Number of women joining the Royal Australian Navy grows Women navy recruits grow As her friends left to party at schoolies Gabrielle Saunders was swearing an oath to protect Queen and country and joined 35 other women as Australia's newest navy recruits. PT2M8S http://www.smh.com.au/action/externalEmbeddedPlayer?id=d-3l1t0 620 349 November 24, 2014 - 7:34PM As her friends jet off to tropical islands for schoolies, Gabrielle Saunders will be doing sit-ups and swim tests. The school leaver has 11-weeks of intense training ahead of her after joining the Royal Australian Navy on Monday. Ms Saunders, who is from Windsor, was part of the largest of intake of women joining the navy in recent memory. New recruit Gabrielle Saunders with Commander Todd Wilson at Monday's enlistment ceremony in Parramatta. Across the country, 36 women and 76 men swore an oath of allegiance at the last enlistment ceremony of 2014. I joined the navy because I really enjoy travelling and at such a young age I thought this would be a really awesome opportunity. While everyone is out partying I'm going to be in Melbourne," the 18-year-old, who enlisted at Parramatta, said. It's going to be very tough. I definitely know that but I'll just keep a smile and head up. It's going to be a very long 11 weeks but it will be worth it at the end. New recruit Samantha Bonner says goodbye to family and friends at the enlistment ceremony. Despite the sex and abuse scandals that have plagued the Australian Defence Force, the number of women enlisting in the navy has swelled 10.4 per cent in the past 12 months. The navy has more women than the army or airforce, but men still make up more than 80 per cent of its workforce. New recruit, Connie Behan, said she had no hesitation about working in such a male-dominated field and that her new role would be "really fun." "I've never been one for stereotypes really," said the 19-year-old, who will look after the maintenance of mechanical systems on submarines. Working with men doesn't bother me, it's good. I like being one of the women in there so that we can show what we can do as well. The Australian Defence Force has been implementing stronger marketing strategies to encourage women to join up, including introducing specialist recruiters for women. After officially joining the navy, the newbies left for recruit camp in the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. When they arrive, they'll forgo their mobile phones and the men will have their hair cut. Their first official day will include a 5am wake-up for a physical fitness test. I'm nervous but excited. I just want to get it done with. Graduation day will probably be the best day ever," new sailor Samantha Bonner said.