NAVY PEOPLE: BACK FROM PIRATE PATROL

It has been a while since Ben McGregor, 34, padded up and took guard at the crease at Miranda Magpies cricket club.

On 18th February he and his 190 shipmates aboard HMAS Melbourne returned from six months pirate patrol off the Horn of Africa.

Ben is a supervisor in the frigate’s Operations Room with the rank of Petty Officer. His job is to ensure the tactical picture is always up to date, using sensor information from sonar, radar and satellite.

Melbourne’s Commanding Officer is then able to respond to any threats, utilising the variety of weapon systems such as guns, missiles or aircraft to defend the ship or take action against pirates.

This has been Ben’s third Middle East deployment.

“We are making a real difference on curbing narcotics smuggling that would ultimately go on to fund terrorist activity.”

There’s plenty of chances to go ashore too. “I’ve visited many countries I never would have thought possible. I have been to Bahrain, Jordan, Sri Lanka and Dubai to name a few, and met all types of interesting people along the way.”

“My longer term goal is to rise to the rank of Warrant Officer, and along the way, pass on all that I’ve learnt to the new generations joining the Navy.”

But for now, Ben is looking forward to some serious chill-out time.

“I can’t wait to be able to spend time with my wife Bec and daughter Rose, and of course watch my beloved Cronulla Sharks win the grand final!”

NAVY PEOPLE: DESERT PROMOTION TO NAVY CAPTAIN

Echuca’s Angela Bond has just been promoted to Navy Captain and it happened not while she was at sea, but while she was surrounded by the desert sands of the Middle East.

CAPT Angela Bond.

Now Angela has joined a select number of women to have achieved the rank of Captain in the Royal Australian Navy.

“I grew up in Echuca and went to St Mary’s Primary and St Joseph’s College before finishing my schooling at Echuca High School,” said Angela.

“After school I joined the Woman’s Royal Australian Navy in March 1980 but, when it was disbanded in 1985, I [was one of many women sailors who] transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.”

Rising steadily through the ranks in a career centered mainly on dealing with personnel policy and issues, she transferred to the Management Executive Primary Qualification in 2010 as the first in this area to wear the rank of Captain.

Angela’s six months in the Middle East are now coming to an end. It was a very difficult time in which she had to deal with the repatriation of Australian soldiers killed in action. She is looking forward to returning home and enjoying time with her family.

“I’m really looking forward to getting home to my husband, John, and our four kids, Amy (25), Averil (20), Ethan (15) and Nathaniel (11),” she said.

In February Angela will move to Canberra to take up the role of Director Military Salaries and Allowances Policy.

NAVY PEOPLE: I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE IN LIFE

 

Just before New Year’s Eve, local girl Amanda ‘Hutchy’ Hutchinson said farewell to her partner Rachael, her two step-daughters Tiffany and Crystal, her mum and dad and both her grandmothers.

But it was no ordinary goodbye. The former Pegasus player was heading off for a six-month maritime security patrol in the Gulf of Aden.

She and her 190 shipmates aboard HMAS Stuart will be home in the middle of this year.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

“After Kurnai College I started as a cleaner in the Autistic Centre, worked on a farm, and ended up in a Telstra call centre,” said Amanda.

Amanda’s brother John now plays soccer for the Central Coast A League, and Amanda herself was no slouch in Morwell Pegasus, but she was looking for something more in life.

“My partner Rachael is ex-Navy, and was also the Commanding Officer of the Navy cadets — it was Rachael who encouraged me to give the Navy a go full-time and without her support I wouldn’t be where I am now.

“I’ve now been promoted to Able Seaman and deployed overseas twice — to Hawaii in 2008 and then to SE Asia including China in 2009, but this trip is much longer and further away.

“It will earn me my Australian Active Service Medal — my first serious medal since the medal for four years’ service.

Amanda has specialised as a communicator — covering everything from signal flags and morse code to satellite communications and managing the ship’s internet service.

“These days’ e-mails home are so good for crew morale,” said Amanda, “But a big part of the job is staying in touch with other ships by radio, letting them know about boarding parties and so on.”

