By
SBLT Tim Slater
 |
|
USN
Commander Kevin Jones has learned a great deal about Collins
class submarines and Aussie culture during a two-year posting
to Perth.
Photo: SBLT Tim Slater
|
Perth
is the best city in Australia to work in the RAN and that’s official,
from a totally unbiased United States Navy source.
USN Commander Kevin Jones is halfway through a two-year exchange
posting at the Australian Submarine Squadron as Tactical Development
Officer and is learning almost as much about Australian culture
as he is about the performance of our Collins class submarines.
“The climate is excellent, the ability to go out and do things
and the close proximity to those things such walking, hiking,
swimming, snorkelling is what makes my time here in Perth so great,”
CDR Jones said.
“I’ve been able to travel around at least to the major southern
cities and I find that by and large Perth is my choice of where
I would reside.
It just has the lifestyle that is very appealing.”
CDR Jones is learning the subtle difference between the two cultures
and is getting up to speed with local phrases, mainly through
banter with colleague Paul Cooke in their office at HMAS Stirling.
“There are certain words that tend to get me into trouble,” he
said, without going into detail.
He said the exchange program was a great way for both countries
to learn from each other through the personal interchange of ideas
and experiences.
CDR Jones has learnt much about Collins class submarines in the
past 12 months and has spent a fair bit of time on most of the
boats based at Stirling.
“I get to see a wide variety of things at sea,” he said.
“And what I see every time I ride is the capability of the platform
and the capability of the people and that typically is contrary
to what you see reported in the media.”
But he believed the tide of publicity was turning positive despite
the initial negative reaction the submarines received.
“There are a lot of good stories out there right now that are
accurate and are aiming to dispel those type of myths,” CDR Jones
said.
“But once those myths have been solidified in people’s minds it’s
very hard to do that.
“Good, accurate stories just need to be told continually from
people in the know.”
CDR Jones arrived at HMAS Stirling after being Executive Officer
of the Los Angeles class fast attack boat, USS San Francisco,
for just over two years, based out of Guam.
He said he jumped at the chance to come to Australia, as it was
a sought-after assignment in the USN.
“I just happened to be in the best spot at the right time,” he
said.
CDR Jones has been a submariner for 26 years.
After rising through the ranks, he has spent 16 years as an officer.
When he completes his posting at Stirling he will undertake the
USN’s seven-month Prospective Commanding Officers’ course in preparation
to drive his own submarine.
And when he does haul anchor from WA for the last time, it will
be the people he will miss most.
CDR Jones is acquiring a gradual taste for Aussie sport, but still
can’t figure out the point of playing a four or five day cricket
match with a fair chance it will be a draw.
But he enjoys Aussie Rules, even though he is a Fremantle Dockers
fan.
