Navy Victoria Network August 2014 News

News & Articles of Interest

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26 Aug 2014	NVN's August newsletter NOTE from Webmaster: If you are a member and haven't been receiving your monthly newsletters by email, the email address you supplied on joining is incorrect or out of date. To correct this, contact the webmaster at: and he will copy and amend your address.
25 Aug 2014	Navy League of Australia (Victorian Division) August newsletter.....
25 Aug 2014	ADF supports humanitarian and disaster relief exercise in the South Pacific Almost 200 members of the Australian Navy, Army and Air Force are joining forces with personnel from across the region in a major humanitarian relief exercise in the South Pacific. Exercise Croix du Sud, which is French for "Southern Cross", is being hosted by France in New Caledonia. The scenario is based on the devastating aftermath of a category four cyclone. More.....
24 Aug 2014	Navy to receive state-of-the-art EW capability on AWDs The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) will receive a state-of-the-art electronic warfare (EW) system as part of the Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) capability, which will improve the ability to passively detect, identify and track threats including enemy ships, aircraft and anti-ship missiles. More.....
23 Aug 2014	Government announces mental health support for Reservists Australian Defence Force Reservists and their families will benefit from a trial Reserve Assistance Program that offers a comprehensive range of support services for their mental health and wellbeing. Assistant Minister for Defence Stuart Robert said the extension of the program to the Reserve workforce builds on existing mental health and wellbeing strategies implemented by Defence. More.....
22 Aug 2014	Navies arrive in Darwin for major maritime warfare exercise More than 1200 people, eight warships and 26 aircraft from 15 coalition nations are arriving in Darwin today for the Royal Australian Navy’s largest maritime warfare exercise, KAKADU 2014, to be held from 25 August to 12 September, 2014. More.....
21 Aug 2014	Reminder....... Next Naval Historical Society Meeting on 25th August 2014 As a 19 y.o. Royal Navy Commando, Sub Lieutenant JIM SPEED RNVR was one of the group of four men first ashore on Sword Beach for the D-day landings on 6 June 1944: their task was to show the divers where to come in to destroy the barbed wire obstacles laid by the Germans to trap the waves of landing craft approaching the beach. Now nearing the age of 90, Commander Jim Speed DSC RAN (Ret’d), who transferred to the RAN in 1964, has never previously spoken in public about his part in that remarkable day. He will do so at a meeting of the Naval Historical Society at the Melbourne Naval Centre headquarters at the English Speaking Union at 146 Toorak Rd West (opposite Fawkner Park) on the evening of Monday 25th August. Those interested in attending what will be a fascinating first-hand account of events of one of the most critical days of WW2 should arrive at the ESU building no later than 1900. Admission is free.
21 Aug 2014	Cutting Red Tape For Veterans and Their Families Current serving ADF members, including Reservists, who hold a purple ADF ID card will benefit from a new DVA and Defence move to reduce red tape in the claims application process, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson announced today. More.....
20 Aug 2014	The Bravo Zulu Project Retired Navy Captain Ian Pfennigwerth is leading a small group of volunteer researchers in seeking out the background stories behind every imperial, national, civil and foreign honour and award made to Australian naval people from 1900 to Australia Day 2014. The outcome of this enormous task will be a book, intended for a general readership, setting the individuals’ stories in the historical context of the development, activities and operations of the Royal Australian Navy over the past 114 years. More.....
20 Aug 2014	Australian Defence Force member arrested in Canberra An officer cadet from the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) was arrested by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Policing on Tuesday, 19 August 2014 in relation to two alleged sexual assault offences. More.....
20 Aug 2014	Grants Fund Veteran Projects Across Australia Fifty-seven projects supporting Australia’s veteran and Defence community will benefit from $682,051 in funding as part of the Veteran and Community Grants program, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson announced today. “Internet access and computer equipment to improve online access, gardening equipment, bowling green upgrades, tools for Men’s Sheds and bus trips to reduce social isolation are just a few examples of how these grants will support veterans and their families,” Senator Ronaldson said. More.....
19 Aug 2014	Regional navies ready to play at Kakadu 2014 Planning is nearly complete for the Royal Australian Navy’s biggest and most exciting warfare exercise, Kakadu 2014, which will play out off the coast of Darwin from 25 August – 12 September. Around 1,200 people, eight warships and 26 Navy and Air Force aircraft from throughout the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean regions will attend the premier naval exercise. More.....
18 Aug 2014	Greater Access to Health and Wellbeing Services for Veterans and their Families through Facebook As part of the Abbott Government’s ongoing commitment to increasing the accessibility of veteran mental health support, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson today launched an integrated social media presence for the Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS). More.....
16 Aug 2014	Drug busting Darwin returns from Middle East The crew responsible for intercepting and destroying billions of dollars worth of narcotics, including the largest seizure of heroin in the history of the Combined Maritime Forces, has returned home. HMAS Darwin and her 232 person crew docked at Garden Island, Sydney today after seven months of successful maritime security operations in the Middle East Region. More.....
