Navy People: An office worker with a difference
19 February 2010
Lake Munmorah’s Reyannon Sansom is an office worker with a difference.
The Central Coast girl may work at a desk, but it is above a powerful combined diesel or gas turbine power plant and just below some of the most lethal armaments in the Australian Defence Force. And she loves it!
“I’m now a Leading Seaman Writer in the Royal Australia Navy on the Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Anzac, so these days I’m based in Western Australia,” said Reyannon.
“Writer is the Navy description for administrator. My job involves making sure everyone on board gets paid, including all the allowances they are entitled to, keeping the leave ledger up to date and paying the accounts of the ship.”
If Reyannon’s job is similar to that of a book-keeper or pay clerk in the civilian world, that’s about where it stops for this action girl.
“I joined the Navy for adventure and to see the world and I fully intend to take advantage of every opportunity to do that.”
Sportie Reyannon played Goal Defence at Wyong Netball Club for ten years and attended North Lakes High School at San Remo. Despite her travels, she still makes it back home to see her parents, grandparents and sister.
“But I love the Navy life and living in Perth at the moment. My cousin Christie is also in the Navy so we are the ones who got the travel bug.”
Reyannon has already been around Australia in the Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Perth and visited East Timor without actually going ashore, but for the next few weeks she is off the eastern seaboard of Australia. She is taking part in the Navy’s Fleet Concentration Period, practising for conflict and natural disaster.
The four week exercise will be conducted in several areas off the east coast and will incorporate a number of surface, sub-surface and amphibious vessels.
HMAS Anzac plans to call into Newcastle mid exercise for a few days, providing a chance for Reyannon’s family to catch up with their Navy girl. Then Reyannon will be heading for New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and Cambodia for more exercises and port visits.
“Since I technically haven’t stepped ashore in a foreign land with Navy, I am counting this as my first overseas trip and we are all very excited, especially about visiting Cambodia,” says Reyannon.
In the meantime, it’s back to the office; unless there’s time to watch other crew members practice with the deck-mounted 12.7 mm machine guns. Something most office workers can’t do at lunchtime.
