Guest Article from CEA Technologies CEO, Mark Foster
In June this year, Painaustralia was privileged to be able to acknowledge and raise awareness for the thousands of veterans around Australia who live with chronic pain. His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd) and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley hosted an event at Government House to highlight the challenges faced by veterans who live with chronic pain. Many of Australia’s defence leaders and companies attended the event to demonstrate their support. CEA Technologies was one of those companies and has provided us with a guest article for our newsletter
CEA Technologies, Chief Executive Officer, Mark Foster
As a company founded by two veteran’s veterans to specifically make a difference to Australia’s defence capabilities, it goes without saying that CEA Technologies has always had a deep respect and strongly supported the men and women (and their families) who selflessly protect our nation to ensure that Australia continues to be a great country in which to live.
We are very proud to commit to a corporate partnership to support the amazing work done by Painaustralia to address the many and varied medical and psychological challenges experienced on a daily basis by our returned servicemen and women.
Understanding the importance of veteran support service, CEA also provides assistance to several additional support organisations (Legacy, Keeping Watch, Digger Dogs & Soldier On) all of whom provide the past and serving members of our Defence Force with a diverse but necessary range of individual and family support initiatives and facilities.
CEA is a private, vertically integrated Australian company, designing, developing, manufacturing and sustaining technically superior phased array radar products. The company was founded by two young ex-Royal Australian Navy Officers, David Gaul and Ian Croser who had (what they describe as) “a deep dream” to make a difference to Australia’s Defence. CEA Technologies opened for business on 8 August 1983 and the dream became a reality. Since inception, CEA has grown on the basis of commitment to technological innovation and successful product development.
The company is headquartered in Canberra with five additional facilities across Australia and one in Columbia (USA) CEA Technologies Inc. (CEATI) in Columbia, USA. The design and manufacturing facilities are spread across the Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne sites and project support teams are in Perth, Brisbane and Newcastle.
CEA’s capabilities include electronic, software, mechanical & system design, development, manufacturing, integration, test and sustainment. The whole of life system capabilities include advanced manufacturing and antenna test facilities. These include specialised CAD/CAM systems, automated form-in-place 3D printing and one of the larger anechoic chambers in Australia. Complete digital and RF printed circuit board assembly and repair capabilities include an automated surface mount assembly line and 3D X-Ray support for complex assemblies.
The company’s system of systems engineering capability enables it to integrate and test very large radar systems that include ruggedized trailers, chiller units, power management, and slip rings and very large active array faces, which are able to operate in extreme conditions.
CEA Technologies was founded on a system of family values and that’s the way the company operates to this day – we are the CEA Family. We recognise that with increased success and growth comes increased responsibility to our community and our Defence Family. Part of that increased commitment includes a concerted and targeted effort to welcome more of our returned service men and women into our CEA Family.
Staff have access to, and are provided with an outstanding array of benefits including, enhanced leave allocations, free parking, study leave, life insurance, salary continuance Insurance and paid paternity leave. All our buildings are totally functional for employees who may require physical aids to assist with their mobility. Staff also have access to our Employee Assistance Program providing a broad range of services for staff and their families at critical times in their lives. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a free, professional and confidential counselling service available to all CEA employees and their immediate family members. The service can be used for any work or personal issues that may be impacting on your general wellbeing, and you have access to six sessions every 12 months.
CEA Technologies and its capabilities have grown exponentially since its inception 38 years ago and the company is now recognised by the Commonwealth as being a strong component of Australia’s Sovereign Industrial Capability.
Veterans are 40 per cent more likely to experience severe pain than non-veterans and acknowledging and supporting not just our employees, but also all of our veterans and servicemen and women, is critical to ensure that we continue to assist and champion those living with chronic pain.