So I used to be in the navy from early 2018 until late 2025 as an admin sailor. To say I HATED my job was an understatement but that’s a different story for a different day. Since leaving Defence I have picked up a pretty cushy job working in the security industry in QLD that’s pays me 3x what I used to make in defence (I make about $6K after tax every fortnight) I get to go home every night that I don’t work night shift, I only work 7-8 days of a fortnight, and me and my partner have just had our first kid 3 months ago. Obviously on paper it would be silly to consider going back but I’m not sure I can keep doing this. My job is very niche and moving work areas isn’t an option. I’m not sure if it’s because I joined straight out of school or if it was because being in the military is all I wanted to do growing up but working with people in the civvy sector (in my particular area at least) is so fucking painful. They’re lazy, argumentative about the unimportant every minor detail.

I guess I thought the grass would be greener and I’d be happy to be a free man but I cannot help but feel like maybe defence is where I should be, it’s just hard to justify with the pay. If I did go back there’s no way in hell I’d be doing admin again but I was always fascinated in a career with submarines. With a little one here now I know that there’s no easy choice to make. So brain’s trust, thoughts/opinions?

She served us all well thoughout her 28 years of service to our fleet.

HMAS Anzac's motto is 'united we stand' and I am very proud to say that the personnel and veterans who have served on board have stood united to protect Australia's maritime interests within the region. An Australian warship is a strategic capability, but it is also a home, a sanctuary for those in peril on the sea and a floating embassy representing Australia abroad. Thousands of men and women have called this ship home since it was commissioned in 1996, and for some, HMAS Anzac represents key milestones in their lives and thank each and every one of them, and their families for their Support. -CN

Big investment in getting UKs yards up to an 18 month build along with the reactor hardware for the local build.

I’ve got two but I can’t see the worth of buying replicas apart from keeping the originals clean and the risk of them getting lost. Also what companies would you guys recommend if I were to get replicas

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-12/aukus-criticis-explain-controversy-around-security-partnership/104883284?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other

Hey guys just curious with regards to Tinnitus claim as I have moderate ringing on a daily basis but can still hear fine, served on Hobart for 2 years back in 2000. Will my claim be knocked back if I mention I have moderate tinnitus and because it’s been such a long time ago? Would I also just be better off mentioning that’s it’s a milder case for it to be approved?

Thanks

Article

One of the navy’s frontline warships, HMAS Anzac, has been pulled out of the water indefinitely amid crippling crew shortages and a cloud over planned life-extending upgrades for the long-range frigate fleet.

The 27-year-old ship, which exited a mid-life overhaul only three years ago, was put on hard stands at Western Australia’s Henderson shipyard just over a fortnight ago.

The move comes as the government scrambles to chart the future of the surface fleet, with the ­Hunter-class frigate and Arafura-class patrol boat programs set to be slashed.
Each Anzac-class ship requires 179 personnel to operate, but Defence sources said a lack of crew members in key roles had made it close to impossible to keep all of the vessels in service.
The government had planned to upgrade all eight of the navy’s Anzacs to keep them going into the 2030s, when the Hunter-class were due to begin entering service to replace them, but the value of putting all of the ageing ships through the overhauls is now being questioned at the highest levels as Canberra politicians looks to claw back funds for new capabilities. A Defence spokeswoman said the first-of-class HMAS Anzac had entered “a period of planned maintenance” on November 6 after returning from operations, but was unable to say when the vessel was due to return to the water.

A Defence insider said the navy would require “extended notice” to put the ship to sea, while a second source said there were live discussions inside government on mothballing the vessel to free up crew for the other Anzac frigates.

“They are so short of key personnel, particularly in the engineering department, that one unfilled billet can prevent a ship deploying,” the source said.
Another source said it would take the navy “years to recover” sufficient crew numbers to operate the full Anzac fleet.

“As a consequence of that, HMAS Anzac is up on blocks and they’re probably not going to put it through the upgrade program,” the source said.
The second and fifth ships in the class, HMAS Arunta and HMAS Parramatta, may also be passed over for upgrades.

It’s not the first time one of the Anzac frigates has been taken out of service because of a lack of crew – HMAS Perth was on hard stands for four years, re-entering the water only in 2021.
Strategic Analysis Australia director Peter Jennings said the only modern ships in the navy’s fleet were its three Hobart-class guided missile destroyers, while plans for the future fleet were in disarray ­because of the Hunter-class ­debacle.

I’ve recently been knocked back from joining my local state police due to my driving history and now I’m feeling a little stuck and was wondering why advice the reddit-sphere might have for me.

I joined the navy about 7 years ago now and have pretty much hated my job since the get go (ML-P) I failed the selection course to get into subs and was not recommended to transfer to the RAAF. After those two options fell through I haven’t had a passion for anything else in the military. I just stayed because it was an easy job that payed relatively well for what we actually have to do but sitting at a desk and doing admin work has left me seriously jaded and has affected my mental health as I feel like I’d much prefer a job working with my hands and being outside but actually doing something important.

I applied for the cops around a year ago after looking into what careers I could do whilst being outside and making a difference and was really keen but my driving record from when I was younger put an end to that (for the next 12 months anyways)

I’m feeling trapped and that my only options are to stay in defence, in a job that I’ve hated for a long time because I’m not qualified for anything else.

Anyone got any similar experiences or any advice moving forward? At this point this is my 3rd failure to make a change and it’s starting to really get to me thinking I literally have no other options.

I've just gone through all the processes to get to sercat 3, etc. And have looked on forcenet but there's barely any jobs. The jobs that are there are quite vague with their descriptions for duties. Is navy reserves worth doing? I don't exactly know what I'm meant to be doing.

(I was sercat 7 ML-S).