Training Commander HMAS Creswell

Commander John Douglas, RAN

Deputy Training Authority - Initial Training Leadership and Management

By way of introduction, I joined the Navy through Creswell as a Direct Entry 'Schoolie' in mid-1983 after having had five years as a High School Teacher.

Having served on and off in the RAN for some 25 years, I can honestly say that I have never had a bad posting, nor a bad 'boss'...well almost. I consider my posting history as particularly fortunate with stints in:

• HMAS Cerberus (LEUT)- a short-lived instructional baptism by fire in the WEE School followed by a very rewarding posting to the RAN Management School (where my interest in leadership training for both officers and sailors was sparked).
• RAAOC Centre, Bandiana (LEUT) - as OIC of the Army Work Study School (which Navy Work Study Practitioners, which I wasn't, attended).
• ADFA (LEUT / LCDR) - working in overload mode as the Navy TDO / Common Military Training Coordinator and Instructor Mentor.
• HMAS Jervis Bay (LCDR) - with many fond sea familiarisation deployment memories as JOTO.
• HMAS Nirimba (LCDR) - as the Apprentice School Training Admino and Closure Officer.
• Florida State University - a fantastic 18 months completing a MSc (Instructional Design).
• Training Centre - East (CMDR) - headed up the TC-E, then in the middle of 'the Cross'.
• Cambodia Deployment (CMDR) - An eye-opener as a member of a four man Aust / US Training Assessment Team reviewing the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces.
• RAN Staff College (CMDR) - as the inaugural OIC Leadership & Management Training Centre (pulling together the original LMPD Training Continuums for bothe sailors and officers).

However in 1997, lured by an adventurous spirit, I departed the Navy to take up a lucrative project management job re-establishing the Kuwait Naval Force School between Gulf Wars. My four years in the Middle East was, like Cambodia, life-changing and I believe I left the staff at the KNF School a tad more professional and well-equipped than when I first arrived. My job was done!

I returned to Australia in late 2001 to marry Simone and had two years as Director Navy Performance Management in NHQ attempting to de-mystify the Navy Strategy Map and Balanced Scorecard. Hitting the road again on completion of that tour, I was the Quality & Education Manager at the Port Hedland Immigration Detention Centre; I managed a large Retirement Village on the Central Coast, NSW; and was the Training Manager for Clarence Valley Council.

Returning to the fold mid-2006, I took up a position with the Navy Sea Change Program before being appointed DTA-ITLM / Training Commander RANC. Working within Sea Change to address the Navy's personnel and retention challenges was an absolute pleasure, as, I am sure, my Creswell posting (Jan 08) will likewise be.