SWAMPED
HMAS Hawkesbury (LCDR Paul Mandziy) has saved six men from heavy seas in the waters off Ghizo Harbour in the Solomon Islands.


Navy open day takes Honiara hearts by storm
Navy assets deployed in support of Op Helpem Fren were a huge success at a special open day held in early August.


Whyalla on task for Helpem Fren
One Monday in July, HMAS Whyalla (LCDR Tim Byles) sailed from Cairns to begin a routine patrol, arriving in Darwin on July 12 for a logistics visit.


Sydney coming home
Ring on the homeward bounders, HMAS Sydney (CMDR Michael Van Balen) is coming home.


Top duo take awards
Seems Julia and Steve Angus are an award winning couple. On consecutive days last month they received plaudits for their work in the Royal Australian Navy.


Stephen wins McCarthy shield
In remembrance of the professionalism and outstanding personal attributes of ABATA Brian McCarthy, who died tragically after a rock climbing accident, the 723 Squadron Senior Sailors have dedicated a perpetual shield for outstanding achievement in pursuit of excellence in the maintenance field.


Steve is Navy’s first Chartered Engineer
Warrant Officer Stephen Hazell, currently based at Garden Island Perth, is the first member of the Royal Australian Navy to achieve Chartered Engineering Officer (CengO) status under the RAN February 2002 agreement with Engineers Australia - giving external national and international recognition to relevant experience and qualifications gained in the Navy.


MC: Focus will change
The Royal Australian Navy fleet will shift its focus from operations to refreshing its people, maintaining its ships and recovering individual and collective warfighting skills according to a priorities statement released in early August by MCAUST, RADM Raydon Gates.


Stirling’s Rod Brown made up
WO Rodney Brown from the Combat Systems Trainer Van (CSTV), located at HMAS Stirling was promoted to Warrant Officer on August 14 at HMAS Stirling (CMDR Phil Orchard).


Sydney first to upgrade
The multi-million dollar upgrade of the RAN’s six Adelaide Class guided missile frigates (FFGs) is set to start next month and ADI Ltd is the prime contractor.


Batboat detects incredible hulk
DSTO at Pyrmont has itself a Batboat and like the sleek vessel of the Caped Crusader and his sidekick Robin, its purpose is to protect the community.


Dome repairs found impractical
DSTO got a chance to display its expertise in underwater ultrasonic testing earlier this year.


USN’s Gregg makes LCDR
There is often pomp and ceremony when an officer in the US Navy is promoted. He, or she, re-affirms their Oath of Allegiance to the US Constitution while a family member or good friend has the honour of pinning the new ranking insignia on the recipient’s uniform.

Net spreads even further
The four arms of the Australian Defence Force, the RAN, Army, RAAF and Defence civilians...a total of 75,000 people... are now “talking to each other”...electronically speaking.

Waller returns triumphant
It was a happy day all around on Wednesday August 6 when HMAS Waller (LCDR Jason Cupples) returned home to HMAS Stirling.


Dechaineux back from deployment
HMAS Dechaineux (CMDR Peter Scott) recently returned to Fleet Base West after a three-month South East Asian deployment.


South Aussies show prodigious green thumbs
Royal Australian Navy personnel in South Australia have once again joined forces with the City of Charles Sturt, Henley and Grange Dunecare and children from West Beach Primary School to plant more than 600 native coastal plants.


Old Chowder Bay depot takes Greenway award
The former Submarine Mines Depot at Chowder Bay and the architects Allen Jack and Cottier, have just received a prestigious award from the NSW branch of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.


Aaron celebrates his eighteenth on the quarterdeck
Midshipman Aaron Scott had a unique way of celebrating his 18th birthday last week.


South Australia says thanks
Families and friends of South Australian-based Defence personnel who served in the Middle East have been thanked for supporting the servicemen and women at a special reception hosted by the State Government.

Navy leaves its mark on NAIDOC week
When HMAS Stuart (CMDR David Greaves) visited Melbourne last month she took the opportunity to join with the local indigenous community in the National Aboriginal Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) celebrations.

Cooks exchange possible
In July last year POCK Michael Oleksyn attended the Telstra Stadium for four weeks to observe the functions and routines carried out by catering staff.

Outreach CD now available
Have you had trouble accessing information on personnel issues such as pay, conditions, health, safety, equity, and honours and awards while you’ve been onboard a ship? What about information about Reserve service, or the Defence renewal agenda?

So Super
In the last column of So Super we examined payment of your member benefit and employer benefit from the Military Superannuation Benefits Scheme (MSBS) if you had resigned from the ADF. This time we focus on retirement benefits.

Cairns to Karumba: a long ride for charity
Seven hundred and twenty eight kilometers across Far North Queensland on a push bike seems like a long way for a bunch of sailors to ride, but eight from HMAS Cairns (CMDR Niel Wark) did just that to raise $5000 for the School of Distance Education (formerly the School of the Air).


Bulletin Board
Navy notices