Jeremiah Michael Savage
Kaurareg Nation – Torres Straits
Warrant Officer
Royal Australian Navy
Medals
Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection
Defence Long Service Medal with 1st, 2nd and 3rd clasps (34 years)
Australian Defence Medal
I was born in Innisfail, Far North Queensland, in August 1966. I completed Year 12 in 1983 and enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy as a Quarter Master Gunner on 28 May 1984. During my over 40-year career I served on various HMA Ships including Canberra (Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigate), Flinders (Hydrographic Survey), Ipswich (Fremantle Class Patrol Boat), Tarakan (Landing Craft Heavy), Leeuwin and Melville (Hydrographic Survey), ANZAC (Anzac Class Frigate), Wollongong and Launceston (Armidale Class Patrol Boats).
My career included overseas exchanges to the UK and extensive travel to different parts of the world. I was deployed in Border Force Operations and trained alongside multinational defence forces. Throughout my career, I held several Training Instructor positions, specialising in Boarding Operations, Helicopter Fast Roping, Seamanship, Small Arms, and Medium Range Gunnery. I was also part of the Minor War Vessel Sea Training Unit Team, responsible for training and assessing crew and vessel readiness for operations both locally and overseas. I staffed Tri-Service Indigenous pathway programs such as the Defence Indigenous Development Program (DIDP), Indigenous Pre-Recruitment Program (IPRP), and Navy Indigenous Development Program.
On different occasions, some of my biggest highlights in my career was meeting different country Head of States, Prime Ministers, Presidents, the former Queen and then Prince, and now our current King. The standout for me was meeting President Nelson Mandela in 2005 at an Australia versus South Africa Rugby game. After standing out on the rugby field for our National Anthem, I was given the opportunity, after a short introduction, to present our Navy Ship’s Ball Cap, as a gift to President Mandela.
I take great pride in passing on the positive aspects of my life and the knowledge I have gained. I challenge myself to set high standards, displaying discipline and structure. Although it can sometimes be a struggle, I believe we all learn from our past, which makes us great. My philosophy is to set the example, not be the example.