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31 Oct 2018	Could ‘Hunter Killer’ inspire recruits like ‘Top Gun’ did? A new movie that’s set aboard a U.S. submarine could do for submariners what “Top Gun” did for Navy pilots. The Virginian-Pilot reported last week that action film “Hunter Killer” could provide a window into the high-stakes world of modern undersea warfare. The film is largely set aboard a Virginia-class submarine. Some are based in Norfolk and built in nearby Newport News. They are the Navy's newest attack subs and designed to deliver Navy SEALs. More.....
31 Oct 2018	HMAS Brisbane Commissioning
30 Oct 2018	HMAS Ballarat departs for Middle East Region
30 Oct 2018	Crane damages Russia’s sole aircraft carrier as floating dry dock sinks Russia’s sole aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was damaged on Tuesday morning as the 330-meter floating dry dock holding the carrier sank during a float-out operation in Murmansk. A crane fell onto the aircraft carrier after the dry dock started sinking, leaving a four by five meter hole above the ship’s waterline, Russian Sputnik News has reported. More.....
30 Oct 2018	Navy commissions new 822X Squadron to operate unmanned aerial systems Today’s commissioning ceremony at HMAS Albatross marked a major milestone in the Royal Australian Navy’s capability to operate unmanned aerial systems in the maritime domain. The ceremony marked the formal transition of the Naval Unmanned Aircraft Systems Unit (NUASU) to 822X Squadron making it the fourth operational Squadron in the RAN Fleet Air Arm. More.....
30 Oct 2018	NVN's October Newsletter - download..... 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that your monthly newsletter is available to download, the email address you supplied on joining is incorrect or out of date.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.
24 Oct 2018	Ministerial Statement — Veterans and Their Families I ask leave of the House to give the second annual Ministerial Statement on Veterans and Their Families. Almost two million Australian servicemen and women have served our nation since Federation. And to those men and women, to those who have gone before you and to all of their families, I would like to say, quite simply – thank you for your service. More.....
23 Oct 2018	HMAS Warramunga Open Day in Melbourne a ‘sell-out’ The Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Warramunga has visited Melbourne for some crew down time and to hold an open day for the public. Warramunga’s crew of 185 officers and sailors spent the weekend in Melbourne enjoying some leave, but they still found time to host a public open day on Saturday. Entry, as always, was free but is controlled through a ticketing site in order to regulate numbers and ensure everyone who visits has a chance to see the ship in an orderly manner. More.....
22 Oct 2018	US, UK join forces on cyber front during HMS Queen Elizabeth visit to New York The UK and US will be teaming up in the fight against growing cyber threats, UK defense secretary Gavin Williamson announced from aboard the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth which is currently on a port visit to New York. Speaking at the Trafalgar night dinner on board the carrier, the defense secretary announced that a new “Atlantic Future Forum” would take place on Monday, bringing US and UK industry and military together in the face of changing warfare both at home and abroad. More.....
22 Oct 2018	World’s oldest commissioned warship afloat marks 221 years underway USS Constitution, the world’s oldest commissioned warship afloat, and its crew headed underway from the ship’s berth in Charlestown, Massachusetts, Oct. 19, in commemoration of the ship’s launching 221 years ago on Oct. 21, 1787. “There’s no better place to commemorate the Navy’s and Constitution’s anniversaries in our natural state, underway at sea,” said Cmdr. Nathaniel R. Shick, 75th commanding officer of USS Constitution. More.....
21 Oct 2018	International Ministerial (5-Eyes) Conference on Veterans’ Issues Coinciding with the opening of the Invictus Games, the Australian Government Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Darren Chester, welcomed delegations from Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States to the International Ministerial Conference on Veterans’ Issues at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Sydney on 20 and 21 October 2018. More.....
20 Oct 2018	Navy Cadets descend on Victoria More than 150 Australian Navy Cadets from around the country have spent the week at HMAS Cerberus on the Mornington Peninsula for a National Training Camp, coinciding with Navy Week 2018. The Cadets, aged 16 to 17, engaged in a variety of classroom and practical activities, developing their interpersonal and team-building skills. More.....
19 Oct 2018	Maritime Portable Raman Improvised Explosive Detector
19 Oct 2018	Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling Launch The Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS) has been relaunched today as Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling based on feedback from veterans and veterans’ families. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the counselling service, originally founded as the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service, has been providing essential face to face counselling services to Australian veterans for more than 35 years. More.....
