By CASEY NEILL
ABLE Seaman James Patrick was an undisciplined 14-year-old without a career path in mind.
Now the Cranbourne 15-year-old is a Navy cadet with his sights set on a life at sea.
Eighteen months ago the Cranbourne East Secondary College student joined the Training Ship (TS) Bataan Australian Navy Cadets (ANC) unit based at the Monash Barracks in Dandenong.
“The reason I joined was because my parents thought I wasn’t disciplined enough,” James said.
“They made me join to help me with that, and it’s been a lot of fun, too.
“The people are just great, everybody’s so friendly.
“There’s a lot of stuff I’ve done at cadets that I wouldn’t have done otherwise. I’ve had a lot of experiences as well.
“Before I joined cadets I wouldn’t have considered the Navy, but now I see a career.”
James thinks combat system operator or clearance diver would suit him to a tee.
“They’re really different but they’re both fun,” he said.
“Combat system operator involves operating the heavy guns and stuff on ships.
“A clearance diver involves diving down looking for mines and disarming the mines.”
He agreed that the latter sounded perilous.
“It sounds fun, though,” he said.
James has attended ceremonial events with the unit and training camps at HMAS Cerberus.
“At first I didn’t really change but after I went on a camp it all turned around. I thought ‘maybe I can be disciplined’,” he said.
“I’m doing a lot better at school now. I used to be the kind of kid that didn’t do his work and now I do everything.”
He said the thought of serving during wartime was scary.
“The combat system operator, they’re the ones that launch the missiles,” he said.
“They can rip a ship in half. If you get shot with one of those missiles you’re gone!”
