Navy People: Mt Pleasant Local Has Critical Mission In Middle East
7 September 2009
Mount Pleasant local, Corey Smith, is performing a critical role onboard Royal Australian Navy ship, HMAS Toowoomba. The ANZAC Class Frigate is currently serving at sea on operations in Middle East as part of Australia's military contribution to coalition efforts against international terrorism, countering piracy in the Gulf of Aden, and maritime security.
Petty Officer Corey Smith is the maintenance manager of HMAS Toowoomba’s S70B Seahawk helicopter and has 15 years combined training and experience in this role. Leading a team of six people, Corey plays a crucial part in maintaining the helicopter so it can conduct its mission from the ship’s flight deck.
A typical Seahawk mission involves up to three hours of low level operations over the sea, day or night, in all weather conditions, often recovering to a ship's deck which pitches and rolls dramatically in heavy seas, and is generally wet with spray. Corey’s role is to ensure his team of staff carry out scheduled maintenance precisely and on-time to ensure the safety of both the air crew and helicopter.
“The way I look at it is that if something goes mechanically wrong on the ship, it stops in the water, but if something goes wrong with the helicopter when it’s launching, flying or landing on the ship’s flight deck, it could be catastrophic,” Corey said.
“It’s because of the importance of our job that our flight maintenance and crew members are an extremely strong and close team. They are all great blokes and we get on well together,” he said.
Despite working in temperatures well over 40 degrees Celsius, Corey says he enjoys being deployed in the Middle East Area of Operations.
“I get to make a difference. Everything is a challenge both physically and mentally, and I get to use the skills I have learnt in the Navy, in some of the most trying conditions possible,” Corey said.
During his Navy career, Corey has travelled to Singapore, Malaysia, Hawaii, Thailand, East Timor and down to Herd Island near Antarctica, where he helped stop illegal fishing of the Patagonian toothfish.
Corey went to school at St Domincs High and McCarthy Senior College and is currently extending his education by undertaking his first year of a Bachelor of Criminology and Law. He hopes to receive his commission and become a Navy Legal Officer in the coming years.
When the ship returns to Australia after her six month deployment, Corey is looking forward to spending time with his wife Rossina and three children Jayden 9, Savanah 6, and Bradley 3 in Jerrabombra in the ACT.
HMAS Toowoomba continues her patrols of the Middle East Area of Operations, contributing to maritime security operations in the Arabian Gulf and to undertake counter-piracy and counter-terrorist activities in the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and off the Horn of Africa. Toowoomba is due to return to her home port at Fleet Base West in Western Australia in early December.