19 Oct 2018	Transition front and centre at Invictus18 Symposium The challenges around veterans transitioning from the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to civilian life will be the focus of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs Invictus18 Symposium being held at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney today. Opening the symposium, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said it provided an important opportunity for decision makers and subject matter experts from Australia and overseas to discuss challenges facing veterans when transitioning from defence service to civilian life. More.....
18 Oct 2018	Forums focus on veterans' families and employment Minister for Veterans' Affairs Darren Chester today opened the Veterans' Families and Veterans' Employment forums in Sydney ahead of the Invictus Games Sydney 2018. Mr Chester said the forums, hosted by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA), provide a valuable platform for discussing complex challenges associated with transitioning from defence service to civilian life. More.....
18 Oct 2018	Study finds most military families resilient, healthy, financially secure Most Australian military families are resilient, healthy and financially secure, according to a joint Department of Defence (Defence) and Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) study released today. Minister for Veterans' Affairs Darren Chester said the Family Wellbeing Study explored the effect of military service on the families of serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) members. More.....
18 Oct 2018	Military International Drone Racing Tournament
18 Oct 2018	Teams fly into Sydney for first ever Military International Drone Racing Tournament International military teams have flown into Sydney for the first ever Military International Drone Racing Tournament (MIDRT), to be hosted at Victoria Barracks in Sydney between 18–21 October 2018. Teams from Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand, The United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States will fight it out on the track in a number of races and freestyle events with the hope of being crowned the world’s best military drone racing team. More.....
17 Oct 2018	Tasmania turns down retired frigate gift Former Australian Navy frigate ex-HMAS Darwin will not be turned into a dive wreck off the coast of Tasmania as the island state’s government decided not to accept the Commonwealth’s gift. While the frigate was offered for scuttling off the East Coast for free, the Tasmanian government figured out it would have to pay over AUD12 million to prepare and establish the ex-HMAS Darwin as a dive wreck. More.....
16 Oct 2018	Should nuclear-powered submarines be part of Australia’s future? Australia’s rapidly deteriorating strategic circumstances have caused me to review my earlier stance on the navy’s future submarine requirements and the case for nuclear propulsion. As Hugh White wrote in response to Paul Dibb and Richard Brabin-Smith’s 2017 paper on strategic risk in a new era: If we decide that Australia should be able independently to resist a direct attack from a major Asian power like China, then we need to start building the forces to do that right now, not wait for some further warning sign. More.....
16 Oct 2018	Sailor displays resilience and courage to achieve a goal A Navy member who suffered an amputation as a result of a motorcycle accident has overcome serious challenges to remain active, both professionally and in his down time. Competing in the upcoming 2018 Invictus Games is a proud personal achievement for Able Seaman Marine Technician Mark Daniels. “Navy sport and my involvement with the Invictus Games have really helped me to understand that I’m not alone in this journey,” said AB Daniels. AB Daniels is currently serving at HMAS Stirling and will be competing in swimming, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball and wheelchair rugby during the event. More.....
15 Oct 2018	Royal Navy starts F-35B rolling vertical landing trials Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth was at the center of an important milestone for the F-35 program as an F-35B performed the first ever shipborne rolling vertical landing (SRVL). British test pilot Peter Wilson conducted the landing this weekend. Previously the jets have conducted only vertical landings, hovering by the side of the ship before moving sideways over the deck and gently lowering down. More.....
15 Oct 2018	US Navy divers remove oil from German WWII cruiser in Marshall Islands US Navy divers have completed the removal of fuel oil from the capsized World War II German cruiser, Prinz Eugen, at Enubuj Island in Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. Working from aboard US naval ship Salvor, divers from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 1 completed the undertaking on October 15, after 45 days of efforts. More.....
15 Oct 2018	Australia says alliance with America vital with Indo-Pacific tensions Australia’s foreign minister said on Monday her country’s alliance with the United States had never been more vital in an era of escalating challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. In her first major policy speech since she took over the foreign ministry in August, Marise Payne told an Australian Institute of International Affairs conference that Australia needed to defend its interests in “a period of strategic uncertainty.” More.....
13 Oct 2018	Naval Historical Society of Australia (Victorian Chapter) President's October Musings are now available to download.....
