Apr 24, 2023
Adam is joined in a 3-part Episode with Royal Australian Navy Commander Sandy Coulson CSM Rtd.
Serving for 26 years fulltime service then transferring to the reserves.
Sandy joined the Women’s Royal
Australian Naval Service (WRANS) as an Officer Cadet in late 1974. There were only 25
WRANS Officers plus an even smaller group of female nurses who made up the RAN Nursing
Service.
Commander Coulson was commissioned as an officer in the Navy in March 1975 and
specialised as an Administration Officer and became the senior Administration Officer in the
RAN. Sandy was the first female Executive Officer (Second in Command) of the Navy’s submarine base HMAS PLATYPUS from 1988 to 1990 from where she was promoted to the rank of Commander.
Sandy was also the first female member of the Directing Staff of the RAN Staff College at
HMAS PENGUIN (the Navy’s management and leadership training college).
The highlight of her career was when she was awarded the Conspicuous Service Medal (CSM) in the
Australia Day Honours List 2000 for ‘outstanding achievement as the Senior Naval Officer
South Australia’. The citation for her award referred to her as an ‘inspirational officer who has
provided outstanding support and advocacy to the Naval community, particularly to
submariners. She is an outstanding role model.’ Sandy’s story is one of being a trailblazer for women and breaking the glass ceiling.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Sandy Coulson
Editor: Kyle Watkins
Investigative Consultant: Adam Holloway