an amazing team and the officers and sailors have been very supportive.”

MIDN Aikung will continue two more years of study in Australia before returning to PNG with the knowledge he acquired while training with the RAN.

Foreign officers’ Leeuwin lessons

Malaysia’s LEUT Mohammad Rafeq Paimin, left, and PNG’s MIDN Eric Yalom Aikung on the forecastle of HMAS Leeuwin.

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8 NEWS www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

Natalie Staples

SIX foreign Navy ships from four nations arrived at Garden Island early this month, creating a buzz on the harbour.

The visits came ahead of the Royal New Zealand Navy International Fleet Review, which will take place in Auckland later in the month.

Indonesian Navy ship KRI Banda Aceh, a Makassar-class landing plat-form dock was the first to arrive.

Chilean Navy tall ship Buque Escuela Esmeralda followed a few days later. The sail training ship was wel-comed with a gun salute from the can-non positioned near the RAN Heritage Centre.

She was escorted by a fleet of ves-sels, including local tall ships Southern Swan, South Passage and James Craig, and a fire tug.

Eight Australian midshipmen undergoing phase two of Joint Warfare Application Course joined the Esmeralda in Jervis Bay for the voyage into Sydney. MIDN Connor Hoban said it was a memorable experience.

“The entry into Sydney Harbour escorted by other tall ships with flags flying was pretty breathtaking,” he said.

“It was fascinating spending time on the ship. Esmeralda is 62 years old and the crew is made up of 330 mem-bers, 100 of whom are midshipmen who have just finished Chilean Naval academy.

“It was surprising to see how many of those on board have had similar paths. The way they do things on the bridge and the traditions between our two navies are very similar.”

“It was great to strengthen rela-tionships with international partners,” MIDN Hoban said.

Hot on the heels of Esmeralda’s arrival were two Republic of Korea Navy ships, destroyer ROK Chungmugong Yi Sunsin and fast com-bat support ship ROK Cheonji, which arrived for a three-day visit to Sydney.

Indian multi-role frigate INS Shivalik and patrol vessel INS Sumitra also made the journey to Sydney and conducted a number of engagements alongside.

Primed for fleet review

ABBMs Justin Fairhall and Paul Wosomo return a gun salute to Chilean Navy sail training ship Esmeralda as she passes the RAN Heritage Centre, Garden Island. Photo: ABIS Bonny Gassner

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HMAS Bathurst recently con-ducted a multi-agency Operation Resolute patrol in the Torres Strait with Australian Border Force (ABF) vessel Storm Bay and Australian Fisheries and Management Agency (AFMA) officers.

Focusing on the area in the northern Torres Strait around Saibai Island, Bathurst, in company with Storm Bay, demonstrated the importance of interoperability between government agencies by conducting a combined boarding team insertion to Saibai Island to disrupt illegal fishing and incursions.

ABF and Navy vessels are regularly assigned to Operation Resolute at the same time, how-ever, it is rare for all three agencies to combine on a joint operation to enforce Australian fisheries law.

XO Bathurst LEUT Michael Morgan highlighted the positives of the joint activity.

“This combined boarding oper-ation allowed personnel from all three agencies to exchange ideas, compare equipment and familiarise themselves with different proce-

Forces unite in Torres Strait

dures, therefore ensuring we are constantly evolving our tactics and techniques on Operation Resolute,” he said.

CO Bathurst LCDR David Shirvington took the opportunity to re-establish local relationships by conducting a visit to Saibai to

meet with the Saibai Island Council to discuss local concerns regarding illegal fishing in the region.

Fisheries enforcement is one of the pillars of border protection operations and remains a key focus of Maritime Border Command operations.

Natalie Staples

THE high stakes of air traffic control were explained to family and friends of HMAS Albatross at the recent air traffic control tower open day.

Number 453SQN, which is part of the RAAF Number 44 Wing, operates the Nowra tower and radar terminal approach control, which provide air traffic control services.

During the open day, multiple aircraft were on display to illustrate airborne capability, including Navy Squirrel and Bell 429 helicopters, oper-ated by Navy’s 723SQN for pilot train-ing and light utility tasks.

Tours of the airfield, tower and approach were also conducted, while interested personnel could also get involved in a simulated air traffic con-trol scenario, including tactical air traf-fic control displays and situations.

ABATA Sean Payne said the open day gave him a real appreciation for the work the controllers provided to the ADF.

“Air traffic controllers’ careers are really interesting and quite diverse. I am seriously considering a career change and seeking further information,” he said.

Civilian aircraft maintainer Jack Heyman was also impressed at the work being done.

“I was surprised at the diversity of a joint battlefield airspace control-ler’s job,” he said. “I was not aware that some were at 48 hours’ notice to deploy anywhere the ADF or govern-ment deems necessary – that’s pretty amazing.”

Flight Commander of 453SQN

Controlling the Shoalhaven skies

Nowra Flight SQNLDR Teresa Wynter said the personnel did vital work.

“In the Nowra tower we have mili-tary and civilian staff working side by side,” she said.

“We are responsible for the provi-sion of air base air traffic services to support fleet training in Nowra airspace and the Eastern Australian Exercise Area.

“A lot of civilian single and twin engine aircraft also operate in the area and need to be accounted for and pro-cessed among our military duties.”

Acting CO Albatross CMDR Sue Cunningham said 453SQN provided an essential capability.

“Nowra tower provides separation within five nautical miles of the airfield for arriving, departing and circuit train-ing aircraft, while Nowra approach provides separation in the surrounding training areas using radar control,” she said.

“Safety is a core Defence value and at the heart of what 453SQN does on a daily basis.”

‘‘– ABATA Sean Payne

Air traffic controllers’ careers are really interesting and quite diverse.

SQNLDR Teresa Wynter explains the duties of an “approach” air traffic controller to LSATA Michael Solomon, left, and a member of the public.

XO HMAS Bathurst LEUT Michael Morgan leads a boarding party on Saibai Island.

An MH60R Seahawk hovers near HMAS Albatross air traffic control tower, while a Squirrel conducts advanced aerial manoeuvres in the background. Photos: POIS Kelvin Hockey

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LEUT Todd Fitzgerald

LEUT Hannah Phelps joined the Navy as a maritime warfare officer because she thought it would be an “exciting and rewarding career”.

An overseas deployment, an inter-national exercise, almost 17,000 nauti-cal miles and five foreign ports later, she is confident she made the right decision.

LEUT Phelps deployed to South-East Asia in replenishment ship HMAS Success in June, and returned to Australia in September to take part in Exercise Kakadu with 18 other nations.

It was her first posting after com-pleting the final phase of her maritime warfare officer training.

“I was very happy to be posted to Success because I knew the program would give me a lot of exposure to life at sea and training opportunities,” she said.

“I was also looking forward to going overseas and being a part of the deployment. The trip was excellent, and I learned a lot quickly.”

