Mitchell Sanders: navy pilot reprimanded for being AWOL in Hawaii during bushfire crisis
An elite navy helicopter pilot has been punished for enjoying a summer holiday in Hawaii while his colleagues battled last summer’s bushfire crisis.
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Elite navy helicopter pilot Lieutenant Mitchell Sanders has been formally reprimanded for being AWOL in Hawaii during last summer’s bushfire crisis.
Lieutenant Sanders, an 18-year navy veteran, faced a four-day Defence Force Magistrates Court hearing last week, where he was also accused of failing to obey a lawful command by not disclosing his planned overseas trip ahead of time.
Sanders pleaded not guilty to both charges, but admitted he was in Hawaii in the days before Christmas.
Lieutenant Sanders was based at the naval air station, HMAS Albatross, near Nowra.
The NSW south coast was engulfed by bushfires and defence bosses ordered all staff to be accounted for as part of welfare checks.
When Lieutenant Sanders — who did not have phone reception in Hawaii — did not respond to a text message, his immediate boss sent him a Facebook message, only to be told he was in Hawaii.
The hearing was told other pilots expected they might be called back from Christmas holidays to help with the navy’s contribution to the bushfire crisis.
The search for Lieutenant Sanders revealed that he had not booked Christmas leave at all, despite a request he do so, and that he should have been coming to work when he was in Hawaii.
Lieutenant Sanders also failed to book leave retrospectively one he returned, prompting an investigation and charges.
Defence Force Magistrate Brigadier Michael Cowen QC found Lieutenant Sanders guilty of being absent without leave, but not guilty of failing to obey a lawful command.
Lieutenant Sanders was formally reprimanded, among the lowest sanctions available, and had a conviction recorded for the service offence recorded on his military record.