Navy People: Grafton girl cooking up a storm

26 July 2010

At the age of 20, Keely Slis is already a seasoned Navy veteran. The Grafton local has spent three years in uniform. Her job has taken her from the Middle East to Hawaii.

It's sometimes said that an Army marches on its stomach – no less so for the Navy. Keely has been promoted to Able Seaman and she’s a trained cook on board the Australian Anzac Class Frigate HMAS Warramunga. It’s a full time effort but Keely wouldn’t have it any other way.

“When people appreciate the work we do, it definitely makes the job worthwhile,” Keely said. “I enjoy the challenge of having to be versatile, and using what’s available on the ship to keep 180 people happy.”

From Grafton High, Keely went to the Navy’s recruit school at HMAS Cerberus near Melbourne. After a stint at TAFE it was back to Cerberus for a course in bulk cooking. Keely graduated with a certificate in hospitality and an appetite for life at sea.

“Cooking is my passion and travel is my passion,” Keely said. “I have the best of both worlds.”

Navy life has already taken her to the Persian Gulf and South East Asia. For the next few weeks she’ll be based in Pearl Harbor as part of Exercise RIMPAC.

It is the Australian Defence Force’s largest international maritime exercise, designed to test interoperability with 14 Pacific Rim nations, including the United States, South Korea, Indonesia and Canada. Approximately 1200 Australian personnel will be participating in the exercise which will run through to the 1st August 2010.