Navy People: Bob Heffey & Terry Garside

7 July 2010

Commander Bob Heffey, CSM, ADC, RAN and Lieutenant Commander Terry Garside, RAN have come a long way since they left the Albury/Wodonga area to join the Royal Australian Navy in the mid 1970s.

Both joined as young sailors and later in their careers were both promoted to officers.

Both are now serving together at HMAS Cairns, where Bob is the Commanding Officer and Terry is the second-in-command (also known as the Executive Officer).

Bob joined the Navy in 1974 from North Albury High School, which is now known as James Fallon High School His daughter Katie Heffey is now a teacher there. Bob started his Navy career as a Weapons Mechanic and then changed jobs to the Coxswain branch and achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer before accepting promotion to Seaman Officer in 1987.

He has had many highlights in his career which include serving as the Gunnery Officer onboard HMAS Success in 1988-89, then appointed as the Navigating Officer of HMAS Ipswich in Cairns where he served for 18 months followed by a posting to Darwin as the Executive Officer of patrol boat HMAS Launceston until January 1993.

Bob then joined the Commander Australian Patrol Boat Force (COMAUSPABFOR) Sea Training Group as Staff Officer Navigation, holding that position until November 1994, when he was then posted as Staff Officer Gunnery to COMAUSPABFOR. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in July 1995 and posted to Portsmouth, United Kingdom, for the Royal Navy amphibious exchange billet on HMS Fearless in December 1995, as the Bosun.

After returning to Australia, Bob then assumed command of the Darwin-based Fremantle Class Patrol Boat HMAS Dubbo between May 1999 and September 2000. He had an extremely successful command, which included 185 boardings of foreign fishing vessels of which 28 involved apprehensions, interception and tow of 7 illegal entry vessels and the arrest of 1394 illegal immigrants. He still holds the record for the apprehension of the largest number of illegal immigrants at one time, with the interception and arrest of the ‘Harapan Satu’ on 4 November 1999 with 357 illegal immigrants onboard.

Between October 2000 and November 2001, he was the Maritime Operations Officer at Headquarters Northern Command in Darwin, followed by a posting to the Republic of Palau as the RAN Maritime Surveillance Adviser to the Marine Law Enforcement Division for the Ministry of Justice, managing and training the Palauan Nationals onboard the Pacific Class Patrol Boat ‘PSS President H.I. Remeliik’.

Bob was promoted to Commander on 1 January 2004 and returned to Australia in March 2004 where he was posted as the Minor War Vessel Operational Test Director at the Royal Australian Navy Test, Evaluation and Analysis Authority (RANTEAA) in Garden Island, Sydney. His extensive portfolio of Projects included the introduction into service of the Armidale Class Patrol Boat, Mine Warfare Command Support System, Amphibious Watercraft and Hydrographic Ships. In December 2006 he posted to the position of Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander Australian Navy Patrol Boat Group in Darwin. He was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal on Australia Day 2007 for his outstanding achievements and service while posted to RANTEAA.

In December 2008 he posted to his current position as the Commanding Officer HMAS Cairns, where is commands over 1000 personnel and provides operational and logistic support to 14 vessels and 17 crews home-ported in HMAS Cairns.

Bob has served 21 of his 36 years at sea, and is still a fitness fanatic and keen sportsman. He is quick to mention that he has had a fantastic career, particularly after joining as a sailor and then accepting promotion as an Officer, he also stated that he has travelled all over the world with the Navy and had two wonderful overseas postings. He claims his Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Terry Garside, is a top class professional and that they make a great team managing such a busy and sophisticated operational base as HMAS Cairns.

Terry Garside was born in Wodonga and joined the Navy in 1977. He had attended St Augustine’s Primary and Wodonga High Schools before entering the RAN as a Junior Recruit in Perth, WA. He became an Aviation sailor serving in 817 Squadron and the Aircraft Carrier HMAS Melbourne (II) before changing category to Aircrewman in 1982. In 1983 he served in the Rotary Wing Aviation Unit as a member of the Multi-National Force and Observers, Peace Keeping Force in the Sinai Desert, Egypt. On return to Australia he was posted to 723 Squadron, then 816 Squadron at HMAS Albatross. In 1986 he was posted to Aircrewman Training as the Senior Aircrewman Instructor.

In 1989 he studied for and gained his commission as a Naval officer, was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant and selected for RAN Observer training. On graduation from Observers Course in 1990, he was posted to 723 Squadron for conversion on to the HS748 Electronic Warfare aircraft. In 1992 he was promoted to Lieutenant and after a period as an Electronic Warfare Navigator, Tactical Coordinator (TACCO) and Instructor he was posted back to 723 Squadron in 1994 and became the first Flight Commander (FLTCDR) in HMAS Newcastle.

At the end of 1996, Terry was posted to the School of Air Navigation at the RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria, to undertake the Qualified Navigator Instructors Course, where he was awarded DUX of his course and then as a Qualified Observer Instructor (QOI) commenced instructing RAAF Navigators and Basic Observer Courses on HS748 and B200 Super Kingair aircraft. In 1997 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and assumed the duties of the Senior Naval Officer at RAAF Base East Sale.

In 1999, after successful completion of the University of Canfields’ Aircraft Accident Investigators Course in the United Kingdom and the USN Aviation Safety Officers Course in California, USA, Terry was posted to Commander Australian Naval Air Group (COMAUSNAVAIRGRP) as the Fleet Aviation Safety Officer. In 2001, Terry was posted overseas to New Zealand for an exchange posting with the Royal New Zealand Navy. During his time in NZ Terry served with No3 Squadron RNZAF and as FLTCDR on HMNZS Te Kaha and Canterbury. He qualified as a TACCO and QOI in the RNZNs SH2G Seasprite helicopters. He was deployed to the Persian Gulf in HMNZS Te Mana as a part of the commitment to OP CATALST in 2004, before returning Australia and taking up the position of Chief Observer Examiner within COMAUSNAVAIRGRP. In this position he was charged with the Training, Qualification and Standards of all RAN Observers.

In 2007, Terry was posted as the Officer-in-Charge of the RANs newest aviation capability, the Agusta 109E Helicopter. Terry was awarded a Commander of Australian Navy Systems Command Commendation for his superb contribution to the Agusta 109E Project where he was heavily involved in Tender Evaluation, Contract Negotiations and the training of Junior Aircrew.

In November 2009 he took up his current posting as the Executive Officer of HMAS Cairns, where he supports Bob in Commanding over 1000 personnel. Terry says that being able to have the opportunity to step away from Naval Aviation and experience life amongst those who Protect Australia’s Northern Approaches is one of the highlights of his 33 year RAN career.

Both of these Albury/Wodonga boys have excelled in their Naval careers and wholeheartedly agree that they love their jobs and their role in protecting Australia’s borders.

Bob and Terry recommend joining the Navy to anybody who is thinking of giving it a go, it is a great lifestyle, provides wonderful opportunities to travel and make friends for life — and they both confirm the pay is not bad either.