LEUT Phelps received her platform endorsement while on Success, the culmination of almost two years of intensive study, which qualified her to take control of the warship unsupervised.

While getting her “ticket” was the highlight of the voyage, LEUT Phelps said the most interesting part was war-gaming during Kakadu.

“Working with foreign navies and seeing the challenges that arose while

Life at sea the right choice

we were operating with them was interesting and definitely valuable for my career,” she said.

“It was beneficial to see the simi-larities and differences in the way we operate and how we were still able to achieve all the outcomes that were required of us.

“Refuelling a number of foreign

ships on the deployment, and work-ing within an international task group were highlights.”

LEUT Phelps is one of three sib-lings who joined the Navy as warfare officers.

Her brother, SBLT Toby Phelps, is undertaking Phase Three of his train-ing and will start Phase Four next year.

MIDN Matthew Phelps is finishing his second year at ADFA.

He will also become a maritime warfare officer after his university studies.

“I have a younger sister as well who is studying at university, although she doesn’t have any naval aspira-tions,” LEUT Phelps said.

“I have a number of younger cous-ins who have heard about the Navy through the three of us, and are con-sidering joining when they finish high school.

“All of our experiences have been positive, so we have been encouraging them to look into the various pathways available to them.”

MWO LEUT Hannah Phelps, of HMAS Success, appreciates the opportunities Navy has given her. Photo: ABIS Nicolas Gonzalez

12 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016 CENTRE 13Operation Manitou

HMAS Perth’s aviation team conduct-ed the first embarked maintenance of an MH60R maritime combat hel-icopter while on deployment in the

Middle East region.A team of 16 personnel worked around

the clock for 10 days, in temperatures exceeding 46 ºC to undertake deep level ser-vicing of the aircraft – a job that normal-ly takes a team of 24 personnel about five weeks.

Perth’s Maritime Logistics Officer CMDR Tony Ashley said it was important to prepare and ensure all stores were ordered well in advance of the first deployed phase maintenance.

“This was a real challenge for the team

due to all of the unknowns of a first-time activity,” he said.

“My team ensured all stores were pre-po-sitioned and the maintenance environment was the best we could make under the hot conditions.”

Planning for such an extensive tasking also required an understanding of the time available for completion, manpower, locality and climate.

The personnel transformed their ideas into a safe practical solution using innovation and smart shiftwork to overcome the hazard-ous environment.

An enclosed gazebo housing air-condi-tioning and mobile fans was placed on the flight deck to cool the maintainers during the hottest part of the day.

The maintenance work took place in the early hours of the morning and late in the afternoon to avoid the most excessive day-time temperatures.

Flight Commander LCDR Josh Carey said the achievement of the inaugural main-tenance activity was admirable and praised Perth’s aviation team for its enthusiasm and professionalism.

“This was a true team effort,” LCDR Carey said.

“All departments assisted with ensuring the flight was able to get on with this exten-sive work with as little disruption as possible.

“I am proud my team managed to achieve this remarkable result in such a tight timeline.”

LCDR Andrew Petrie

CREATING one of the most unusual sights of the deployment, the 5-inch gun, harpoon anti-ship missile launchers and fo’c’s’le of HMAS Perth were all draped in handmade quilts while alongside during an operational port visit in Muscat, Oman.

The traditional “airing of the quilts” took on a new twist as the proud owners of more than 90 quilts showed off the hard work of dedicated volunteers back in Australia.

Members of the Aussie Hero Quilts organisation fulfilled personalised orders for quilts and appliquéd laundry bags placed by members of Perth’s ship’s company, as their unique tribute to servicemen and women over their Rotation 63 deployment to Operation Manitou.

While the theme of each quilt or laundry bag was specified, the actual designs were a surprise until the quilts arrived individually via mail during the course of the deployment.

LEUT Nam Nguyen, an Officer of the Watch, received his quilt in the first few weeks of the deployment.

“I’m just thrilled to have my pineap-

LCDR Adam Cooper

THE operations team of HMAS Perth was delighted to see its Operations Officer, Royal Navy exchange Principle Warfare Officer LCDR Oliver “Olly” Nokes, com-mended by Commander JTF633 AVM Tim Innes during the ship’s farewell ceremony alongside in Muscat, Oman.

LCDR Nokes’ contr ibut ion and efforts were rewarded with a CJTF633 Bronze Commendation, which highlighted his leadership and dedication during the mission read-iness work-up and throughout the ship’s deployment to the Middle East region.

“After a busy and challenging year, I’m extremely pleased and proud to have been recognised in this way,” LCDR Nokes said.

Joining the RN in 2001, LCDR Nokes has served across a wide range of vessels, mainly in the role of Navigating Officer, before he quali-fied as a PWO in November 2015.

Thereafter, he was lucky to be selected for a two year exchange posting to Australia.

Having moved to Western Australia with his wife and two small sons, LCDR Nokes is keen to make the most of his time with the RAN while also hoping he and his family will be able to enjoy the experience of living in Australia.

“Spending two years on exchange service in Australia represents a rare professional opportunity for me and a remarkable life experience for my family – it was simply too good a chance to miss,” LCDR Nokes said.

“My wife, Enca, is Spanish and so loves the outdoor lifestyle, the beach and the warmer sunny climate of Australia.”

LCDR Nokes underwent his com-bat system training for the upgraded Anti-Ship Missile Defence (ASMD) Anzac-class before joining Perth at short notice, just in time to start a mission readiness work-up before deploying to the Middle East region.

He adjusted to a new operations room and combat system and his role as a Principle Warfare Officer in a frigate.

He quickly moved up to the role of operations officer shortly after the ship arrived in the Middle East region theatre, and immediately before the ship began its first operational patrol.

“I was made to feel welcome in Perth, and despite some minor dif-ferences in RAN methods, processes and procedures, I enjoyed the chal-lenge, was able to adjust quickly and soon felt part of a high-functioning team,” he said.

Since joining Perth, LCDR Nokes has played a key role in leading the operations team to ensure Perth was ready to deploy to the Middle East.

Once on operations he ensured the ship was always in the right place at the right time to fulfil its tasking and achieve the mission.

Having only spent eight weeks alongside this year and having also spent more than half of the year underway, LCDR Nokes is looking forward to returning from deploy-ment and spending some well-earned time at home with his family.

“I’m very much looking for-ward to the remainder of my time in Australia and excited about the pros-pect of exploring this great country I’ve heard so much about,” he said.

“I’m planning on taking my fam-ily to Sydney for New Year – we’ve heard the fireworks are amazing – and we’ve also organised a holiday trip to Rottnest Island!”

Following Perth’s return to Fleet Base West, LCDR Nokes will move over to be the Operations Officer of HMAS Stuart which will rejoin the fleet following the ship's ASMD upgrade in the first part of next year.

There a re many exchange postings available for RN personnel in Australia and reciprocal postings in the UK for RAN personnel.