13 Oct 2018	Navy League of Australia(Western Australia Division) October newsletter is now available to download.....
13 Oct 2018	Aussies order warship to enforce North Korea sanctions Australia has assigned a guided missile frigate to the East China Sea to boast international efforts to enforce sanctions against North Korea, an Australian officer said Friday. The Australian Defence Force chief of joint operations, Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld, said the warship with a crew of 230 will be supported by two Australian AP-3C Orion surveillance aircraft based in Japan. More.....
12 Oct 2018	US Navy approves first metal 3D printed part for shipboard use The US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced on Thursday it approved the first metal part created by additive manufacturing (AM) for shipboard installation. A prototype drain strainer orifice (DSO) assembly will be installed on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in fiscal year 2019 for a one-year test and evaluation trial. The DSO assembly is a steam system component that permits drainage/removal of water from a steam line while in use. More.....
12 Oct 2018	Delivering Defence fuel supply chain F44 capability A series of firsts has resulted in Navy benefitting from further flexibility in refuelling options for our Landing Helicopter Docks, HMA Ships Canberra and Adelaide. In a recent trial, HMAS Canberra manoeuvred into position between Clark Island and the Garden Island Heritage centre to receive naval aviation fuel (F44) via the Damen-built and Lloyd-classed double hull oil tanker Manning for the first time, proving another capability in the Defence Fuel Supply Chain. More.....
11 Oct 2018	Australian Navy starts trials of new corrosion-resistant coating The Royal Australian Navy has begun trials of a new corrosion-resistant coating that reduces the build-up of algae and barnacles on ship hydraulic components. HMAS Canberra, one of the Royal Australian Navy landing helicopter dock ships, is now testing the coating. Researchers from Swinburne University of Technology are collaborating with experts from the Defence Materials Technology Centre, MacTaggart Scott Australia, United Surface Technologies and the Defence Science and Technology Group to advance the new technology. More.....
11 Oct 2018	Defence commemorates Krait anniversary The Australian Defence Force has commemorated the 75th anniversary of Operation JAYWICK, with a wreath laying ceremony on board the MV Krait at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Following the fall of Singapore in 1942, the joint Australian Navy and Army ‘Z Special Unit’ (commonly known as Z Force), mounted a daring raid on Japanese ships in Singapore Harbour in September 1943. More.....
09 Oct 2018	ECA teams up with MAURIC to offer drone-specialized MCM motherships French autonomous systems specialist ECA Group joined forces with maritime solution provider MAURIC to design a patrol vessel-sized ship specialized for carrying and deploying mine countermeasure autonomous vessel of all sizes. Integrated with UMIS system of surface and underwater robots, the Octopoda models allow operators to stay out of harm’s way during MCM missions. The UMIS is a complete system of different drones that can collaborate within the same mission to carry out each step of a mine clearance mission: detection, identification and destruction. More.....
09 Oct 2018	Singapore, Australia conclude SINGAROO Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Stuart and tanker HMAS Sirius wrapped up the two-day maritime exercise SINGAROO with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) corvettes RSS Valiant and Vigour. The exercise took place in waters off Singapore. The biennial exercise aimed to develop a better understanding and working relationship between the Royal Australian Navy and the RSN in the conduct of maritime exercises, while providing the opportunity to enhance professional interaction between personnel from the two navies. More.....
09 Oct 2018	Freedom-of-navigation operations aren’t all about the South China Sea by James Goldrick The recent close encounter between USS Decatur and the Chinese Luyang II–class guided-missile destroyer Lanzhou has attracted much attention in the media. There’s little doubt that the Chinese ship created a dangerous situation in breach of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, which requires a vessel that’s overtaking another to keep out of its way until ‘finally past and clear’. More.....
09 Oct 2018	The five-domains update Sea state The US Navy’s Pacific Fleet has drawn up a plan to conduct freedom-of-navigation exercises involving warships, aircraft and troops next month in response to a Chinese destroyer’s harassment of a US ship near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea last week. The Australian government is being urged by a senior Liberal MP to participate in the exercises. While Australia carries out regular sea and air patrols through the South China Sea, it has avoided passing close to the artificial islands China has created. More.....
