A young boarding officer-under-training sits in a rigid-hulled inflatable boat as it is lowered from the transom of its frigate, cutting through the saltwater below.
At 4am, the night is at its darkest as dawn approaches.
His helmet on, crowding his senses, saltwater smeared across the face shield, the young man wonders how, such a short time ago, he was studying philosophy at the Australian National University, with bleached-blond hair and two earrings to boot.
The thought of 'what Socrates might say here' is jolted from his conscious as the boat hits the black water and the coxswain cranks the throttle.
The boat crew are surged forward over the waves, the hull smacking down on the water in between. Then they are gone … consumed by darkness.
Sub-Lieutenant Gus Coleman recalled this visceral memory of witnessing his first boarding operation, but this time he was in familiar territory in HMAS Arunta, safely alongside Station Pier in the Port of Melbourne.
As the ship prepared to open to the public for Navy Week, Sub-Lieutenant Coleman had a look of anticipation in his eye, as his home suburb of Bayside was a stone's throw away, and the countdown was on to a reunion with family.
"It's a great privilege to be able to share my world, my life and my job with my family and friends, who I'll be bringing on board during the ship open day," Sub-Lieutenant Coleman said.
Having enlisted in Navy in 2021 through the University Entry Officer Scheme, Sub-Lieutenant Coleman graduated from the Australian National University in 2023 with a Bachelor of Philosophy.
He completed the New Entry Officer Course at HMAS Creswell in 2023, and his Maritime Logistics Officer training at HMAS Cerberus in 2024.
'A dear family friend once told me that success in life is about who's got the best stories around the dinner table.'
He was subsequently posted to the helicopter frigate Arunta, and the rest, as they say, is history.
"The fact that we are so lucky to live in this country is not lost on me," Sub-Lieutenant Coleman said.
"A dear family friend once told me that success in life is about who's got the best stories around the dinner table.
"Many of my friends pursued very different lives, but I'm grateful that my day-to-day looks so different."
Maritime logistics officers (MLOs) are responsible for delivering logistics capability to enable Navy to fight and win at sea.
"As the assistant MLO, I have a critical role in keeping the ship moving," Sub-Lieutenant Coleman said.
"I get to ensure everyone has what they need, when they need it."
Sub-Lieutenant Coleman's pursuit of having the best stories doesn't stop here.
In 2023, he competed in the Iron Man Australia Championship, qualifying for the 2025 Iron Man World Championship Men's Race in Nice, France, on September 16.
"I grew up cycling and racing up and down Beach Road - the Australian Mecca of cycling. So qualifying for Nice is incredibly exciting," Sub-Lieutenant Coleman said.
"With the run, swim and bike, being able to maintain my fitness on board, at sea, presents the most unique challenges, including stationary bike in high sea states, and running endless laps of the flight deck.
"These are challenges that I doubt any of my competitors will have experienced."
