This being my first post I would just like to say to Everyone, Hello. I’ve done 2 years and 10 months of training to get where I am today. It is one heck of a pipeline, but I should be as ready as I possibly can be to do the job thats asked of me. I joined HMS Trafalgar on the 15 December as it’s newest Warfare Officer. It’s straight in at the deep end as my training is not finished yet, the demands of being a submariner are such that I have to know all the valves and circuits and understand every system on the boat. No small feat for a man that kept breaking the coffee machine at the Naval College, but I have a few month’s to do it. When I do I’ll be updating this blog with a single one word post along the lines of: Woo hoo!
December 2008
22nd December 2008
First Blog
17th December 2008
IN THE GALLEY!! COMING UP TO XMAS!!
Today was a good day, made christmas lunch for some elderly people and i really enjoyed it, i made the stuffin balls, steamed sprouts, glazed carrots and the sausage and bacon wraps. Also today i cleaned part of the galley as we are going on christmas leave so we have to deep-clean. Which i think is good as it keeps the high standards of the galley up and it prevents bad food production, or as my chef says work in mess and create mess.
Onboard and Loving It!
We marched onboard HMS DARING and claimed her as our new home last Wednesday (10th Dec). It was a brilliant, crystal clear, cold Glaswegian winter day and, with the exception of the General Alarm (that started sounding half way through my speech and finished as soon as the Ship’s Company had marched onboard!), the event was a great success. Well done to bVT and UK Defence Industry for building such an excellent ship and, for the Ship’s Company, a warm welcome to the newest ship in the Navy.
16th December 2008
Navy Team Sailing
Over the last couple of months I have been working hard to get my new Olympic Campaign planned and up and running. In mid November our International Sailing Federation voted and agreed the classes of boat that would be used in the 2012 Olympics. There were a few close votes but eventually the only change for the women was the keel boat which has changed from the Yngling to the Elliot 6m with a new format being match racing. Due to my size and weight I have decided to switch from the Laser Radial to the 470 for this campaign and have been busy getting hold of a boat and setting it up ready for some intensive winter training.
Phase One Training
Selection weekend was an experience. There is a variety of assessments, including: running; a bleep test; pull-ups; press-ups; sit-ups; an assault course; and leopard crawling out of the North Sea in the early hours. It was quite tough, but as the instructors remind you, you are only ever a shower and hot food away from being back in your comfort zone, and you feel great afterwards.
Is It Xmas Yet??
Hi everyone,
This is my first post so will be short and sweet. I am not really up to much at the moment as we are in our last week before we all go off for christmas leave. I am however expecting my little one to grace us with her presence any time in the next two weeks so it shall be a good christmas. Over the period i will make a couple of posts some of which will be about previous deployments but will hopefully give you a little insight into what i have been up to since leaving 824 Sqn. Anyway i look forward to giving you all an insight into the Aircrewmans world, enjoy!!
Onboard HMS IRON DUKE - My Time So Far…..
I first joined HMS Iron Duke in late April this year, a month before she deployed for Atlantic Patrol North, chieflt to provide support to UK Overseas Territories in Caribbean region. After being onboard for a month long maintenance period, essentially preparation for the trip ahead, Iron Duke deployed on 27th May.
15th December 2008
Civilians, Sickness and Tinsel
We have finished at South Georgia and all the scientists, young explorers, Royal Marines and film crews are safely back onboard. We are now in transit and having a bit of a breather, although I did have a casualty the other day.
9th December 2008
Life in the RN…
I take each day as it comes, some days i have my highs and other days i have my lows. Today has been a good day NVQ wise as i completed three more dishes towards getting an NVQ level 2.