Navy welcomes largest group of new officers in seven decades

Almost 300 Royal Australian Navy (RAN) members have completed officer training in 2021 – the largest cohort of new officers to graduate in a single year since the 1950's. This week, 125 RAN members graduated from the New Entry Officers' Course (NEOC) at the Royal Australian Naval College in Jervis Bay. Another 173 officers completed the world-class leadership course in the first half of 2021. This year's NEOC graduates come from all over Australia and from a range of backgrounds, including high-school leavers and professionals looking to switch careers. Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Michael Noonan said it was great to see such a large number of new officers from diverse backgrounds graduating at a time of significant growth and change for Navy.