Volume 48, No. 9, June 01, 2006
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| WOFF Maeve Tennent |
FORTY years of service was recognised last month for a Warrant Officer with an impressive record.
WOFF Maeve Tennent, the activities co-ordinator with 23SQN’s Operational Support Flight, received her Certificate of Service from Chief of Air Force AIRMSHL Geoff Shepherd during CAF’s visit to RAAF Base Amberley.
WOFF Tennent (nee Cooper), who completed 40 years of PAF and RAAFAR service in January, joined the WRAAF on January 18, 1966, and underwent recruit training at 1RTU.
Basic Steward training at RAAFSTT followed, and in April that year, she arrived at RAAF Richmond as an ACW STWD. She was reclassified to LACW a year later and a CPL in 1968.
Postings to RAAF Point Cook, RAAF Base Williamtown and No 7SD (Toowoomba) followed in quick succession, before a return to Richmond in March 1970.
During her spell there, CPL Cooper was promoted to Sergeant and at the time was limited to any promotion beyond that.
Arriving at RAAF Base Amberley in June 1972, then SGT Cooper met FSGT Allan Tennent. They married on January 25, 1975.
In 1977 the WRAAF was incorporated into the RAAF, increasing the career prospects for female members as they were extended to match those of their male counterparts. WOFF Tennent lost four years’ seniority in the merger, but could now aspire to WOFF rank.
During postings to RAAF Bases Darwin, Learmonth, Townsville, East Sale and Amberley, she reached the previously-unattainable rank of FSGT and was eventually promoted to WOFF in 1986.
WOFF Tennent transferred to the RAAFAR and to 23SQN in April 1987, where she has since re-mustered to cook, and now coordinates the activities of Operational Support Flight.
She will discharge in August 2007, after more than 41 years of PAF and RAAFAR service.
