Navy People: Meet Kaine Duncan from Vincentia

31 August 2010

These days Vincentia’s Kaine Duncan, 35, is highly trained to avoid uplifting experiences at work. And wouldn’t you be, if your job was blowing up unexploded World War Two artillery shells and bombs.

Former Jervis Bay local and Shoalhaven High student is now a Navy clearance diver, one of the Navy elite ‘special forces’.

He is now clearing unexploded ordinance from the Solomon Islands coast and waterways, as part of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI for short).

“My primary role here is Explosive Ordinance Disposal,” said Kaine. “Together with the local Royal Solomon Islands Police Force we search for left-over ordinance.

“Once we positively identify the munitions we stack them together with cable ties and prime them with detonation cord for a controlled explosion.”

This is Kaine’s first operational deployment overseas with the Navy.

“I qualified as a Clearance Diver in September 2009, Kaine said. “ “To be on operations using my skills in a real environment is very rewarding.”

The versatile Kaine, who is also a qualified carpenter, managed the Husky Pub for a couple of years prior to joining the Navy in May 2007.

He admits that a passion for recreational diving and water sports, plus the challenges on offer, were of the major reasons he chose clearance diving as a career.

But his career has not been without challenges. Kaine can be stationed thousands of kilometres from his wife Natalie and their four children Kye 14, Riley 12, Ryan 10 and Tallis 8.

“Sometimes I am in remote areas for weeks or months which can make keeping regular contact with home difficult,” he said.

“But the family is very resilient. Natalie is in the Army and understands the constraints — and the kids are very understanding.”

Kaine’s parents, Bob and Rose Duncan are proud of their son’s choice of career although Kaine confesses they were worried at first. “They had a few reservations,” he said, “but they have always been very supportive of what I am doing.”

By being in the Solomons, Kaine is saving lives. “During our time here we have often had local children approach us with unexploded munitions. Being a father myself, it is very rewarding to play a part in giving these children a secure and safer future.”