A MUSICAL VOYAGE - Royal Australian Navy

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However, there has been a cost associated with getting our people back to sea. Six months
ago, no one was qualified for sea; by the completion of this financial year, almost 100
percent of the category will be readily to embark at short notice. Getting people requalified
has resulted in a lot of disruption to each of the permanent detachments. This
disruption, combined with the high training liability for the January / June period, has to
be managed carefully and I am working closely with each of the Music Director’s to
minimise any potential risk to our activities. In the Category Management Plan I identified a
series of activities, which were to be resourced and funded to achieve nation best
standards. These benchmark activities have included; the national tour to Newcastle,
Melbourne and Adelaide; the ceremonial recording in Sydney; the ‘live to air’ broadcast on
ABC Classic FM; Chief of Navy and Maritime Commander Ceremonial Sunset ceremonies; the
Stuart commissioning; and various welcome home and farewell ceremonies. This initiative
has been a resounding success, generating a high level of interest from potential recruits,
and securing our position within Navy as an organisation able to present a world-class
product. The retention situation has eased to a 10 percent annual exit rate and,
notwithstanding a high failure rate during the enlistment medical process, I expect more
than 95 percent of our positions to be filled by July. Our reserve detachments continue to
achieve good outcomes towards our national marketing effort—despite significant pressure
on reserve salaries, scrutiny by this office, and national structural reform for the Naval
Reserves. There is little doubt that my next task is to address the growing concerns of our
reserve people. However, I acknowledge that achieving a balance between organisational
goals and the career aspirations of our reserve members is not going to be easy. Also, you
should all be aware of the proposed transfer of control of the RAN Band from Maritime
Command to Systems Command. I convened a number of category meetings last year with
representatives across the category; the Systems Commander, Commodore Crane; and the
Chief of the Combat Support Group, Commodore Robinson. I have been working with
Commodore Robinson to ensure that our position of strength is not compromised as a result
of the transfer, and to ensure that our level of reinvigoration to the Fleet continues.
Commodore Robinson has been particularly helpful during this period of uncertainty.
To quote Albert Einstein, ‘In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity’. Hopefully, we will be
able to work together in the coming months to make opportunity out of the difficulties in
reserve salaries and the forthcoming transfer of control to the Commander, Australian Navy
Systems Command.
BANDIES AT SEA
HMAS Kanimbla: Article by Able Seaman Gordon Orr
Early June 2002 the Musician Branch was asked for volunteers to board HMAS Kanimbla
(Amphibious Class) for a twelve-week tour of duty somewhere to an unknown destination.
With only 24 hours notice due to a decision on NBCD training, the following personnel were
lucky enough to be chosen:
Able Seaman Shannon Rankine
Able Seaman Sonya Henderson
Able Seaman Karen Collidge
Able Seaman Brett Douglas
Able Seaman Gordon Orr
HMAS Kanimbla left Sydney, whilst Brett and I were flown to Darwin to meet the Ship. On
joining the ship we had 15 minutes to stow our gear and get straight into NBCD training. We
completed three days of theory on the ship and then spent a day of practical application of
what we had learnt out at the fire training ground at HMAS Coonawarra. The practical
component consisted of Fire fighting, entering a closed compartment with full fire fighting
gear and extinguishing a real fire, entering a flooding compartment and stopping the leaks
with shoring, plugs and pipe clamps. We also learnt how to operate a thermal cutter, which
cuts through 12mm steel (invented by a bank safe robber) and learnt how to use a ramset
tool (a nail gun used to nail steel sheets to bulkheads).
Royal Australian Navy Band: A Musical Voyage