The Naval Warfare Officers Association is a group of very lucky and special people who share a lifetime of experiences based on the operations of warships. These experiences include wardroom life, refits, workups, middle watches, rounds, storms, weekend duties, runs ashore and the ever challenging goals of mastering the art of winning war at sea. The imperatives of war as well as the hierarchical and competitive nature of our careers often eclipse the bonds and friendships of life at sea. I believe it is vitally important these unique and rewarding aspects of our lives are enjoyed as they occur, and remembered and celebrated later in life. This Association aims to help us do just that.
The NWOA keeps warfare officers in touch with a newsletter issued 3 times a year and a couple of major functions:
• Our premier occasion is ANZAC Day when we meet and march under the biggest Warfare Badge ever to grace our shores and then we hold our reunion on Sydney Harbour. It’s a wonderful occasion when generations of naval warfare officers mix and tell lies. Everyone is not only welcome but positively encouraged to come along and support our WW2 veterans.
• The NWOA Annual Luncheon is held in November at the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron where we enjoy superb fare and the thoughts of our guest speaker. In recent years we have been addressed by Chiefs of Navy (VADMs Shalders and Ritchie), General Peter Cosgrove, Prime Minister Howard, the Minister for Defence, and this year we are shooting for the Governor General.
The NWOA has strong ties with HMAS WATSON and we enjoy tremendous support from the CO and Warfare faculty. Our goals are professional as well as social. We encourage professional dialogue in our newsletter, we present a prize at the graduation of warfare officers and we endeavour to promote the warfare experiences of individuals. In this last category the stories of our WW2 veterans have been largely undertold, mainly because their service was mired in the history of RN ships. Similarly, the history of the RAN relates mainly to the exploits of ships and not so much to individual experiences. The publication of ‘Contact’ and the establishment of the NWOA Biographical Data Base aim to redress this imbalance.
I hope you enjoy being a member of the Naval Warfare Officers Association and I warmly encourage your full participation.
Cheers,
Brian Robertson AM
President