Defence Magazine

Cover story

Farewell to an influential leader

| After four years of dedicated service as the Secretary of the Department of Defence, Mr Ric Smith has retired and handed over the reigns to Mr Nick Warner. Mr Smith's retirement marks the end of a 38-year career serving successive Australian governments and, more recently, jointly leading Defence through a very demanding period.

Features

RAAF inducts C-17 Globemaster

The Australian Defence Force's ability to successfully address an urgent need for improved capability will be proven in coming months with the first Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17 Globemaster aircraft scheduled to arrive in Australia at Defence Establishment Fairbairn in December.

Pausing to remember

At 11am on the 11^th day of the 11^th month, Australians across the nation paused to reflect on the sacrifices made by Servicemen and women of years gone by, selfless Australians whose courage remains prevalent today and forms the basis of the Defence values system by which we adhere to every day.

Getting recruiting right

The biggest strategic challenge we continue to face is the challenge of recruiting and retaining our people so that we can have an Australian Defence Force well into the future.

Workforce planning: securing our future

Striving to do more with less has its limits. When your team is dwindling at the same time your demands are mounting, pressure is rising and the pace of work accelerating, there comes a point when doing any more with the little you have is no longer possible.

Unravelling a World War II mystery

HMAS Sydney II was last seen aflame off the coast of Western Australia in 1941, following an action with the German auxiliary cruiser Kormoran. None of the crew survived and no trace of the ship was ever found. Three months later, the body of a young man washed up on the shores of Christmas Island.