News & Articles of Interest

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31 Jul 2016	Royal Australian Navy sailors rescue drowning man in Honolulu Responsive actions by two Royal Australian Navy sailors deployed to Exercise RIMPAC have saved the life of a drowning man at the waterfront precinct in downtown Honolulu. Hawaiian resident Chad Gillingham fell more than four metres from the pier into the harbour shortly before midnight earlier this month and suffered a serious head wound and lacerations after striking exposed rock on the way down. More.....
28 Jul 2016	Lone Pine service at Gallipoli The commemorative service planned for 6 August at Lone Pine, Gallipoli will not proceed. Turkish authorities have asked the Australian Government to reconsider holding the service on 6 August, 2016 and, following consultation between our governments, the service will not be held. More.....
26 Jul 2016	CJOPS media roundtable Transcript David Johnston, Vice Admiral, Royal Australian Navy conducts an operations update discussing Exercise RIMPAC, operations in Iraq and Syria, and the South China Sea. More.....
26 July 2016	NVN's July newsletter NOTE from Webmaster: If you are a member and haven't been notified that your monthly newsletter is available to download, the email address you supplied on joining is incorrect or out of date.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.
26 Jul 2016	Navy League of Australia(Vic-Tas Div) July newsletter is now available to download.....
25 Jul 2016	After arbitration: enforcing the rules in Southeast Asia The recent award handed down by the Arbitral Tribunal through the Permanent Court of Arbitration undoubtedly favours the Philippines and is unlikely to end Beijing’s assertive behaviour in the South China Sea. Beijing has wasted no time in rejecting the ruling, claiming it to be ‘null and void’, but the superpower isn’t likely to go running away with its tail between its legs. More.....
22 Jul 2016	Interview on ABC AM with Stephanie March KIM LANDERS: The Defence Minister hasn’t ruled out expanding or changing Australia’s role fighting against the Islamic State group. Senator Payne has been attending a meeting of the US-led coalition against Islamic State at a military base outside Washington. It comes just days after it was announced that Australia would extend its training mission to include police and border officials. Senator Payne has told our North America correspondent Stephanie March the summit was a chance to outline our new role. More.....
20 Jul 2016	US Navy banned from using sonar that harms dolphins and walruses A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that the US Navy was wrongly allowed to use sonar in the nation’s oceans that could harm whales and other marine life. The ninth circuit court of appeals reversed a lower court decision upholding approval granted in 2012 for the Navy to use low-frequency sonar for training, testing and routine operations. More.....
20 Jul 2016	Fromelles: an Australian tragedy The Australian Imperial Force (AIF) proved fortunate in being spared the first day of fighting on 1 July, 1916 as the British Army attacked the Somme in northern France. That first day of the Somme offensive cost the British more than 57,000 casualties, including 19,240 dead. More.....
20 Jul 2016	Rankin back from the long haul HMAS Rankin has returned to HMAS Stirling following her recent nine month deployment which Commander Submarine Force Captain Matt Buckley, described as "the longest single deployment for a Collins Class Submarine". During her deployment, Rankin participated in Exercise PACIFIC REACH, the International Submarine Escape and Rescuse Exercise, operating out of South Korea. More.....
19 Jul 2016	100 Years Since the ADF's Bloodiest Battle of WW1 Around 80 members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) will honour the service of those who fought on the Western Front during the First World War, with commemorative services to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles on 19 July. The Western Front was a crucial theatre of the First World War. Between 1916 and 1918, some 290,000 Australians served on the Western Front, where approximately 47,000 Australian lives were lost and more than 130,000 Australians were wounded. More.....
19 Jul 2016	Counter-Daesh Defence Ministers’ meeting This week, I will represent Australia at the Counter-Daesh Defence Ministers’ meeting in Washington on 20 July. The discussion will focus on accelerating efforts to defeat Daesh in Iraq and Syria and to stop the expansion of Daesh’s global networks. This is an important opportunity to review the progress that has been made in the military campaign against Daesh and to plan for the next phase of the campaign. More.....
18 Jul 2016	Armed Merchant Cruisers / Landing Ship Infantry (AMC/LSI) Association of Victoria July newsletter is now available to download.....
18 Jul 2016	The Chilcot report: a military commander’s perspective by Jim Molan, Chief of Operations for the Multinational Force in Iraq from 2004-5. We all come to the Chilcot Report with our own baggage. The interviewers who asked me if I ‘regretted’ my involvement may have little real interest in an expression of regret for victims, but seem to be mindlessly playing the media apology game. But that doesn’t surprise anyone. As I have explained in numerous media interviews, I didn’t decide to invade, nor did I invade Iraq. I’m only trying to understand and comment on Sir John Chilcot’s report. More.....
18 Jul 2016	HMAS Canberra achieves first with United States Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey HMAS Canberra has successfully landed a United States Marine Corps (USMC) MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft on its flight deck for the very first time. The trial was conducted as part of the Sea Phase for Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016 off the north east coast of Hawaii. Commander Air, HMAS Canberra, Commander Adrian Capner said the trial was the culmination of twelve months work. More.....
17 Jul 2016	HMAS Darwin returns from seventh Middle East deployment Family and friends joined Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Tim Barrett on the wharf at Garden Island, Sydney to welcome HMAS Darwin home from a successful Middle East deployment. During her Operation MANITOU rotation, Darwin and her Ship’s Company seized a large cache of illicit weapons and narcotics. More.....
15 Jul 2016	‘What Will You Bring?’ – DFR launches new Navy recruitment campaign Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) is launching a new national Navy recruitment campaign which will air for the first time on Sunday 17 July. The television commercial, titled ‘What Will You Bring?’ aims to show people how they could fit within the Navy. Director General Defence Force Recruiting Commodore (CDRE) Tony Partridge said misperceptions about the Navy being isolated and restrictive are the result of a lack of understanding of what life is actually like in the Navy. More.....
15 Jul 2016	Senator The Hon Marise Payne on ABC Radio National breakfast with Patricia Karvelas Patricia Karvelas: As we heard on AM, the Australian Government is in firing line in Beijing. China’s Foreign Ministry has told Australia to stay out of the South China Sea. It says it was shocked by Foreign Minister Julie Bishops assertion that the UN court ruling on the South China Sea territorial dispute was legally binding and that Australia would threaten bilateral relations if it continued with freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea. There’s no doubt that regional tensions are ramping up. Joining us now is the Defence Minister Marise Payne. Good morning, Minister. More.....