08 Oct 2018	RSL Queenscliff/Point Lonsdale Remembrance Day Commemoration Ladies & Gentlemen, please be advised that the Sub-Branch considers the imminent Commemoration of Remembrance Day on Sunday 11th November 2018 as not only historic - but a Day that fully encapsulates every resident of the Borough, the Bellarine and the Geelong Region - from our earliest times and to our future - to a most sacrosanct time for our Nation. The Garrison Towns of Queenscliff & Point Lonsdale are principal locations in our Military History from the 1850's - with representation in the ensuing periods of the World calamities from the Boer War, World War 1, World War 11, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Timor Leste, Solomon Islands and onward. This Armistice occasion is the Final Centenary of Commemoration when on this coming epoch - at 11.00am, on the 11th Day of the 11th Month 1918 - 100 years ago to the Minute - when the World endured such horrific loss of young lives in the War to End All Wars - ended. We wish to hold a Full Parade and March along Hesse Street from Symons Street in the North - to Fort Queenscliff - with a Service to be held on the Parade Ground - to replicate time at the 11th Hour. The Fort epitomises in kind - the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne - as a prominence of Military Commemoration & Service over 150 years of time - while still an active bastion of our National Security - it is a place of defence, majesty and is an epic location of Victoria's and the Nation's reverence to the preservation of Freedom. We ask all members, their Relatives, Colleagues and Friends attend this Day - wearing a Poppy - for a Commemoration under the auspices of the RSL and the Borough of Queenscliffe - to pay due respect to All Those Who Served in the Great War and to ALL Those Who Served throughout our History - to recall them as Local Residents, their Towns, their Fort and their Avenue of Honour - ON THIS DAY. We need YOU to make it Memorable. Regards, GRAHAM J. CHRISTIE Justice of the Peace 9747 Vice President / Secretary Queenscliff/Point Lonsdale RSL Sub-Branch
08 Oct 2018	Government faces tough decisions on transition to future submarines The transition from the Collins-class submarines to the future submarine fleet will be longer and more complex than any previous capability transition the Department of Defence has undertaken. Today ASPI released a special report, Thinking through submarine transition, which examines the key risks on this journey and recommends ways to address them. More.....
06 Oct 2018	Seafarers Memorial Service The 111th Seafarers Memorial Service will be held at St Paul’s Cathedral at 10:30 on 21 October 2018 and it will be followed by the Navy Wreath Laying Service at the Cenotaph at the Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne at 12:30. All Ship and Unit Associations are encouraged to support the Navy Victoria Community.
06 Oct 2018	Defence Seminar Several established Ex-service Organisations have partnered to provide a seminar that will enlighten those interested in Australia's Defence Force and the challenges of both developing a Defence white Paper and implementing the strategy. Each of the Services will have a representative to present on their respective Service with the intent of holding a panel discussion on conclusion. Please see the flyer and should you have colleagues or members that may be interested, we ask that you share the flyer with them. If you have a noticeboard at your disposal you might print off a copy and exhibit it for others to read. For those interstate, should you be in Melbourne for any particular reason, we can provide several hours of interest with like-minded folk. Please give this opportunity your consideration and also share as far and wide as possible. The purpose being to provide an opportunity for anyone with an interest in Defence to be brought up to date on today's ADF strategic intentions.
06 Oct 2018	Download full details and entry form.....
05 Oct 2018	Go to sea or go home! The Pentagon’s get-tough policy on troops who can’t deploy took effect on Oct. 1 and it’s poised to boot thousands of sailors nationwide from the Navy. The brainchild of Defense Secretary James Mattis, a retired four-star Marine general, the plan calls for sending home all troops who have been ineligible to deploy overseas for more than 12 consecutive months. More.....
04 Oct 2018	Australia awards BAE Systems first Hunter-class frigate contract The Australian government announced on October 4 the signing of an interim contract with BAE Systems Australia for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hunter-class frigate program. The Advanced Work Arrangement (AWA) will cover ongoing work on the $35 billion program, ahead of agreeing the head contract. Australian defense minister Christopher Pyne said the AWA is an important first step in the process of transitioning ASC Shipbuilding into BAE Systems in preparation for the nation’s biggest shipbuilding program. More.....
