Changing of the guard as new Wagga Navy head Rodney Davis welcomed to the region

Lieutenant Commander Rodney Davis, 40, started in the role of senior naval officer at RAAF Base Wagga on Monday and is looking forward to the job.

"In the past two weeks, my wife Zoe and young children Bradley and Lily have been settling in and we're looking forward to exploring Wagga and the greater Riverina region," Lieutenant Commander Davis said.

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Lieutenant Commander Davis hails from a long line of military service, with both his grandfathers and two uncles in the military.

"My own father was also a commander in the Navy, so there's nearly 100 years of service in my family," he said.

Lieutenant Commander Davis said he followed in their footsteps after completing a bachelor's degree at the University of Newcastle.

"I was after a job that would provide me some sort of security and the opportunity to grow me both professionally and personally," he said.

"After doing my initial officer's training down at HMAS Creswell in Jervis Bay, I am now nearly 18-and-a-half years into my service and I've never looked back."

During that time, Lieutenant Commander Davis, who is also an aeronautical engineer officer in the Navy, has had an interesting range of deployments.

"I've served at HMAS Albatross in Nowra and have done stints at Squadron 817 which was the old Seak King squadron Seahawk Squadron 816," he said.

More recently, Lieutenant Commander Davis even had a stint over in the UK.

"I had the opportunity to do a masters degree at Cranfield University where I undertook an aerospace vehicle design degree," he said.

"It was at a time when the world was slowly coming out of COVID lockdown, so the chance to travel and study overseas was amazing."

Lieutenant Commander Davis said the highlights of his service include maintaining aircraft and working with people along the way.

He arrives in the region after leaving his previous posting in the Melbourne CBD to replace the recent departure of Lieutenant Commander Matthew Laverty.

"I was in Melbourne when he was asked to come and be the senior naval officer in Wagga," Lieutenant Commander Davis said.

It will be his first time serving as a senior naval officer and he's looking forward to it.

In his new position, Lieutenant Commander Davis will include a number of roles, from providing naval advice on day to day administration of navy personnel, to both ensuring a functioning Navy divisional system and providing support to trainees undertaking initial aviation technical employment training.

"My role is also to instill and maintain the Navy customs, traditions and ethos as well as...widening relationships with the local community," he said.

Lieutenant Commander Davis said having a visible presence in the community was particularly important.

"I know Wagga is steeped in naval history and I look forward to getting out and meeting many past naval members amongst other people at future engagements," he said.

"I'd very much like to keep that Navy footprint, albeit small, alive."

Lieutenant Commander Davis has already begun this process, taking part in proceedings as the Legacy torch passed through Wagga this week to commemorate 100 years of the organisation.

"I was fortunate enough to attend a reception following the Legacy torch relay hosted by the mayor at the art gallery on Thursday," he said.

"That was one of many opportunities I will have to get out and meet members of the community."

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