Royal Navy officer on exchange receives Australian honour

Commander JTF633 AVM Tim Innes, right, presents LCDR Oliver Nokes with a Bronze Commendation.

‘‘– LSET Bradley Thomas

It’s a really nice way to demonstrate support of what we’re doing.

ple-themed quilt to sleep under between watches,” LEUT Nguyen said.

Others waited in anticipation for their quilt and in each port, as more quilts arrived, it was common to see people proudly showing off their new bed coverings.

LSET Bradley Thomas requested an Australian Flag-themed quilt and said he was appreciative of the gesture.

“It’s a really nice way to demonstrate sup-port of what we’re doing. My quilt is going to stay in the family and it’ll get passed on with

the story of how I got it on deployment,” LS Thomas said.

ABMED Matthew Kirk received a Star Wars laundry bag, ABML-SC Sophie Grace requested a “bright and girly” quilt, and LSCD Scott Caldwell received a diver themed quilt. Each of them agreed the personal letters and care packages that often accompanied the quilts were another highlight.

“The lady who made my quilt told me all about her family in South Australia and sent me chocolate biscuits,” LS Caldwell said.

“It makes us feel good to know people care so much.”

While Perth was deployed, the coordina-tor of Aussie Hero Quilts, Jan-Maree Ball, suffered a personal tragedy when her house burned down.

The officers and sailors of Perth donated to her rebuilding fund, and also raised enough money to pay for flights and a hotel so she could be on the wharf with the rest of the families and loved ones when the ship returns to Australia this month.

Until then, after patrolling in the Middle East region, the crew members of Perth will be dreaming of coming home while tucked under their personalised quilts.

Crew proudly airs laundry

PERTH PROVES HER WORTHExtreme temperatures could not deter the crew of HMAS Perth on Operation Manitou supporting international efforts to promote maritime security in the Middle East region.

The crew of HMAS Perth shows thanks for Aussie Hero Quilts during an operational deployment port visit in Muscat, Oman.

Inset: Perth's embarked aviation team with the MH-60R in the hangar on board Perth. Left: ABBM Morgan MacDonald fires the 12.7mm machine gun during a practice firing on board HMAS Perth under supervision from ABBM William McCombe, while ABBM Brody Lamport stands by as loader. Above: Perth keeps an eye on proceedings as the ship's boarding team boards and inspects a vessel of interest off the coast of Africa. Photos: ABIS Richard Cordell

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LEUT Nick Robinson

NAVY’S contribution to the Vietnam War was commemorated by the Currumbin Returned and Services League on the Gold Coast recently, as a part of Navy Week activities.

The commemorative event was supported by personnel from HMAS Moreton, Cadet units, Training Ships Southport and Shropshire, and the RAN Band – Queensland.

Commodore Warfare CDRE Malcolm Wise travelled from Sydney to attend the event.

“It is great to have this opportu-nity to reflect on the service of our past members, with the local com-munity here on the Gold Coast,” he said.

“I have had the pleasure of serv-ing as the CO in HMAS Perth, a ship that shares its history with the Vietnam conflict.”

A total of 18 Navy ships were stationed on continuous opera-tional service in Vietnam between 1965 and 1972, where personnel performed a variety of operational tasks at sea, ashore and in the air.

Navy’s contribution comprised destroyers, Fleet Air Arm personnel attached to a United States Army helicopter company and Air Force’s 9SQN, a clearance diving team, and a logistical support force consisting of transport and escort ships.

“What always strikes me about the service in Vietnam is the length of time Navy spent on operations,” CDRE Wise said.

“In total our ships and personnel were involved in the conflict for

almost eight years, which is a sig-nificant period.”

Gold Coast Navy Week Committee chair Jim Dee was an Able Seaman Underwater Controller on HMAS Vampire, dur-ing the conflict.

“The purpose of the week is to unite the Navy community and to promote the role Navy plays today, as well as in the past and into the future,” he said.

“We have a different focus every year. Last year we commemorated the service of HMAS AE2 and this year we decided to commemorate the Navy’s service in Vietnam, fol-lowing on from the 50th anniver-sary of the Battle of Long Tan.

“This year has some personal significance for myself, having served during the conflict.”

LEUT Nick Robinson

SOUTHERN Queensland has cel-ebrated Navy’s footprint in the region with a calendar of events from Maroochydore to Currumbin.

Navy Week South Queensland commenced in King George Square, Brisbane, with Beat to Quarters, Ceremonial Sunset and a reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of Brisbane.

City Hall was illuminated in a sea of blue with personnel from Brisbane base HMAS Moreton in attendance.

CO Moreton CMDR Mark McConnell said the gesture was uplifting for all involved.

“Moreton has a longstanding relationship with Brisbane and the South Queensland region,” he said.

“While the number of perma-nent Navy personnel in the region is small, their impact in King George Square for the opening of Navy Week was significant,” CMDR McConnell said.

The guard and band from Moreton performed flanked by Naval Cadets from the 14 training ships in the region.

“I was exceptionally proud of the cadets and it was a privilege to witness the involvement of all members,” CMDR McConnell said.

Beyond the scheduled activities, Queensland also hosted port visits from HMA Ships Newcastle and Waller.

Navy Seahawks from 816SQN performed a flyover as a part of the all-Navy reunion at Maroochydore, and Commodore Warfare CDRE

Malcolm Wise visited another reun-ion at Currumbin.

The Navy Band made a not-so-quiet contribution across the entire week.

The support of the band was appreciated by guests, includ-ing those attending the “Night in the Navy” event, where potential recruits had the opportunity to meet and speak informally with serving members.

The week concluded with the 78th annual Seafarers’ Service and Wreath Laying, held at St John’s Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane.

All Navy Week events endeav-our to promote the wellbeing and development of all Navy people and to strengthen the relation-ships with the communities in each region.

GPCAPT Paul Long

THE future of Defence aviation safety is in good hands with the introduction of a contemporary aviation reporting, investigation and analysis capability to enhance the ability to learn from safety occurrences.

The Aviation Safety Management Information System (ASMIS) project has been initiated by the Directorate of Defence Aviation and Air Force Safety (DDAAFS) to replace the ageing Defence Aviation Hazard Reporting and Tracking System (DAHRTS).

Deputy Chief of Air Force AVM Warren McDonald said Defence aviation had an outstanding safety record across a broad spectrum of training and operations.

“In the years to come, responding to global and regional events will pose new challenges with the proliferation of technology and transformational change within the Defence aviation environ-ment,” AVM McDonald said.

“Defence aviation must evolve to rapidly harness the potential of emerging technologies in order to meet these new challenges.”

On October 6 AVM McDonald initiated development of the DAHRTS replacement system by signing the new

ASMIS contract with Managing Director Risk Management Technologies (RMT) Dean Apostolou.

RMT will use the existing Sentinel platform to deliver the system to enhance Defence aviation’s safety man-agement capability into the 21st century.