But that’s not all. When the ship enters or leaves harbour, Amanda’s other job is to stand in the bows wearing combat body armour and a rifle in order to provide added security.

“It’s so we can provide an instant response if attacked,” said Amanda. “But hopefully it will stop people having a go in the first place.”

“When I’m home it will definitely be time to treat ourselves. We’re already planning a big European holiday, catching up with family connections in Ireland, the UK, France, Italy and Malta.”

Able Seaman Amanda Hutchinson in pic

NAVY PEOPLE: FROM DOCTOR-LAND TO NAVY-LAND

Devonport’s Megan Baker wasn't able to celebrate New Year at home with her parents Pam and Barry this year. The Navy Lieutenant and her 190 shipmates aboard HMAS Stuart were already heading for a six-month maritime security and counter-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden.

Lieutenant Megan Baker

“I signed up for the Navy when I was still a medical student in Hobart,” said Megan. “My brother Luke and another doctor were already in the Navy, and their stories about speedboats, helicopters and international travel got me interested!

“Getting a scholarship also meant the Navy paid for the final four years of my medical studies — and since then the training hasn’t stopped.

“I’ve learned underwater medicine so I can work with Navy divers, aviation medicine — altitude sickness, ‘g’ forces and so on — so I can work with pilots, and submarine medicine so I can heal submariners. Not to mention helicopters so I can take part in aero-medical evacuations.

“I’ve also been on exercise in Hawaii and on a humanitarian deployment to Sumatra after last year’s earthquake.

“But for me the significant shift came in 2009 when I went to officer school at HMAS Creswell near Jervis Bay — I had definitely moved from doctor-land to Navy-land.

“I only got posted to Stuart in November — just in time for the big adventure. It’s a little daunting but I’m glad to be going and excited about the experience.

“On patrol my job will be primary health care for the crew, keeping them free from tropical diseases — and stomach upsets when they go ashore.

“For the last few weeks that has meant vaccinating everyone against everything!

“And if we run into trouble it will be my job to patch people up, keep them alive until we can get them to hospital.

“I’ve already got a presents shopping list from my brother and, yes, I’ve also got an idea what I’m bringing back for my parents — but I’m keeping that a secret. They will find out in six months!”

NAVY PEOPLE: THE CHAPLAIN WHO DROPPED OUT OF SUNDAY SCHOOL

How does it feel being the only unarmed sailor in pirate waters? Just ask Ulverston man Max Walker in six months time.

Chaplain Max Walker

Max didn't get to spend New Year’s Eve quietly at home with his sister Sharon Gleeson or brother Leigh Walker.

Instead Max, 48, is now the Navy Chaplain aboard HMAS Stuart and — just before New Year’s Eve — he and his 190 shipmates set sail for pirate patrol off the Horn of Africa.

This won’t be the first Navy adventure for this man of action. Max joined the Navy in 1981 as a sailor, became an aircraft technician, and completed an aerospace engineering degree at RMIT.

After managing the maintenance of the Navy’s mine-hunter fleet, Max then worked as an engineering consultant in Asia before realising he was looking for more from life.

After time at theological college he was ordained as a Presbyterian Minister, and then rejoined the Navy as a Chaplain. Not bad for someone who dropped out of Sunday School.

“I’ve been aboard Stuart for four months now,” said Max. “It means I won’t be a stranger to the crew when we set sail.”

“As Chaplain I hold a church service every Sunday — about 15 crew members attend regularly. But that’s only part of the job.

“As a Chaplain I have no official rank,” said Max. “That means I can talk to anyone without any barriers between us. I can scrub dishes with junior cooks or chat over coffee with the officers. It means I do get a feel for how things are going.

“It means I can use my other training when necessary — things like suicide awareness, or relationship counselling if things go wrong back home. It’s safe to talk to me because I’m outside the chain of command.

“We are also a warship, a fighting ship — which means bad things can happen. If they do I’m part of the mental health support for my shipmates. In post-traumatic stress the first 24 hours are critical, and then it’s important to see how people are travelling after that.

