Conducting your career

Hindsight is too late when you have taken the law into your own hands. Photo by Cpl Belinda Mepham, 1JPAU(P)

Promotion suitability, promotion course attendance and selection for key appointments are all competitive.

A high number of suitable, qualified and deserving soldiers are usually available for any number of high profile appointments.

The key determinator for selection is relative merit. A soldier’s relative merit is determined from recorded performance and service histories in comparison with peers. A soldier’s conduct will always be a consideration in determining relative merit.

Soldiers should be aware of the consequences of conduct lapses that lead to administrative or disciplinary action.

Conduct considered inconsistent with the expectations of the next rank often result in a withdrawal of promotion clearance, or a failure at a promotion board.

It can result in soldiers being required to remain at their rank for a number of years until they have demonstrated improved conduct, necessary for higher responsibility.

Reversing a decision to promote is not a double punishment. Promotion to a higher rank exists to provide soldiers with the potential authority to perform duties associated with that responsibility.

Conduct breaches can affect a soldier’s ability to perform their trade.

Loss of civilian driving licences will affect all soldiers who drive military vehicles including CL, B and armoured vehicles.

Soldiers may be subject to Notice to Show Cause for Discharge if conduct breaches results in unemployment. Convictions for theft, assault, alcohol and drug abuse attract mandatory Notices to Show Cause for Discharge.

SCMA considers all instances of conduct breach on a case by case basis. It behoves all soldiers to protect the image of the ADF and guard against allowing situations, which result in other soldiers committing conduct breaches. Mateship is about example, support and doing what is right for the good of the team, it is not about covering up.

In selecting soldiers for promotion courses and key appointments, SCMA looks for consistent, good reporting.

In an Army fortunate enough to have large numbers of capable soldiers, it is often breaches of conduct in a soldier’s past that can discriminate when determining relative merit.

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