An agile implementation methodolo-gy will be used for the design, build and test of the new system, which includes continual stakeholder engagement.

The ASMIS project will be managed by DDAAFS and will be delivered in three phases: Phase 1: Mobilisation (due end

November) Phase 2: Build and Implement

(November 2016 to November 2017)

Phase 3: Warranty Services (November 2017 to November 2018)

During mobilisation, the project will develop a detailed schedule including stakeholder workshops, user acceptance testing timelines and training delivery approach and content.

Initial change management and user training will be delivered during system rollout, scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2017. Sustainment training will be delivered within existing Defence avia-tion safety courses.

Best of Navy on display in the Sunshine State

Representatives from 803SQN and HMAS Moreton fold the Ensign in front of Brisbane City Hall. Photos: James Goss

The RAN Band – Queensland entertains Queenslanders in front of the Brisbane City Hall during Navy Week.

Gold Coast commemorates veterans

Aviation safety plan

HMAS Success’s Seahawk

conducts a 12.7mm firing

as part of a training serial.

Photo: LSIS Jake Badior

16 NEWS www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

Sustainable vision

Defence reaffirms commitment to environment

The five environmental aims of the 2016 Defence Environmental Policy and 2016-2036 Environmental Strategy are:

Delivering a sustainable estate across our activities and operations.

Understanding and managing our environmental footprint.

Minimising pollution and managing existing contamina-tion risks.

Improving efficiency of

resource consumption and strengthening resource security.

Recognising and managing estate heritage values.

The documents can be found on the DRN at: http://intranet.defence.gov.au/estateman-agement/Governance/Policy/Environment/Default.asp or contact environmentandherit-age@defence.gov.au for more information.

GREEN FUTURE

The sun sets over Jervis Bay, home of the Royal Australian Naval College.

CPL Sebastian Beurich

THE recently issued 2016 Defence Environmental Policy and 2016-2036 Defence Env i ronment Strategy said it all in the vision statement: Defence will be a leader in sustainable environmental man-agement to support the ADF capa-bility to defend Australia and its national interests.

CDF ACM Mark Binskin and the Secretary of Defence, Dennis Richardson, reaffirmed Defence’s commitment to the environment and its important role in Defence activi-ties with the new policy and strat-egy documents.

ACM Binskin said Defence had invested significant resources in building environmental manage-ment capability, but must acknowl-edge there was more to do.

“Defence’s bases and ranges belong to the Australian people. Australians can rightly expect Defence to balance its environmen-tal responsibilities with the need to deliver military capability for the government,” he said.

“As custodians of our environ-ment, it is vital we maintain the trust granted to us by the Australian community to ensure the environ-ment we manage can sustain our activities into the future.”

In their statement supporting the Environmental Policy and Strategy, ACM Binskin and Mr Richardson pointed to five environmental stra-tegic aims.

“We operate in an uncertain and constantly changing strategic con-

text. Over the life of these docu-ments, we will face a range of chal-lenges and opportunities, some of which may require an environ-mental management response,” Mr Richardson said.

“Implementing the new policy and strategy will assist us to adapt to emerging challenges, including likely impacts of climate change and to address existing challenges.

“All Defence personnel are accountable for their actions in rela-

tion to the environment, and it is essential each of us makes environ-mental management part of our core business.”

A s s i s t a n t S e c r e t a r y o f Environment and Engineering Alison Clifton said Defence had taken numerous steps forward in environmental management across a number of areas.

“Our environmental approv-als have supported the delivery of Defence capability in a number of places, including the expansion of the Cultana training area in South Australia,” she said.

“Four large Defence training areas and a number of smaller prop-erties include natural areas recog-nised on the World Heritage List.

“Solar generation now provides up to 55 per cent of the electricity on Bathurst Island in the Northern Territory, reducing fuel usage to 40 litres per day.

“Defence has achieved consider-able progress in achieving environ-mental outcomes in support of capa-bility, compliance and sustainability, but we still have more work to do to achieve the environmental vision.”

Call-out for all TS Sirius cadets

LCDR Jason O’Gorman

MORE than $36,000 was presented to wor-thy charities as a result of HMAS Darwin’s fundraising efforts during the frigate’s recent Operation Manitou deployment.

Representatives from Assistance Dogs Australia, Aussie Hero Quilts, Black Dog Institute, Sir David Martin Foundation and beyondblue were invited on board the frigate for a cheque presentation and tour.

The ship’s company mustered on the flight deck for the presentation and listened to the charities talk about their important work.

CO Darwin CMDR Phillip Henry said he was proud of the crew’s efforts to help others.

“The enterprising effort of a few sailors

SBLT Mitchell Hosking

THE crew of HMAS Huon was able to shed some light on a 70-year-old mystery while deployed to the Solomon Islands on Operation Render Safe recently.

At the request of the US Department of Defence, Huon began the search for a missing American fighter plane downed in the waters off the islands during WWII.

The Australian minehunter’s crew employed its variable depth sonar, mine disposal vehicle and mine warfare team.

Despite difficult conditions, the Grumman F4F Wildcat was found within the hour – resting at the bottom of the ocean in 44 metres of water.

LSCSOMW Januario Callos operated the ship’s mine disposal vehicle during the search.

He said finding the aircraft was a testament to the ship’s capability.

“Although the objective was not directly related to the scope of mine warfare, it felt good to prove we can use our sonar and mine disposal vehicle to achieve a wide range of taskings,” LS Callos said.

“We train to hunt mines and now we have been operational, we

WWII mystery uncoveredSONS and Daughters of Sirius is call-ing out for former TS Sirius cadets who went on to join the Navy.

Sirius is the St George District Unit of the Australian Naval Cadets and is at the multi user depot in the Sydney sub-

urb of Kogarah, its fifth location since foundation in 1945.

The group is requesting former cadets make contact at sonsanddaughtersof-sirius@outlook.com.

Sons and Daughters of Sirius also has a Facebook page of the same name.

are beginning to see how versatile our skills are. The airframe of the Wildcat was heavily encrusted with coral and sea life, so we were unable to distinguish any features that would enable an exact identifi-cation of the aircraft.”

HMA Ships Huon and Diamantina were deployed to the Solomon Islands in September for Render Safe, an Australian-led operation to dispose of unexploded ordnance left from WWII.

The South West Pacific nation was the scene of bitter fighting

between US and Japanese forces from 1942 until 1945. Huon and Diamantina are fitted with variable depth sonar, which has a detection range of more than 1000 metres.

When a mine is detected in a water column or on the seabed, the ship floats about 200 metres from the contact.

A mine disposal vehicle or clearance diver is sent to investi-gate and neutralise the threat.

Twelve islanders have been killed by explosive remnants of war in the past decade.

A photo taken by HMAS Huon’s mine disposal vehicle of the open cockpit of the F4F Wildcat.

Generosity shines through

has resulted in a substantial contribution towards some worthy organisations from a relatively small pool of people,” he said.

