As part of the annual Semester Exchange Program between the Defence Force Academies in Australia and the USA, Mansfield Shire’s Mitchell Russell will spend six months next year at the US Naval Academy (USNA) in Annapolis.

There, the second year Officer Cadet will continue studying for his Aeronautical Engineering degree working towards his chosen career as an Aeronautical Engineer Officer in the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) Corps.

At the end of the spell the exchange students, two Army Officer Cadets (OCDTs) as well as two Navy Midshipmen (MIDN), are expected to undertake a training block alongside the American Midshipmen that are aspiring to follow the Marine Corps stream.

The bulk of the six months in Annapolis will closely resemble Mitchell’s day-to-day life at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) in Canberra, early morning formations, university and military classes through the day, with sports and club training sessions in the evening.

It is not yet known, however, whether the keen Aussie Rules player will get much of a chance to get his hands, or indeed his feet, onto a Sherrin.

One difference Mitchell will have to get used to is a notable difference in his surroundings.

While his home at the ADFA is a tri-service academy that trains young men and women heading into the army, navy and air force, the USNA is strictly a naval academy.

The military training he goes through there will have a maritime focus while the rituals, traditions and practices of the Academy will have originated from within the US Navy. Though it will no doubt take some acclimatising, Mitchell is excited to undertake what he calls an adventure.

“To work and train alongside our US peers is an unmatched opportunity for a junior officer,” he said.

“To see and experience their capabilities, mindset, training methods. To network, especially with peers who will likewise become the future leaders in Defence engineering. The ADF operate very closely with the US military, meaning I will almost certainly work alongside US personal in my future career.

“To gain insight into how they work, learn from them and share our own insight is invaluable.”

Mitchell is currently in his second year of a five-year program, which includes three years studying for his Aeronautical Engineering degree leading into 12 months undertaking his Officer Training at the Royal Military College (RMC) before he heads back to the ADFA to complete his honours studies.

And, despite the challenging nature of his studies, he is thriving.

“Aeronautical Engineering is renowned for being challenging, however I love the degree,” he said.

“I enjoy what we learn and am very motivated by what lies ahead. I am doing well in my studies purely due to the fact that I am technically minded and love what we do.”

It’s his natural technical mind that drew Mitchell towards the pathway he is currently moving along.

“I have always enjoyed building and being hands on, innovating and problem solving.

Engineering became an obvious choice.

"Not to downplay engineers but I really couldn’t see myself stuck behind a drawing table.

"What drew me to ADFA was the fact that I get to learn to think and work as an engineer but I also get a vast variation of experiences daily.

"I was attracted to the adventure the army offers, that’s the simplest way to put it.”

Mitchell is set to be joined at the ADFA by his younger sister Quinn who is training as a Midshipman.

Despite her being younger, a difference in their training workflow means she holds her King’s Commission, which Mitchell won’t receive until the years he spends at the Royal Military College.

He is quite unfazed by the matter.

“There is the typical banter but I am very proud of what she is doing, and to very likely see her at ADFA with me next year is amazing.”

Despite having grandparents and great grandparents who fought in various conflicts from WW1 through to Vietnam, Mitchell puts his determination to join the Australian Defence Force down to his pride in the ANZAC legend rather than familial tradition.

“Though studying their history in primary school, I developed an enormous sense of pride in the Anzac legend and spirit.

"From a very young age, I wanted to join the Army but I was also quite motivated to go to university and pushed the idea of the ADF aside.

"It was only in later high school when I realised the opportunity to study at ADFA while serving that I fully set my sights back on joining.

"I was motivated intrinsically by the pride in serving, but also by the adventure, the experiences and the people, all of which still drive me.”