04 Oct 2018	Should Australia develop its own nuclear deterrent? Australia’s deteriorating strategic outlook raises the question under what conditions should we develop a nuclear weapon of our own? This option was seriously considered by Australian governments in the 1960s, and the Department of Defence kept the technological lead time for an Australian nuclear weapon under review until the early 1980s. That was at the height of the Cold War and, as one of America’s closest allies, we faced a real risk of Soviet nuclear attack. More.....
04 Oct 2018	Navy engineers and technical sailors to become masters of their own careers More exciting change is coming for the Royal Australian Navy’s uniform engineering personnel. The Naval Engineering Career Continuum (NECC) which goes live on 29 October 2018, is set to completely redefine how our military members view, and ultimately, direct their own careers. Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mike Noonan, recently said that Navy’s people and culture is at the top of his priority list and that “without the right people, supported by an inclusive and accountable culture, we will not be able to achieve Navy’s mission.” More.....
04 Oct 2018	F-35Bs ace night-time landings on HMS Queen Elizabeth trials F-35 Lightning jets achieved another milestone during flight trials on board the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth by completing first night-time landings. Britain’s biggest warship is currently conducting flight testing off the east coast of the United States and part of that is practicing landing in darkness. These tests were carried out with and without the aid of night-vision technology, with the pilots and aircraft handlers successfully guiding the fast fighter jets onto the flight deck. More.....
03 Oct 2018	Australian OPV construction kicks off with steel cutting ceremony Construction works on the Royal Australian Navy’s new generation of offshore patrol vessels officially kicked off with a steel cutting ceremony on Wednesday. The steel cutting for the first of overall 12 vessels took place at Civmec’s Western Australia facility. Civmec will be responsible for building 10 out of 12 vessels under a contract signed with main contractor Luerssen Australia from April 2018. More.....
03 Oct 2018	HMAS Ballarat arrives home with rescued solo yachtsman
02 Oct 2018	China challenges Australia in the South Pacific Australia today sees its strategic interests in the South Pacific directly challenged by China. No longer is China given the benefit of the doubt as the rapidly expanding power coming to terms with its new roles in the South Pacific. The shift in Canberra’s judgement is significant. More.....
02 Oct 2018	Pacific Fleet says Chinese destroyer came dangerously close to Navy ship The U.S. Pacific Fleet says a Navy warship had to dodge a Chinese destroyer during a Sunday morning incident in the South China Sea. In a written statement emailed to Navy Times, Pacific Fleet officials say that a Luyang-class destroyer closed on the Decatur around 8:30 a.m. local time Sunday in "an unsafe and unprofessional" manner near Gaven Reef, making a series of "increasingly aggressive maneuvers" that were accompanied by warnings for the Decatur to leave the area. More.....
02 Oct 2018	'Forever indebted for your efforts' - solo sailor thanks HMAS Ballarat after daunting rescue HMAS Ballarat has returned to port after participating in a search and rescue mission for two solo round-the-world yachtsmen. HMAS Ballarat’s MH60 Romeo Seahawk helicopter recovered Irish national Mr Gregor McGuckin from a French scientific research station on Amsterdam Island after he was transported there by French fishing vessel Osiris. The other sailor, Indian Navy Commander Abhilash Tomy, had suffered a back injury and is being picked up by Indian Navy frigate INS Satpura for return to India. More.....
01 Oct 2018	Regional security in focus for Exercise BERSAMA LIMA 18 A multinational response to a regional security threat is the focus of the latest military exercise to involve all three Services of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). This year 750 ADF personnel will participate in BERSAMA LIMA 18 conducted in Malaysia, Singapore and over the South China Sea from 2 to 19 October 2018. The Exercise involves member nations of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA): Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. More.....
01 Oct 2018	FlyBy A periodical of the Fleet Air Arm Association of Australia. October issue.....
01 Oct 2018	Navy League of Australia(Western Australia Division) September newsletter is now available to download.....
01 Oct 2018	New submarine honoring the great Hoosier state is commissioned A new fast attack nuclear-powered submarine that’s named after the state of Indiana has been commissioned in Florida. The nearly 380-foot-long Indiana entered service Saturday following the U.S. Navy commissioning ceremony in Port Canaveral, Florida. Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb spoke at the ceremony, calling the new vessel a "modern marvel." The sub can reach speeds of more than 25 knots, and it's powered by a reactor that won't need refueling during the ship's entire planned life. More.....

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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

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

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