“I couldn’t be happier with their efforts and the generosity of the crew to sacrifice some of their hard-earned money to help those that need it.”

More than $21,000 was presented to the Sir David Martin Foundation to assist youth in crisis.

Another $8610 was raised to help Aussie Hero Quilts founder Jan-Maree Ball replace valuable quilting equipment lost in a fire ear-lier this year.

A cheque of $3158.85 was presented to the Black Dog Institute, $2473.45 was raised for Assistance Dogs Australia and $1340 for beyondblue.

LSCSO Joshua Scanlon presents a cheque to Alex Green, of the Sir David Martin Foundation.

EasyAccesstodetailsofyourrelocationitineraryToll Transitions has released a mobile phone application for Defence Members. The TollTransferee Move Plan App gives you easy access to the details of your relocation itinerary thatyou’ll need to know as you progress through your move.

The Toll Move Plan App provides you with up-to-date details about your relocation includingremoval dates, allowances, travel dates including airfare information (where applicable) andaccommodation details at both your losing and gaining locations.

The App is available for both Android and Apple iOS mobile phones. It can be downloaded fromthe Google Play Store and Apple iTunes App store by searching for Toll Move Plan.You can logon to the Toll MPL App using the same valid username and password you use toaccess Toll Transitions’ website www.tolltransitions.com.au/defence

RememberToll‘sWarrantySchemechangedMarch2016Toll’s Warranty Scheme changed for removals uplifts from March 2016, and now allows for newreplacement cover to be applied to items which fall within predefined categories and agelimits. In cases where more than minor damage to an item has occurred, members will besupplied with a new replacement item if Toll Transitions determines that repair of the old item isnot economical and the item is eligible for replacement in accordance with a table of age-baseditem inclusions.

Like-for-like replacement or compensation cover will continue to apply to items which falloutside the specified age limits.

Not every item that sustains damage will be replaced with a new item or compensation paid atnew value. In the first instance damaged items will be repaired where practicable andcompensation paid for minor damage.

Read Toll’s “Your Defence Relocation Guide” and FAQs available atwww.tolltransitions.com.au/defence for full details of the Toll Warranty Scheme including thetable of age-based inclusions.

For more informationFreecall: 1800 819 167

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17TRAININGNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

LEUT Miah Hammond-Errey, CMDR Chloe Wootten and CPL Mark Doran

TO ENSURE the crews of Navy ships are ready to respond to the dynamic and unpredictable environments in which they oper-ate, they need to be well trained, well rehearsed and well oiled.

HMA Ships Diamantina and Huon, minehunters based out of Sydney, went through this gruelling preparation in order for the ships to deploy on recent operations.

The six months leading up to the mission were full of hard work and long hours, which in some ways needed to be more challenging than the mission itself.

The ships were put through their paces by Navy’s in-house training and assessment team, Sea Training Group, which tested their responses to fire, flood, minefield transits and air and sur-face attack.

Such training is a part of life in the Navy and often extends the crew’s time away from home and family, many times over that of the actual mission.

Diamantina had to pass a 72-hour unit readiness assess-ment and a 48-hour mission specific assessment before she was allowed to deploy.

Part of that process involved the recommissioning of her bow-mounted 30mm gun post maintenance, and re-learning its operating procedures, CO Diamantina LCDR Mark Northcote said.

“The crew rose to the challenge and after extensive drill train-ing and fighting inclement weather, we were able to achieve suc-cessful function trials,” he said.

With the gun working, Diamantina set about conduct-ing mine countermeasure training, as the job of a minehunter includes identification and disposal of unexploded and unstable ordnance in a safe manner.

“Practice makes perfect,” LCDR Northcote said. “Our ship was tasked to dispose of two mines in 26 metres of

water, and ensuring our readiness for complex underwater dis-posal is an important part of what we do.”

Both Diamantina and Huon recently returned from Operation Render Safe in the Solomon Islands, and sister ship HMAS Gascoyne has undertaken domestic tasking off the Queensland coast.

‘Practice makes perfect’

Clearance divers ABCDs Christopher Goodwin, left, and Brian Josephson, of HMAS Diamantina, prepare to lower a high explosive charge to remove explosive remnants of war. Photo: CPL Steve Duncan

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18 PERSONNEL www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

New council is key to edgeLEUT John Cole

NAVY’S drive to develop a modern and diverse workforce has acceler-ated, with the launch of the Navy Diversity and Inclusion Council.

The council, launched by DCN RADM Mike Noonan on October 27, will provide leadership as Navy’s peak decision-making body for guid-ing and monitoring the implemen-tation of the Navy Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (2014-19).

It will provide strategic guidance on priority areas and ensure diversity and inclusion programs are aligned to critical workforce requirements that will deliver a capability edge for Navy.

Navy is striving to become an employer of choice as a modern, inclusive workforce across ships, bases and training establishments.

Director Navy Diversity and Inclusion CMDR Jenn Macklin said this included raising awareness of how inclusive working environments enhanced capability and enabled sustainability.

“Navy has already achieved a great deal through the pioneering work of the Navy Strategic Advisers,” she said.

“The council will enable us to build on their work to drive innovation and progress the diversity and inclusion agenda. The council will be focusing on inclusion – not on difference.”

At the launch, RADM Noonan said the council had the brief to think in terms of “art of the possible”.

“Everyone has to consider and ask ‘what capability are we missing out on due to old norms and approach-es?’ ” he said.

“Imagine the opportunities if we take the blinkers off and shape our workforce to meet emerging challenges.”

RADM Noonan said the coun-cil would provide another lens for addressing the workforce challenges facing Navy over the next 20 years.

“We cannot wait to be told on this issue; we must lead and build the Navy workforce we need for the future – now,” he said.

“We can be justifiably proud of what we have achieved so far. We have evolved to a new understanding of diversity and inclusion, and the capability edge it can give us.

“The challenge is to normalise that more broadly, and the council will have a central role in driving that change.”

The council will play a major part in achieving the Plan Pelorus vision of an integrated, diverse, resilient and deployable workforce that can deliver Navy’s war fighting effect.

“Diversity and inclusion is ulti-mately about mission readiness, operational effectiveness and sustain-ability – the Diversity and Inclusion Council is a key enabler for achieving this end state,” CMDR Macklin said.

Members of the Diversity and Inclusion Council, which was launched by DCN RADM Mike Noonan. Photo: LSIS Jayson Tufrey

OCTOBER TRIAL RESULTSNCODefence Force Magistrate1 x Obtaining a Financial Advantage – DFDA s 61(3) and Criminal Code (Cth) s 135.2(1) 1 x Obtaining a Financial Advantage by Deception – DFDA s 61(3) and Criminal Code (Cth) s 134.2(1) The member was accused of obtain-ing a financial advantage in relation to rent allowance, totalling $3456.30, by not notifying Defence Housing Australia of a change in the member’s circumstances.The member was also accused of obtaining a financial advantage by deception in relation to rent allowance, totalling $3018.21, by not reporting to Defence Housing Australia during a periodic review that another person was residing in the member’s property at the time.The member pleaded guilty to the charges and was found guilty of the charges. The member was reduced in rank by one rank, severely repri-manded, and ordered to pay repara-tion totalling $6474.51.