14 Jul 2016	The ADF march in France on French National Day The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will today join its Anzac counterparts the New Zealand Defence Force in Paris to march with the French Armed Forces and other military contingents in the French National Day Parade, proudly leading in the ‘Position of Honour’. The French National Day commemorates both the Storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789, and the Fête de la Fédération which celebrated the unity of the French people on 14 July 1790. More.....
13 Jul 2016	The South China Sea is not China’s To no one’s surprise, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague has upheld all the key arguments of the Philippines in its case against China on the application of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in the South China Sea. In its ruling, which employed even tougher language than most expected, the tribunal cut the legal heart out of China’s claim that the sea is, in effect, a Chinese lake. More.....
13 Jul 2016	Securing Australia’s oceans: the case for unmanned maritime vehicles The volume of traffic travelling through Australia’s maritime approaches—along with a diversifying threat environment—is putting ever-increasing strain on border security assets. In the coming years, Maritime Border Command will come under pressure to capture, filter, monitor and respond to increasing volumes of information in order to more effectively address maritime security threats. More.....
11 Jul 2016	Should Australia worry about Chinese expansion in the South Pacific? A major international conference on the Pacific Islands was held recently by the Centre for Pacific Island Countries Studies in Guangzhou, the capital city of China’s Guangdong province. The conference, devoted solely to a discussion of the Pacific Islands, was the first of its kind in China. The Centre was authorised by the highest level of the central leadership in Beijing and supported by the Guangdong provincial government. More.....
10 Jul 2016	An oldie but a goodie Many sailors will tell you the Navy never operated two aircraft carriers simultaneously, but older sailors will tell you they’re wrong. The Navy’s intended second light fleet aircraft carrier, HMAS Melbourne II, suffered delays in England in the early 1950s, while undergoing an upgrade, consequently the carrier HMS Vengeance VII was loaned to Australia from 1952-55. More.....
08 Jul 2016	Australia extends assistance to Afghanistan The Australian Government today announced it will continue to support the security of Afghanistan and will join other nations in pledging ongoing financial assistance at the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Warsaw from 8 to 9 July. More.....
04 Jul 2016	New Military Superannuation Arrangements From 1 July 2016, all incoming ADF members will be covered by the new ADF superannuation arrangement, incorporating a new default superannuation accumulation fund, ADF Super. The new ADF superannuation arrangement is accompanied by a new death and invalidity scheme called ADF Cover. ADF Cover benefits are consistent with those provided by the Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme (MSBS). The employer contribution rate under the ADF superannuation arrangement will be 16.4% of salary. More.....
02 Jul 2016	Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) President's July Musings are now available to download.....
01 Jul 2016	Mosaic and Hurricane survivors return to Monte Bello Members of the Australian Ex-Services Atomic Survivors Association have travelled to the Monte Bello Islands marking the 60th Anniversary of the completion of Operation MOSAIC. The operation involved British and Australian forces conducting two atomic tests on the islands off the Western Australian coast. More.....
30 Jun 2016	Australian surgical team saves US soldier An Australian tri-service medical team on active service in Iraq has successfully removed the appendix of an American soldier. Commander Young serves with the Maritime Operational Health Unit at HMAS Penguin in Sydney and works full-time as an orthopaedic surgeon at Melbourne’s Frankston Hospital under a clinical placement deed organised through Joint Health Command. More.....
30 Jun 2016	Statement by the Vice Chief of the Defence Force to survivors of abuse Thank you for the opportunity for me to acknowledge the courage and the strength of the survivors who have come forward and told their stories; not only those who have come forward to this Commission but those who have come forward to the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce and to Defence more generally. Your stories are changing the ADF and they have strengthened the resolve of the senior leadership of the ADF to stamp out abuse in all its forms and, in particular, child sexual abuse. People and systems have failed you and they have put others at risk. That is simply not good enough. More.....
30 Jun 2016	Engineering focus in Cerberus It was all hands to engineering stations in HMAS Cerberus recently, with the annual Engineering Training Week. The activity brings together engineering and maintenance disciplines for forums and presentations on the strategic direction of Naval Engineering. Engineers types from all ranks and specialities, including Australian Public Service engineers and contractors, congregated to focus on improvements to training and career development. More......
30 Jun 2016	ADF exercises interoperability in major maritime exercise More than 1650 Australian Defence Force personnel have arrived in the United States ahead of a month of focused military training activities with 27 nations from across the globe for Exercise Rim-of-the-Pacific (RIMPAC) 2016. Now in its 25th iteration, the ADF has deployed three ships and diving personnel including HMA Ships Canberra, Ballarat and Warramunga, an amphibious landing force from 2nd Royal Australian Regiment and AP-3C Orion aircraft. More.....
29 Jun 2016	The case for an Australian National Security Council For the past decade, successive prime ministers have been grappling with the question of how best to organise the Australian government to face a widening array of oft-interconnected national security issues. Now, with a shifting strategic environment coming into sharper focus and a newly sophisticated Australian Defence Force coming into being, the time is right to reconsider and renew those efforts. More.....
29 Jun 2016	Why Russia is a threat to the international order Almost a quarter of a century after the demise of the USSR, Russia is back on the world stage and in a familiar threatening manner. Some are describing the resurgence of Russia as a return to a new Cold War; others are predicting a coming war with Russia. The Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Joseph Dunford, has described Russia as presenting ‘the greatest threat to our national security’. More.....
28 Jun 2016	Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) President's June Musings are now available to download.....
27 Jun 2016	NVN's June newsletter NOTE from Webmaster: If you are a member and haven't been notified that your monthly newsletter is available to download, 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.

