At Royal Australian Air Force graduation parades, recruits usually scan the grandstands to find familiar faces among their loved ones.
For newly minted Aircraftman Brodie Crowther, his dad was on the parade ground.
Royal Australian Navy Commander Ben Crowther served as Reviewing Officer Aide at 1 Recruit Training Unit's (1RTU) Course 05/26 graduation parade at RAAF Base Wagga, with a front-row view as his 19-year-old son braced up for inspection.
"It was unusual and quite a surprise," Aircraftman Crowther said.
"But it was really awesome to have Dad right there in front of me. Such a good experience."
There were no shared words between the two on the parade ground, just a knowing look.
"Just a cheeky smirk," Aircraftman Crowther said.
Commander Crowther said the moment spoke for itself.
"I don't think I was ever going to wipe that grin off his face. What an absolute honour to be on parade," Commander Crowther said.
The occasion carried extra significance. With Commander Crowther serving in the Navy and Aircraftman Crowther's brother Kalani in the Army, the Air Force graduation completed a rare triservice family.
'It was really awesome to have Dad right there in front of me. Such a good experience.'
The connection runs deeper still. Aircraftman Crowther enlisted as an avionics technician, the same trade his father held when he first joined the Air Force in 1992, also graduating through 1RTU, before later transitioning to the Navy.
"Growing up, Dad would tell me stories about travelling and working on planes," Aircraftman Crowther said.
"Then he showed me Top Gun and I thought, well, obviously I have to work on planes now."
Aircraftman Crowther grew up steeped in Defence, with the family based in Jervis Bay on the NSW south coast, near HMAS Albatross and HMAS Creswell.
"I was exposed to military life all my life, really," he said.
As for the banter that now flows across a triservice dinner table, it's already well under way.
"The Army one gets stuck into both of us because he thinks he's the hard one, and he probably is," Commander Crowther said.
"But the smarter ones went to the Air Force."
Aircraftman Crowther will remain in Wagga Wagga a while longer yet, carrying out further training at the School of Technical Training, retracing his father's early career steps almost exactly.
Behind it all is Melissa, Commander Crowther's wife and Brodie and Kalani's mum, who watched from the grandstands as her husband and son shared the parade ground.
"She's the rock of the family," Commander Crowther said.
"I think there were plenty of tears as she watched on. Personally, I'm full of pride."
