Publication:Sea Talk Autumn 2008/Navy fills gap for youth
By Annie Casey
Navy’s Recruit School at HMAS Cerberus welcomed the first intake of 18 ADF Gap Year participants in January.
The new Navy program is very flexible ranging from six to 12 months depending on the participant’s wishes which are usually affected by their start date and their obligations to further study.
The Director General Navy Personnel and Training (NPT), CDRE David Letts met the first intake of ADFGY participants.
”Their feedback on the Gap Year was very positive,” he said.. “This is a direct reflection of the hard work by many people in NPT which has led to the successful implementation of this exciting new initiative.”
The Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Mr Warren Snowdon, expressed great interest in the program when he visited the 15 Gap Year recruits of Navy’s first intake(three opted out when they realised it was not for them.)
Mr Snowdon said that meeting with the Gap Year recruits three weeks into their training gave him the opportunity to find out first hand their motivations for participating in the program, what they expected to get from it, and their experiences to date.
“I hope to be able to speak with these recruits several times over the 12 months to track their progress, and to get their insights into both the ADF and Gap Year,.” he said
Applicants must be aged 17 to 24 and have completed Year 12 within the past two years.
Navy Gap Year entrants complete full recruit training, integrated with normal general recruit intakes, followed by four weeks of seamanship training at Cerberus. On completion of their seamanship training they will be rated as seaman-general experience (SMN GX).
As many Gap Year participants are potential officer candidates, all are taken on a one- week tour to view officer training at the Australian Defence Force Academy and the Royal Australian Naval College at HMAS Creswell. The Gap Year participants will then be posted to RAN ships and establishments.
At sea and ashore the general experience sailors will form part of the seaman department employed under the chief boatswain’s mate. They are expected to contribute to daily routines doing meaningful work as well as being loaned to areas of vocational interest for work experience.
The command team including SWO and training officers are to ensure that employment is balanced and provides a realistic taste of life in the Royal Australian Navy.
“Flexibility is one of the main strengths of the Navy program with entrants able to indicate a preferred completion date as well as being able to discharge at any time,” said ADF Gap Year Project Officer CMDR Mark Muir. “If a Gap Year sailor elects to discharge, the aim is to have them home within seven days.”
CMDR Muir added that there is no obligation to serve beyond the Gap Year and no requirement to transfer to the Reserves.
“However, there is a $10,000 bonus offered for participants who complete the Gap Year, gain a suitable trade or qualification and are enlisted in permanent service within five years,” he said.
Participants may apply to voluntarily transfer to permanent Navy at anytime during the ADF Gap Year. Transfers may be directly into a category course where Navy has capacity as a sailor, or potential officer candidates will be assisted through the officer selection process.
These new members are valuable to the permanent Navy now as they will be expected to contribute to daily routines undertaking meaningful work. With a positive experience during their Gap Year many are expected to continue with Navy by transferring within the year and many will come back to Navy in the future.
Another intake of 22 has just started at Cerberus. This year the 100 positions offered by Navy were filled very quickly. So anyone interested in one of the 250 positions offered for 2009 should seek information as early as possible from Defence Force Recruiting (http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/default.asp).