1 x Act of Indecency – DFDA s 61(3) and Crimes Act (ACT) s 60(1)1 x Assault Subordinate – DFDA s 34(1)The member was accused of commit-

ting an act of indecency on a subordi-nate member. The member was also accused of assaulting the subordinate member by touching the subordinate member on an intimate place while making an offensive statement to the subordinate member.The member pleaded guilty to the charges and was found guilty of the charges. The member was reduced in rank by one rank, and fined $5000 (to be paid in instalments).

OTHER RANKDefence Force Magistrate

1 x Assaulting a Superior Officer – DFDA s 25(1)1 x Prejudicial Conduct – DFDA s 60(1)The member was accused of assault-ing a superior officer by grabbing the superior officer on an intimate place. The member was also accused of prejudicing discipline by making an offensive statement to the superior officer.The member pleaded guilty to the charges and was found guilty of the charges. The member was fined $1400.

All Court Martial and Defence Force Magistrate trial results are subject to com-mand review and appeal. The results are of trials across the ADF.

THE final Customer Service Survey of the year is out and People Services is urging ADF members to complete the survey and help provide the feedback needed to improve services across the whole of Defence.

Feedback this year has result-ed in more streamlined security vetting processes, a new self ser-vice tool on the DRN which brings all your accounts together, and the introduction of a single con-

tact number and email address for People Services.

To help improve the services you think need refining, fill out the sur-vey at https://www.orima.com.au/defence/css before November 30.

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19PERSONNELNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

WHEN it comes to improving services, one size won’t fit all for every base.

This was the case at HMAS Cerberus, where customers and service providers worked together to identify the unique cus-tomer service challenges on base and find ways to improve the customer experience of IT, HR, security, finance and base services.

In September, Navy personnel contribut-ed to Proof of Concept workshops by bring-ing the voice of the customer to the process.

SWO Brendan Woodsell said he attend-ed the workshop with some trepidation, but enjoyed the experience.

“It was actually really good because people listened to what we were saying and took it on board,” he said.

Cerberus has a large trainee and recruit population that makes it unique from other bases, often making it difficult for individu-als to get to the Customer Service Centre.

Base Support Manager Linda Pollard said trainees and recruits were not allowed to drive on the base.

“So when you have only got half an hour

for lunch, how are you supposed to find out what you need?” she said.

One idea Defence is trialling at Cerberus is a pop-up kiosk where service providers are available to trainees and recruits at dif-ferent locations on base.

“So if trainees and recruits go to the pop-up kiosk and they have a question about leave or travel, they will get immedi-ate feedback there and then, as opposed to going to customer service or going online,” SWO Woodsell said.

Les Moseley, part of the reference group implementing the ideas, said meeting and talking to customers was “the bread and butter of service delivery”.

In October, Defence successfully trialled the first pop-up kiosk at the Engineering Faculty on base, and will take learnings from the day to evaluate and refine the idea.

“It will be an evolving process. We can tailor it as we go along,” Ms Pollard said.

“We will have lessons learned from each of the kiosks, where we can adapt our pro-cesses over time and really hone them.”

Shaking up customer service

ABMT Luke Preston at a pop-up kiosk provided to personnel of HMAS Cerberus who cannot reach the Customer Service Centre.

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Receivea FREEPropertyAnalysis OFFICERS and sailors from navies all over the world have come to attention as their ships

sailed past Bradley’s Head, but how many of them know of the significance of the Sydney Harbour headland?

Five members of HMAS Canberra, including CO CMDR Chris Smith, visited the site with naval historian Bob Auston to learn about one of the most important naval memorials in Australia.

Bradley’s Head was named after William Bradley, a Royal Navy lieutenant who arrived in Sydney in HMS Sirius with the First Fleet.

The headland is now dedicated to a number of Navy memorials, the most prominent of which is the mast of HMAS Sydney I.

Sydney I was one of the first warships in the RAN and her mast stands as a memorial to all the Australian officers, sailors and ships lost at sea and in combat.

The mast is the only naval mon-ument in Australia to which cer-emonial honours must be rendered by all passing naval ships.

Mr Auston has dedicated his time to reinvigorating Bradley’s Head and keeping its naval history alive.

“The RAN Heritage Centre identified 26 warships that were sunk in wars,” Mr Auston said.

“The RAN Historical Society culled this number to 22 warships and there are now 22 memorial trees and plaques on the site dedi-cated to these warships and sailors who were lost.”

Mr Auston, a past president of the HMAS Sydney Association and former sailor, said Bradley’s Head had many layers of history.

“To one side of the headland is Sirius Cove where Navy stored the ‘mothball fleet’ after the Second World War,” Mr Auston said.

“To the other side is Taylor’s Bay where the RAN sank a Japanese midget submarine.

“The headland is where one midget submarine fired two torpe-does at USS Chicago. Running too deep, they passed underneath. One went ashore and the other sank HMAS Kuttabul.”

In 2000, a polystyrene house was built on Bradley’s Head for Mission Impossible 2, a movie star-

ring Tom Cruise. The house was dismantled on completion of film-ing. Bradley’s Head is managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.

“National Parks own the site and they maintain the area; how-ever, the Navy are very welcome anytime for ceremonies,” Mr Auston said.

“A maintenance committee has been formed with two serv-ing members of the Navy, two members of the National Parks and four ex-Navy civilians, and limited funding has been raised in a trust fund for the committee.

“Kuttabul does help with maintenance and HMAS Penguin attends the flags.

“I feel proud that the RAN, National Parks and ship associa-tions came together to make this the premier naval site in Australia.

“From the original estimate of $100,000, a total of more than $2,000,000 was raised and spent upgrading in a team effort.

“So when a RAN ship passes and the still is piped, it is a mark of respect to all warships and sailors lost in all wars.”

Above: The most prominent memorial on Bradley’s Head, the mast of HMAS Sydney. The cruiser is renowned for taking part in the Navy’s first ship-against-ship engagement in WWI and her foremast is mounted on the headland as a memorial to that battle. Right: CO HMAS Canberra CAPT Chris Smith and Canberra officers and sailors standing in front of the plaque at Bradley’s Head with Bob Auston, where they saw the tree dedicated to previous ships. Photos: LSIS Helen Frank

A mark of respect

Despite its rich history, the significance of Bradley’s Head often goes unnoticed, LSIS Helen Frank reports.

