Submariner role equal to others

I commend the author of the article in Navy News (March 11) addressing the issue of loss of allowances by members of the submarine fraternity.

I also acknowledge the ‘hard yards ‘put in by the patrol boat group over the years. Notwithstanding, no one section of this Navy contributes any more or any less to the ultimate goal, which is to fight and win at sea.

Likewise, our brothers and sisters in Establishments do their bit, without which our seagoing colleagues could not perform their roles and receive their richly deserved accolades.

As HMAS Bendigo’s charge’ says, “nothing is free”. I have personal family connections with the submarine service and I have the greatest admiration for those who go down to, and under, the sea in ‘boats’.

That does not mean they are any more special than the crew of a frigate loitering off Christmas Island for months at a time, a Fleet Unit on patrol in the Gulf, or a patrol boat/survey vessel spending mind-numbing weeks on station. They each have a role.

Our fathers and grandfathers would ‘turn in their graves’ if they could hear us complaining about allowances and the conditions we endure. My late father endured the siege of Tobruk, living in a sand pit, consuming stew garnished with flies and got wounded several times for his troubles.

A grandfather endured the mud and filth of Gallipoli and the Somme, losing his life at Menin Wood. My cousin, a US Marine, lost his life in Vietnam on his second tour of duty. Let’s not talk about ‘conditions’. We’ve got it good! The next thing you know we will be asking for time off for marching on Anzac Day!

Without wishing to labour the point too much, I can personally relate to sleeping in hammocks slung over the top of a screaming fire and bilge pump under asbestos-riddled insulation, deploying ‘up top’ without the benefits of air conditioning, showering in salt water, sleeping on the upper deck when conditions below were unbearable and working in machinery spaces in temperatures upwards of 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Out of all this I have contracted certain medical disabilities, including hearing loss and asbestosis. But I had a damn good time throughout all these trials and tribulations and I always knew what the word ‘shipmate’ meant.

If you joined the Service, or a branch of the Service, solely for the money, then you shouldn’t be here. Submariners are a specialist group, as are Clearance Divers and Aviators, but that doesn’t mean they are precious or special.

Show me the Diver who joined his Category just for the money - you won’t, because it’s a job satisfaction thing. Show me the SAS Troopers who did selection for extra money. Again, you won’t find them. They are dedicated. The same, I’m sure, goes for the majority of submariners.

I know times have changed and we need to live in the present, but for God’s sake, let’s grow up, harden up and get on with the job!

As an old sailor once said, “ It’s life in a blue suit”. As a former, late, US President once said, “ Ask not what your country can do for you”.

CPONPC Stevan Coll
Fleet Base West WA

Navy News thanks its readers for participating in this debate. All letters on subsistance will be forwarded to the appropriate area for consideration

---

Praise for our Navy good samaritans

I was in Queanbeyan last Saturday morning, sitting, waiting at the lights, when an elderly man in a wheelchair was trying to get across in time before the lights changed.

There were two ladies in a car waiting

for the right hand green arrow, who noticed this gentleman’s plight immediately. One young lady hopped out of the car and helped this gentleman get to the other side of the street safely.

Who were they?

The lady who assisted was a Navy officer in her white uniform (I think she was an officer) the driver was also a Navy person in blue. It was very uplifting to see these two young ladies assisting and showing the flag of humanity and the Navy.

Could you pass this on, as like all of us the public and media is quick to criticise but slow to praise.

Denise Hipwell
Queanbeyan NSW

---

Waiting for recognition

I have just sat through yet another news program covering the award of the Service medals, this time by the Minister of Defence to those who served in the Solomons.

Having returned from six months’ duty in Iraq at the beginning of February, I am curious when I, and other servicemen and women who served in this area of operations can expect to be honoured in the same way.

While there is no doubt that we are entitled to the AASM, there appears to be an arguement among the bureacrats in Canberra as to which clasp will accompany the medal - Iraq or the International Coalition Against Terrorism (ICAT).

Along with the changes that now require us to go cap in hand to the Directorate of Honours and Awards to be recognised for long service and other decorations, I find this situation yet another example of the hipocracy practised by our masters in Canberra who continue to try an convince us that we are Defence’s most important asset. How much longer can we be expected to wait for what is rightfully ours?

LCDR M. Aichholzer
HMAS Kuttabul NSW

---

Consider yard space

I understand that the Defence Housing Authority is doing the best they can for members with limited resources and in the main they are doing a good job. However a recent article in my local newspaper has concerned me enough to bring the issue to a wider audience.

In the Hornsby Shire, DHA have had a development approval knocked back due to wanting to place five townhouses on a block that currently has three houses.

According to the development application each townhouse would be on a block smaller than the council guidelines of 500m/sq.

If this is correct then none of these proposed townhouses would have any kind of usable outdoor area. Given the poor outdoor amenities of many of the Sydney DHA properties I looked at when I was house hunting in Dec 2003 and Jan 2004, this does not surprise me much.

The majority of defence personnel are in the age groups that have or are intending to have children and the lack of outdoor play areas is a major concern of these families. DHA need to start thinking just as much about outdoor amenities as whether or not properties have the appropriate floor plan.

Cheryl van Tienhoven
Epping NSW

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.

 

 

.