Commanding Officer HMAS Penguin
Commander Paul Doble, RAN
Commander Paul Doble, RAN joined the Royal Australian Navy Junior Recruit School at HMAS Leeuwin, Western Australia in 1984. He graduated in October the same year. After category training as a Radar Plot sailor at HMAS Watson he joined HMAS Adelaide (II) in April 1985. He was promoted to Leading Seaman in March 1988 and returned briefly to HMAS Watson prior to undertaking Navy educational training for commissioned rank at the Nowra Technical and Further Education College on the NSW South Coast. On promotion to Midshipman he commenced training as a Seaman Officer at the Royal Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell in August 1989.
He was awarded his Bridge Watch Keeping Certificate in 1992 conducting OPERATION DAMASK while posted to HMAS Darwin. On return to Australia he joined HMAS Penguin to undertake sub-specialist training as a Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Officer. In 1994 his Clearance Diving training was consolidated with postings to Australian Clearance Diving Team's Two and One respectively. He was promoted to Lieutenant in August 1995 and returned to sea in May 1996 joining HMAS Dubbo (II) as the Executive Officer. Subsequent postings as a Lieutenant included appointments as Staff Officer Clearance Diving at HMAS Waterhen in 1997, Operations Officer HMAS Norman in 1999 and Executive Officer Australian Clearance Diving Team One in 2001. In December 2001 he successfully completed Commando Selection and Training. On completion of re-enforcement training in January 2002 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and served as the Senior Naval Officer at Tactical Assault Group (East) and at Headquarters Special Operations.
Further postings at the rank of Lieutenant Commander included positions as Junior Officers' poster in 2003, Executive Officer HMAS Tobruk in 2005/06 and overseas training at the Indian Defence Services Staff College in 2007 where he was awarded a Masters of Science Degree (Defence and Strategic Studies) from the University of Madras. In 2008 he served as the Mine Warfare and Clearance Diving Group's Capability Manager and briefly as a Team Leader with the Sea Change Implementation Team.
Promoted to Commander in January 2009 he served as the Commander Fleet Personnel Services at Fleet Command. He assumed command of HMAS Penguin on 16 December 2011.
Commander Doble pursues outdoor activities including running, swimming and boating. He is married to Nicki. They have two daughters: Elliot and Aidan.
