Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2008/Tas. under the tower
Four Tasmanians attended the Reserve Entry Officer’s Course (REOC) held at HMAS Creswell September 19 until October 3.
Pictured (above) with the Royal Naval College’s landmark clocktower are (l. to r.): SBLTs Chris Sykes and Carolyn Docking and LEUTs Carol Baines and Kim Hambly.
SBLT Sykes works for Customs and spends six weeks at work and six weeks off which gives him time to spend with his partner Jade Garland, a LEUT in the Naval Reserve, and his two-year-old daughter Isobel.
He was able to put his previous navy skills – gained through 10 years PN experience to good use and provided great help to other students with no military background.
He joined reserves as the Maritime Trade Operations (MTO) role works closely with my current employer, Customs, and wanted to keep in touch with the navy community but at the same time learn new skills for his civilian employment.
SBLT Docking works as a public relations officer for Forest Industries Association of Tasmania and as a casual photojournalist at The Mercury newspaper and regularly contributes articles and images to Navy News.
She says it’s a big step up in responsibility and career direction for her but she’s looking forward to all the new challenges and opportunities that life as an officer in the reserves will bring.
She says the support and encouragement from all the team at Navy Headquarters Tasmania has been ‘amazing’.
LEUT Carol Baines works as a hyperbaric chamber nurse at the Royal Hobart Hospital and was previously a lieutenant in the Army Reserves.
LEUT Baines said she works with two Naval Reserve divers who both influenced her to join them in the reserves.
All three reservists are Hobart- based whereas LEUT Kim Hambly lives in Launceston.
LEUT Hambly spent nine years in the RN as an air engineer artificer before discharge in 1988. In 2004, she came to Tasmania to live.
She is the only federally appointed disability discrimination lawyer and joined the NR to broaden her legal experience.
