Navy News, March 22, 1999

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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.

March 22, 1999

		The Navy Look A Big Step Ahead The latest intake of 1055 Australian Defence Force Academy cadets have marked the completion of their initial military training at a new look Chief of Defence Force Parade.

		Medals For Peace Eleven of HMAS BALIKPAPAN's ship's company have been presented with the Australian Service Medal for their work as part of the International Peace Monitoring Group conducting operations in Bougainville.

		PENGUIN CO Dies The Commanding Officer of HMAS PENGUIN, CMDR Ian Pechey, collapsed suddenly and died at his Sydney home earlier this month. Aged 48, he was in charge of 400 uniformed and civilian personnel.

		CAIRNS Officer Awarded 1998 Queen's Medal The RAN is one of the few Australian organisations to continue awarding the Queen's Medal. The 1998 medal has gone to SBLT Phillip Andrews, a supply officer attached to HMAS CAIRNS.

		Family Expo In Top End Proves A Real Winner In an effort to help families integrate into the Darwin community the Defence Community Organisation has staged the inaugural Top End Expo 99 at HMAS COONAWARRA's Gymnasium.

		Nowra Area to get Seventy New Homes The Defence Housing Authority and Masterton Homes have entered into a $13 million contract for the construction of 70 new homes in the Nowra area. The homes, to be completed by the end of the financial year, will go to ADF personnel posted to the area.

		Power and Precision The Royal Australian Navy's ANZAC-class frigate, HMAS ANZAC (CAPT M.F. Bonser), is overflown by an F/A-18 Hornet (Flying Officer Kirby Glass) from the Royal Australian Air Force's 77 Squadron during Fleet Concentration Period 99.

		Divers Clear Portsea Bomb Navy Clearance Divers from Sydney have disposed of a potentially lethal bomb in the water off Point Nepean, near Portsea. The bomb was discovered about 300 metre off Point Nepean in 17 metres of water by members of a local dive club.

		Grim Find for Clean-Up Team RAN volunteers participating in this month's Clean Up Australia campaign recovered 150 needles used by drug addicts from the roof of the Navy's Fleet Base East car park and transport building.

		Case Closed For Naval Policeman Veteran naval policeman LCDR John 'Clueso' Beddow has put away his handcuffs after a military career which started in the UK way back in June, 1963.

		Senior Army Pilot Still in the Navy When Andrew Riches joined the Royal Australian Navy he never thought that five years later he would be flying Army helicopters for the Australian-led Peace Monitoring Group (PMG) in Bougainville.

		League Fires Up Defence rugby league representatives have wrapped up a successful tour of Victoria, returning home with three wins from four games and a wealth of competition experience.