No career barriers
Richie’s rewarded REMEMBER Somalia? PO St Clair Renroy ‘Richie’ Richardson certainly does – every day. A decade after counter-piracy operations off the Horn of Africa were in the headlines, the international mission to stop robbery and kidnapping on the high seas will continue till at least the year’s end under the EU’s Operation Atalanta. Run from Northwood since December 2008, the EU Naval Forces mission seeks to clamp down on pirates (a battle largely won), protect World Food Programme shipping delivering aid to Somalia and keeps an eye on fishing activities off the Somali coast. Caterer Richie has been assigned to the mission’s HQ since last year, organising visits for the myriad of military and civilian dignitaries and leaders from across the EU who follow the operation’s progress. His efforts have been rewarded with the Atalanta medal, presented by Royal Marine Col Rich Mantrill, who had another surprise up his sleeve for the Vincentian: a Long Service and Good Conduct badge to mark 15 years of consistently-high standards and service. Originally from Coull’s Hill, St Vincent, in the Caribbean, Richie joined the RN in 2002. He’s worked in the galley at CTCRM and aboard HM Ships Nottingham, Dragon, Daring and several minehunters, service which has taken him to the Falklands, USA, Gulf, Med and Baltic. “This is a very proud moment in my life,” said Richie. “It’s a big achievement. I’ve come a long way since the cold winter days of basic training in Cornwall, where I saw snow for the first time.”
FROM the jet pilots of tomorrow to flying helicopters, chefs and leading the guard at Windsor Castle – female role models from the Royal Navy spent three days with London schoolgirls to mark International Women’s Day.
Year 9 students from across the capital learned about the vast range of careers in the Senior Service open to women – hearing from the people performing those very roles. Lt Danielle Welch joined the Fleet Air Arm a decade ago as a Lynx pilot and flew humanitarian aid missions in the Caribbean before transferring to the fast-jet world; she’s coming towards the end of her training on Hawks at RAF Valley. “Originally this was a job I didn’t think I could do – it’s a job I would have liked to have done, but I didn’t see myself as the stereotypical super-fit alpha male – that’s the image of a fighter pilot portrayed by society and the media,” the 33-year-old said. “Some of the questions from the girls here have been straightforward: how did I get into it? What’s the best bit about the job? That sort of thing. “But there have been a few which I wasn’t prepared for and it’s been fascinating to see what they think of the Royal Navy and what it means to them.” PO(AH) Joanne Barlow deals with jets on the ground – or on the deck of American supercarrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower… and is now passing on that expertise to Britain’s newest flat-top, HMS Prince of Wales. “When I worked with the US Navy they don’t have many female deck handlers and I was the only female senior rating on board,” said the 36-year-old. “It was interesting that a lot of the females looked up to me. Some wanted to be like me, and if they stayed they would like to be doing what I’m doing, it was really nice to have that positive impact with the Americans as well as my own handlers.” She continued: “International Women’s Day is a chance to showcase jobs and roles the women of the Royal Navy are doing and succeeding at, and
l Former Lynx flier Lt Amy Dobson helps a young student into a flying suit during the second of the open days in the capital Picture: Sgt PJ George, DDC this is a unique way of showing the British public not just what women can do but also what the Royal Navy does around the world.” Lt Cdr Nicola Cripps was inspired to join the Navy thanks to a visit from the RN’s presentation team. She went on to study physics at university before joining the Service as a training manager. Her career has taken her all over the world and last year she had the honour of being one of the Captains of the Queen’s Guard at Windsor Castle. “It was an historic moment for the Royal Navy and something I’d never dreamt I’d get the chance to do – seeing the Navy out on the streets of London and more importantly me and my sailors engaging with the public,” she said. It’s the second year the RN’s community engagement team has held this event in London. By spreading it over three days, not one, the Navy’s message reached three times the number of youngsters who attended the inaugural session.
“What’s really important is that girls get to meet people who are doing jobs they normally only read about or see on the TV,” said Lt Cdr Hannah Mackenzie, in charge of the CET. “It’s important for them to understand that none of the careers in the Royal Navy are restricted – everyone has a chance to do all the jobs. If you want to join the Royal Marines you can, if you want to fly a helicopter you can, or drive a warship you can.” Lisa Marie, aged 14, from St
Anne’s Girls’ School in Enfield, was impressed by the range of careers on offer to women in the Navy and enjoyed the stories and experiences from their travels. “I’ve really enjoyed speaking to the people from the Royal Navy and they have some really good backgrounds that have brought them to here. “I like what they’ve said and it seems to be an exciting job with travel and seeing things you wouldn’t normally experience,” she said.
