The primary reason I joined the Navy was because I wanted to do something different, something that wasn’t mainstream. I wasn’t the type of person who wanted to work in retail or clerical. In fact, I was pretty wild when I went in. My training taught me discipline but the structure also rewarded me. Second to wanting a different kind of career, I always loved the water, and I thought it would be a good opportunity to be on and around it.
I joined the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service in October 1980 when I was 20.
The branch I started in was then known as Radar Plotter which later changed to Combat Systems Manager by the time I left. It was a very small branch with very few women. Some would say it was an elite branch. I mainly worked in the tactical training facilities with ship’s command teams in tactical exercises and training of anti-submarine aircraft controllers (ASAC).
We also trained simulator pilots who would act as the aircraft pilot under the direction of the ASAC for the tactical implantation of the aircraft as directed by command. The simulated environment included ships, submarines, and aircraft.
I really enjoyed what I did and it was very rewarding. Everyone pulls together to get things done in the Navy. It was always a ‘can do’ attitude. If something had to be done, you just got it done and that’s carried me through the rest of my careers and life. So, when I did leave, and I ran my own company for many years, I got things done. It’s a lot different working for different organisations which are not military service related, where some people are really only looking after themselves and not their colleagues.
My first posting as a senior sailor I had a majority of men and very few women who reported to me. It was rather challenging back then. I was the first female in the Navy to complete Advanced Seamanship having never had the opportunity to complete Basic Seamanship and never being posted to sea. It was a prerequisite for promotion and therefore had to be completed. I completed the Advanced Seamanship training at HMAS Cerberus in Victoria. It was freezing cold so I’ll never forget it.
I was very lucky and had some good men with whom I worked. In particular, one Lieutenant Commander was very keen to see women advance in the Navy. You were acknowledged for what you did and how hard you worked, and you were promoted for meeting a particular criterion through a competitive process.
My service in the Navy was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go to sea because women couldn’t serve in combat roles at that time. I could train the other men and could train ship’s command teams but unfortunately couldn’t be posted to sea.
I was in service for 11 years ending with a Navy office in Canberra.
The disappointing thing for me, was the lack of ‘sea time’ because women could not be posted to sea in my branch and at my rank at that time. I would have loved to have gone to sea and I was encouraged to stay in the Navy and consider a change over to Principal Warfare Officer. Perhaps they knew it was in the pipeline hence their encouragement?
The highlight for me was receiving an Admiral’s Commendation for project work on the implementation of the ADF Ready Reserve scheme. It was a Tri-Service project with Navy, Army and Air Force, and was challenging and interesting, working with external and internal stakeholders both military and civilian, on a major reform of ADF Reserve Forces.
This is the story of Tracey Molloy as told to Carla Edwards.
