Cameron Cruz
Aboriginal Nyoongar Tribe of Wajak Country
Able Seaman
Marine Logistics Supply Chain
Royal Australian Navy
Medals
Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection
Australian Defence Medal
I was born in Armadale WA, spending my early childhood with my parents and brother in Mandurah. After primary school, my family and I moved to Kwinana. My education wasn’t the greatest, in fact my teacher wrote I have a disability in understanding maths and will never understand it fully. Under the school’s Work Experience Program, I completed various placements from mechanical to construction. At 16, inspired by movies and the Navy ads I wanted to join the Navy. Due to past historical events, my family was against this; they wanted me to succeed in an apprenticeship. I left school in year 10 when offered a four-year apprenticeship with a mechanical workshop and earned a CERT III in Automotive Mechanical Technologies. I had no idea of the effects leaving school and not completing year 12 would cause later in life.
After my apprenticeship, wanting to continue challenging myself, I spent four years in mining. Then, needing a new scene, moved to Melbourne and started work in the steel industry, developing new skills and competencies in logistics. Although there was opportunity to upskill, I was unchallenged and felt it wasn’t for me. Shiftwork was eating at me and my mental health with the same routine on each 12-hour shift. I needed to find a more adventurous career and Defence Force Recruiting (DFR) was just around the corner. That old flame I had at 16 was reignited.
At 27 I sat the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) enlistment exam. Although very nervous, I gave the exam my best shot, doubtful that I had passed the maths component. That became reality when a DFR coach advised I’d failed the exam and also failed a medical screening. He told me to reapply in six months. I walked away devastated and began hating myself for not being able to understand maths and wondering why I was medically red-flagged.
One week later I received a call from a DFR Indigenous Recruiter. He understood when I explained my education background and offered the opportunity to reapply in six months under the Navy Indigenous Development Program (NIDP). I’d be enrolled at TAFE to relearn maths and English to Year 11 and 12 standards. After six months, I reapplied however I was assigned a new careers coach who questioned my suitability to apply under the NIDP as I’d already achieved a trade qualification. I stressed my concerns knowing I wouldn’t pass maths, but unfortunately it was my only option. I failed a second attempt to join the Navy. Two years went by with many emails back and forth and documentation uploaded to convince people I was fit, healthy and ambitious to join the Navy. Then after almost three years fighting a battle I thought I’d never win; I received a call. ‘You’ve been accepted to join the RAN under the NIDP’. I packed my bags to head off on one of the biggest journeys life could throw at me. NIDP was the best experience of my life. I was given the skills and abilities to become a sailor. My 4½ years serving in the RAN have taken me to places I’ve never been and given me a lifetime of friends, some of whom are now family to me. My career progression has been life-changing. It’s been the job of a lifetime.
My one goal, my ambition, is to one day fill a role in Indigenous Recruiting and become a role model for my culture and people. I want to assist other Indigenous men and women in reaching their goals in life and make my family and friends proud.