Navy News, August 7, 2000

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Navy News is published fortnightly with its basic charter to inform and entertain our sailors wherever they are serving, in ships or on shore, at home or overseas.

August 7, 2000

		On guard Since it was formed in January the ADF's Federation Guard, made up of 50 RAN personnel and similar numbers of soldiers and airmen and women, has been busy. It was presented to Her Majesty the Queen when she visited Australia earlier this year.

		First of patrol boats by 2002 The RAN sought to have the first of a new fleet of patrol boats ready in 2002, the new Maritime Commander, RADM Geoff Smith, said. "The final figures are being teased out but we hope to have one-for-one,"...

		CN's conference to provide an overview Four hundred delegates will attend the Chief of Navy Leadership Conference in Canberra from August 30 to September 1. Aim of the conference is to provide an overview of all that Navy has achieved...

		Careflight PO earns his wings Petty Officer Andrew Martin enjoys his job so much that he spends half his weekends doing the same sort of work. In fact, his efforts as an aircrewman with Sydney-based NRMA Careflight have earned him bronze wings for completing 50 rescues.

		Chase real no-contest An Indonesian fishing boat skipper dived into the Timor Sea from his 30 metre "iceboat" 300 nautical miles north west of Darwin in a desperate attempt to avoid arrest by the RAN patrol boat HMAS GEELONG.

		Warfare officers graduate in west The Submarine Squadron's newest warfare officers have graduated from STSC, HMAS STIRLING. The graduating officers were LEUTs Lybrand, Phillips, Westsnott and Williamson.

		Support tip top in the Top End A Chief of Defence Force Unit Commendation has been awarded to FIMA Darwin and Logistic Support Element Darwin for outstanding service in support of International Forces East Timor assigned to Operation Warden.

		Defence licence changes Most ADF members will be aware of the existence of the Defence Driving Licence Scheme (DDLS) whereby ADF personnel and their dependants who are transferred interstate on posting are not required to renew their current driving licence in the new state/territory...

		Centenarian, BRISBANE renew ties Retired RN and RAN yeoman-signaller Albert Flint has celebrated his 100th birthday in HMAS BRISBANE declaring: "If I had my time over, I would join the navy." Recommending to young Australians a career in the RAN, Albert had some advice.

		Defence Review - have your say Consultations on what the community thinks of the Defence force and where it should go in the future are underway. The first public meeting was held in Adelaide on July 18. Defence also wants input into the review and is extolling members to take part.

		Praise for Navy bike team The RAN's charity bike team has come in for some outstanding plaudits from two organisations it has helped. Two team members, Rick Meehan and Clem Hiscocks, have received special praise. Since the first ride by the team down the east coast of Australia more than 10 years ago...

		CANBERRA remembered While operating in the Solomon Islands area under OPERATION PLUMBOB, HMAS TOBRUK (CMDR Vin Thompson) at 1100 on July 14 conducted a ceremony in commemoration of HMAS CANBERRA I and members of her ship's company who lost their lives...

		SYDNEY/HUON raft up The coastal mine hunter, HMAS HUON, has successfully rafted alongside HMAS SYDNEY to undertake the first Replenishment At Sea (RAS) (Liquid) of its kind. The fine weather of the day provided an acceptable sea state to conduct this difficult evolution.

		GEELONG gets an aimer target LCDR Bob Plath and his ship's company in patrol boat HMAS GEELONG were right on target a few days ago. They took advantage of an abandoned suspected illegal entry vessel (SIEV) to get some very realistic training. The large Indonesian vessel had been apprehended...

		Tricia says thanks Sydney mum Tricia Johns is one of the unsung civilian heroines of East Timor. Never-the-less, she acknowledges that much of the humanitarian aid work she has completed since December would not have been possible but for the RAN and the other armed services.

		It's curtains Its curtains…in the nicest sort of way…for the patients of the Dili Hospital. Following some good work by LEUT Robin Barrett, the acting head nurse at the Balmoral Naval Hospital, and her staff, 40 curtains...

		New era for pilots June 26 heralded a new era in pilot training for the RAAF and RAN with the graduation of No. 183 Navy pilots course from No. 2 Flying Training School (2FTS) at RAAF Base Pearce, Western Australia.

		Safety first HMAS CERBERUS, in association with Defence Corporate Support, has initiated the first Internal Safety Auditors Course for Defence. The course was conducted at the Initial Training Faculty HMAS CERBERUS.

		Divers help out On Monday 12 June, RAN diving school staff and basic and advanced CD trainees were in transit to Triangular Island, located in Shoalwater Bay. After a brief stopover at Brisbane Airport...

		Medics taste adventure In the cold grey morning light they gathered, 15 fresh faces, unfamiliar in their casual attire, filled with boisterous expectation of the adventure that lay before them.

		Visitors still seek out DE The former Destroyer-Escort SWAN may be sitting in Davey Jones' locker off Western Australia, but she still has plenty of visitors. Since being given to the Western Australian Government in 1997 and then sunk, the old timer has been visited by an estimated 14,000...

		Loans, grants and the GST The full amount of loan applications through the RANRTF (currently a maximum of $1500) and RANCCF will continue to be paid in full to applicants. Similarly the full amount of grants through the RANRTF and RANCCF paid to, or on behalf of applicants, will be paid in full.

		Hospital sets the standard Being assessed then accredited by the prestigious International Standards Organisation is indeed a "feather in the cap." The Balmoral Naval Hospital at Mosman in Sydney is now wearing such a feather.

		Tips to keep fit The idea of slimming and toning up might inspire you to visit the gym. Having taken that step, what do you do when you get there? Deciding to get fit can be an easy decision, but with all the conflicting information on what (and what not) to do, some have second thoughts.

		ASRU women right on track ASRU women played an ACT development squad in cold and wet conditions at ADFA number one ground on June 29. ASRU won convincingly 27 to 7.

		A sea kayak tour of Gallipoli Peninsula An overseas battlefield tour will be conducted between September 16 -30 this year in Turkey to study the Gallipoli campaign. A significant part of this tour will involve a sea kayak adventurous training activity over a five day period around the Dardanelles.

		HMAS WORT