Junior sailors deserve recognition

In a recent issue of Navy News (March 11) AB Ellis wrote to the editor regarding his concern at the lack of recognition of junior sailors during Fleet Divisions.

AB Ellis is correct. It is difficult to believe that a Navy of 13,000 people has so few junior sailors that are performing at a level that does not warrant a more formal means of recognition.

In higher level commendations and Australia Day and Queens Birthday honours and awards, we continue to make ourselves conspicuous by the absence of our junior people.

When I talk with Heads of Department and Commanding Officers about this I am often told that junior sailors are not nominated.

When I speak with senior sailors about this, I am told that when they nominate junior sailors, they are not accepted. This problem can be easily fixed by our individual Commanding Officers at the unit level. Recognition has a direct effect on retention and retention has been a focus in Navy for some time now.

The systems to recognise our people are in place and they are low cost for a high return. We need to utilise them.

WO David Turner
Warrant Officer of the Navy

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ADFA Pool to re-open in future

In response to the letter “Pool closures prompt concerns” (March 25), I am just as frustrated as you are that the ADFA swimming pool is still closed.

It was decided to limit the use of the ADFA swimming pool solely for safety reasons, which I fully support. It is a requirement by law that all government pools have a qualified lifeguard present during opening hours.

You’ve touched on just some of the issues associated with the safe operation of ADFA’s pool. I cannot provide constant lifeguard presence with the personnel I currently have available.

ADFA’s PTIs already have a very full program of junior officer training. My priority as Commandant must be the Midshipmen and Officer Cadets.

Nevertheless, you can be assured we are working hard to reopen ADFA’s pool – it is a priority to us. It will be reopened as soon as we have a full-time lifeguard, in accordance with legal requirements.

In the short term, we are working on a roster system that may include suitably qualified ADFA staff supplemented by qualified staff from Russell. I request your continued patience while we endeavour to implement a solution.

CDRE James Goldrick
Commandant ADFA

How to contact us

Navy News would like to encourage its readers to write in and express their views. Preference will be given to typed letters or e-mails of up to 250 words. Letters will only be published when they include the author’s name, ship or unit (where applicable), location and contact number. Note that the authors details can be witheld from print if requested. Send letters to: The Editor, Navy News, R8-LG-039, Russell Offices, Dept of Defence, Canberra, ACT 2600. Phone (02) 6266 7707, fax (02) 6265 6690 or e-mail: navynews@defencenews.gov.au (please note that this is not an internal e-mail address and therefore requires Sec: Unclassified in the subject line when sending from a DRN terminal.

 

 

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