Our People in SA
Able Seaman Boatswains Mate James Burkett
“I grew up in Modbury, but my parents now live in Northaven. I graduated to Year 12 at Gleeson College in Golden Grove but I always enjoyed sailing as a sport so, after school, I started working as a boat-builder — I only joined the Navy in 2005 when I was 24. I had absolutely no qualifications for a Navy career but I felt I needed to be part of something bigger!
“Now I’m an Able Seaman and I work in the ship’s Armoury [weapons and ammunition store]. Although I am away from home a lot, we get looked after well and I love being on the ocean — which might be influenced by my Dad!
“I still wake up every morning happy where I am in my career. I try to be someone that the newer Seaman onboard can look up to. Every time this ship sailed, we sailed as a team setting out to achieve something.”
“In the time I’ve been in the Navy, I’ve been to Malaysia, around Australia, to Christmas Island, East Timor, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand and India. I’ve been at sea a lot, but you do accrue a lot of leave in that time away — and I wouldn’t get up in the morning and be this happy if I didn’t love it.”