Our People in TAS
Protecting Our North-West Approaches
"I joined the Navy in 1990," said Ron. "After basic training at HMAS CERBERUS (near Melbourne ) I spent a few years based in Sydney aboard frigates before I came to patrol boats."
"Now I'm aboard HMAS ARMIDALE - it's the first of the Navy's brand new class of patrol boats. They are much bigger than the old FREMANTLE class and much more comfortable.
"I've now got my Certificate 4 in cookery and I'm the ship's cook so when we're on patrol it's my job to feed 21 people three times a day - plus whoever we've arrested! I've also got a secondary job as a ship's medic. It means I have a Certificate in primary health care. I can prescribe drugs and give injections as well as bandage cuts and seal with broken bones.
"I also have a job on deck when we are coming alongside or going to sea - I'm on the fo'c'sle and look after number two line. So life at sea is not just about cooking.
"I've certainly seen a bit of the world too. So far I've traveled around south-east Asia, Singapore , the Philippines , Hong Kong and Japan . If anyone's got the time to go, I recommend the museum at Nagasaki where they dropped the atomic bomb - it's awesome.
"I was also involved in the Solomon Islands mission - my only overseas operation so far.
"I expect to be leaving the Navy at the end of 2007 and setting up in business for myself - I'm looking at a whole bunch of options at the moment. But the Navy's been good to me - there's been the job security, stability but a lot of diversity. One day you'll be thinking it's got a bit dull and the next day you're setting sail for some place you've never even heard of!"
Ron may be based in Darwin but he's still a Moonah boy at heart. "Not only will I be catching up with my parents soon but this year it's the 20 th anniversary reunion of Newtown High and Ogilvy High's class of 86. Try keeping me away from that! I can't wait to see what we've all been up to."
Ron and his shipmates are part of Operation Resolute. It's an operation that also includes Coastwatch, Customs, and surveillance flights by the Royal Australian Air Force. Working together, their twofold mission is to protect Australia 's offshore economic zone, and to intercept illegal immigrants and smugglers of every description.