Publication:The Fearless Times Issue 2 2009/Message from the Editor, Chaplain Steve Gunther

Pushing Through – The light at the end of the Tunnel

G'day to all our Fearless families and friends,

I hope that you enjoy reading our Second Edition of the Fearless Times, perhaps even to find a loved one featured in one of our many stories, or maybe just tucked away in the background of a photograph.

Once again a big thanks must go to the Ship's Warrant Officer (SWO) Dave Devlin, for all his hard work in piecing this publication together and for writing at least a couple of the articles. In particular I draw your attention to the cover article 'Working hard on Station', a fine piece of journalism Dave. Special thanks also to our Tassie connection, LEUT Emily Kennedy, who joined us for this patrol and wrote a number of the stories in this edition. Enjoy the cold weather back in 'Launnie' Em! A big thanks also to all of you who provided such wonderful and encouraging feedback. We're glad that we seem to have struck a chord with so many back at home.

At the beginning of this last patrol I sent out an email to all of Ship's Company in which I said "As we face this month ahead, it occurred to me that if I think about this deployment in terms of a week, then the month of August would be Wednesday - that is 'hump day'! I find that Wednesdays always have the potential to drag on a bit...". Well I don't know how you folks at home have experienced the past month or so but for many out here it has been challenging and a test of endurance.

But, by the time you receive this Edition of The Fearless Times it will be only a couple of days shy of being exactly half way through the deployment, and the days to run will be measured in double figures only. As CMDR Ingham mentioned in his letter, we do still have some significant challenges ahead of us as we head south to the Horn of Africa. But, for many getting through 'hump day' brings with it a second wind and the light is clear and bright at the end of the tunnel, when we return home to family and loved ones.

God Bless you and yours

Steve Gunther
Chaplain, RAN
FEARLESS