Chargé d’Affaires Dan Clune joins American personnel near Shoalwater Bay.

Improving Interoperability in Shoalwater

Queensland — 18 July 2009

On Saturday, July 18, Chargé d’Affaires Dan Clune joined the Australian Minister for Defence, Senator John Faulkner, in Shoalwater Bay to observe the Talisman Saber 2009 exercise. During their visit they had lunch with the soldiers and met with the officers commanding the forces participating in the exercise. Exercise Talisman Saber is a biennial training activity, designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined operations. The exercise is a major undertaking which improves Australian and U.S. combat readiness and interoperability, it reflects the closeness of the alliance and the strength of the military-military relationship.

Chargé Dan Clune speaking with Genevieve Jacobs of ABC 666 Canberra about the moon seeds.

Delivering Moon Seeds

Canberra — 21 July 2009

After presenting a collection of second generation moon seeds to Canberra’s head gardener, Chargé d’Affaires Dan Clune spoke with Genevieve Jacobs of ABC Local Radio 666 during Apollo 11 Anniversary Celebrations. Broadcasting live from the anniversary event, the Chargé spoke of his memories of the moon landing, the importance of the Australian role and the on-going partnership — including the planting of the moon seeds in Canberra. The seeds, which were provided by an American conservation group, came from Sycamore trees planted from seeds that were taken to the moon by Astronaut Roosa. The presentation was among the highlights of a 40th anniversary reunion of some of the Australians who worked at tracking stations during the moon landing.

Chargé Dan Clune at the Tidbinbilla Deep Space Centre to commemorate the Apollo 11 landing on the moon.

Remembering the Apollo Landing

Canberra — 20 July 2009

Chargé d’Affaires Dan Clune joined Minister Kim Carr, CSIRO CEO Megan Clark, and Senator Annette Hurley at a ceremony commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landings on July 20 and the role Australian tracking stations played in that mission. The event also marked the retirement of DSS-46 — “The Dish” (famous from the film of the same name) used to take in the first video and audio from Tranquility Base. The Chargé read a letter from Neil Armstrong thanking the Australian technicians who worked on the Apollo program.

Retired astronaut Jim Reilly at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre in Melbourne.

He Came From Space

Melbourne — 15 July 2009

To mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon, the U.S. Consulate welcomed Dr. Jim Reilly to Melbourne. Jim is veteran of shuttle flights in 1998, 2001, and 2007. During his time at NASA, he logged more than 853 hours in space, including almost 32 hours worth of spacewalking!

Jim visited the Victorian Space Science Education Centre in Melbourne and spent time encouraging Victorian and South Australian students, explaining to them the wonders of space exploration. Jim conducted his media interview in the Victorian Space Science Education Centre’s space laboratory.

Retired astronaut Jim Reilly tells seven-year-old Finn Cadogan-Cowper what it’s like to fly on the Space Shuttle during a recent visit to the Canberra Deep Space Center Communication Complex.

Spaced Out

Canberra — 13 July 2009

Retired astronaut Jim Reilly tells seven-year-old Finn Cadogan-Cowper what it’s like to fly on the Space Shuttle during a recent visit to the Canberra Deep Space Center Communication Complex. Reilly, who flew three shuttle missions and logged 853 hours in space, is in Australia to participate in programs in Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra. This month marks the 40^th anniversary of the landing on the moon.

Consul General Thurston explains how the Provincial Reconstruction Teams work and what they are trying to accomplish.

Sharing Experiences From Iraq

Melbourne — July 2009

Consul General Michael Thurston shared his experiences in Iraq during a recent talk to the Beaumaris Probus Club, Melbourne. CG Thurston, who served as a team leader of a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Diyala Province, Iraq before coming to Australia, discussed the historic and current context of engagement in Iraq, the role of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams, synergies between military and diplomatic activities, and signs of progress in Iraq. This is one in a series of talks CG Thurston has given to community groups.

Pictured with the Consul General Michael Thurston and Sabine Thurston, is Thomas Woodroofe Young Victorian of the Year, and Waleed Aly, who traveled to the United States during the year for a State Department information program.

