Motivation

Why do you wish to be in the Australian Defence Force (ADF)?

Joining the ADF has always been a dream of mine for a very long time. However, when I first of
thought of thinking of joining the ADF back in 2015 it wasn’t feasible for me. Now I have become
older and more mature I am attracted to work in the ADF for many reasons

- As a graduate engineer wanting to progress in my career, the ADF presents a place to hone
my skills I have learnt during my degree, and the experiences that can help me grows not
only as a person but as a leader.
- To reassure that the past year Engineers Australia has reviewed the qualifications and
certifications within Navy Engineering and found Navy’s training meets, and areas exceeds,
international standards.
- However the lifestyle is the most appealing factor, not a regular 9-5, combination of being
physically active lifestyle and mental challenges pushing me out of the comfort zone.

• Why do you wish to join the Service you are applying for? (Navy, Army, Air Force)

The training, development, career progression, future career opportunities, and operational
environment best suits what I enjoy doing. The Navy is what will push me and allow me to learn the
most and where I can make the most significant contributions to the ADF. I agree with and want to
be a part of and work with those who share values of Honor, Courage and Commitment

• Why do you want to be a marine engineer?

Ever since I was little, my fondest memories are of my dad and I working on cars together,

• What do you think are some of the as challenges you will face at Basic Training?

• How will you overcome these challenges?

Job/Training Understanding

• What is your initial minimum period of service (IMPS)?

5 years

• What are some of the responsibilities of the Service you are applying for?

An effective organisation is fundamental to the efficiency of the RAN and its ability to accomplish
assigned missions. The objective of the RAN’s structure is to align the entire Service, and its
supporting agencies, into a system that is focused on the delivery of trained forces and the necessary
support to deliver combat capability. Ultimately the Navy’s mission is to fight and win at sea.

The Chief of Navy Australia commands the Navy and is responsible for raising, training and sustaining
the RAN. Under the Chief of Major commands, Navy Headquarters and Fleet Command.

• Why do the Services have values?

• Initial Military Training: Location, Duration, Course content?

Initial Military Training

22 Weeks, Royal Naval College

HMAS Creswell, Jervis Bay, NSW

Defence Academy Engineering Midshipmen complete a New Officer Course (NEOC) at the Royal
Australian Naval College, HMAS Creswell at Jervis Bay on the NSW coast immediatelty following
entry to the Navy in February.

This 20 week course covers drill and ceremonial, physical training, Officer development, oral and
written communictions, Navy message writing, management and leadership, Officer of the day
duties, Navy organisation, Defence studies, character guidance, Navy history, swim test, first aid,
small arms training, adventure training and a training cruise.

Training for the remainder of the year will include periods at sea posted to their respective
engineering departments and time ashore with the emphasis being on the broadening your
understanding of the roles and functions of engineers in the Navy. Our aim is to let you experience
how exciting and rewarding life as a Navy Engineer Officer can be and allow you to decide if that is
what really motivates you. There will also be scope for you to gain engineering sub-specialisations
including Marine Engineer, Electronics Engineer, Aeronautical Engineer and Electronics Aircraft
Engineer.

Employment Training

Engineers Officers’ Application Course

18 Weeks

On completion of military training, Marine Engineer (MEOs) undertake an 18-week Engineer Officers’
Application Course (EOAC) at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria, commencing in January each year. This
course supplements theoretical degree education training in fields specific to engineering in the
Navy such as warship propulsion systems, hydraulics and pneumatics, auxiliary systems, warship
construction, stability and Maintenance administration procedures The course is split into three
distinct parts as follows;

- EOAC (Common) is a five-week phase and is conduction a combine class with the Weapons
Electrical Engineers Officers and covers various common aspects of Engineer Officers training
such as engineering safety, technical administration, risk management and Navy
infrastructure.
- The EOAC one-week tour visiting various key directorates and organisations in Canberra and
Sydney
- EOAC (MEO) lasts for 12 weeks and covers specific Marine Engineering subjects.

On completion of the EOAC, the students are posted to a sea-going ship as an Assistant MEO and
issued with an Engineer Requirements Journal, which consist of a series of tasks that need to be
completed in order to prepare the individual for their Marine Engineering Certificate of Competency
(MEOCC) examination board, which typical occurs after twelve to eighteen months of sea training.
Achievement of the MEOCC qualifies the individual to be a Deputy MEO in a major warship and is a
significant milestone in a MEO’s training.

At this point the individual can expect to spend two to three years ashore before returning to sea for
a two year posting as a Deputy, during which time they will achieve their Marine Engineering Charge
Qualification (MCQ), which is the final qualification required to enable them to run a Marine
Engineering department in major warship. This they expect to do after a further two to three years
ashore and promotion to Lieutenant Commander.

HMAS Cerberus Western Port VIC

Submarine Training and Qualification

6-9 Months Plus Sea Experience

HMAS Stirling, Rockingham WA.

• What can you expect to be your day-to-day role once posted to your unit?

I will be heavily involved in resource management, scheduling and finances that are relevant to my
role. As a junior officer I will be involved in a team effort of managing the general maintenance and
upkeep of the ship.

There are also a wide variety of shore based positions for periods when I’m not posted to a ship
there is a variety of shore based positions for periods when you are not posted to a ship including
operational planning, project management career management and general managerial engineering
roles.

Fitness

• What is the physical fitness standard for enlistment? Push-ups 15 Sit-ups 20 Beep Test 6.1?

• When was the last time you attempted all the elements of a Pre-Entry Fitness Assessment (PFA) at

the same time?

• Describe your structured Physical Training Program?

• For Navy and Army applicants, what are the specific swim test requirements and can you pass the

swim test?

