A MUSICAL VOYAGE - Royal Australian Navy

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RAN BAND NEWS EDITION NUMBER 5
14 DECEMBER 2004
CHIEF PETTY OFFICER CAMILLE SMITH ENJOYS A HELICOPTER RIDE DURING A SEA DEPLOYMENT
FROM THE DIRECTOR’S DESK
We arrive at another very successful point on our voyage to promote Navy, and once again,
there have been many successes for which we can all be proud. Stories abound throughout
this edition of RAN Band News, which showcase the good work done by our people and their
collective achievements. These stories also attest to Who We Are, What We Stand For, and
Where We’ve Been.
We are one of Australia’s premier military ensembles and we provide a very efficient and
effective contribution to Navy’s public engagement profile. Many of our people have now
served at sea and their involvement in these sea deployments has added significantly to the
band’s profile within Navy. We have built on that program over the last six months and the
articles in this edition on the deployments in HMAS Parramatta, HMAS Anzac, and HMAS
Tobruk are an account of the work done and where we have been. Well done to all those
members who have embraced the challenge and have contributed so very effectively to the
success of our sea deployment program.
Next year brings more challenges and opportunities. I look forward with much interest to
hearing of the exploits of the eight musicians who embark in HMAS Anzac in January for
Exercise Northern Trident. The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, to be held in Sydney next
February, will give our people world wide exposure as well as an opportunity to participate
alongside some of the best bands in the world. As well as participating in those events the
usual round of ceremonial and public relations activities will continue.
Over the next twelve months we will be building on our sea deployment program; but the
challenge will be to do this for mutual benefit. I also expect to build on our previous good
relationship with the Forces Advisory Council on Entertainment and hope to see other
opportunities for deployments arise because of that relationship. Importantly though, I
intend to ensure that the ‘whole of team’ tour’s program continues as shown in the band’s
Marketing Plan; but the challenge will remain to withstand the funding pressure to enable
this to happen.
Royal Australian Navy Band: A Musical Voyage