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The training our officers receive is world class and is equally as valuable to potential employers in the civilian world as it is to us.
The Initial Officer Course, or IOC, is what all officers who join the Navy undertake. It forms a part of the New Entry Officer Course, the Reserve Entry Officer Course, the Undergraduate Entry Officer course and the Australian Defence Force Academy. The training that you undertake depends on your method of entry. The IOC takes place at the Royal Australian Naval College in Jervis Bay, south of Sydney. Several training courses are run here which cover everything from boat work and small arms, to management and leadership skills.
As part of a large national park and in recognition of its historical significance, HMAS CRESWELL (RANC) was placed on the Australian Heritage Commission's National Estate register in 1981. It is made up of four departments. The School of Survivability & Ship Safety teaches fire fighting, damage control and nuclear, biological and chemical defence. The Beecroft Weapons Range offers targets for Naval Gunfire Support practice. Kalkara Flight provides a remotely controlled jet target for anti-aircraft operations and is based at Jervis Bay airfield. The fourth department provides administrative support for all sections operating out of HMAS CRESWELL.
This is the most common avenue of entry; open to people who have passed Year 12 without degrees, or people who have degrees from a long time ago, or graduates with a degree relevant to a Navy job. It runs for approximately six months and is broken up into two main sections. The first four weeks is the Initial Training Period where you learn the basics of naval life such as Navy ceremony, physical fitness, living with your new mates and how to wear your uniform correctly. You will begin to understand that your primary responsibility is the welfare of your sailors and what it means to uphold the Navy’s core values of Honour, Honesty, Courage, Integrity and Loyalty. You will develop team leader and team member qualities and enjoy the mateship of your fellow Junior Officers.
The Academic studies you will undertake are varied and interesting and are designed to compliment the more practical aspects of the course. Some of the subjects you will study are Naval History, Equity & Diversity Awareness, Communications and Divisional Systems.
After this your training will be much more varied and will involve both theoretical and practical programs. You will undertake training in how to use the F88 Austeyr Rifle and 9 mm pistol. You'll undertake boat work and seamanship, so you can drive HMAS CRESWELL'S work boats and the Navy's Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats. You'll be involved in practical leadership and teamwork activities. And most importantly you'll undertake Sea Familiarisation which includes a week on Seahorse Horizon and then a four week Sea Training Deployment, where you accompany a Major Fleet Unit for whatever activities they are conducting.
You will live in single cabin accommodation, with a bed, desk with shelving and a wardrobe. There is a laundry room on the lower deck and you also share communal heads (toilets) and showers (with doors). There are also shared recreational spaces with plenty of things to keep you entertained during your spare time. The Gunroom is the social hub of the base for trainees; you can listen to music, play pool, watch movies or enjoy a drink or two with your friends. Divisional Common Rooms have a TV and DVD player if you feel like something more relaxed and plenty of tea and coffee to go with whatever you are watching.
As most of these candidates are already qualified in their chosen field, this course focuses on the fundamental skills a naval officer needs to have. It's derived from the New Entry Officer Course so contains many of the same lessons and challenges. It consists of an initial two week residential component at RANC, followed by a series of residential and distance learning modules. Like the NEOC this course is a mixture of theory and practical. You will study subjects like Leadership, Divisional Systems and Equity & Diversity, but you will also take part in physical training and go out on a sea training deployment.
This is for entrants without an existing qualification and its purpose is to provide you with an insight into Navy life, to learn the very basics of what the Navy is all about. You will find out about the Navy Divisional System, Parade and Ceremonial Drills and take part in organised physical training. Your subjects will include RAN organisation, Equity & Diversity and Occupational Health & Safety.
There are no formal assessments conducted on this course, as upon completing your university degree you will then complete the New Entry Officer Course. If you join through this scheme you will have your degree paid for, as well as receiving a salary from the Navy while you study.
The friends you make in the Navy will be unlike those you have ever made before. The mateship that develops comes from working together, socialising together and providing mutual support to each other. Your mates will become like a second family, as you will spend months at a time together, especially whilst you are out at sea. Long after you have left the Navy you will find that you still keep in touch with your Navy mates and that they will still be there to support and encourage you.
New Entry trainees are allocated to one of five divisions on joining RANC. You will live with your division mates, take most classes with them and also train together. You might also enter sporting competitions as a group .There will be a Divisional Officer who looks after your group specifically, who you can go to for advice and direction.
When going ashore, trainees have a number of favourite local haunts:
The Husky Pub is located in nearby Huskisson overlooking magnificent Jervis Bay. It features a pool room with bar, a sports bar, as well as a large dining area with both indoor and outdoor seating. The meals are very generous in size and there is a free courtesy bus service that operates at night.
The Country Club is located in nearby St Georges Basin. It features a large stage and dance area and a separate space for meals. On Friday and Saturday nights they usually have a live band playing, with a crowd of mixed ages.
This is the closest major regional shopping area, and is somewhere you'll like exploring on your weekends off.
We have so many fun sporting options that you can take advantage of to break up your training. There's our 9 hole golf course, four pristine tennis courts and a gym which includes cross trainers, weight machines, treadmills and boxing stations, as well as an outdoor military circuit. We are five minutes away from what we like to call ‘Captain's Beach', a beautiful clear water beach with a volleyball net for summer nights. There are also some amazing bushwalking tracks near Booderee National Park and we'll often set off on group walks along these.
Fitness training will be a part of your Navy life. Instructors will guide you through activities such as obstacle courses, parades and exercise programs. Sports to build your confidence and fitness levels will also be provided along the way. There is a huge variety to the fitness training, so you'll never find it hard to get motivated. There'll be aerobic training, running, weights, team sports and boxing amongst others. Look at it as an opportunity to greatly improve your fitness rather than as a requirement. The instructors are there to see that you succeed, not fail and in many cases you'll come to regard them as mentors.
Every weekend the Physical Training staff organise inter-divisional sporting competitions for touch football, soccer and tennis and there are also rugby competitions held between RANC and external teams. There are major sporting contests like Beach Olympics and Cross Country that you can participate in as a part of your course.
The Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA)
This is a great opportunity for entrants who want to join the Navy and study for an undergraduate degree. ADFA, situated in Canberra, offers you combined military and leadership training, with a fully recognised degree of your choice from the University of New South Wales. You are paid a salary and your HECS and other student expenses are taken care of. You also receive full medical and dental cover. In return you serve in the Australian Defence Force for the length of your sponsored degree, plus one year.
Fitness in the ADF
The Real Sea Patrol
Battleships Extreme
NEOC 38