“Meanwhile I’ll be keeping in touch with my wife Fiona and our two kids, Bethany in Year 7, and Jin who’s still in kindergarten. The ship’s communications are fantastic — and we’ll be using emails to work out what presents I should bring back. Pandora’s bracelet is pretty big at the moment!

“We’re also planning a holiday in Fiji — something a bit different from our usual bushwalks around Crater Mountain or the Walls of Jerusalem.”

NAVY PEOPLE: I'M THE SAILORS VOICE ON A SHIP

Moonta Bay fisherman Des Fuss is the SA captain of the over-sixties cricket team, and his talent runs in the family. His son Gary, 43, is now the captain of the Australian Defence Forces cricket team.

Warrant Officer Gary Fuss

But cricket isn’t on either man’s mind so much at the moment. Just before New Year’s Eve, Gary headed off for a maritime security patrol of the Gulf of Aden.

Gary and his 190 shipmates aboard HMAS Stuart won’t be home until the middle of 2011.

“Years ago I could have chosen a sporting career,” said Gary, “But I loved the ocean and always wanted to be in the Navy — even when I was a kid I was running around in Navy jumpers.”

Now Gary is the ship’s Warrant Officer — the senior sailor aboard his ship — and a vital link between the Captain and the crew.

“I’m the people’s voice,” said Gary, “A bit like the Regimental Sergeant Major in an Army battalion.”

HMAS Stuart is an ANZAC class frigate. Its formidable armament includes a 5-inch gun, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, self-defence missiles, torpedoes and a Sea Hawk helicopter for long-range work.

It’s certainly not Gary’s first overseas deployment. Last year he was part of a Navy flotilla that travelled right round the world.

“That was the best yet,” said Gary. “I love being at sea. Every day is different. The only places I haven’t been now are Russia and France.

“But this Gulf trip will get me my first Australian Active Service Medal — a good addition to the 26 other medals I’ve already got.

“My wife Lynda will be home with our five kids — our youngest will be four in January and I’ve missed every birthday but one so far.

“So when I come back we’re going to take a month off and do something together — maybe even take a cruise, so long as it’s a ship I don’t have to do any work on.”

NAVY PEOPLE: I LOVE NOT BEING STUCK AT A DESK

Adelaide Lord grew up in Northgate but wanted to see the world, and she hasn’t stopped yet.

After graduating from Urrbrae Agricultural High School in 2007, she joined the Navy in 2008 as part of the ADF “try before you buy” Gap Year program.

Seaman Adelaide Lord

Adelaide began with 11 weeks at recruit school at HMAS Cerberus  in Victoria; the course included not only drill and ceremonial, but survival at sea and damage control.

Then Adelaide got some sea-time of her own aboard the patrol boat HMAS Broome. By the end of the Gap Year she had enjoyed herself so much she decided to sign on full-time as a communications and information systems specialist.

The job is certainly meeting Adelaide’s passion for travel. So far she has served aboard HMA Ships Broome, Arunta, Manoora and Success, and has travelled to many ports around Australia including Sydney, Newcastle, Perth and Darwin.

“I’ve had the chance to visit many South East Asia ports, including Kota Kinabalu, Port Klang and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Makassar in Indonesia, and Singapore,” said Adelaide.

“While I love experiencing new cultures overseas, it really makes you appreciate what we have back home in Oz.”

But it isn’t all play. As a communications specialist, Adelaide controls the ship’s contact with the command element ashore, as well as other ships in company. As part of her involvement in two South East Asian Deployments and several international exercises, Adelaide has been communicating not only with Australian ships, but many foreign ships from countries including Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Adelaide enjoys that she is not continuously stuck at a desk. Part of her core duties include communicating with other ships via flags and light signals. Her job is hard work, but the experiences she has had along the way make her job exciting.

“In the near term, I’m aiming to complete the intermediate Communications and Information Systems course and be promoted to Leading Seaman,” said Adelaide.

“Ultimately though, I’d like to be posted to be part of the commissioning crew of one of the big new helicopter landing ships, either the Canberra, or Adelaide, which would be pretty cool.”