Growing up between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Commander Sarah West’s path to Navy began not on the water, but behind a microphone. 

Before joining in 2009 as a maritime warfare officer, she worked as a journalist and ABC newsreader – skills that would later become central to her Navy career.

Her first sea posting set the tone for what would become a career defined by adventure, people and purpose. 

Assigned to HMAS Stuart, she joined the ship in the Maldives at the end of an Operation Slipper rotation. 

“I couldn’t believe how lucky I was,” she said. 

“Four days R&R in the Maldives for my first sea posting. ‘Join the Navy see the world’ was true.”

It was just the beginning of a career that would take her across the globe.

In 2011, she transferred to Military Public Affairs – an inflection point she describes as transformative. 

As a public affairs officer, she found herself working alongside exceptional people across Navy and the ADF, capturing stories that reflected the commitment, sacrifice and professionalism of the Defence workforce. 

The opportunity to meet thousands of serving members and share their stories became one of the most rewarding aspects of her service.

Her career highlights reflect the breadth and impact of her work. 

As a team leader in the 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit, she travelled extensively, deploying across all domains and working with the ADF’s leading imagery specialists. 

Together, they documented operations, exercises and engagements that strengthened Australia’s partnerships across the region.

'It made me immensely proud to serve alongside such amazing Australians.'

One deployment stands out vividly in her memory: Pacific Partnership in Vietnam. There, she witnessed Navy surgeon Commander Ravi Mahajani restore mobility to a local man whose severe burns had fused his arm to his torso.

She also saw Navy nurses deliver compassionate, high‑stakes care in emergency and intensive care wards.

“It made me immensely proud to serve alongside such amazing Australians,” she said.

Working for the Chief of Navy as his Assistant Chief of Staff has been another significant career highlight.

Commander West draws inspiration from many women across Defence.

Trailblazers such as Captain Jenny Daetz, the first woman to command a Royal Australian Navy ship, and senior leaders like Rear Admiral Rachel Durbin have shaped her approach to leadership and service. 

She also acknowledges peers, whose support and authenticity have encouraged her to embrace the 'unicorn' qualities she brings to Navy.

Away from work, she spends time reading about politics and geopolitics, cooking wood‑fired pizza for her family, planning adventures and co‑creating “silly children’s books” with her two young sons.

A former A‑League assistant football coach, she is now enjoying a well‑deserved break from winter nights on the pitch.

For Commander West, serving as a woman in Navy is a continuation of her family’s legacy, inspired by her grandfather’s bravery in World War II, which saw him awarded the Military Medal. 

Now a mother, she is intentional about demonstrating to her sons the value of contributing to something greater than oneself. 

“It’s important to me that they know they are part of the Navy family,” she said.

Her story is one of service shaped by curiosity, compassion and courage – qualities she continues to embody as a leader, storyteller and role model in today’s Navy.