Commander Aaron Scott

Commander Aaron Scott joined the Royal Australian Navy from Canberra, ACT, as a Midshipman Officer in 2003. Between 2003 and 2006, Aaron undertook Maritime Warfare Officer Training and served in a variety of postings including HMA Ships Canberra, Darwin, Fremantle, Gladstone, Success and Sydney.

In October 2009, Aaron was deployed to the Middle East Area of Operations as the aide-de-camp to the Commander of Joint Task Force 633. During this period, Aaron gained a broad level of exposure to Combined, Joint and Whole-of-Government operations in a war-like environment. Aaron returned from the Middle East in 2010 to undertake Principle Warfare Officer course and subsequently redeployed to the Middle East twice more in HMA Ships Toowoomba (2011) and Anzac (2012/2013). In 2013, Aaron undertook duties as the Fleet Direction Officer at Sea Training Group for two years.

In 2015, Aaron commenced a foreign-exchange posting to the United States Navy’s Destroyer Squadron 31, based in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. On returning to Australia, Aaron commenced a charge appointment as Executive Officer of HMAS Anzac in December 2017. Once Anzac was laid-up for the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Program (AMCAP) in mid-2018, Aaron commenced duties as the Executive Officer of HMAS Arunta for the remainder of 2018 and 2019 as the ship progressed through, and completed, her AMCAP upgrade.

In 2020, Aaron undertook the Australian Command and Staff course at Western Creek, ACT. Following this course, Aaron was selected as the Principal Staff Officer to Head Navy Capability, during which time he learned a great deal about Navy Headquarters, the Australian Parliamentary process, and working with other Government departments. Aaron assumed his current appointment as the Commanding Officer of HMAS Watson in October 2022.