ADF Policies and Conditions

• What are the ADF Policies and Conditions? Understand and be prepared to describe them.

- Drugs and Alcohol - Non Medical Use of Drugs

- Defence Force Discipline Act

- Equity and Diversity

- Initial Minimum Period of Service

- What is Unrestricted Service?

You may be called upon to work long and irregular hours when necessary, which are not eligible for
penalty rates or overtime. The Service Allowance component of ADF salary packages helps
compensate you for the special demands of service life.

- Your understanding of a Combat Role

Understanding the ADF

• What are some of the actions/activities the ADF has been involved in overseas?

• What are some of the domestic operations/local tasks the ADF has been involved in?

What are some bases around Australia?

Fleet Base East is the oldest base located in NSW.

Officer Candidates

1. What is leadership?

A simple definition is that leadership is the art of motivation a group of people to act toward
achieving a common goal. In a business setting, this can mean directing works and colleagues with a
strategy to meet the ADF needs.

2. What is management?

PASS

Planning, Administration, Supervising and Scheduling

3. Where have you demonstrated leadership?

Back when I was in university, I lived on campus for a bit, I was selected to be a residential advisor.
The common goal was for all of my resisdents and me was to provide a healty, safe and accessible
environment for students living and learing the residential halls. This requires a considerable amount
of judgment and discretion in task in fulfilment, and strong interpersonal and communication skills.
Overall job effectiveness is tied to the RA’s ability to establish and maintain credibility and good
rapport with residents, faculty and staff.

4. Where have to demonstrated Management?

Working as a Machine Setter at Ego Pharmaceuticals, normally there are three types of people on
the normally three types of people on the line,

5. What Corps will you be apart of? What will your role be?
6. What is the Role of an Officer?

To Lead, manage, and positively influence others to achieve important objectives. Develop
individual, team and unit capabilities. An Officer is a leader who should bind a team together. They
make difficult decisions, sometimes being being required to ‘look up’’ and sometime required to
‘look down’. They make decisions (clear and educated) and stick to it, provide the result and
outcome for all involved. They are decisive. Team is a necessity in the forces, Officers need to be
honest with yourself and those around you. To ensure team unity and synergy. An Officer assumes
responsibility. The instill the values and expectations of the ADF and the Navy into those they lead,
they do this by setting an example. ‘’People are your most valuable asset’. ‘’Leadership is not about
direct control but a belief in the initiative and resourcefulness of the led’

7. Why should you be allowed to lead?

To be honest I always never thought of myself of being a leader, however I always end up in
leadership positions due to my passion, and love for the things I put my mind at I’m able to make a
decision and stick to it, I can assess a situation and respond to it accordingly with an appropriate
course of action. I work well with others and am often someone who turns the group of people into
a team which can work together to achieve an objective. I have a desire to lead and enjoy taking on
responsibility of positively influencing others in order to achieve a mission.

8. Why do you want to lead?

Being around good and not so great leaders in my years of working in various industries, I can see
the effect of peoples moral and work ethic. As I have been on the receiving end of a bad leader.

Amphibious Assault Ship (HMAS Canberra & HMAS Adelaide)

The Canberra Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD), provides the Australian Defence Force with one of the
most capable and sophisticated air-land-sea amphibious deployment systems in the world.

These 27,000 tonne ships are able to land a force of over 1000 personnel by helicopter and water
craft, along with all their weapons, ammunition, vehicles and stores.

The ships were constructed using a modular approach whereby the ships are divided into modules,
which were built and fitted out as discrete units, before being welded together to form the complete
ship. This allowed the ship to be built at a number of different sites across before being brought
together for the final joining.

Construction of the hull to the level of the flight deck, including the majority of fitting out was
undertake at Shipyard in Spain. The hull was then shipped to BAE’ Williamstown shipyard in Victoria
for installation of the island structure. The island modules were also constructed at a number of sites
around Australia before they were moved to Williamstown for final installation on the flight deck.

The ship’s roles are to;

- Embark, transport and deploy an embarked force (Army in the case of the ADF but could
equally be an allied Army or Marines), along with their equipment and aviation units.
- Carry out/support humanitarian missions

The first LHD, HMAS Canberra, commissioned on 28 November 2014 and the second ship, HMAS
Adelaide commission on the 4 of the December 2015.

The ship is a convention steel mono hull design with the superstructure located on the starboard
side of the flight deck. There are four main decks; the Well Dock and Heavy Vehicle Deck for heavy
vehicle and/or cargo; Main Accommodation Deck, including the Primary Casualty Reception Facility
(PCRF), Hangar and Light Vehicle Deck for light weight vehicles and cargo; and the Flight Deck.

The LHD has been designed with the shallowest possible draft to allow her to operate in secondary
ports and harbours as well as well manoeuvre tactically in the shallow waters common in the coastal
regions.

The Command and Control (C2) and Combat Systems will consist of:

- Combat Management System

- Extensive ICT infrastructure to support the ADF’s Command Support Systems and provide C2
capability for the embarked force
- 3D Air Search Radar
- Helicopter Control and Surface Radar
- Navigation Radar
- IFF capability, including Mode S
- ESM/ECM Suite
- Integrated communications system (internal and external), including a Message Handling
System, Link 11 and 16, civil and military Satellite Communications
- Electro Optical and IR surveillance systems
- Integrated Navigation System, including an integrated bridge, navigation sensors, AIS and
WECDIS.

The LHD is fitted with a number of defensive systems including

- Anti-Torpedo Towed Defense System (Nixie)

- Four automated 20 mm gum
- 6 x 12.7 mm machine guns
- Active missile decoy system – Nulka (weight and space reserve)