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A fitting place for promotion
contactairlandandsea.com ^ | 07Feb2023 | Lieutenant Commander Steven Witzand

Posted on 02/07/2023 4:19:46 PM PST by Dundee

After completing a three-year posting with the United States Navy (USN), Chief Petty Officer Luke Brewer was promoted to Warrant Officer on board USN ship USS Canberra in January.

Warrant Officer Brewer joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) in 2002, served on board Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates and was part of the HMAS Hobart commissioning crew.

During his posting with the USN, he was embedded within the San Diego Southwest Regional Maintenance Center (SWRMC) combat systems alignment team, ensuring radars, sensors and weapon systems were aligned to meet mission requirements and operational tasking.

Washington Naval Attaché Commodore Darren Grogan, who promoted Warrant Officer Brewer, said it was a proud and significant moment.

“In this instance, the honour to promote an Australian senior enlisted sailor on a US ship that holds the same name as the Australian capital offers such a unique opportunity and highlights the strong and enduring ties between the RAN and the USN,” Commodore Grogan said.

Commanding Officer of SWRMC Captain John Bauer said there was no better location for the promotion to take place.

“I can’t think of any better way to recognise senior chief Brewer’s significant milestone and monumental achievement than to have this symbolic ceremony performed on Canberra,” Captain Bauer said.

Canberra is the second US ship to be named in honour of the Australian capital city. The first was USS Canberra (I), named by the USN in honour of HMAS Canberra (I), which was lost in action at the Battle of Savo Island in World War 2.

Homeported in San Diego, California, Canberra is part of Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One. The ship is scheduled to officially join the fleet and conduct a commissioning ceremony later this year.

Warrant Officer Brewer is one of 101 RAN officers and sailors serving abroad in the US on a variety of postings and training, including embedded staff and liaison officers.

Centrally supported by the Naval Attaché Office staff in Washington, functions of RAN members posted to the USN include enhancing engagement and supporting interchangeability with US counterparts.

Warrant Officer Brewer will return to Australia as the Deputy Executive Manager within Fleet Support Unit – Sydney, where Navy will seek to leverage interchangeability experience from his time serving on exchange with the USN.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:
Half of my time in the Australian Navy I was working directly under or with USN and USMC personnel. All excellent people and very professional.

A Commander from Texas introduced me to genuine Texas BBQ and subsequently ruined all other forms of BBQ for me ever since.

At a house warming party for a Master Sergeant I killed a funnelweb spider to his family's unending gratitude.

Swapping initial officer training school stories with a Lieutenant from Mississippi during a long and boring ASW exercise.

Sharing the rage with a Commander from Virginia as we watched 9/11 happen.

I fear for the lives of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of both Australia and the US in what is likely to happen soon re: China. But there is some comfort that would go yet again into battle with family at their side.

1 posted on 02/07/2023 4:19:46 PM PST by Dundee
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To: Dundee

....back in the day, when I was much younger and a few pounds lighter, I would have gone waltzing Matilda any day with our Aussie allies....today..? I think the Aussies would still be formidable as foes, but the U.S.Navy is today too obsessed with using proper pronouns and trying to achieve gender equity....


2 posted on 02/07/2023 4:53:55 PM PST by TokarevM57 (u)
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To: Dundee

Bump, thanks for your service to Australia and thank you for being a faithful ally to America!


3 posted on 02/07/2023 5:52:00 PM PST by PROCON (Sic Semper Tyrannis)
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To: Dundee

There’s a restaurant in Castroville, CA called the “Central Texan”. Best BBQ in the area by far.


4 posted on 02/07/2023 6:02:57 PM PST by sasquatch
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To: Dundee
The biggest mistake...by far...that the world's prosperous,stable,decent nations (US,Canada,Australia,Britain,Japan,etc) have made over the last 50+ years is opening their ports to Chinese made goods about 40 years ago. China has a billion plus people willing to work 14 hours a day,6 days a week for $1.05 and hour in order to survive. Ten years from now the Eastern Hemisphere will look much,much,*much* different than it does today.

If the people of Taiwan,Hong Kong,Japan and South Korea were smart they'd be soiling their kickers right now.

And if Aussies were smart they'd be very,very concerned right now.

Just my 2 cents' worth...

5 posted on 02/07/2023 7:08:32 PM PST by Gay State Conservative (No Doubt Now: Stolen Election)
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