At 59, grandmother Deb Reynolds had a successful psychology practice in Adelaide but the "experience junkie" wanted more.
Melbourne intensive care nurse and mum-of-three Amanda Serra, 54, had wanted to be a Navy nurse since 18 but her parents said no.
And while Canberra mum-of-two Meredith Leonard, 49, had travelled extensively with her healthcare policy career, she long felt drawn to community service.
Energetic middle-aged mums are increasingly the face of Navy Reserves, and this trio, Navy's newest reservists, are raring to go.
With kids grown up and caring duties behind them, they are poised for purposeful careers in uniform.
And bringing decades of professional experience with them.
"We may be middle-aged," Sub-Lieutenant Leonard said, "but the last thing we want is to be sitting in chairs with a rug over our knees."
Lieutenant Reynolds said: "I don't need to be climbing the corporate ladder any more. But if you stop, you die. And we all know we have so much to give."
While full of gusto as they piled off the bus at HMAS Creswell in early February for their four-week initial officer training, the induction was anything but easy, particularly the physical side.
"The first week was tough and daunting and we all felt impostor syndrome," Lieutenant Serra said.
"Some of the exercises were hard. But they humbled me, which is not a bad thing."
'It was quite emotional. We all thought, "We're here and we're actually doing this".'
Sub-Lieutenant Leonard said there was a natural anxiety, coming from a place where you know what you are doing, are confident and operate at a high standard, into something completely different.
"We are starting at the bottom in the sense that everything in the Navy is new to us and we have to learn it all. You do doubt yourself," she said.
Several times Lieutenant Reynolds wondered, "What have I done?"
"My body is not 25 any more," she said.
"Standing on that tower, having to jump off into the pool for the fitness test, I froze.
"I didn't want to let the team down but they supported me 100 per cent. That was heartening.
"In the corporate world, people can be very competitive and not supportive."
The Creswell highlights were plenty - learning drill with swords, uniform issue at HMAS Albatross, wearing rank slides for the first time, a tour of HMAS Adelaide, the graduation cocktail party and forging new friendships.
Not to mention someone else doing the cooking, and being served tasty meals three times a day.
"I cried when I left," Lieutenant Serra said.
"This is something I've wanted to do since I was 18 but my parents advised me against it. I've guided my kids through life and now I can do something for me."
Sub-Lieutenant Leonard said attending 8am colours was amazing.
"The Australian white ensign being raised, the birds singing, the national anthem playing and stunning Jervis Bay as a backdrop," she said.
"It was quite emotional. We all thought, 'We're here and we're actually doing this'."
