Navy People: Katoomba Sailor Says “Aloha”
18 July 2008
Katoomba to Pearl Harbour in Hawaii is a long way, and local sailor Kate Greenwood has travelled further than most to get there. Kate, a Seaman Marine Technician in the Royal Australian Navy, is currently in Hawaii to participate in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC).
Her ship, HMAS Tobruk is an amphibious craft that can carry troops and a range of vehicles, including up to 40 Armoured Personnel Carriers or 40 Australian Light Armoured Vehicles.
“I’m mostly involved in maintaining marine technical systems, fault finding in electrical systems and watchkeeping,” Kate said.
“During RIMPAC, watchkeeping means we work up to two shifts totalling 12 hours a day. That means we have just 12 hours a day to ourselves to sleep and take care of personal stuff like laundry and a bit of socialising in the junior sailors’ mess,” she said.
“But I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said the Katoomba High School old girl.
The Navy has taken Kate to some pretty interesting places in the 18 months since she enlisted.
“Hawaii is obviously a highlight, but I have also been to Noumea in New Caledonia for Exercise Croix du Sud,” she said.
Already Kate has been awarded a Certificate 3 in Mechanical Engineering and she has plans to study more and upgrade her qualifications.
“I really enjoy my work,” she said.
“Learning on the job allows me to improve myself while travelling and seeing such interesting places. Sometimes I can’t believe I am being paid to do this,” she said.
“While we were alongside in Pearl Harbour, we had the chance to tour some of the ships from other nations which are here to participate in RIMPAC, as well as take a trip to Waikiki Beach. Many of the sailors have also visited the Arizona memorial and seen some of the historic Pearl Harbour sights.
“I just love what I do, meeting people and working on such a variety of different jobs,” she said.
RIMPAC is a biennial multilateral exercise held in the Hawaiian Islands Operating Area. Countries participating with their navies include Australia, Canada, Chile, Netherlands, Japan, Peru, Singapore, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom and the USA. The exercise is intended to enhance the tactical proficiency of participating units in a wide array of combined operations at sea, on land and in the air. RIMPAC is the largest maritime exercise in the world. By enhancing interoperability between participating countries, RIMPAC promotes stability in the Pacific Rim region to the benefit of all.
The Royal Australian Navy’s contribution to Exercise RIMPAC 08 includes HMA Ships Anzac, Tobruk, Success and Waller, Clearance Diving Team 4, Fleet Battle Staff and a Headquarters element. RIMPAC 08 began on 27 June and ended on 31 July 2008. It is the 21st in the RIMPAC series.