15 Aug 2014	Letter to the Editor – The Guardian Australia 15 August 2014 \| On the Record Dear Ms Wilson, I write to express my concern regarding the reporting in the Guardian Australia Online on 14 August 2014, an article entitled ‘Jacqui Lambie calls for royal commission into Defence abuse cases’. While it would be inappropriate for me to comment on what Senator Lambie said to your correspondent, I do feel that it is appropriate to express my concern regarding the lack of balance in the article. More.....
15 Aug 2014	Defence Minister visits major Darwin military establishments Defence Minister David Johnston has praised as “exemplary” the professionalism and dedication of Australian Defence Force personnel serving at key military establishments at Darwin in the Northern Territory. Senator Johnston made the remarks at the end of a two-day official visit to the Top End. More.....
15 Aug 2014	Vietnam Veterans Remembered Across Australia Veterans, their families and the wider community will gather at ceremonies across the country this weekend, and especially on Monday, to mark Vietnam Veterans’ Remembrance Day. Australians join together to honour the men and women who served our nation during the Vietnam War. Their sacrifices will never be forgotten. More.....
14 Aug 2014	Team makes rejoining easy Navy’s Re-join Case Management Team (RCMT) is once again open for business and helping previous members to re-join the ranks. The RCMT was established in July 2009 by then Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Crane, to assist ex-serving members who had moved into the Navy Reserves to re-join the permanent force, particularly those in categories that were short of personnel. More.....
13 Aug 2014	Chief of Navy inspects fire damage to HMAS Bundaberg CN, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett, has today inspected the fire damage sustained by the Armidale Class Patrol Boat HMAS Bundaberg when she caught fire in a Brisbane dockyard on Monday. Bundaberg was undergoing a period of routine maintenance in the custody of civilian contractors when the fire started onboard, inside a shed at Aluminium Boats Australia (ABA), in Hemmant. More.....
13 Aug 2014	Minister for Defence – Conclusion of the Australia-United States Ministerial Consultations I hosted my US counterpart, Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, in Sydney for the 29th Australia-US Ministerial Consultations (AUSMIN) and bilateral discussions. This was the second AUSMIN that Secretary Hagel and I have participated in together and the first time I have hosted Secretary Hagel in Australia. More.....
12 Aug 2014	Defence update on HMAS Bundaberg fire The Armidale Class Patrol Boat, HMAS Bundaberg, has suffered extensive damage following yesterday’s fire in Brisbane while undergoing routine maintenance at Aluminium Boats Australia (ABA). More.....
11 Aug 2014	Minister for Defence – Joint Press Conference with US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here this afternoon. This afternoon, US Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, and I have conducted some bilateral discussions and we’ve had a round table discussion with some strategic commentators in Australia. Can I say, this is the fourth time we’ve met, I’m very pleased that Secretary Hagel is here in Australia, I’m delighted to welcome him, I’m hoping he’s having a good time and we have got AUSMIN tomorrow with our counterparts, Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Bishop. More.....
11 Aug 2014	Fire on HMAS Bundaberg Today at approximately 12:10 pm HMAS Bundaberg suffered damage due to a fire while undergoing maintenance at a civilian contractor site in a Brisbane shipyard. Defence understands that at least two civilian contractors suffered smoke inhalation and were treated at the scene. No members of the Navy crew were injured in the incident. Local civilian fire units are attending the incident. The cause of the fire is not known at this time. An assessment of damage and an investigation into the cause of the fire will be undertaken once it is safe to do so.
08 Aug 2014	Special Commemorative Event In August 1914, over 100 Victorian naval reservists joined the Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Force (AN&MEF) in order to seize and destroy German wireless stations in German New Guinea in the south-west Pacific. Please join us for a special commemorative event at Flinders Street Station commencing at 11am on Sunday 17 August to mark the departure of the Victorian contingent (by train) to Sydney, from where they departed on the HMAT Berrima for Townsville and Port Moresby. Full details.....
08 Aug 2014	Book Launch You are invited to the launch of "The Search for HMAS Sydney - An Australian Story". The book tells of the history, loss, discovery and commemoration of HMAS Sydney II located by the Finding Sydney Foundation in 2008, solving one of the most baffling mysteries in Australia’s naval history. View flyer..... View invitation.....
08 Aug 2014	Turkey Gifts 60 Double Passes to Australians for Gallipoli 2015 A further 60 double passes to Anzac Day at Gallipoli in 2015 will be released to Australians on the waitlist thanks to the generosity of Turkey, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson announced today. More.....
08 Aug 2014	Naval Gazing students meet Navy’s students at HMAS Cerberus Thirty five local Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning students from Somerville Secondary College visited Navy’s largest training establishment, HMAS Cerberus, in Victoria, as part of the Naval Gazing visit program on July 29. More.....
07 Aug 2014	Restoration of Veteran Advocacy and Support Funding Delivered The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson, today announced $3.8 million in funding to deliver important support services to Australia’s ex-service community. The Abbott Government has restored advocacy and support funding for the veteran community which was cut by Labor. More.....
