It has been an adventurous career path for Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) Lt Audrey Aquilina, who has been appointed Operations Officer on board the new Maritime Squadron’s Diciotti-class flagship P61.

Lt Aquilina (one of two female officers at the Maritime Squadron) is now in charge of all Rigid-Hull Dinghy (RHIB) and law enforcement operations, gunnery and skill-at-arms training on board, and helicopter operations.

Her responsibilities will now also include those of bridge management, officer-of-the-watch duties and training of the 31 non-commissioned officers and seamen who form part of the 35-strong crew. Lt Aquilina will be the first-ever woman to be given an appointment on board any AFM maritime patrol vessel, and will pave the way for others in the future.

Lt Aquilina enlisted in the AFM in January 2001 as a reservist with the Emergency Volunteer Reserve Force at Charley (Special Duties) Company of First Regiment AFM, based at Lyster Barracks, Hal Far.

She later was selected as an Officer Cadet with the Regular Force in November 2003.

After initial basic military training in Malta, she was enrolled in the Britannia Royal Naval College of Darmouth in the United Kingdom for a year’s Basic Initial Officer’s Training course and successfully passed out on 11 August 2005.

In Malta, Lt Aquilina has been performing shore-based duties as the Maritime Squadron’s Integrated Logistics Officer, where she was responsible for the stores’ management and procurement, the base armoury and ensuring that all AFM surface assets and base party divisions have the necessary equipment and items for operations’ smooth running.

Lt Aquilina is a University of Malta graduate and holds an honours degree in Social Work.