South Australian Coordinator

Dion Chandler

I was born in Port Augusta in June 1970, and then lived in Quorn with my parents until joining the RAN in January 1987 as an apprentice MTP.

Whilst growing up in Quorn, I then had two brothers younger than myself, Dad being a train driver at the time based out of Port Augusta. Dad spent considerable time away on the job when he was driving trains North to Alice Springs and as far West as Cook on the Trans Australian Railway.

As a kid, I had an interest in Railways, especially steam, and still maintain that interest today. Whenever my RAN posting cycles have had me in Adelaide, this has given me the opportunity to travel home to Quorn each weekend where Mum and Dad still live, to continue my progression up the railway chain of command. I now possess a government OH&S card endorsed with a boiler ticket which enables me to operate and fire the steam locomotives.  I am working on gaining the qualifications to drive steam locomotives. I have been qualified to drive diesel locomotives for the last decade.

I also like to go camping, going out into the outback and getting away from it all. I own two 4WD’s, so getting away from it all is no problem. I also have my own boat as I enjoy fishing and crabbing.

After completing my apprentice training at HMAS NIRIMBA, I then commenced submarine training at HMAS PLATYPUS (both these establishments are no more) and joined HMAS OVENS, remaining posted to that submarine for five years straight. This saw me go from a SMNMTP1 to a LSMTP3SM with an ERWC. Highlight of just two ports away in those five years would have to be Yokosuka in Japan and then Hawaii for RIMPAC 1994.

I have now changed over to Collins Class Submarines, and in various roles, have been to sea on all of them, I have had two sea postings as the DMEO (CPOMTSM), with the highlight of DMEO postings would have to be the RIMPAC 2008 where on HMAS WALLER, we fired our new Mk48 Torpedo and sunk the ex 10000t DDG USS Fletcher. I am now back in Adelaide, living in West Lakes right behind Footy Park, where I expect to be for two years looking after submarines in refit in SA.

During my teens, and whilst still at school, I came to realise I had feelings for other guys more so than the girls, I put this down to curiosity and perhaps a phase. I continued to have spasmodic relationships with guys, some with other sailors, although I still wasn’t identifying myself as gay. It wasn’t until 2003 (age 33) when on a port visit to Darwin that I came to the realisation that I was past the experimentation and phase stage and that I now identified as being gay. The guys and girls in the submarine community have generally been great, and very accepting. A funny comment from a junior Stoker that had just joined the submarine was that Dion couldn’t be gay, he’s too much a ‘Bloke’ for that. Outside of the ADF, I am out to my immediate family and accepted quite well. My mates from Adelaide and some from home in Quorn that I knock about with, I am out to as well. These mates are also accepting of my sexual orientation and have been great about it as well, of course all claiming they knew before I did.

Last Updated 01 Jun 2009