Volume
49, No. 11, June 29, 2006
The
trial position of Ship’s Warrant Officer (SWO) HMAS Stirling
was established in January 2006 as a result of the successful
trial of SWOs at sea.
As a Sea Change initiative, and part of the Warrant Officer Employment
Review (WOER), it was determined that a SWO at the major shore
establishments would be of great benefit to the Command Team’s
ability to deal with day-to- day issues.
The size of the base at Stirling made it an ideal choice to set
up the trial.
In addition to Stirling, SWO positions were also stood up at HMAS
Kuttabul and HMAS Cerberus.
WOCSM Wade Green was posted to the role of Stirling SWO on January
18 and has worked hard at establishing the position and making
it a worthwhile and rewarding job for other Warrant Officers to
follow.
The Stirling SWO job is considerably different from that of a
SWO at sea.
The differences are primarily due to the complexities of Fleet
Base West (FBW) and the number of people (around 3,200) both civilian
and military who work on Garden Island.
Stirling is home to approximately 80 lodger units, some of which
are Commands in their own right, adding to the complexity of the
environment.
A cooperative and friendly approach is needed to achieve satisfactory
resolution of the day to day issues that arise.
The SWO plays an important role in listening to both sides of
an argument and assisting Command in reaching agreeable outcomes.
WO Green’s primary focus within the Command team is on the
personnel related issues, but he also has involvement in the day-to-day
running of the establishment.
He sees his job as something of a mix of an Army RSM, a US Navy
Command Master Chief, 3IC of Stirling and a divisional staff assistant
when required.
The SWO Stirling position is still developing, but already it
has proven to be a useful addition to the Command Element.
“The SWO job is one of the most satisfying I have done since
joining the Navy. I feel that I have the ability to make a direct
contribution to improving the Navy, and I now have a better appreciation
of the responsibility of Command and what is included as a part
of that Command,” WO Green said.
The SWO has oversight of the Human Resource Management Cell and
Regulating Office, providing insight to most of the personnel
issues and giving Command greater scope to deal effectively with
its people.
He has access to most organisations and has developed strong working
relationships with many of the area managers. He is the Senior
NCO of the establishment, and therefore must be seen to set the
standard and lead by example.
While the role of SWO at Stirling is new, it is becoming an integral
part of the Command Team.
The concept has been well received and supported by by most people
employed at FBW, and as they become more familiar with it, the
scope of duties will increase.
