Navy People: Thought of joining the Navy
27 April 2011
A simple conversation with a fellow SCUBA diver 21 years ago resulted in Sydney's Bruce Greig enlisting as a medical doctor in the Royal Australian Navy Reserves with the intention of working in Underwater Medicine.
Commander Bruce Greig did indeed qualify as an Underwater Medical doctor and has worked in this area extensively, however his recent Navy medical experience has all been above water.
Not only has Bruce gone on multiple deployments as the ship's doctor, he has also spent a great deal of time in Banda Aceh as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Primary Casualty Resuscitation Facility (PCRF), in Dili as the OIC of the UN Aeronautical Medical Evacuation (AME) Unit and later once again as OIC of the PCRF. He has also served onboard HMAS Arunta off the shore of the Iran/Iraq border in 2007.
"Although I've received both the Australian Active Service Medal and the Australian Service Medal it is the Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) commendation that I received for my work in the Dili Detention Centre in 2006 that I'm most proud of," said Bruce.
Bruce is currently onboard the USS Cleveland, an amphibious transport ship, as part of the U.S led humanitarian aid mission Pacific Partnership. The mission aims to strengthen alliances and promote multilateral security cooperation. The ADF is participating with a mix of engineering and medical personnel including doctors, nurses, dentists and vets.
"It is a great experience to work with the U.S in this Humanitarian Aid Mission," said Bruce. "It is the first time I've been able to do Humanitarian Aid where they haven't been shooting at us, or where we've been picking up after a disaster."
Bruce is onboard for 10 weeks, and will be leaving the mission in Darwin but there's no rest for this dedicated Navy doctor. He's going straight into Exercise Bluestokes, a training exercise for Navy Reserve doctors designed to make them fully deployable.
"My wife, Sue, is extremely supportive of my work with the Navy and as she travels a great deal with her own work understands the demands Navy Reserve time can make on an individual," said Bruce.
Some of the Naval fervour must have rubbed off as Bruce's son joined the full-time Navy and is currently in training as a Maritime Warfare Officer onboard HMAS Tobruk.
"It's always lovely to come home and get a hug from my daughter," said Bruce. "I've been going away for her entire life and she still farewells me with tears, and welcomes me with a hug."
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