Crew Inspires ‘Hot Stuff’
18 August 2010
Months of hard work to get HMAS Melbourne through her WUP and URE finally paid dividends for her Ship’s Company when they set sail for Op Slipper.
Melbourne, AKA ‘Hot Stuff’ which is her cartoon-character mascot, recently sailed to the Middle East Area of Operations, making her the first upgraded Adelaide Class FFG to deploy on an operation.
But her milestone deployment would not have been possible had it not been for the dedication and commitment of her ship’s company of 238 men and women.
CMDR Harris said Melbourne’s steady progress through her highly challenging WUP and URE speaks volumes of the professionalism of the crew.
“The achievements of Melbourne’s ship’s company are all the more impressive because most of them had no experience conducting an operational work up,” he said.
CMDR Harris told us that the ship’s company responded brilliantly to the recent challenges because of the strong support of family and friends.
“Their support as we worked tirelessly to prepare has resulted in us being extremely well placed to succeed in our mission," he said.
More than 500 family and friends were present to farewell Melbourne when she left Fleet Base East on 16 August.
The farewell was especially tearful because the sailors and their loved ones will miss celebrating Christmas and New Year, but are scheduled to be reunited around St Valentines Day.
Among the sailors bidding their loved ones goodbye was ABCK Justin Macey, who has left behind a young wife, Electra, and a three-week old baby, Zain, as well as ABET James Mills, who farewelled his fiancée, and three-month old son, Charlie.
ABET Mills said he will marry his fiancée in March next year, after Melbourne returns home.
“This is a good opportunity to take part in an operational deployment before we marry and also while Charlie is so young,” he said.
There were also a large number of young sailors, such as ABET Ashley Callaghan, 19, who are about the same age as their warship but far less experienced.
“This is my first operational deployment and I’m a little nervous because I don’t know what to expect,” she said.
Many sailors told Navy News that doing their duty away from home would be made easier by Melbourne’s new Cyber cafe which includes Skype for virtual face to face dialogue.
Melbourne’s crew will not only be conducting anti-piracy patrols during their deployment but also contributing to a ‘worthy cause’ through a fundraising initiative for Legacy.
LSPT Trish Muller said the ‘Legacy ultra marathon’ aims to raise $20K through sponsorship for 20 sailors who will individually or collectively walk, jog or run around Melbourne’s flight-deck for the entire time the ship is at sea.
Families and friends can make a donation via the online fundraising webpage. In addition to watching the ‘hero-meter’ rise, an update of the kilometres completed will be posted daily via email.
You can donate at: www.everydayhero.com.au/melbournes_ultra_marathon_team.
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