Celebrating America’s 233rd Birthday

Melbourne — 2 July 2009

The Consulate gathered together local friends to celebrate Independence Day. Consul General Michael Thurston spoke to guests about the importance of celebrating Independence Day, and took the opportunity to recognize the importance of the friendship shared between Australia and the United States. Representing Premier Brumby, Minister Tim Pallas echoed the Consul General’s sentiments.

Chargé d’Affaires Dan Clune looks at the flag as the Star Spangled Banner is played and the colors presented during a special Fourth of July celebration at the American Embassy in Canberra.

Celebrating America’s 233rd Birthday

Canberra — 2 July 2009

Chargé d’Affaires Dan Clune looks at the flag as the Star Spangled Banner is played and the colors presented during a special Fourth of July celebration at the American Embassy in Canberra. Similar events were held at U.S. Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth as Americans celebrate the 233rd anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Crew from the USS George Washington on a community relations event at Cohunu Koala Park.

Navy Crews Befriend Local Residents

Perth — 2 July 2009

The USS George Washington (CVN 73), a United States Navy aircraft carrier, anchored off the coast of Fremantle as the USS Cowpens (CG 63), a guided-missile cruiser, steamed into port July 2 to begin a five-day port visit. The visit was the first Australian port visit for the George Washington (GW) in its nearly 17-year history and the first port visit of the GW’s inaugural summer deployment since replacing the USS Kitty Hawk last September. The ship, along with embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW 5) and their combined crew of nearly 6,000 sailors, departed their forward-deployed port at Yokosuka, Japan on June 10. On the day of arrival in Australia, the Commander, Battle Force 7th Fleet, Rear Admiral Kevin Donegan, accompanied by USS GW’s Commanding Officer, Captain David A. Lausman; the USS Cowpens’ Commanding Officer, Captain Holly Graf; the U.S. Consul General, Dr. Ken Chern; the U.S. Naval Attaché, Captain Bill Dooris; and other Naval personnel met with the Governor of Western Australia, His Excellency Dr. Ken Michael. They also met with the Lord Mayor of Perth, Ms. Lisa Scaffidi, and the Mayor of Fremantle, Mr. Peter Tagliafferri, both of whom had participated in a fly-out to the GW on July 1. Over 400 guests attended a reception hosted by Admiral Donegan and Consul General Chern onboard the GW on the evening of July 2.

During their visit to Western Australia, more than 300 sailors spent their liberty time volunteering at one of 17 community relations (COMREL) projects which included cleaning, maintenance, and painting work at a variety of locations throughout Fremantle and Perth, including the Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth Hebrew Congregation, a Salvation Army rehabilitation center, a respite center for the elderly, Perth Zoo, Cohunu Koala Park, and other animal refuges. The ship’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Division scheduled 18 different trips and tours to help sailors make the most of their visit while enjoying the distinct sights, sounds and tastes of Western Australia. Tour options included a trip to Caversham Wildlife Park and Nambung National Park, a tour of wineries throughout the Swan Valley, mountain biking on the Munda Biddi Trail, and scuba-diving at Rottnest Island.

The USS George Washington is named after a U.S. founding father and the first president of the United States, George Washington. The ship&rsqou;s motto, “The Spirit of Freedom,” was coined by George Washington as he led American soldiers during the Revolutionary War to describe the mood of the people. The carrier has most of the major services a small town would have, including more than 4,000 telephones, 7 galleys capable of serving 18,000 meals a day, the capacity to distill 400,000 gallons of fresh water, and enough electrical capacity to power several thousand single-family homes. For more information on the GW, visit the George Washington website.

The USS Cowpens, also known as the “Thundering Herd,” is an Aegis guided-missile cruiser. Her primary mission is to provide air-defense to the George Washington Carrier Strike Group. She was commissioned in 1991. For more information on the Cowpens, please visit the Cowpens website.

The Consulate Marks a Change of Command

Melbourne — July 2009

Representatives of United States and American armed forces and Consulate staff gathered to mark the Change of Command for the Melbourne headquarters of Defence Contract Management Agency. Major Tomas Hoskins has ended his tenure as head of the DCMA, and handed over his command to Lieutenant Colonel Steven Buetow US Air force.