Letters
to the Editor
Press
1 for frustration
Recently
I wanted to speak to my counterpart in another unit and needed a telephone
number to call them. I looked up the Defence Telephone Directory on
my desktop computer to find the correct number.
I knew
the name of the unit and the appointment.
I also
believed I knew the rank.
Happily
I provided this info in the boxes provided and waited eagerly for the
result.
No match
could be found. This was a problem, as there now does not seem to be
any other form of directory available to assist.
Looking
at the page in frustration (an emotion I have become accustomed to using
Defence Computer Systems) I noticed an icon on the screen that offered
me the opportunity to provide some feedback.
I thought
about this and considered that if it was a problem to me, perhaps others
might have a similar concern. I tapped on the icon and got another screen
with a link to e-mail the administrator.
Quick as
a flash I hit the spot. My concerns were important and would be listened
to. I now received another message telling me that the program could
not be found.
Undaunted
I spotted a note at the bottom of the page telling me that, alternatively
I could ring the Local Voice Service Centre with my problem.
I dialled
this number eagerly and waited for what seemed forever on hold after
being assured my call was important.
Finally
I started to explain my problem; help was at hand.
The operator
after listening politely for a few seconds cut in and said that this
was a computer problem and I should speak to the IT Help Line. She very
helpfully provided me with a number to ring and I did.
I explained
the problem that I was having and the person answered very sympathetically
that, although my problem was understood, the Prince Alfred Diseases
unit would be unable to assist me in this matter.
I was also
informed that I was not the first caller who seemed to have the wrong
number this morning and would I mind calling back the number provider
to ask them to sort out the wrong number business.
At this
time, I was running short of time; I had other work and I still had
been unable to make my call. I followed through anyway as they had been
so helpful and rang back the helpline.
I listened
to the message that said my message was important and held the line.
This time I listened to the hold music (for an eternity) and wondered
if it was worth continuing.
The music
kept cutting in and out in a very irritating manner and caused me to
consider hanging up. If their own system was such a mess what use would
they be to me?
This would
have been smarter anyway as when I did get to speak to an operator I
was told that, of course, it was the wrong number and I would not have
been given it by them.
He was
not interested in the fact that several calls had been made to the other
number because, that number would not have come from them.
At this
point I gave up. It is not worth the time and trouble.
WO2 Bob Behrendt
131 STA Bty
Enoggera Barracks, Qld
Civvies
not soldiers
In reply
to Mr Palmer’s letters in Army edition 1068 [February 27].
The difference
between pay should in no way come down to service allowance due to one
of the conditions being the fact that Defence members come under the
DFDA.
The civilian
monitors in Bougainville do not fall under the DFDA and if they wish
to receive service allowance then they can sign on the dotted line and
join the forces.
The civilian
monitors in Bougainville do a great job and I have a lot of respect
for most of then. Mr Palmer’s statement about civilians belonging
to the PMG, wearing the same uniform, patrolling the same village and
participating in the same security pickets is not all together correct.
The civilian
monitors do not wear the same uniform, as they are not members of the
ADF. Instead they wear a civilian-designed hiking equivalent, which
is supplied by Defence.
When on
patrol the civilian monitors come under control of the Defence members
who are in charge of the patrol, for obvious reason, due to safety requirements.
They do
participate in security pickets but at the first sight of any danger
are removed to a safe area along with other members of the PMG.
The removal
of members is covered by unarmed Defence force personnel placing themselves
between the danger and the remaining members of the PMG – why are
they evacuated?
Another
reason why Defence members are paid service allowance is due to the
out-of-the-ordinary danger we face.
In response
to the part about going, by my logic, that there should be a separate
medal for National Servicemen, I never once stated that service personnel
should not receive the medal – just civilians.
National
Servicemen were part of the ADF and came under the same conditions –
when civilian members are ready to do this then they will deserve the
same rewards.
On the
matter of tax, Defence personnel are now entitled to receive tax-free
pay – all at least two-thirds of it tax free.
The tax
finding is for personnel who have served 91 days continuous duty in
Bougainville.
There will
be some more information coming out on this matter shortly from DEFPAC.
I am thankful
that Mr Palmer at least took the time to reply to my letter.
Sgt P. Falconer
PMG Bougainville
Pay
is a factor
With regard
to the question of retention I don’t believe that this is entirely
an issue of morale or recruiting or pay, more a combination. I do believe,
however, that pay is a contributing factor.
As a corporal
on pay group five with 10 years service I was astounded recently to
find that after all this time and training, both for trade and promotion,
that my salary (including service allowance) is less than the base wage
of a Sydney Council parking inspector ($47,000 p.a.).
I can hear
the screams now, what about your free medical and dental?
Granted,
these benefits are provided but are they not only a benefit to me when
they are used? If I remain healthy over a 12-month period then that
means one visit for a med board, and then I only require to see a doctor
every five years.
Plus a
visit to the dentist. Total benefit to me less than $150 p.a. But it
is there if you are sick or injured at any time.
