Driving the Navy’s future

By Graham Davis

Chief of Navy VADM Chris Ritchie with some of the PWO 33 graduates at HMAS Watson.

Photo: LSPH Damian Pawlenko

And who will command the next generation of ships to enter service in the Royal Australian Navy?

According to the Chief of Navy, VADM Chris Ritchie, many of the young officers shown in this image.
He told them so when the group graduated from Principal Warfare Officer 33 course.

“Many of you will command these new acquisitions,” he said when making the graduation address during a ceremony at the Ritchie Auditorium at HMAS Watson in Sydney on November 21.

He had earlier outlined what new ships the RAN will receive over the next few years.

A total of 17 officers, two of them from the New Zealand navy completed the gruelling 12-month long course.

VADM Ritchie described the PWO course as “one of the most difficult courses offered by the Defence force”.
A number of awards were made to outstanding graduates.

The prestigious Sydney-Emden Award and the Sword of Excellence went to clearance diving officer LEUT Chris Leece.

He was not present at the ceremony as he is serving his country as the Communications Officer in HMAS Melbourne, now in The Gulf.

The Santa Barbara Association Certificate went to LEUT Wayne Hamilton, and the Captain Darling Award to LEUT Bevan Conole.

Additional awards went to LEUT Philipa Hay, LEUT Mark Sirois and LCDR Phil Hiatt.

The 17 graduates, (not all of whom were at the ceremony) were LEUT Ryan Gaskin, LEUT Wayne Hamilton, LEUT Steve Lenik (RNZN), LEUT Scott Lowe, LEUT Kerry Matthews, LEUT Stu Muller, LEUT Leon Newman, LCDR Phil Hiatt, LEUT Bevan Conole, LEUT Philipa Hay , LEUT Mark Sirois, LCDR Ash Papp, LCDR Peter Stubbs, LEUT Simon Griffiths (RNZN), LEUT Scott Houlihan, LEUT Dave Landon, and LEUT Chris Leece.

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