After about two years working as a corrections officer in Western Australia, Leading Seaman Ryan Armstrong returned to sea on a regional presence deployment.
Seeking a trade and a meaningful career, Leading Seaman Armstrong joined Navy at 18 as an electronics technician.
After a deployment to the Middle East and the arrival of his first child, he discharged in 2023 to spend more time at home with his daughter.
"When I came ashore, my wife and I bought a house and started a family," Leading Seaman Armstrong said.
"I knew I loved the job, but I wanted to spend more time with my firstborn daughter, Liliana."
He moved quickly into civilian work, beginning training at the Corrections Academy the day after he left Navy.
He went on to work at Casuarina Prison for the Western Australian Justice Department. The role was eye opening and challenging, but Leading Seaman Armstrong said he soon missed the camaraderie and sense of purpose he had enjoyed in Navy.
"It was a fascinating experience. I learned a lot about people and about life, in ways I didn't expect," he said.
"I enjoyed the work, but I missed things the Navy had - the level of camaraderie and the interesting nature of the job."
As a corrections officer, he was responsible for prison safety and security. His 12‑hour shifts were varied and often emotionally demanding.
"Sometimes you respond to incidents. A lot of the time you're just interacting with prisoners, chatting and making sure they're OK," he said.
"At the end of the day, they're people, and I would do what I could to talk to them and help."
'I enjoyed the work, but I missed things the Navy had - the level of camaraderie and the interesting nature of the job.'
After 15 months, Leading Seaman Armstrong stepped away from the workforce to become a stay‑at‑home dad.
Family illness and the birth of a second child prompted him to consider returning to work, and he re‑joined Navy in November 2025 in search of a role with deeper purpose.
"I wanted a job that was fulfilling and that I enjoyed," Leading Seaman Armstrong said.
"The Navy is the perfect job: good housing, a good location close to family, and a real sense of purpose. It's an opportunity to be selfless and serve your community, even if people don't immediately see it."
Within three months of sending his re‑enlistment email, he was posted to HMAS Stirling. Returning felt natural.
"It was like I'd only had a couple of days off," he said.
"It felt like I'd just been on leave."
Now having served as the 5‑inch gun maintainer in HMAS Warramunga for a regional presence deployment, Leading Seaman Armstrong felt fortunate to have stepped back into meaningful work with a strong crew.
"It's a great opportunity to live out my faith - to help, love, support and care for the people around me," he said.
"It's been incredible seeing old faces, catching up with friends and making new ones. It's just good to be back."
