Experience gained the last three months has made Ordinary Seaman (OS) Paula Tuvou more determined to be a better Fiji navy engineer.

He was the youngest of the 20 naval personnel that brought back the refurbished Republic of Fiji Navy vessel Kikau last Friday.

OS Tuvou, 25, returned home after three months at Cairns, Australia;  was part of the Kikau familiarisation programme.

He also part of Fiji team that took part in the Exercise KAKADU.

It was the first time for Fiji to be part of the exercise.

“It is exciting to be home to see my young family, my wife and six-month-old son,” OS Tuvou said.

“Initially to be part of this assignment was a blessing, I could not believe my ears when they had announced my name,” he said.

“There were others like me and to be picked, I took the opportunity to learn more.

“The experience is rewarding; it was challenging and it was all worth it.”

He said the RFN Kikau crew was more than a family as they took every opportunity to learn and embrace what they could.

“I want to thank the Lord for keeping us safe during our exercise KAKADU in Dawin, then back to Cains before we headed for Vanuatu then back home.

“During the exercise I learnt numerous things which are now engraved in me – these are meant to be with me for the rest of my life.

“This has been the longest journey I have ever travelled; a dream come true for me.“The thing I love about being a navy is making friends and travelling around the world.He is from Nadaro village in Tailevu.

He had attended Veiuto Primary School and completed his secondary education at Suva Grammar Secondary School.He studied welding and fabrication at the Fiji National University.He enlisted with the Fiji navy in 2016.

He hopes to join a cruising ship as an engineer to take his family for visits overseas when he retires.