Navy Victoria Network July 2013 News

News & Articles of Interest

31 July 2013	GRANTS SUPPORT VETERAN AND DEFENCE COMMUNITIES New avenues for social interaction and refurbishing facilities used by the veteran and defence communities are some of the important projects to receive funding in the latest round of Veteran & Community Grants, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Warren Snowdon announced today. More.....
31 July 2013	Saluting guns ready for arrival of world’s navies The Royal Australian Navy has tested its new Three Pound Saluting Gun Battery at the Garden Island Naval Base, in readiness for October’s International Fleet Review, which commemorates the arrival of Navy’s first fleet in Sydney Harbour in 1913. More.....
31 July 2013	Fair Indexation of Military Service Pensions The Coalition will keep faith with Australia’s veterans by providing for the fair indexation of Defence Forces Retirement Benefits (DFRB) and the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits (DFRDB) military superannuation pensions. More.....
31 July 2013	Legendary Sydney pie shop Harry's Cafe de Wheels goes global It’s the pie cart that became an Australian legend, and now it's going global. Harry's Cafe de Wheels, the iconic harbourside food stall which has been serving up its famous pies with peas since the 1930s, is to expand into Asia and the United States. More.....
30 July 2013	ADSO Media Release Rudd Government’s 11th Hour Commitment to Military Veterans After years of strong opposition from the Labor Government, Minister for Defence Materiel, Dr Mike Kelly, today announced the Government will change the way some military retirement pensions are adjusted for cost of living increases. The announced change is a Labor election promise that will be introduced next year if the Government is re-elected. More.....
30 July 2013	Albatross continues dominance in Father Mac Cup The 22nd Father Mac Cup was won convincingly by the HMAS Albatross Australian Rules Team at Randwick Army Barracks in Sydney last week. More.....
30 July 2013	The imagery we take today is the history of tomorrow Looking into the eyes of World War One soldiers, many of whom were killed on the battlefield in France within weeks of their photo being taken, was a poignant experience for Lieutenant Commander Ian Lumsden when he visited the exhibition Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt on display at the Australian War Memorial earlier this week. More.....
30 July 2013	Chief of the Defence Force hosts Commander US Pacific Command Chief of the Defence Force General David Hurley is today hosting the Commander of the United States Pacific Command (PACOM), Admiral Samuel Locklear III, in Cairns for the annual Australia-PACOM Military Representatives (MILREPS) meeting. More.....
30 July 2013	Changes to indexation of military superannuation payments The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel Warren Snowdon and the Minister for Defence Materiel Mike Kelly today announced changes to the way in which military superannuation retirement pay will be indexed for the DFRB scheme and the DFRDB scheme. More.....
29 July 2013	Navy pilot gets first chance to fly RAAF fighter aircraft solo Navy pilot Sub Lieutenant (SBLT) Andrew Bath had his first flight in a Hawk light attack fighter aircraft last week at RAAF Pearce, WA. More.....
29 July 2013	Closing the chapter – The last Getting Division Hundreds of family and friends gathered to watch as 63 of Navy’s newest sailors graduated from the RAN Recruit School, closing the chapter on the first stage of their training and advancing toward their careers within Navy. More.....
29 July 2013	Navy rejects violence against women Royal Australian Navy personnel helped raise funds and awareness of the issue of violence against women at a number of events. More.....
28 July 2013	Navy Promotes International Fleet Review Through V8 Connection A Squirrel helicopter from 723 SQN in its new IFR livery has helped promote the upcoming International Fleet Review through Navy's alliance with V8 Supercars. More.....
27 July 2013	Canberra an awesome sight for ship’s company A group of NUSHIP Canberra personnel laid eyes on the ship they will soon call home during their first visit to Williamstown Dockyard in Victoria this week. Most were surprised at the sheer size of Canberra and appreciated the opportunity to explore the ship for the very first time. More.....
26 July 2013	View our July newsletter - now incorporating NCCV's newsletter Rogues' Yarn. NOTE from Webmaster: If you are a member and haven't received your July newsletter by email, the email address you supplied on joining is incorrect. To correct this, contact the webmaster at: and he will copy and amend your address.
25 July 2013	International Fleet Review – more ships announced and website relaunched With ten weeks to go until the commencement of the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review (IFR) Sydney 2013, two more ships have been announced and a redesigned IFR website has been launched. More.....
25 July 2013	Navy dominates Air Force in AFL curtain raiser Before the West Coast Eagles and Sydney Swans took to the field at Patersons Stadium for the HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial Match, Navy and Air Force enjoyed the opportunity of playing the curtain raiser. More.....