20 FEATURES www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

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21GANGWAYNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

Above: The crew of HMAS Rankin after walking the 1003km Bibbulmun Track. They raised $10,000 for beyondblue during the month-long hike, which weaved from Kalamunda, east of Perth, to Albany, WA. Photo: CPOIS Damian Pawlenko

Finalists of the NSW Interservice Squash Competition, CPOET David White, left, and LAC Aaron Fyfe, before going head to head. Photo: LSIS Tom Gibson

MIDNs Connor Hoban and Renee Brelis, of HMAS Success, participate in the Ocsober Spinathon held at the Navy Indoor Sports Centre at Garden Island, Sydney.

Photo: LSIS Justin Brown

LSBM Dael Jensen with his family on the wharf of Fleet Base East, Sydney, after HMAS Parramatta returned home.Photo: LSIS Tom Gibson

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22 HEALTH www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS November 17, 2016

IT IS important to remember that stress is not a bad thing. Call it what you will, but pressure, strain or tension is experienced by everyone. Stress is natural. It’s just the

body’s way of coping with demanding situations.

Stress is often influenced by external factors including work, relationships and finances, but internal factors such as health, nutrition and sleep can also affect how we deal with issues.

Demanding situations are normal for ADF personnel and many of us even thrive when we are exposed to stress.

However, long-term exposure to stress can also negatively impact the way we think with poor concentration, forgetfulness, apathy and hopelessness.

Behavioural changes under stress may include increased drinking or smoking, gambling, sleep disturbances, unhealthy eating or mood changes.

Chronic stress can affect us emotion-ally and if left unresolved can lead to issues such as anxiety and depression.

CAPT Jacqueline Levick, an Army psychologist at Duntroon Health Centre, said everyone exhibited stress differently.

“It’s important to recognise your individual signs of stress so you know when to implement adaptive coping strategies,” she said.

“Common symptoms include becom-ing more irritable, having more extreme reactions to small events, or having dif-ficulty sleeping.

“While there may seem like no way to resolve situational stressors, like in a demanding workplace, there are strate-gies you can adopt to reduce the level of impact this has on your physical and mental wellbeing.”

The body deals with acute stress by releasing chemicals to tell the body it is in danger, and therefore activates the fight-or-flight response.

This response does not have any long-term effects and often can help in dealing with immediate stressors.

Stress, in many instances, can help a person deal with demands placed on them, by making them more alert, ener-gised and attuned to external cues.

However, long-term exposure to stress and the exposure of the body to high levels of hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline, can lead to increased vulnerability to illnesses, such as depression, obesity and heart disease.

CAPT Levick said stress was expe-rienced when there was an imbalance between demands being made and the resources available to cope with those demands.

“The level and extent of stress a person may feel depends a great deal on their attitude to a particular situation,” she said.

“An event that may be extremely stressful for one person can be a mere hiccup in another person’s life.

“This, in part, can be from our previ-ous experience with stress and knowing what coping methods work for us.”

Stress can be managed by using tech-niques such as monitoring and challeng-ing the way you think about events, slow breathing, and solving your problems in a structured manner.

Cutting down on alcohol use and doing things you enjoy can help in cop-ing with stress.

Stress may also contribute to physical illness such as cardiovascular disease.

When stress turns into a serious ill-ness, it is important to get professional help as soon as possible.

Whatever the cause, physical diseases need appropriate medical management before any attempt is made at stress management.

Discuss with your doctor how stress management may be used to support treatment of your physical symptoms.

WHERE TO GET HELPIf you are experiencing stress you can visit or contact:

 Your doctor

 Psychologist or counsellor

 VVCS: 1800 011 046

  This way up – an online Coping with Stress course developed by the Clinical Research Unit of Anxiety and Depression at St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney and University of New South Wales Faculty of Medicine. thiswayup.org.au/how-we-can-help/courses/coping-with-stress/

 Lifeline: 13 11 14

 Suicide Helpline: 1300 651 251

Stress is often influenced by external factors including work, relationships and finances, but internal factors such as health, nutrition and sleep can also affect how we deal with issues. Photo: CPL Mark Doran

Coping with life’s stressesExperiencing stress is a normal part of life, but too much of it could become a problem, CPL Mark Doran reports.

1300 131 050www.stratton.com.au

TRANSPARENTNOVATEDLEASING

23SPORTNovember 17, 2016 www.defence.gov.au/news/NAVYNEWS

FLGOFF Amanda Scott

NOMINATIONS are now open to both serving and former serving members of the ADF interested in representing Australia on the world stage at the 2017 Invictus Games in Toronto, Canada, as either an ath-lete or coach.

The Games will take place from September 24-30 and will bring together more than 550 athletes from 17 allied nations, who have become wounded, injured or ill as a direct consequence of their service – in a celebration of tenacity and courage.

The Invictus Games is an initia-tive of Prince Harry of Wales and is an international adaptive sport competition using the power of sport to motivate recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding of the sacrifices made by the men and women who serve their country.

Athletes selected to form part of the 2017 team will have the opportunity to compete in a range of adaptive sports including wheel-chair basketball, wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, archery, athlet-ics, indoor rowing, powerlifting, road cycling, sitting volleyball, swimming, and new to the 2017 Games – golf.

Australian Invictus Games 2016 team captain Paul Warren,

WO2 Andrew Hetherington

A leading seaman posed his way to win a title in the Defence and Emergency Services Natural Physique Titles in Brisbane on October 2.

LSATA Mark Wormleaton, who is based at RSF Amberley, won the fitness category, which was only the second competition he had ever entered.

“The week before, I’d entered the fitness category of the iCompete Natural Bodybuilding Alliance Australia (INBA Aus) QLD state championships on September 25 and came third,” LS Wormleaton said.

“When I won the second event I wasn’t expecting to win. When they announced I’d won, I was a little stunned.

“I was so nervous I couldn’t get myself into one of my resting poses on the stage to receive the trophy.”

The fitness category of body building judges competitors’ physiques and how healthy they look.

“The judges on the day of the competition said they were looking for a healthy looking, pretty boy, who could appear on the cover of a fitness magazine, who had a look and physique, which any bloke could achieve,” he said.

“The difference between our competition and the body builders is they carry more muscle than us, but we have to have more stage presence by appearing relaxed and healthy and to show we’re having fun.”

He put in more than five months’ preparation leading up to the two events.

“Up to the week of the competitions I was count-ing every piece of food I ate and I didn’t drink alco-hol for five months,” he said.

“I think I won the event partly because I had the body, but also I was having a ball on stage, I was confident and laughing, which was what the judges were looking for.”

To celebrate, LS Wormleaton took his family to South Bank in Brisbane for doughnuts.

“I took the wife and kids to a doughnut shop. They were amazing tasting doughnuts, but I could only eat two.”

Dallas McMaugh

LSET Chad Poland has paddled, skied, swum and run the nearly 47-kilometre Coolangatta Gold to cross the line first in his age group.