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Request for Committal of Ashes to the Sea. Download form.....

Current Repatriation Benefits for Gold Card Veterans -
As of 01 January 2018
This is a list of products that are available on a Doctor's prescription for Gold Card Repatriation Patients. Download the list.....

DVA Mobile Apps

The new Operation Life mobile application is designed to help those at risk deal with suicidal thoughts and is recommended to be used with the support of a clinician.

The High Res (High Resilience) app helps you manage stress, build resilience and optimise performance on the go.

The PTSD Coach Australia app can help you learn about and manage symptoms that commonly occur after trauma.

ON TRACK with the Right Mix mobile app from the Department of Veterans Affairs helps you to keep track of the number and types of drinks you consume; the amount of money it's costing you and lets you know about the impact the alcohol has on your wellbeing and fitness levels.

Guide to the assessment of rates of veterans’ pensions
Guide to the assessment of rates of veterans’ pensions (GARP) is used to assess the extent of incapacity from war caused or defence caused injury or disease for the purposes of determining the rate of pension. Download.....

Planning ahead kit
Overview: Planning Ahead is a publication designed to help veterans and their families prepare for bereavement. There is also a checklist that can be used to record the contact details of important people, businesses and organisations that may need to be notified in case of your death. Download.....

DVA Concessions Fact Sheets
Factsheet CON01 - Concessions in NSW
Factsheet CON02 - Concessions in Vic
Factsheet CON03 - Concessions in QLD
Factsheet CON04 - Concessions in SA
Factsheet CON05 - Concessions in WA
Factsheet CON06 - Concessions in Tas
Factsheet CON07 - Concessions in NT
Factsheet CON08 - Concessions in ACT

War Service

Check your ship's eligibility for war service.....

News & Articles of Interest

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DVA
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