25 July 2013	Swans and Eagles honour Sydney (II) On Sunday, 21 July, the Australian Football League honoured the 645 brave men who perished in Australia’s greatest naval tragedy when the West Coast Eagles came head to head with Sydney Swans at Patersons Stadium for the HMAS Sydney (II) Memorial Match. More.....
25 July 2013	Defence suicide awareness program recognised The Department of Defence was recognised for raising community awareness of suicide prevention with the LiFE (Living is For Everyone) Public Sector Award at a prestigious national awards event last night (24 July 2013). More.....
23 July 2013	Chief of Navy appoints an Advisor on Islamic Cultural Affairs Ensuring that Navy remains focused on all aspects of diversity is a key priority for the Chief of Navy, which is why he has recently appointed a Strategic Advisor on Islamic Cultural Affairs. Captain Mona Shindy, RAN who heads up the Guided Missile Frigate System Program Office (FFGSPO) accepted the position in March 2013 and has welcomed the opportunity to create better understanding amongst Defence members and the wider Islamic community. More.....
23 July 2013	Pathway to Change Milestones Minister for Defence Stephen Smith today announced the completion of two key milestones in Defence’s extensive program of cultural reform, Pathway to Change, and the Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) and the wider ADF. More......
22 July 2013	Obstruction Halts Newcastle HMAS Newcastle’s Ship’s Dive Team has earned a ‘Bravo Zulu’ from the Commander Joint Task Force 633 (CJTF633) while in the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO), for conducting a complex underwater evolution to remove an obstruction from the Ship’s main propeller shaft. More.....
22 July 2013	HMAS Sydney goes quiet on Exercise SILENT BANSHEE All it took to reinforce that HMAS Sydney could get the job done no matter what was a week-long exercise to simulate the loss of vital naval communications satellites. According to the ship’s Communications and Information Systems subject matter expert, Chief Petty Officer James Scorer, Exercise SILENT BANSHEE proved that matters such as the loss of communications satellites are not insurmountable. More.....
21 July 2013	Esther Williams trophy retired The final chapter in a naval tradition was closed with a low key yet dignified ceremony at the Royal Australian Navy Heritage Centre, Garden Island with the decommissioning of the legendary Esther Williams trophy. Commanding Officer HMAS Stuart, Commander Jason Hunter escorted Esther on her final voyage from Fleet Base West, presenting her to Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Tim Barrett. More.....
21 July 2013	Getting Division, for the final time The last Getting Division, GE313, will march into Royal Australian Navy history on the 26th July 2013, as they proudly graduate from the Royal Australian Navy Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus. Family and friends will watch as the new recruits close the chapter on the first stage of their training and take the next step toward their careers within Navy. The graduation of the last Getting Division will be reviewed by the Deputy Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Michael van Balen, RAN. More.....
17 July 2013	Sydney welcomes USS Blue Ridge Sydney was abuzz on Saturday, 13 July with the arrival of United States Navy, USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) docking at Garden Island, Sydney for a port visit. The command ship of the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet, the Blue Ridge with her 52 officers and 790 enlisted personnel, arrived in Sydney ahead of her scheduled participation in the biannual US Australia joint military exercise, TALISMAN SABER 2013. More.....
17 July 2013	Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk ..... from the webmaster In June I visited the recently completed Vietnam Veterans Commemorative Walk in Seymour, Victoria. It commemorates the 60,000+ men and women who served in Vietnam. The name of every person who served in Vietnam is listed on the walls. The Walk incorporates a meandering red earth path set in native trees and grasses that resemble rubber trees and rice paddies. These two plants are synonymous to Vietnam. Contemplation areas are incorporated into the Walk as a place for people to sit and reflect on the sacrifices of those that went before us serving our country. If you are ever travelling along the Hume Hwy, take the exit to Seymour to visit. It is an amazing and emotional visit. With the photos I took, I created a slide show and have placed it on YouTube. Click here to view the video.....
15 July 2013	Defence whets its appetite for healthy eating The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is using social marketing tools for a study that could be used to improve the eating choices of Defence personnel. More.....
15 July 2013	Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 begins Exercise Talisman Saber 2013 has commenced, with more than 28,000 soldiers, sailors, air men and women taking to the sea, land and sky in northern Australia. More.....
