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SBLT Dave Egan scored a well-earned double at the Junior Warfare Officer
Application Course (JWAC) 43 graduation at HMAS Watson on February 28.
He was among 37 graduates who RADM Thomas presented with their Navigation
Watchkeeping Certificates.
SBLT Egan was also presented with the prize for best performance in phase
IV bridge simulator and the award for Dux JWAC 43 C/D, which is presented
to the officer who has achieved the highest academic standard throughout
all phases of training in their respective class.
“As you can imagine I’m pretty happy,” he said.
The Commanding Officer’s Prize for best results JWAC Warfare was
presented to SBLT Jennifer Parker and the Otto Albert Memorial Prize for
the best results in JWAC seamanship went to SBLT Ben Sweetenham.
The Ian MacDonald Memorial Award for most improved JWAC trainee phase
I-phase IV (Shore) went to SBLT Alicia Withers.
SBLT Bernard Dobson was the Dux of JWAC 43 A/B.
RADM Davyd Thomas told the graduates that they have exciting challenges
and great responsibilities ahead of them.
“Your journey toward command begins today with embarkation on RAN
warships in pursuit of your bridge warfare certificate,” he said.
“The navigation watchkeeping certificates you have received today
put you on the path to obtaining your bridge warfare certificate, which
is the only qualification you need to command a warship in the RAN.”
RADM Thomas told the graduates that in years to come they could command
the new naval platforms being acquired by the Navy in its transition from
the fleet-in-being to the enhanced fleet and the future fleet by 2015
and that he wants “leadership, risk management and a sense of Navy
community to be hallmarks of our fleet.”
COMAUSTFLT said he wants the fleet to develop a risk management culture
in order to mitigate risk because “we operate in a dangerous environment
and have to manage everything we do in terms of risk”.
RADM Thomas told the graduates it was important that they cultivate a
sense of community “so that people have a sense of belonging to an
entity where they want to serve and develop a common understanding of
the Navy mission and purpose.
“The leadership we must all model provides the basis for responsibility
and accountability at all levels and has many organisational benefits
including the retention of our skilled workforce,” he said.
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