Making memories on board Supply

When Benalla local Able Seaman Cody McNulty joined the Navy in 2016, Tasmania was the furthest he had been from home.

CAPTION: Able Seaman Cody McNulty on board HMAS Supply during her commissioning ceremony at Fleet Base East in Sydney. Story by Lieutenant Jessica Craig. Photo by Sergeant Catherine Kelly.

Now, Able Seaman McNulty travels the world and supports Navy’s newest capability, the recently commissioned HMAS Supply II.

During his time as a school-based diesel mechanic for Extons, he realised his love for all things mechanics.

“I have always been fascinated by engines, which is probably related to my dad being a truck driver,” Able Seaman McNulty said.

“When I was 19, I made the decision to join the Navy as I saw it as an opportunity to experience the world outside of Benalla and be paid to train and work with engines.”

Since joining the Navy as a marine technician, Able Seaman McNulty has obtained a Certificate III as an electrical fitter and is undertaking a Certificate IV.

He said it was his parents’ pride that kept him high on his achievements list.

“Making my parents proud is one of my biggest personal achievements,” Able Seaman McNulty said.

“I love seeing their smiles every time I share the memories I have made while serving, just as my grandfather, Alfred Scutchings, shared stories from his time in the British Army during WWII.”

One of the memories Able Seaman McNulty is cultivating to share with his family is being part of the Supply commissioning crew.

The ship, which came into service on April 10 at Fleet Base East in Sydney is part of the largest regeneration of the Australian Fleet since World War II.

“It has been really cool being part of the Supply commissioning crew as the technology has advanced so much since Success was built.

“We have moved from mostly mechanical components to all the engineering systems being controlled from a central computer console, which is great for advancing Navy’s capabilities but also for expanding my learning.”

Supply is a critical support element for the region’s contemporary maritime operations, which makes Able Seaman McNulty’s job that much more important.

“I do preventive and corrective maintenance on basically the heart and nervous system on the ship,” Able Seaman McNulty said.

“It is a very large and detailed system which monitors all the sensors and electrical networks, allowing them to connect to the computers which control the ship.”

Now the ship is officially commissioned, Able Seaman McNulty said he was looking forward to heading back to sea to explore the world further and make more memories with the “great crew and good mates” which he could share with his family.

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