‘Join the navy and see the world.’
That was pretty much what went through Commodore Ashley Papp’s mind when, as a 19-year-old, he decided to join the Royal Australian Navy.
It was 1989, and Mr Papp decided that a life of adventure was better than the average nine-to-five job.
It was a decision he said was made easier after watching Top Gun, An Officer and a Gentleman and No Way Out.
“I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself,” he said.
“It has since become a life of purpose as well as adventure."
Like all aspiring Australian naval officers, Mr Papp was sent to basic training at the Naval College Jervis Bay, HMAS Creswell.
Though military training is often described with words like ‘hell’ and ‘nightmare’, for Mr Papp, it was nothing of the sort.
“It was awesome,” he said.
“It was the coming together of diverse people from across the country. It opened my eyes to Australia and the world, and I relished that.”
After training, Mr Papp, who graduated as a navigational warfare officer, was thrown into the deep end.
Many thought with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, a period of sutained peace would follow. But Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait in 1991 meant that Australia and Mr Papp were going to war.
The newly minted officer served two tours during the Gulf War.
Though often seen as a ground and air war, Mr Papp faced genuine danger during the Gulf conflict as Hussein had significant volumes of highly destructive scud missiles which he could have used against foreign naval vessels, as well as sea mines which littered the area.
For Mr Papp, his induction into military deployments was one he greatly appreciated.
“I was away 18 months in two years,” he said.
“Those years really grounded me, not just in my technical field but also in a worldly sense.”
Mr Papp went from strength to strength following the Gulf War, rising through the ranks and visiting 40 countries, from China and Russia to Egypt and the Pacific Islands.
When asked if he had a favourite country that he had visited, MrPapp answered Papua New Guinea.
“It is like David Attenborough on steroids,” Mr Papp said.
“It’s gorgeous, wild and beautiful.”
In the 35 years he has been in the navy, Mr Papp has served, and commanded, on small patrol boats around the Pacific, as well as destroyers, large amphibious assault ships and tankers in both humanitarian and combat missions.
His years have included being in command of the amphibious helicopter carrier HMAS Canberra, one of the nation’s navy’s crown jewels, for more than two and a half years.
In East Timor, Mr Papp commanded a naval craft and a crew of 15 personnel as Australia led the efforts to stabilise the country in the early 2000s.
Asked what life was like on a warship, Mr Papp said it was like a tight-knit family.
He believes that camaraderie, both on the ships and ashore, is the best part of naval life.
“We are part of a big team,” he said.
These days, Mr Papp spends his time in Canberra behind the desk in naval acquisitions.
Like many military personnel and veterans, Anzac Day carries special meaning for him.
“I am a custodian of a long legacy of people who have volunteered for adventure and to be part of something bigger than themselves,” Mr Papp said.
As for anyone joining the navy, the former local said it was an experience like no other.
“Serving the country in whatever capacity you can and being part of something bigger than yourself is full of reward,” he said.