Defence

Air Force

A first class force

The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd, recently spoke with Defence about Air Force’s strategies for addressing the recruitment and retention issues currently surrounding Defence.

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Shepherd, visits RAAF Base Richmond and inspects members of the Air Force on parade.
Photo by LAC Ben Dempster

Defence magazine: What are your thoughts on the current retention and recruitment situation?

I firmly believe that we will remain a first class force through the quality of our personnel, and Air Force is doing very well in continuing to attract outstanding people. We have some areas of challenge in a very competitive market for skills, but we are travelling well.

Air Force is achieving its recruiting requirements with the exception of a small number of employment groups. Air Force’s separation rate for people is currently at 8.5 per cent, well below the long-term average. The result is an increase in Air Force’s personnel strength of 156 in the last 12 months. However, this doesn’t mean that we should be complacent. We need to continue to innovate to make sure that we continue to attract and retain talent in the long-term.

Defence magazine: What strategies does Air Force have in place to improve or maintain performance in retention?

We are rebalancing and reshaping Air Force in readiness for a range of exciting new capabilities coming on line in the next 10 years. This will bring our workforce structure, our people and the tasking placed on Air Force into balance, while maintaining a sustainable work/life balance.

Air Force has a personnel strategy that looks into the future. It is reviewed and updated regularly, and enables us to see the challenges ahead and prepare for them. We are actively involved in making our 21st century Air Force one that ensures members’ family responsibilities and lifestyle fit as well as possible with work commitments.

We are also actively identifying and breaking down barriers within our human resource structure to promote flexibility and maximise the choice and opportunities available to our people. A lot of work is being done to review personnel policies and be innovative.

We are supplementing Australian Defence Force-wide initiatives with concepts such as a limited service scheme, senior airman/woman recognition and commissioning scheme, a review of return of service obligations, and expansion of People Central. Such initiatives are providing our workforce with opportunities to have a long-term Air Force career with ongoing stimulation and challenge.

Defence magazine: What makes the Air Force a career of choice for young Australians?

Air Force has to work to ensure we continue attracting top applicants, the challenge for us is to ensure what we offer remains competitive. Air Force offers a great environment for teams of people – women and men – to work with some awesome technology and make a real contribution to the Nation. The latest research on Generation Y tells us that this demographic values meaningful work, good relationships and opportunity – Air Force continues to provide these.

Air Force recruits for specific jobs and not by Service. Therefore, candidates have a clearer understanding of their future role in the Service upon appointment or enlistment as an officer or airman/airwoman.

In addition, Air Force’s personnel policies enable greater cultural diversity among candidates considering joining. For example, Air Force is recruiting a Sikh as a Direct Entry Officer Electronics Engineer who has been permitted to wear a turban in the Air Force.

Defence magazine: What do you see as Air Force’s main priorities for 2007?

Air Force maintains a focus on and commitment to implementation of the various initiatives already underway, planned to enhance recruitment and retention, and also to complete the rebalance of our Air Force and continue to reshape for the future.

Air Force needs to continue to work hard to not only maintain our current levels of success in recruiting and retention, but also to modestly grow our force in anticipation of new capabilities. It is also important that we continue the work done to ensure that the shape and balance of the organisation is right for these capabilities.

Defence magazine: How important are people in achieving Air Force and Whole of Defence objectives?

Simple; it is the top priority. People are the critical element in achieving anything that Defence does. No matter how ‘Gucci’ the equipment, it is useless without the right people in the right jobs to operate and support it.

Defence magazine: Do you have a key message for Air Force personnel and affiliated civilians?

What I expect, I expect from every member of our Air Force team – the officers, senior NCOs, airmen, airwomen and Defence civilians and, as well, I hope that what I have to say will strike a resonance with our contractor friends.

On my watch as Chief, my key ‘bumper sticker’ messages are simple:

• We will, as ever, be an Air Force focused on achieving operational and governance excellence. We will be the best that we can be, with what we have, here and now.
• We will, as now, continue to be a values-based Air Force, with people at the core of our capabilities and our concern. Above all else, we will value our Values.
• We will, as we must, keep a close eye on our vision, and seek innovative means to achieve that.
• We will, because we can, join together in the pursuit of exciting, enjoyable, professionalism. Having a good time will be mandatory.

Air Force to fly Super Hornets

The Super Hornet acquisition is an important move to cement Australia’s national security. The purchase of these high tech, 4.5 generation multi-role aircraft means Australia will retain its air combat capability edge through next decade, particularly in the lead up to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) coming into service.

In announcing the Government’s decision at Fairbairn, the Minister for Defence, Dr Brendan Nelson MP, said the advanced Block II Super Hornets would be operational from RAAF Base Amberley in 2010.

The $6 billion cost for the Super Hornets includes acquisition of the aircraft, training, and the full running cost of the capability (including personnel) for the next 10 years.

Dr Nelson said Australia remains fully committed to the JSF, but the Government had not been prepared to accept any risk to air combat and strike capability during the transition to the JSF.

Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal (AIRMSHL) Geoff Shepherd, said the selection of the Super Hornet marked an exciting new chapter in the history of the RAAF, and would build on the organisation’s deep understanding of the current F/A-18 fleet.

AIRMSHL Shepherd said the Block II Super Hornet is an extremely capable aircraft with state of the art radar, advanced stealth technologies and stand-off weapon capability.

2010 will also see the retirement of the F-111, which has been a stalwart aircraft at the centre of Australia’s strike capability for over three decades.

“The operational and financial risks of running the F-111s increase significantly beyond 2010, but the age of the air frame is already showing,” AIRMSHL Shepherd said.

“Defence personnel have done a superb job in maintaining the F-111 capability and addressing known risk factors. But other currently unknown F-111 issues may well emerge. It is important that we retire the F-111 at a time of our choosing – not when failing technology dictates.

“Air Force has retired many great aircraft in our 86 year history, but our role, our reason for being remains the same: Air power for Australia’s security.”

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