05 Aug 2014	Defence Minister announces First Principles Review panel A key Abbott Government election pledge has been fulfilled with the announcement of the First Principles Review Team, an initiative designed to ensure Defence is fit for purpose and able to promptly respond to future challenges. Defence Minister David Johnston said the focus of the review would be on achieving more streamlined decisions on defence acquisitions and sustainment programs. More.....
04 Aug 2014	Funding Boost for States and Territories Anzac Centenary Projects The Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, today announced $4 million in funding from the Anzac Centenary Public Fund to support the commemoration of the Centenary of Anzac in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and South Australia. More.....
04 Aug 2014	Centenary of the beginning of World War One This week marks one hundred years since the British Government declared itself in a state of war with Germany, as from 11.00pm on 4 August 1914, and Australia’s involvement in World War One officially began. Exactly ten months after the new Royal Australian Navy fleet had first arrived in Sydney it found itself embarking on years of war. More.....
03 Aug 2014	HMAS Cerberus gives winter warmers Members of HMAS Cerberus came to a call of action recently to help out The Father Bob McGuire Foundation, in Melbourne. The Father Bob McGuire Foundation was established in 2003 to help feed the hungry and help the homeless. Their mission is to provide material, emotional and social support to members of the Melbourne community. More.....
02 Aug 2014	HMAS Toowoomba deploys with first female commander Minister for Defence Senator David Johnston today congratulated Commander Catherine Hayes, who has become the first female in the Royal Australian Navy to command a warship in the Middle East region. Commander Hayes and the ship’s company of HMAS Toowoomba departed today from HMAS Stirling in Western Australia. More.....
01 Aug 2014	The First Shot Commemoration – Open to the public At 12.45pm on Tuesday 5 August 2014, a single shot will be fired on the Mornington Peninsula at Point Nepean to mark the centenary of a remarkable and defining moment in our nation’s history – the first shot fired in anger in the British Empire at the start of World War One. Visit the First Shot website..... View the First Shot video..... View the Point Nepean video.....
01 Aug 2014	95 Shipp Division recruits graduate More than 500 family and a friends proudly watched as 95 of Navy's newest Recruits formally completed 11 weeks of initial training at the Royal Australian Navy’s Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus. The graduates were honoured to commence their service as General Entry 323 Shipp Division and graduated before Commander Australian Fleet, Rear Admiral Stuart Mayer, CSC and BAR, RAN and Mrs Gloria Shipp. More.....
01 Aug 2014	Exercise RIMPAC draws ADF closer to amphibious future More than 800 Australian Navy, Army and Air Force personnel are on their way home after taking part in RIMPAC, the world’s largest naval exercise, which concluded in Hawaii today. More.....
30 Jul 2014	Hellfire missile firing a first for new Navy helicopters The Royal Australian Navy’s newest maritime combat helicopter, the MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’, has successfully fired its first ‘Hellfire’ missile in the United States. The AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missile was fired by Navy’s 725 Squadron from aircraft currently deployed to the United States Navy’s Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre off the Florida coast. More..... View video of the firing.....
30 Jul 2014	Minister for Defence – Interview with Lyndal Curtis, Capital Hill CURTIS: You put a lot of weight in a speech yesterday on getting the Air Warfare Destroyer programme right saying it was a test case for the industry. More.....
29 Jul 2014	Minister for Defence – Doorstop – Defence + Industry Conference 2014, Adelaide QUESTION: (inaudible) JOHNSTON: We’ll see how the full-cycle docking for HMAS Farncomb, the length of time taken and how successfully ASC can manage that will probably be the benchmark, that’s what we’ve got to wait on. QUESTION: That’s for the submarines, what would you need to see, you say you want to see the shipbuilding, the AWD programme build up? More.....
29 Jul 2014	Navy's Maritime Tactical Operations Element gains an ocean of experience at RIMPAC Nineteen personnel from Australian Clearance Diving Team One’s Maritime Tactical Operations Defence Element (MTO DE) are embarked in the United States Navy’s Amphibious Transport Dock USS Anchorage for the sea phase of Exercise RIMPAC 2014, where they’re working with seven other mine counter measures (MCM) and diving units from the United States, the Netherlands, Chile, New Zealand, Canada and Japan. More.....
29 Jul 2014	Defence Minister approves First Pass for SEA 1397, Nulka upgrade Nulka is a sophisticated anti ship missile defence system, jointly developed by Australia and the United States during the 1990s, and today is in service with the Royal Australian Navy and the navies of the United States and Canada. More.....
29 Jul 2014	Defence and Industry Conference 2014 Opening address by Defence Minister. Read.....
28 Jul 2014	Defence Minister releases White Paper public consultation A 50-page Defence Issues Paper, containing a summary of the key issues for consideration in next year’s White Paper, has been released today by Defence Minister David Johnston. More.....
28 Jul 2014	Invite to ‘Anzac Centenary Commemorative Week’ events The Victorian Government has announced the official activities to mark the centenary of the commencement of the First World War on 4 August 1914. Veterans’ Affairs Minister Damian Drum said Victorians are encouraged to attend three, free events during Anzac Centenary Commemorative Week. 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