Service

I remember my first week, the bus on the way out was quiet, I started talking to a couple other people who I’m still friends with today. It was very intimidating when I first got of that bus, there was lots of yelling and we all got our heads shaved. we got told when to eat when to sleep how to stand and fold our clothes there was not much you could do without asking permission. Every afternoon before we could go to dinner the Chief P O would come and do an inspection, he would walk into every room in the building, all cupboards were open with everything cleaned and folded the same way, beds were folded without a cress and in uniform, we would stand at attention when he entered, you dare not smile or look at him, if anything was out of place he would yell rescrub, and we would have to clean everything all over again.

All meals were timed and quick. A few of my mates and me had a system were one would grab cereals, one would grab toasts, and one juices, to save time as there was not much. After a few weeks we were aloud to leave the recruitment school just for the weekend unless you did something wrong. We learnt lots of skills in those first 10 weeks, there were some that didn’t stay as it was not for them. You had to be able to follow commands, and be disciplined. If you rocked up with your uniform not perfect or not shaved you would be doing bull rings or high point arms which was one of my favourite. All the training with weapons and survival tactics, with a great bunch of people there for the same reason was unforgettable.

After recruit school everyone that made it went into categorie training this is were you learned your trade before you got sent to a different base. I already had a trade as a chef so I was sent to the galley until my departure to a ship. I got posted to the other side of the country and sent to a ship. This was a complete different experience we had 3 birth bunk beds with Velcro straps to hold you in during rough seas. Out at sea was fantastic you focus on training. I was also part of the Standing Sea Fire Brigade, we would do a mock emergency’s every day to be ready for any situation. We went to many different countries assisted in many different situations.

Out at sea was great, training and maté ship. We would stop in the middle of the ocean and have swim ex, we went to many countries and assisted in lots of mutual aid after catastrophic events.

There was lots of good times had and also not so good times. To be continued……..