14 July 2013	WE REMEMBER - 60 YEARS SINCE THE KOREAN WAR ARMISTICE The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, today announced that fifteen veterans of the Korean War will travel back to the Republic of Korea at the end of the month to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which marked the end of active fighting on the Korean peninsula. More.....
12 July 2013	NEW GALLERY RECOGNISES KEY AUSTRALIAN WW1 BATTLEFIELD A new gallery dedicated to the Australian service and sacrifice in the First World War Battle of Passchendaele has opened today in Zonnebeke, Belgium, at the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon said the new gallery recognises the involvement of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland in the four-month campaign of the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917, commonly known as the Battle of Passchendaele. More.....
11 July 2013	Navy commissions 808 Squadron and new MRH 90 helicopter A new helicopter to be used by both the Royal Australian Navy and Army was today inducted into the Australian Defence Force Fleet during a commissioning ceremony at HMAS Albatross, near Nowra, NSW. The ceremony also marked the formal induction of 808 Squadron to operate the new MRH 90 Taipan Multi-Role Helicopter. More.....
11 July 2013	Royal Navy’s most advanced warship is on the way The Royal Navy are delighted to confirm they are sending one of their most advanced warships, the destroyer HMS Daring, to represent the UK at the Royal Australian Navy’s International Fleet Review (IFR) this October. Daring is a Type 45 warship based in Portsmouth, UK with a ship’s company of 190 men and women who are busily exercising in the Pacific en route to Australia. More.....
11 July 2013	Multi-million dollar projects for Sydney Baulderstone Pty Ltd will be appointed to manage the construction of new and refurbished sustainment facilities in Sydney for the Royal Australian Navy’s new Air Warfare Destroyers and Landing Helicopter Dock ships. More.....
11 July 2013	Click here to view the Navy League of Australia (Vic Div) July Newsletter
09 July 2013	Fleet Air Arm to Wow Australia The Royal Australian Navy’s Fleet Air Arm (FAA) will play a spectacular role in the International Fleet Review (IFR) from 3 – 11 October 2013 which includes a combined flypast above more than 40 ships for the salute on Sydney Harbour. More than a dozen Navy helicopters and hundreds of members of the FAA will contribute to marking 100 years since the nation’s first RAN Fleet Entry in 1913. The FAA will also showcase the way it supports today’s Fleet with the helicopters that have become integral to Navy operations. More.....
08 July 2013	RAN leading the world with MRH90 helicopter introduction at sea The Royal Australian Navy is leading the world in bringing the new MRH90 ‘Taipan’ Multi-Role Helicopter into service at sea. The Navy’s soon-to-be-commissioned 808 Squadron has been conducting trials, testing, evaluation and training on the MRH90 Taipan helicopter since 2010. More.....
08 July 2013	Canberra crew spends time at sea on NUSHIP systems Over the past two weeks, Royal Australian Navy technical sailors identified for NUSHIP Canberra have been familiarising themselves with ship systems common to Canberra, onboard Spanish Ship ESPS Cantabria. Australian sea riding sailors have been working with their Spanish counterparts while Cantabria operated in the East Australian Exercise Area in support of HMA Ships Perth and Melbourne. More.....
08 July 2013	HMAS Newcastle in search for missing fishermen in the Indian Ocean HMAS Newcastle has combined with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) warship Mianyang to search for survivors of a damaged fishing trawler in Middle Eastern waters. Newcastle and Mianyang worked together to conduct a search and rescue operation in the Indian Ocean, 350 nautical miles north of Seychelles. More.....
05 July 2013	In-home child carers to reside in ADF subsidised housing From 1 July 2013, further improvements to Defence housing policy will allow ADF members to have a non-dependent child carer live in their Defence subsidised housing. More.....
05 July 2013	Australia-Republic of Korea Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting Foreign and Defense Ministers Yun Byung-se and Kim Kwan-jin of the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Foreign and Defence Ministers Bob Carr and Stephen Smith of Australia held the first Foreign and Defence Ministers’ (2+2) Meeting in Seoul, ROK, to discuss regional and global security issues and ways to advance security and defence cooperation between Australia and the ROK, on July 4 2013. More.....
05 July 2013	Inquiry into unresolved recognition for Service with the United States Army Small Ships Section The independent Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal will inquire into unresolved recognition for service with the United States Army Small Ships Section. In 2009, the Australian Government accepted a recommendation of the former Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal that Australian civilian personnel who served in ships operated by the United States Army Small Ships Section between 1942 and 1945 be recognised as eligible for Australian or Imperial recognition for that service on the same basis as members of the Merchant Navy. More.....