The Tactical and Electronic Warfare Support Unit sailor exceeded his expectations, running 14.65km, swimming 3.5km, ski pad-dling 23km and paddle boarding 5.5km in a time of 4 hours and 40 minutes.

“For the 2016 event, I was lucky enough to have the training program of a former pro-fessional Ironman which really helped, espe-cially with the long hours of ski paddling,” LS Poland said.

“I was so nervous before the race. I felt ill. I hadn’t had that feeling in a long time, but once I got in the water and had a bit of a warm-up swim, that really helped calm my nerves.

“Every leg had its challenges, but the last

run leg always worries me. The last thing you want to happen after more than 4 hours of racing is for someone to pass you in the final 7.1km run.”

LS Poland finished third in his age group in his only other attempt in 2014 in a time of just over 5 hours, but a deployment to the Middle East meant he had to wait two years to tackle the course again.

The sailor was determined to improve his previous performance and undertook an intensive 16-week training regime, including swimming, ski paddling, and board and run-ning sessions several times a week.

“I’ve always thought I may have gone out a bit harder than I should have in the first leg in 2014, a 23km ski paddle, which meant by the time I got to the second-last leg – a 6.1km board paddle – I was shot, and finished that leg a good half an hour slower than I had anticipated,” he said.

“Having a different game plan of sitting with a pack in the ski event really helped to improve my overall time, and when it came to the board paddle, I completed the course half an hour quicker than my previous attempt in 2014.

“I was so stoked when I found out my board paddle time, but when I heard my over-all time I was in shock.”

LS Poland may have topped his age group, but he isn’t about to put his feet up, and already has his next goal in sight.

“This season, I really want to compete at NSW country, NSW state and the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships,” he said.

“As for the Coolangatta Gold, before the race this year I was pretty sure it was going to be my last one, but I can’t help thinking it would be nice to take another 20 minutes off my time.”

Nominations open for 2017 Invictus Games

who competed in the track and field, indoor rowing, swimming and wheelchair basketball and rugby events, said competing in the Games gave him purpose and confi-dence following his injury from an IED in Afghanistan in July 2009.

“Being able to compete at the Invictus Games was an amazing experience and I strongly encour-age anyone eligible for selection to apply to be part of the 2017 Games,” he said.

“It gave us an opportunity to show the world we are not defined by our injuries or illness,

Chad of all tradesLSET Chad Poland approaches the finish line of the Coolangatta Gold after paddling, skiing, swimming and running nearly 47 kilometres.

Sailor wins with natural physique

LSATA Mark Wormleaton

at the Defence

and Emergency

Services Natural

Physique Titles.

while we once again represent our countries and prove we truly are unconquered.

“At the Games we also hon-oured everyone who played a part in our recovery; from the first responders to the medical teams and mostly our families who stuck by us and never gave up.”

Those interested in becoming a coach on the team should prefer-ably have qualifications and coach-ing experience in one of the respec-tive sports, as well as experience with adaptive sports and disabled athletes.

Interested members should submit an application through their chain of command via web form AE136 and be available to attend selection camps as outlined in the 2017 ADF Invictus Games Selection Policy.

Nominations for both athletes and coaches close on December 5.

Information about the 2017 Games and the respective sports is available at www.invic-tusgames2017.com.

You can also follow the team online at www.facebook.com/Team.Invictus.Australia

Further information, including the expression of interest application, eligibility criteria and selection policy is available at www.defence.gov.au/events/invictusgames, or by emailing ADF.invictusgames@defence.gov.au

POML-SC Will Olsen competed at this year’s Invictus Games. Photo: LSIS Jayson Tufrey

THE Army White Water Association (AWWA) is conduct-ing Exercise Tasman Advance – a sea kayaking activity in Tasmania – from January 4-15, 2017.

The activity is aimed at novice and intermediate pad-dlers and is open to all ADF person-nel. Expressions of interest can be sent to peter.amaricai@defence.gov.au.

More information is available at http://drnet.defence.gov.au/Army/AAWA/Pages/AWWA-Exercises.aspx

EX TASMAN ADVANCE

NEW ENEMIES FOLLOW OUR veterans HOMEMany returning veterans come home only to face new enemies – enemies they’ve never been

trained to fight. DefenceCare helps them with these battles.

To give $5, please text ‘CARE’ to 1990 1111. fightingnewenemies.com.auJames DallasAustralian VeteranClaims Manager, DefenceCare

Peter Hartung German WW2 Veteran

Volume 59, No. 21, November 17, 2016

SPORT

WAR ON WATER

MAJ Gary Bergman and CPL Sebastian Beurich

ON A windy Saturday, rowers from ADFA, RMC and the Australian National University (ANU) gathered at Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra, to race in the 46th Disher Challenge Cup Regatta.

The feature race of the October 22 event was the race for the Disher Challenge Cup. Held over 2600m between the men’s eights, the cup has been a tradition between the three institutions since 1986.

With RMC taking home the Disher Cup and a mere six seconds between the three crews, ADFA’s MIDN Jackson Breer said he was looking forward to racing again next year.

“The competition was fierce. RMC were quite good contenders, and ANU managed to push back at the end,” he said.

“The commentators said it was one of the closest races they’d ever seen.

“As we were rowing, waves were break-

ing over the riggers into the boat, so I ended up with three or four litres of water sloshing around at my feet, adding weight to the boat.

“But it was great seeing all of ADFA and RMC cheering from the shore, which I really wasn’t expecting.”

OFFCDT Harrison Baildham-Parr has a long history of rowing, but decided to sit on the sidelines and coach the ADFA team this year.

“We trained six times a week, with four morning sessions and two afternoon sessions. The guys would wake up at 4.45am to start training in the middle of winter,” he said.

“It was pretty cold, I think the worst it got to was -5 degrees, but it showed they were a good crew who were motivated and dedicated to training.

“We’d had a taste of the ANU team a few weeks prior at the Uni Games, so we knew what we were going to come up against with them, but we had no idea about the RMC crew.”

Held before the Disher Challenge Cup race is the Anne Curtis Cup for women’s eights,

as well as the L.W. Nicholls Shield for men’s fours, the Colonel Diane Harris Trophy for women’s fours and a single scull competition each for men and women.

MIDN Rebecca Li said despite the weather, all of the rowing crews performed well.

“The ADFA crew came second [in the Anne Curtis Cup], but considering we had a couple of people stepping in at the last minute due to injuries, the team worked really well together,” she said.

“RMC performed fantastically seeing as they don’t always get a women’s team in each year. ANU is always tough competition because of how consistent their rowers are.

“It definitely wasn’t the best weather for rowing, but the team had been training in some pretty awful conditions throughout win-ter, so they were expecting it.”

Personnel who are interested in learning more about rowing in the ADF should go to: http://drnet.defence.gov.au/vcdf/ Sports-Rowing/pages/Welcome.aspx

Oarsome effort from ADFA crews

The crew of the ADFA men’s four digs deep to win the L.W. Nicholls Shield.