Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2004/Reserves column

By CMDR Joseph Lukaitis, RFD,

RANRDirector Naval Reserve Support - Victoria Maritime Trade Operations: Primary Qualification

Chief of Navy has announced that, with effect from April 5 this year, the Primary Qualification for Naval Control of Shipping officers has become Maritime Trade Operations. MTO will remain a Naval Reserve-only PQ.

Also with effect from April 5, the Naval Reserve sailor category of Shipping Control was disestablished.This decision reflects the modern-day employment of sailors in the Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping environment, where required skills are more closely aligned to those of CSO and CIS sailors.

Shipping Control sailors currently employed in the NCAGS organisation will continue to be employed in that capacity as required.

Future recruitment into the NCAGS organisation will be through expressions of interest from Naval Reserve sailors of the CSO and CIS categories.

These personnel will retain their existing category and compete for promotion within that category.The change in title is made in parallel to a change in NATO doctrine that retitles NCS to NCAGS.MTO officers are principally employed in the NCAGS sub-department of Maritime Headquarters and provide advice and expertise to the ADF in all aspects of maritime trade and its operation.

Prince of Wales Awards

Have you considered applying for a Prince of Wales Award?

Each year up to 10 Reserves are selected from the ADF for a four-week trip to Canada, the UK, or the USA with airfares, part living expenses and full Reserve pay entitlement for the duration of the trip.

While overseas, award recipients undertake a two-week military attachment and a two-week civilian project.

The scheme aims to recognise and reward outstanding Reserves by broadening their service and civilian employment skills, knowledge and experience and to promote the value of Reserve service to civilian employers.

Each year the State committees of the Defence Reserves Support Council assess the submissions from their State.Nationally, 15 finalists are selected and a final selection panel then selects the Award recipients. The scheme provides for up to ten Awards to be presented each year.

Any serving Reserve member of the Australian Defence Force of the following ranks may apply:

• Navy - Petty Officer to Lieutenant Commander inclusive.
• Army - Sergeant to Major inclusive.
• Air Force - Sergeant to Squadron Leader inclusive

There is a formal nomination procedure.The procedure and nomination forms can be found on www.defence.gov.au/drsc and in DI(G) PERS 09-1 (Navy PERS 66-1, Army PERS 193-1, and Air Force PERS 24-8).

Professional Studies Program for Reserves

LCDR David Goble RANR has been posted to the position of Director Professional Studies within the Naval Reserve Professional Studies Program.

The Navy Patron of the program is Chief of Navy, VADM Chris Ritchie AO RAN, and the Corporate Patron is Mr Maurice Newman AC, Chairman of the Australian Stock Exchange.The aims of the RAN Reserve Professional Studies Program are to:

• highlight the significant skill sets that Reservists can provide the RAN and the civilian commercial community;
• provide an avenue for Reservists and the corporate sector to share knowledge of mutual interest; and
• promote the study, discussion and awareness of issues relevant to Navy through the publication of papers and contribution to professional journals and publications.

Comments and or inquiries about the program should be directed to the Administration Officer, RANR PSP, Deputy Director Reserves-Navy, Department of Defence, Canberra ACT 2600. Tel (02) 6265 6678 or fax (02) 6265 1845.

Recruiting targets - correction

In this column in the last edition of SeaTalk, reference was made to the targets for civilian recruiting into the Naval Reserve for the 2004/2005 financial year.The correct target figures are 50 officers and 100 sailors.