This is a discussion on Royal Australian Navy Discussions and Updates within the Navy & Maritime forum, part of the Global Defense & Military category; 'The process is stringent and long.
They screen you heavily if you select before recruit training, and you receive a ...
'The process is stringent and long.
They screen you heavily if you select before recruit training, and you receive a Psych interview before a 3 week selection process conducted at stirling.
After that they will tell you whether your good enough, then you gotta know every single knob and pipe in the sub and what it is used for to get you dolphins. Its a very hard task, but those who are in would not trade it for anything in the world.
My old man is ex sub (onslow) and they share a bond that is a whole other world deeper than regular ADF. I suppose living in a milo tin under water with 40+ sailors for months would do that.
I would imagine you would have to definately get over your fear. I would imagine you would have to be the sort of person very comfortable with deep deep water, darkness, small spaces, and a overall sense of being squashed. Go watch Das boot.
Thanks for the replies everyone! The more I think about being on subs the more I want to do it, as my niece told me. A surface ship can be just as dangerous as working in a submarine. Small spaces don't worry me as i've never suffered from claustrophobia, neither does the dark or deep water. Just heard that the subs can get a bit smelly with everyone on strict shower rations but I guess thats what deodorant was invented for. I just bought the "Submariners" DVD today that was filmed aboard HMAS Ranklin so that should give me a good insight into what being a submariner is all about.
Well, we sailed the old girl Adelaide for the last time as a commissioned warship. She sailed into FBW from Freo flying her paying-off pennant. She will remain alongside Stirling until 19th Jan when she will decommission. After that she will sail around to FBE with a skeleton crew where she will be stripped for spares for remaining 4. A bit of a sad day, she will the second one that I have unfortunately paid off along with Canberra.
Cheers
Well, we sailed the old girl Adelaide for the last time as a commissioned warship. She sailed into FBW from Freo flying her paying-off pennant. She will remain alongside Stirling until 19th Jan when she will decommission. After that she will sail around to FBE with a skeleton crew where she will be stripped for spares for remaining 4. A bit of a sad day, she will the second one that I have unfortunately paid off along with Canberra.
Cheers
Pusser, is the stripped down FFG in the attached photo, from the ADF website, of HMAS Collins at Cockburn Sound, taken on Dec 7th, the former Canberra?
Number '02' on the bow is a dead giveway - ie ex-HMAS Canberra. Plus Adelaide is only decomissioning now, Canberra was decom last year in prep for sinking somewhere as a scuba diver tourist attraction - make more money than selling it to a 3rd world navy or for scrap!
Thanks for the replies everyone! The more I think about being on subs the more I want to do it, as my niece told me. A surface ship can be just as dangerous as working in a submarine. Small spaces don't worry me as i've never suffered from claustrophobia, neither does the dark or deep water. Just heard that the subs can get a bit smelly with everyone on strict shower rations but I guess thats what deodorant was invented for. I just bought the "Submariners" DVD today that was filmed aboard HMAS Ranklin so that should give me a good insight into what being a submariner is all about.
I think you'll find that the most difficult thing about being a submariner is not this kind of perceived fear of submerging (its no big deal – boat goes down, boat comes up – just like an elevator) but all the book work required. A submariner has to be qualified on all the ship’s components. This is a lot of hard work and a lot of sailors have trouble with it. Then there’s also the escape training, which again is not meant to be that hard but you do have to do a >20m underwater ascent. As for the smell, or the ‘pong, the big problem is not BO but the ship’s garbage. Apparently this has been fixed as well by using odour reducing blankets or something for the piles of crap.
Well, we sailed the old girl Adelaide for the last time as a commissioned warship. She sailed into FBW from Freo flying her paying-off pennant. She will remain alongside Stirling until 19th Jan when she will decommission. After that she will sail around to FBE with a skeleton crew where she will be stripped for spares for remaining 4. A bit of a sad day, she will the second one that I have unfortunately paid off along with Canberra.
Cheers
Just think of it as being a part of history. Kind of helps ease the sting a bit. Proud crew and proud ship and if it helps she survived two attempts by my crew to steal an aussie flag off her. But they did have fun trying.
Pusser's 'old girl' still looks pretty good in the ADF image gallery showing HMAS Adelaide arriving at Fleet Base West for the last time.
Yeah, the old girl should still look good even in the twilight of her life. We have spent a fair bit of time chipping & painting to keep her looking at her best until she decommissions. We are still using bits of the ex Canberra, only a month ago parts for a switchboard were pulled of to help keep Adelaide going. We aren't sure as to when the Vic government is going to assume ownership of Canberra and tow her away. At this stage the Adelaide is to be sunk off Terrigal, not sure when though.
Cheers
Thanks for the replies everyone! The more I think about being on subs the more I want to do it, as my niece told me. A surface ship can be just as dangerous as working in a submarine. Small spaces don't worry me as i've never suffered from claustrophobia, neither does the dark or deep water. Just heard that the subs can get a bit smelly with everyone on strict shower rations but I guess thats what deodorant was invented for. I just bought the "Submariners" DVD today that was filmed aboard HMAS Ranklin so that should give me a good insight into what being a submariner is all about.
Hi Octopus7
The dvd you bought is that the one that was on foxtel or a different show?
I remember seeing the trailers for the sub show on fox; i really wanted to watch it but could not as I am on the road all the time.
I actually picked up my copy from a Robertson's bookshop that has an inbuilt ABC shop (Frankston, VIC) for $24.95.
But as gf0012-aust said it can also be purchased from the stores mentioned as well as bought online from Dymocks.
link: http://www.dymocks.com.au/ProductDet...=9786000160968
But they did have fun trying.
We are still using bits of the ex Canberra, only a month ago parts for a switchboard were pulled of to help keep Adelaide going. We aren't sure as to when the Vic government is going to assume ownership of Canberra and tow her away. At this stage the Adelaide is to be sunk off Terrigal, not sure when though.
