By Ron Lane
It was just supposed to be a casual Saturday morning stroll through the local shopping center with his dad Allan; nothing more nothing less. But little did Adam Grunsell realise that it was to be the start of a career, a career that can only be described as a journey through life; a journey of outstanding achievements in service to his country.
“After a short walk we happened to come to an Australian Defence Force Recruiting Office and just out of curiosity, I decided to walk in for a look. In the room there was three desks Army Navy and Air Force. Both the Army and Air Force recruiting people were busy; there was no one at the Navy desk so that’s where I headed. Following a brief introduction to life in the Navy I was taken into a back room shown a video of a warship plowing through a massive sea and I was hooked.
Then some months later after interviews and a thorough medical I was, at 17 accepted into the Royal Australian Navy College at Jervis Bay.”
Born in Sydney and educated at Parramatta High School, there was for Adam, no Navy family tradition to influence his thinking. “My dad was a fireman but on looking back I realise that because his profession was one of team work and discipline, accepting these two virtues was an everyday part of life. As a result of this, that part of navy life presented no major problem.”
Following time in Jervis Bay, he spent a year at the University of NSW in Sydney and then for his third year, he was posted to the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra. This was to be the first year of operating for the college and it was indeed different for it involved all three services Army Navy and Air Force. Then late in 1986 having completed three years of training and study (obtaining his BA) Adam Grunsell graduated as a Senior Midshipmen Royal Australian Navy.
“Life in Jervis Bay,” said Adam “was definitely an experience, a great learning curve. It was definitely designed as a challenge: young men being molded into a team and learning to accept 24hour discipline. The days were long, 5am till 11pm with classes, continual discipline and physical fitness; there was no outside contact, no phone calls nothing for six weeks; but boy we had some characters. One bloke I roomed with was a real Queensland country boy. Our beds had to be made a certain way and immaculate, all uniforms hung correctly and precisely folded and spaced in our draws. After a short time it was evident that he was sleeping on the floor and when I asked why, he told me that he wasn’t going to be making that bed (that way) every day.
I was in a class of a hundred and two and at the time of our graduation we had established friendships that would last for 35+ years and beyond; it really was a brotherhood and it would last for life. It is interesting to note that in 2018 six of us that joined together all went on to become Admirals; and one is now Chief of the Navy.”
On graduation it was six months sea duty onboard a patrol boat. This was followed by logistics training at HMAS Cerberus, then time with HMAS Waterhen, mine warfare base and on to HMAS Hobart, guided missile destroyer.
“It is the sea duty that is really outstanding. No two days are the same. Just imagine that you are on a 4000 ton warship ploughing through big seas, performing the ultimate in team work and really coming to understand life at sea. Another great experience was conducting replenishment at sea between two ships. This occurs when our ship is required to move alongside the tanker ship approximately 50m apart and perform full replenishment of fuel, water and stores (via hose and rigging) and helicopters moving stores between ships in order to maintain a state of full readiness.
This operation is not just conducted with the Australian fleet for it could be American or British or other nations involved in operations or training exercises; and this of course requires great seamanship. At the completion there was usually an exchange of gifts, even sometimes,” he said with a laugh, “a big jar of Vegemite.”
Another posting that was to say the least memorable, was to the US Navy Base at Jacksonville Florida (as an exchange officer) for a period of two years 1994 to 1996 as a Logistics Officer. “What the Americans had at that base was bigger than the entire Australian Navy: amongst the ships at anchor were two air craft carriers, the US Saratoga and the newly commissioned USS John C Stennis, a nuclear-powered carrier.
It was during this time that Haiti was hit by a hurricane and all support equipment went through our base. At one time we had 104 transport vehicles on line, loaded with humanitarian goods. The organisation and movement was incredible.”
However life at the base wasn’t all work and no play. “Early in my tenure I received a phone call from my Captain telling me that I was to report for a game of golf at the 10th tee at 1300 hours that day. When I said I had no gear I was quickly informed that you can’t live in Florida and not play golf and at all times you carry your golf gear in the boot of your car.” It was during this posting Adam was informed of his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Amongst his various postings on returning to Australia he was, in 2000 Officer in Charge of Maritime Logistics Training at HMAS Cerberus. Then in 2001 he completed the Inaugural Command and Staff Course at Weston Creek in Canberra, thus gaining his Masters in Management (Defence Studies); this was followed by promotion to Commander.
Following Staff Course, during a period of service in Joint Logistics Command he participated in preparation with Australia and United States for war in Iraq. Then late one afternoon in 2005, while serving on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, he received an after- hours phone call from the Deputy Chief of Navy in Canberra. “This was to inform me that I had been transferred to Canberra and had to be there by 0800 next morning: it was late afternoon and I was stunned. I was trying to get myself together when he added, By the way congratulations, you have been promoted to Captain; never a dull moment in the Navy.”
In this role while working as Navy’s Director General of Communications and Coordination, which included responsibility for the coordination of Navy’s response to internal issues, an Australian Sea King helicopter, in April 2005, crashed on the island of NIAS Indonesia, during humanitarian support operations, killing nine Australian Defence Force Members and injuring two. This tragedy led to a one year Board of Enquiry and assisting families of those that had been lost in any we could; it was an arduous two and a half year postings.”
This was followed in two years by another posting to the USA. This time it was Washington DC, where he was to attend the United States National Defense University, graduating as a Distinguished Graduate, Master in Science. Following his return to Australia he was promoted to Commodore in October 2011 taking up the role of Director General Maritime Support, providing widespread logistics support service to the Navy Fleet
Four years later, on December 9th 2015 Commander Adam Grunsell was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral and took up his final role as Head Maritime Systems in charge of a $1.5b portfolio of maintaince and logistics support to the Navy fleet of surface ships
As a member of the Royal Australian Navy for 35 years, here are but a few other outstanding achievements. Awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross 2007, for Outstanding Achievements as Director General Navy Communication and Coordination; Awarded the Member of the Order of Australia 2015, for Efforts in Maritime Logistics Engineering and Sustaining Support for the Royal Australian Navy.
Then in January 2019 Rear Adam Grunsell Royal Australian Navy, retired.
“Approaching retirement I was looking around for somewhere to settle; then on visiting Noosa for the Tri with sons Tom, Will and daughter Holly and fiancée Sally, we had a good look at this beautiful place called Noosa and decided this is it. And now, we are nicely settled in Doonan.”On leaving the navy Adam became a Partner in the accounting and consulting firm of KPMG based in Sydney and Canberra which means he has to unfortunately leave the beauty of Noosa; but he is thrilled to return each week.
After 35 years of service I was curious. “Is there one particular incident that really hit you, something that will stay with you for life?” Without a moments hesitation he answered, “Yes there is. It was my time on the HMAS Arunta, an Anzac class frigate. I saw her grow, so to speak, from a steel shell to a fully capable ship of war. During my time with Arunta I was the Commissioning Officer from 1997-2000.
When she was commissioned the ship won seven of the Eleven Navy Fleet Award Events, covering all aspects of ship life in the Annual Fleet Awards. That sort of thing gives you a great feeling of achievement and personal self-satisfaction.
The day I left the Arunta I walked away– then turned back and looked. I just didn’t want to go; she had really become a part of my life. But it was over; it was finished. It was time to move on.”
