Our People in NSW
Daniel Wolfenden - Travel all in a day's work for young salt
After having visited Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and now Indonesia, you could be forgiven for thinking Daniel Wolfenden was an old salt.
But Daniel, 24, has only been in the Royal Australian Navy for two years and his career with the "senior service" is very much in its early stages.
Originally from Mt Druitt, Daniel spent the first few months of his training at HMAS Cerberus, south of Melbourne.
He is now a fully qualified Boatswain's Mate and is an integral part of HMAS Kanimbla's ship's company.
As part of his job, Daniel is required to be proficient in the use of a number of small arms weapons, and he participates in various operational evolutions such as boarding parties.
He also keeps watches on the bridge where he "drives" the ship under the supervision of the Officer of the Watch.
"As a Boatswain's Mate, I am very much involved in weapons maintenance, ship's husbandry and various seamanship evolutions," Daniel said.
"I am also in the process of completing my medical for the dive course which will allow me to become a ship's diver."
Kanimbla, which is currently on deployment to Indonesia as part of Operation Padang Assist, is one of two Navy amphibious transport ships in the fleet.
The ship is tasked with providing humanitarian aid to the earthquake-stricken island of Sumatra, and is carrying a large team of specialist Australian Defence Force personnel who are working closely with Indonesian authorities.