Yes it
is, but I don’t believe that the benefits provided add up to get
my pay group even close to $50,000 p.a., which is not a hard base wage
to attain in the civilian world. Before you ask, yes, I have seen the
Comparative Employment Value
Adjustable Model (CEVAM) and find its figures hard to believe.
We recently
had a pay rise and another one is due this year, the total of which
is 6 per cent over two years.
NSW nurses
recently gained an increase of 15 per cent not over two years but as
a one-off increase. It is my belief that a one off increase in the order
of 10 to15 per cent is required to accurately remunerate soldiers for
those many things that stand us apart from the general population.
We are
not civilians and cannot be aligned with civilian equivalents, because
there are none. Service allowance, I hear you say – sorry, that
just doesn’t cut it anymore.
I am not
about to jump ship (or landrover), I like my job and have many friends
in the Army but it would be nice to see soldiers paid what we are really
worth, then we may not mind so much if we have to ‘do more with
less.’
Cpl R. Fowler
ISD Paddington, NSW
Discharges
needed
As soldier,
retention appears to be of some concern at the moment, I’m prepared
to save the Defence force thousands of dollars in surveys and give the
diggers’ point of view.
It may
sound whacky, but I believe the key to soldier retention is to improve
our soldier dismissal system.
When someone
first joins the Army there is a set criteria that they have to adhere
to.
If they
are not up to scratch, they are sent on their way.
However,
once securely embedded in the Army system, if that person’s performance
drops below par it doesn’t seem as easy to say goodbye!
It seems
the easiest solution for ‘the powers that be’ is to post the
incompetent to an out-of-the-way position.
This may
get them out of their hair but in most cases the incompetent are still
able to influence and control young soldiers early in their careers.
It doesn’t
take long for a digger’s desire of a long-term soldiering career
to quickly dissipate with constant poor leadership!
As a digger
I do not claim to understand the full workings of the Army’s dismissal
system.
But I do
know that there are too many incompetent people influencing young soldiers
everyday, resulting in more discharges than unprotected sex!
Spr Andrew Duggan
1CER
Robertson Barracks, NT
Rugby
anecdote is a myth
I was a
little curious as the anecdotal evidence in the article on the ASRU
museum in the most recent edition of Army [March 13].
William
Webb Ellis’ run is widely regarded as mythology – it did not
even come to light until 1876 – four years after his death and
there seems to be no written account by an eyewitness at the time.
It would
also seem unlikely that few, if any, attendees of Rugby at the time
of the infamous run would have been in the colony between late 1823
and mid-1829.
It seems
most likely that rugby union was brought to these shores in about 1864.
Perhaps
ADF soccer players have a greater claim to July 25, 1829.
Paul Cross
PACC,
Russell Offices, ACT
Thunder
box and lightning
I was wondering
if anyone else in the Army had noticed that every Army bus seems to
have a broken toilet.
Cpl M. Rose
3RAR
Holsworthy
Barracks, NSW
Thanks
for Aussie spirit
I would
like to thank those who provided assistance to myself and family.
The loss
of our son Tony, was a time of great tragedy to our family. Your understanding
and assistance in this time was greatly appreciated.
Again many
thanks from my family. You have shown the Australian spirit is alive
and well.
WO1 John Frazer
RSM D.D., ALTC,
Bandiana, NSW
Just
a counter-measure
I REFER
to the letter sent to Army [March 13] by Cpl R. Ingram from Kapooka
entitled ‘PMKeyS Fails Again.’
There was
good reason behind members at ARTC being asked about their leave balances.
It was
an effort to identify any significant differences between what leave
the soldier knew he or she had in comparison to what appeared on PMKeyS.
It was
a counter measure, requested by myself through the company clerks, so
that if a significant disrepency appeared, it could be investigated
and corrected before it became detrimental to the member.
As I have
only recently marched into ARTC, this is also an avenue I have used
to ensure that errors made on rollout have been dealt with and subsequently
corrected before the end of the leave year, attempting to ensure any
problems do not snowball into the next leave year, and, again, become
detrimental to the member.
You have
my sincere apologies if I caused you any inconvenience by asking a simple
question, Cpl Ingram.
Sgt John Fogg
Chief Clerk
Recruit Training Wing Kapooka
Still
waiting, waiting
I can sympathise
with Bryan Nelson (Questions of Awards, Army, December 19, 2002).
I wish
to challenge the statement by the Acting Director-General Career Management
Policy that ‘for the record, the longest waiting period for any
category of awards to be processed is 12 months ...’
It would
seem that clasps and rosettes are not included in this.
My application
for the third clasp to my RFM was submitted in August 1999. A year later
nothing had been heard and when I approached the orderly room, I was
told that ‘there is this little thing to the north of us [Timor]
that is keeping them busy’.
Shortly
afterwards I went inactive and re-activated a year later, still no clasps.
I approached
my new orderly room and asked them to send a query away again.
To the
best of my knowledge still no response. Here it is almost four years
later and still no clasps. Perhaps they are waiting for my next application.
Sgt T. Connell
AAC HQ NT
Darwin, NT
|
