West comes up with a stirling idea... SLOW DOWN
Slow down, enjoy the magnificent view of the Cockburn Sound and avoid a speeding fine or worse the loss of life.

VADM to lead new joint Ops Command
A senior Navy officer has been appointed to head the Australian Defence Force’s new Joint Operations Command.


Call for designs of new air warefare destroyer
Three international ship building companies have been chosen to develop designs for the RAN’s new Air Warfare Destroyers, due to be delivered in 2013.


Briefs


Half-naked hero earns a gong
Anyone laying down his weapon, removing his bullet proof vest then walking barefoot and naked except for his camouflage shirt, across an Iraqi desert in wartime, would, under normal circumstances, find himself up on a charge.


Divers destroy vintage mine
A handful of residents evacuated by Police launch RAN divers had to destroy World War 2 mine found in shallows beside Broughton Island, Stephens earlier this month.

Darkest days remembered
Some of the “darkest days” in Australia’s World War II history were remembered during a memorial and wreath laying ceremony in Sydney on February 28.

White powder investigation
Emergencies have been declared twice at HMAS Albatross in the past month following the discovery of white powder on mail.

Tall tales about Indian ship
SBLT Arno Tielens is the first Australian officer to be given the unique opportunity to conduct 11 days sail training on board the Indian three-mast sailing ship, INS Tarangini.

Exercise Sea Lion roars into action
Exercise Sea Lion, recently conducted in the Cowley Beach Training Area, North Queensland, showed just how well Navy, Army and Air force work together to deal with the challenges of joint amphibious operations.

It's all elementary for teachers
Dorothy Welzen has served on 24 United States Navy warships in the last eight years.

New online training service
A new online learning system for the Australian Defence Organisation will deliver training and education to more than 90,000 military and civilian personnel.

Piper plays out Tartan Terror
There were 300 family members and friends on the Fleet Base East wharf as the Tartan Terror HMAS Stuart (CMDR Phil Spedding) edged away on her way to The Gulf.

Melbourne supplies help
During recent operations in the North Persian Gulf, HMAS Melbourne (CMDR Vern Dutschke) was tasked to conduct a resupply at sea with USS Firebolt.


Navy joins campaign to clean-up Australia
Beaches, roads, scrubland and lawns were given a Navy overhaul during this years Clean-Up Australia Day. Around 600 personnel from HMAS Stirling, HMAS Harman and Darwin participated in the day, removing tonnes of rubbish from surrounding areas.

Bulletin Board

Attack on Darwin marked
At 9.58am on February 19, 1942 Japanese bombers dropped their deadly loads on Darwin. World War 2 had reached Australia’s shores.

French call for memorabilia
Outside the Caen Memorial in north-western France flags of more than 20 countries fly proudly.

Personal info at your fingertips
PMKeyS Self Service (PSS) means that anyone with access to a terminal on the Defence Restricted Network can now look at their own personal information held in PMKeyS through the DPE Personnel Portal or Web Page.

New web site set to pay-off
The Defence Personnel Executive (DPE) is conducting a four-month trial of a new Defence Pay and Conditions web site.

Class 201 graduate in style
The biggest intake of trainees to undergo category training at the Maritime CIS Wing graduated on January 28.

Career manager's long journey in RAN
CPOCIS Andrew “Waz” Barr provides a profile of his job as a Communications and Information Systems Career Manager.

Cooks flex culinary mussels
The fifth Rockingham Mussel Fest was held on March 7, with a significant naval involvement in the day’s activities, attended by thousands of visitors.