ABOARD navy frigate HMAS Stuart, Cairns teenager Nadine Brischke is cooking up a storm while patrolling the Persian Gulf.

She helps prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner while her and 180 shipmates are protecting two major Iraqi oil terminals - which contribute 80 per cent of the country’s income - and chasing down contraband runners in Gulf waters.

The young sailor is one of about 1000 Australians serving in Operation Catalyst to reconstruct Iraq.

The 19-year-old decided to specialise as a steward and has been promoted to Able Seaman.

She has been serving just over a year but was excited about her deployment on active duty.

"It's very much a confidence-building experience," she said.

"You have a lot of time to learn about yourself and what you can achieve."

Miss Brischke did not know what direction she wanted to take her career but opted for a Defence Force lifestyle.

"I stand on the deck sometimes looking out at the Gulf and pinch myself, thinking, 'wow how did I get here?'," she said.

"I really miss my own bed and it doesn't seem like much until you share a room with 12 others but then I'll miss being rocked to sleep by the ship every night."

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