Training Ship Maryborough twins with Navy big brother
7 November 2007
Australian Navy Cadet Unit Training Ship Maryborough has been formally twinned with Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Armidale Class Patrol Boat (ACPB) Crew Aware Three.
TS Maryborough was formed in 2002 and the current Ship's Company consists of four staff and 27 Cadets (15 male and 12 female) ranging in age from 13 to 19 years. LEUT Dennis Uren, ANC, Officer in Charge of the Unit says that he is delighted with the new twinning arrangement between TS Maryborough and Aware Three which now provides opportunities for direct liaison between Navy Cadets and a dedicated Navy Patrol Boat Crew.
Aware Three, under the Command of LCDR Jeff Davison, RAN, formed up on 1 October 2007 and is the third crew of the ACPB Aware Division. This event marked a significant milestone as it not only completed the formation of the Aware Division but also the entire 21 crews. It signifies a coming of age for the new state of the art Patrol Boat Fleet after a two year development period which coincided with the phasing out of service of the ageing Fremantle Class Patrol Boats.
The three Aware Division crews will be based at Darwin and rotate through the two newest and final hulls of the 14 that form the ACPB Fleet, namely NUSHIP's Maryborough and Glenelg, under a multi crewing concept. In addition to delivering more days at sea per platform per year, and therefore an enhanced overall operational capability, the multi crewing concept provides a stable program for the crew. This enables personnel to plan their personal and professional lives ahead to a much greater degree than before, a fact much appreciated by both the crew members and their families.
Aware Three will be formally inaugurated into the RAN at Brisbane on 8 December 2007 in a ceremony combined with the commissioning of NUSHIP Maryborough by Aware One, under the Command of LCDR Gerry Savvakis, RAN. This event will provide a unique opportunity for TS Maryborough cadets to spend time at sea in the Navy's latest state of the art Patrol Boat and be involved in what is a historic occasion for the Unit, their namesake ship and Aware Three.