04 July 2013	Registrations for the Sea Power Conference 2013 Registrations are now open for the Sea Power Conference 2013, being held in Sydney over the period 7-9 Oct 13 http://seapowerconference2013.com.au Australian Maritime Digest Please find the link below to the July edition of the Australian Maritime Digest, produced by the Australian Association for Maritime Affairs and distributed under a licence purchased by the RAN. Sea Power Centre - Australia AMD 1 July 2013.....
04 July 2013	Navigation Act 2012 comes into effect It's the beginning of a new era, with the new Navigation Act 2012, coming into effect yesterday. The Act replaces the the century old Navigation Act 1912 with a contemporary legislative framework for maritime regulation. More.....
04 July 2013	Launch of Navy Daily News Website Today the Royal Australian Navy launched its new online news website Navy Daily at http://news.navy.gov.au. Navy Daily will complement Navy News, Navy internet/intranet sites and social media through the online delivery of news stories about Navy's activities. More.....
04 July 2013	VICTORIAN STUDENTS AWARDED STUDY BOOST Fifteen Victorian students will receive up to $9,000 each to help meet the costs of their post-secondary education, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Warren Snowdon, announced today. Mr Snowdon said the Long Tan Bursary Scheme provides children of Vietnam veterans with financial assistance to help them pursue their chosen studies and careers. More.....
03 July 2013	Consolidation of final keel block for first Air Warfare Destroyer Minister for Defence Materiel Dr Mike Kelly AM MP today announced the final keel block for the future destroyer, Hobart, has been successfully lifted into place by the AWD Alliance in Adelaide. Dr Kelly said the final keel block is the 18th of 31 blocks to be joined into what is rapidly becoming the recognisable structure of the Hobart. More.....
03 July 2013	Romeo’s first flight Minister for Defence Materiel Dr Mike Kelly AM MP today announced the first of 24 MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopters has successfully completed its first test flight. The initial test flight occurred at Sikorsky’s Production Facility, Connecticut USA on 26 June 2013. It passed a range of tests including controllability, engine performance, vibration analysis and navigation as well as the ‘Contractor Flight Acceptance’ phase. “The Federal Government has invested over $3 billion in acquiring 24 MH-60R Seahawk Romeo helicopters, representing a sizeable commitment toward Australia’s ongoing air combat capability,” Dr Kelly said. More.....
02 July 2013	Refurbished WWI Museum strengthens Franco-Australian ties Major refurbishments to a First World War museum on the Western Front are a step closer today following an additional Australian Government contribution of over $700,000 to the Franco Australian Museum, housed within the Victoria School in Villers-Bretonneux, France. More.....
02 July 2013	Helicopters get dressed up for the International Fleet Review The crew of 723 Squadron at HMAS Albatross dress four Eurocopter AS-350BA Squirrel helicopters in their new International Fleet Review (IFR) livery. 723 Squadron, along with ADF and visiting military aircraft, will be participating in aerial displays during the IFR in October 2013. The International Fleet Review 2013 is being held from 3-11 October to commemorate the centenary of the first entry of the Royal Australian Navy's Fleet into Sydney. View the video on YouTube.....
02 July 2013	Strong partnerships help improve conditions in Island nations Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel are playing a vital role as key contributors to Pacific Partnership, a United States-sponsored humanitarian and civic assistance mission to help improve the lives of people in the Pacific Region. This year, Pacific Partnership will deliver medical, dental, veterinary, explosive remnants of war disposal and engineering aid to Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Solomon Islands. The contributing nations include the US, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, France and Malaysia. More.....
02 July 2013	Consolidation of final keel block for first Air Warfare Destroyer Minister for Defence Materiel Dr Mike Kelly AM MP today announced the final keel block for the future destroyer, Hobart, has been successfully lifted into place by the AWD Alliance in Adelaide. Dr Kelly said the final keel block is the 18th of 31 blocks to be joined into what is rapidly becoming the recognisable structure of the Hobart. More.....
02 July 2013	Last Rankin Division Graduation Seventy seven recruits from Rankin Division, General Entry intake 312, made Australian Naval history on 28 June 2013, when they marched onto the RAN Recruit School Parade Ground. Their Graduation Parade will be remembered as the last Rankin Division to graduate from the RAN Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus. More.....
01 July 2013	Correcting the record – Ian McPhedran ADFA article 30 June 2013 The article by Ian McPhedran “Cadets’ sex probe stalls” published in News Limited newspapers on Sunday 30 June contains a significant amount of speculation and in parts is factually incorrect. This article may lead the public to be misinformed about the current management of this issue. More.....
