Commanding Officer HMAS Albatross
Captain Mark Sackley, RAN
Born and educated in Parkes, Central West New South Wales, Captain Mark Sackley, RAN joined the RAN College as a Seaman Branch Officer in 1981 and graduated at the end of 1982. Following various sea postings under training during 1982 - 1984 including HMA Ships Jervis Bay, Cook, Tobruk, Torrens, Stuart and a Fremantle Class Patrol Boat (HMAS Whyalla), he transferred to the Supply Branch after obtaining an Ocean Navigation Certificate and Limited Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate.
In 1984 he completed the Basic Supply Course at HMAS Cerberus after which he directly posted to sea for a three year consolidation period in HMA Ships Supply and Stalwart (II) as Supply Officer Cash, Supply Officer Stores and Captain's Secretary . He was promoted to LEUT in Jan 1986. In 1987 he was posted to the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra on the staff of the Director Military Education and Training and as Divisional Officer of the Corps Hierarchy. During the period 1989 - 1992, he was posted as Supply Officer Cash and Deputy Supply Officer in HMAS Stirling (Western Australia), after which he was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Maritime Commander Australia, where he served three successive Maritime Commanders throughout 1992 - 1995. He was promoted to LCDR in July 1994.
Following successful completion of the Supply Charge Course in late 1994, CAPT Sackley returned to Maritime Headquarters Australia as Assistant Secretary for a further twelve months before being posted as Supply Officer HMAS Sydney. In June 1997 he returned to Maritime Headquarters as Staff Officer Co-ordination within the Operations Division/Sea Training Group before being selected as the inaugural RAN Supply Liaison Officer on the staff of Deputy Chief of Staff Logistics, Ordnance, Fleet Supply CINCPACFLT Headquarters (Pearl Harbor) in October 1998. Promoted to CMDR in July 2000, he returned to Australia in September 2000 and was posted to the Sea Training Group as the Fleet Supply Officer, during which time he was involved in an unprecedented level of training activity preparing Major Fleet Units for operational service in support of Australia's commitment to the Gulf War. In February 2003, he was appointed Commanding Officer Joint Logistic Unit - West, during which time he lead the ADF's primary logistics Mounting Base in direct support of OPERATION FALCONER and CATALYST. He was promoted to CAPT in December 2004, and was appointed as the Director Navy Preparedness, Plans and Logistics in Navy Headquarters in February 2005. He returned to Fleet Headquarters in January 2007 as Chief Staff Officer (Support), managing the logistics and personnel activities within Fleet Command. He assumed his current position as Commanding Officer HMAS Albatross on 18 April 2008.
His interests include playing the guitar, and middle distance running.