TWO-SIX
Joe’s 2038 vision is exemplary ROYAL Navy observer Cdr Joe Dransfield celebrated a security victory in the USA. Cdr Dransfield, the Senior Service representative at the US Naval War College, was a member of the winning team in an annual contest to devise a future security strategy for the USA. Having been challenged to assess the strategic environment in 20 years’ time and then present a proposal for the USA’s 2038 National Security Strategy, Seminar Five was selected as the best of 15 seminars by the VIP judging panel and received the James V Forrestal Award for Excellence in Strategy Development and Force Planning. James Vincent Forrestal was the first US Secretary of Defense – and a supporter of naval battle groups centered on aircraft carriers (one famously bore his name). Cdr Dransfield led – and presented – the strategy development for the seminar, providing an international perspective to the national planning task. This exercise is the pinnacle of the 11-week National Security Decision Making portion of the college’s year-long resident program and is designed to prepare senior level joint and international officers and civilians for executive positions in large national security organisations. On completion of the course, Cdr Dransfield will be joining the faculty of the USNWC as a professor of Joint Military Operations.
Where to look
Starbucks? Fewer bucks SERVING personnel and veterans can now enjoy 10 per cent off coffee and food if they hold a Defence Privilege Card. The international coffee giant has teamed up with the Defence Discount Service to offer the discount at all its stores across the UK and Ireland by simply showing their card – or proof of application – when they get to the till. To sign up to Defence Discount Service, visit www. defencediscountservice.co.uk or use its free mobile app for iPhone and Android. Serving Armed Forces, reservists, spouses/partners of serving personnel, veterans, MOD civil servants, bereaved family members, war/service widow(er)s, cadets aged over 16 and NATO personnel in the UK are all eligible. Privilege cards cost £4.99 for a five-year membership. www.navynews.co.uk
DINs
07 Training and Education
01 Personnel
DIN 2018DIN07-031 Courses at the Joint Service Sub Aqua Diving Centre in 2018 DIN 2018DIN07-032 Joint Service Adventure Training (JSAT) Air Activities – Paragliding, Parachuting and Gliding – Course Schedules 2018/19 DIN 2018DIN07-033 2018/19 Defence Cyber Education and Training
DIN 2018DIN01-027 Selection, Training and Employment of RN/RM/RAF NCO Applicants to become Army Pilots DIN 2018DIN01-028 Live Entertainment on Operations and Overseas Deployment DIN 2018DIN01-029 Voter Registration for May 2018 local elections DIN 2018DIN01-030 (Deep breath) The provision of assistance with making a claim under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) for injury sustained on or after 6 April 2005 or for a claim at the point of service termination for those who are eligible under the War Pensions Scheme (WPS) for injury sustained up to 5 April 2005 (And breathe!) DIN 2018DIN01-032 Naval Service OJAR and SJAR – The definition of Merit for Promotion DIN 2018DIN01-034 The 12th Annual ‘Chardi Kala’ Sikh Resilience Moral Development Course (7-9 June 2018) Calling Notice DIN 2018DIN01-036 Defence Pride 18 DIN 2018DIN01-037 Scottish Rates of Income Tax DIN 2018DIN01-038 Ramadan and Eid al Fitr 2018 DIN 2018DIN01-039 Air Engineer Senior Upper Yardman Promotion – Arrangements for 2018 Final Selection Board
09 Honours, Awards, Ceremonial Events
Royal
and
DIN 2018DIN09-002 Armed Forces Day – Saturday 30 June 2018 DIN 2018DIN09-003 The Professional Engineering Institution Churchill Medal Award 2017/2018 10 Sports and Social Events DIN 2018DIN10-011 Royal Navy Golf Championships 2018 DIN 2018DIN10-012 Royal Navy Golf Championships 2018 General Competition DIN 2018DIN10-013 Military Participation in the Invictus Games 2018 RNTMs 01 Personnel RNTM 01-008/18 Divisional Training in the Royal Navy and Joining Instructions for Divisional Officers’ Course RNTM 01-011/18 RN Aptitude Dates for Volunteers to Serve with 148 (Meiktila) Cdo FO Bty RA
02 Security and Intelligence
03 Policy and Operations
DIN 2018DIN02-002 Volunteers for Specialist HUMINT Duties – Interrogation (Op METIS) OS
RNTM 03-009/18 Scaling and Competency Requirements of CBRNDC Qualified Personnel on Surface Ships
03 Policy and Operations
04 Equipment, Support and Estate
DIN 2018DIN03-003 Handling of Flying Complaints from the public in the UK
RNTM 04-008/18 Maritime C5ISR Support Unit (MCSU) – Services Provided by the RFA Electronic Support Group (ESG) RNTM 04-009/18 Regional Support Units compliance checks and controls RNTM 04-014/18 Transfer of Landing Craft Between Squadrons RNTM 04-016/18 DII-Minervad: Incompatibility Between TrilogiView and PowerPDF
05 Management, Business Practice
Organisation
and
DIN 2018DIN05-008 829 NAS Decommissioning DIN 2018DIN05-010 Historical Child Sexual Abuse Inquiries – Changes to the Preservation and Retention Order
APRIL 2018 : 33