01 July 2013	HMAS Harman’s Sapphire Jubilee It’s almost 70 years since Royal Australian Navy Wireless/Transmitting Station Canberra commissioned as HMAS Harman on 01 July 1943. In the early 1920s, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board recommended the establishment of strategic wireless stations in Canberra and Darwin. Canberra was as its distance from the coast was reduced the likelihood of enemy attack, with the RAN Wireless/Transmitting Station, Canberra, starting operations on April 20, 1939. More.....
01 July 2013	Unusual Creature Drops in for Check Up The veterinary team deployed for Pacific Partnership 2013 has treated a most unusual patient. Far from the farm stock and pets they were expecting, the team were presented with a native cus cus, a striking orange bush possum. Named Mangitungs, the cus cus was brought in to a full day community health fair by his owner Erica. More.....
01 July 2013	Channel 7 Coverage of Exercise Sea Lion Exercise Sea Lion Block II Amphibious Training will soon come to a close, with the exercise being hailed a success and a significant stepping stone in the development of Australia’s amphibious capability. More.....
01 July 2013	Australian and French warships unite to promote maritime security Nearly 100 years after France and Australia fought side by side on the Somme battlefields, HMAS Newcastle and FS Somme are united in their security efforts in the Middle East Area of Operation (MEAO). The two warships conducted coordinated maritime security operations over a five-day period in the Somali Basin as part of the multi-national Combined Task Force 150. More.....
01 July 2013	Tri-Nation Naval Exercise Pacific Bond Kicks Off WESTERN PACIFIC OCEAN – The Royal Australian Navy has joined forces with the United States Navy (USN) and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) to participate in a tri-lateral exercise, Pacific bond 2013, June 22-26. More.....
01 July 2013	Below are links to a covering letter from the DVA and two discussion papers on “The Future of Pensions Advocacy” and “Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 Refining the Appeal Process to a Single Pathway”. These papers will be on the DVA web site from 19th June 2013. These are important issues so I would request that you canvass views widely within your club and forward your comments either to your State Representative on the National Pensions Committee or to myself at or the Secretary National Pensions Committee at . It would be appreciated that these be received by 9 August 2013 as the matters will be discussed at the NPC AGM on 12-13 Aug, however comments can still be forwarded to either myself or the Secretary until the end of September. Yours in Legacy, Legatee Peter Florance\|Chairman National Pensions Committee Legacy Australia Council Level 2, 293 Swanston Street MELBOURNE VIC 3000 GPO Box 368 MELBOURNE VIC 3001 T (03) 8626 0590 \| F (03) 9662 9363 \| M 0418 864013 Caring for the families of incapacitated and deceased veterans DVA Covering Letter The Future of Veterans' Advocacy Refining the Appeal Process to a Single Pathway
01 July 2013	Labor’s contempt for veterans’ compensation legislation The chaos and dysfunction of this Labor Government was on show in the Senate today, when Labor moved to spend longer having lunch than debating the most significant reforms to military compensation arrangements in the last 10 years. Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, said he was appalled that Labor guillotined the debate on amendments to the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004, but then wanted to suspend the Senate’s sitting for five minutes. More.....
01 July 2013	BILL DELIVERS IMPROVED MILITARY COMPENSATION ARRANGEMENTS A Bill outlining improved military compensation arrangements passed through Parliament today delivering increased support to the veteran and defence communities and their families. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Warren Snowdon welcomed the passing of the Veterans’ Affairs Legislation Amendment (Military Compensation Review and Other Measures) Bill 2013 outlining changes to legislation flowing from the Review of Military Compensation Arrangements. More.....

Anzac Centenary Events
2014 - 2018

The Anzac Centenary (2014 – 2018) will shine a spotlight on the commitment and sacrifice of those who served in the First World War.

Across Victoria, there will be a number of commemorative events marking key dates throughout the Centenary.

OCTOBER 2015

ANZAC Naval Commemorative Ball - 17 October 2015
The Naval Commemorative Committee Victoria, invite all serving ADF personnel, Australian and Allied Veterans along with family and friends, to attend the ANZAC Naval Commemorative Ball on Saturday 17 October 2015 at (New Venue) The Atrium, Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington (10 Minutes from the CBD). Dance to the Music of the RAN Dance Band. The Ball is open to all serving and former members of the ADF, NZDF, Reserves, Cadets, families, friends, Police, Emergency Services, our Allies and the General Public.
Full details at: http://www.anzacball2015.org/p2 and http://www.anzacball2015.org/p6

Navy Ball Flyer.....
Navy Ball Information page.....
Navy Ball Booking Form.....

Should you wish to register an event, go to the Anzac Centenary website.

News & Articles of Interest

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Anzac Centenary Events 2014 - 2018

Anzac Centenary Events
2014 - 2018