Navy invests in its most important asset

Navy is doubling down on its investment in its most important asset, its people.

HMAS Kuttabul recently hosted a week-long event in Sydney where officers and sailors were invited to workshops aimed at building resilience, allowing them to perform, adapt and thrive under pressure.

The event was delivered by The Resilience Shield, a veteran-owned organisation run by Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis. The trio are all Australian Special Air Service veterans with more than a combined 60 years of experience leading high-performance teams in challenging operational environments.

Founding partner Mr Pronk said Navy’s increasing investment in the mental health, wellbeing and resilience of its members has been an enormous step forward from past decades where there was a lack of focus in society as a whole in these important areas.

“It’s recognition that we ask our people to do extraordinary things. This is not normal to go on a ship, or submarine, so with that comes a requirement to prepare them to deal with these extraordinary things,” Mr Pronk said.

Despite the group’s experience as highly trained special operators taught to function in high-pressure environments, he said the fundamental skills being taught to Navy personnel through The Resilience Shield were remarkably easy to learn.

“The beautiful thing about these skills is that there’s a low barrier to entry. These aren’t massive, high-skill techniques,” Mr Pronk said.

“It is more about that awareness, what do you have available that you can do for yourself, and how can you build that into your life sustainably.”

Kuttabul CWO Ben McGregor, who hosted the sessions, said the investment in officers and sailors was aligned with Plan Pelorus, the Fleet Warfighting Philosophy and Kuttabul’s efforts to prepare for the workforce.

“The workshops have been specifically designed to provide practical tools and a framework our officers and sailors can apply immediately in your own lives and workplaces,” WO McGregor said.

“What this initiative demonstrates is a renewed commitment to invest in our people, recognising that they are the Royal Australian Navy’s most important and capable asset.”

Hosted over the course of a week, more than 700 officers and sailors attended, allowing them to build practical measures and learn that resilience can be understood, developed and strengthened.