Better care She's back - Department of Defence

26 November 8, 2012
PERSONNEL
Ready to
dive into
the job
Michael Brooke
SMN Matthew Kennewell came of
age as a clearance diver when he was
awarded two achievement awards at
the graduation ceremony for Basic
Clearance Diver Course (BCDC) 81.
SMNCD Kennewell received his
CD rating badge as well as the J.N.
Memorial Shield for outstanding student
and the Bill Fitzgerald GUTZ
award for best overall performance
during the course.
He was one of eight students who
graduated in a ceremony at HMAS
Penguin on September 14.
The students have been assigned
postings to the various Australian
learance diving teams located around
ustralia, including AUSCDT-One at
MAS Waterhen and AUSCDT-Four
t HMAS Stirling.
Captain Navy Training Policy
CAPT Michael Hickey said clearance
divers enjoyed a well-deserved inter-
national reputation for being able to
get the job done. “It takes a particular
kind of courage and motivation to
time and again pull on the wetsuit to
do a dirty, dangerous and lonely job
that many other people would not do,”
he said.
OIC RAN Dive School LCDR
Russ Crawford praised the graduates
for their dedication and his staff for
their mentoring, which enabled the
students to reach such a high professional
standard.
LCDR Crawford said the eight
graduates had been under constant
instruction with countless assessments
over the past nine months, during
which time they demonstrated the
skills necessary to operate as clearance
divers in the Navy.
The course covered basic demolitions,
deep air, tools, maritime tactical
operations, mine countermeasures,
ship-bourne improvised explosive
device disposal, explosive ordnance
disposal and demolitions.
TOP OF CLASS: CO
AUSCDT-One LCDR
Brett Daw presents SMN
Matthew Kennewell with
the J.N. Memorial Shield
for most outstanding
student at the Basic
Clearance Diver Course
graduation ceremony
(above) and (left) the
graduating class after the
ceremony.
Photos: ABIS Dove Smithett