Stepping ashore after 36 years

By LEUT Carolyn Martin 3 min read
A Navy member in uniform sits with one hand on his hip in a room of equipment.
CPO Simon Greenwood in the marine technician workshop on board HMAS Sydney during a regional presence deployment. Photos: LSIS Lauren Pugsley
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CPO Simon Greenwood has come to the end of his final sea posting after 36 years in Navy.

He will step off HMAS Sydney in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, after nearly two years as the hull technical manager on board.

This follows a long career as a marine technician dedicated to life at sea, fixing all manner of systems from sewage systems to potable water plants.

CPO Greenwood grew up in Dalby, Queensland, but has called Sydney home for most of his time ashore since joining Navy as a marine technician in 1990.

He estimates he has spent 21 years at sea, commencing in HMAS Success and followed by HMA Ships Darwin, Melbourne, Newcastle, Hobart and finally Sydney.

CPO Greenwood spent nine years in Melbourne where his rank grew as he was promoted from able seaman to petty officer. He then grew his responsibility during eight years in Newcastle.

On promotion to CPO, he went to the Navy Safety Bureau for two years before joining the destroyer project in Adelaide in 2016 to assist with building Australia’s Hobart-class destroyers.

CPO Greenwood was a key member of the Hobart commissioning crew. His expertise in destroyer construction and commissioning has enabled him to provide exceptional technical advice throughout his postings to Hobart and Sydney.

'We visited Cairo for three days and went inside the Great Pyramid.'

CPO Simon Greenwood

Throughout his career, he has deployed on numerous operations, including Operations Warden, Trek, Relex II, Catalyst, Resolute, Quickstep, Slipper, Saville and Argos.

Reflecting on his time in Navy, CPO Greenwood recalled one of his most memorable days.

“In 2013, while serving in HMAS Newcastle, we were in Akaba, Jordan, for a port visit during a gulf deployment, and the ship funded a cultural excursion to the ancient city of Petra,” he said.

“I thoroughly enjoyed spending a whole day examining the ancient architecture as I am keen on ancient history.

“I had been to Egypt in Darwin in 1992, where we visited Cairo for three days and went inside the Great Pyramid.”

CPO Greenwood also fondly remembers cross-deck exercises to HMS Birmingham and French corvette De Troyes.

“Mostly it’s been a lot of fun,” he said.

CPO Greenwood is looking forward to long service leave before considering some part-time work as a reservist.

Two Navy members present another, standing in between them, with a wooden plaque.
CO HMAS Sydney Commander Ben Weller presents CPO Simon Greenwood with a plaque for his service, alongside LCDR James Stahlhut.
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