By Susan Oldroyd
HDPE, RAdm Brian Adams, has issued the 2003 – 2004 edition of the Member’s Guide to ADF Pay and Conditions of Service.

On June 2, RAdm Adams presented the new 2003 – 2004 edition of the Member’s Guide to representatives from each of the services at Campbell Park Offices in Canberra.

The 2003-2004 edition includes new information on how to apply for your entitlements, including the Defence Assisted Study Scheme, Defence Choice Housing, leaving the ADF and superannuation.

During the launch, RAdm Adams said that he supported the Member’s Guide.

“Everybody needs to know what their pay and conditions are and we have problems communicating this information. This initiative has proven to be successful,” he said.

The positive feedback on the first edition had emphasised the importance of such a resource and the requirement to keep the information up to date and accessible resulted in the publication of the 2003-2004 edition.

The electronic version of the Member’s Guide will be updated on the Defweb and the Internet at the beginning of each month.

About 3500 feedback forms were received on the first edition of the Member’s Guide, issued in March 2002, and have enabled this edition to better reflect the information needs of ADF members, with 90 per cent of respondents rating the Member’s Guide as very good or excellent and 85 per cent saying the handbook was easy to understand.

Pte Chelsea Yarrie, DOCM-A, says her copy will be used fortnightly, or even weekly.

“The Member’s Guide is good for soldiers to find out more about what their pay and conditions are and what their entitlements are so they can make the right decision about their careers in Defence,” she said.

Pte Thor Phillips, DOCM-A, said the new edition looked very easy to read.

“It should enlighten me on some of the things I didn’t already know about entitlements,” he said.

The Member’s Guide will be available to ADF members shortly through shopfronts, orderly rooms, administration units, DCO regional offices, the Defence Service Centre on 1800 000 677, the Family Information Network for Defence (FIND) on 1800 020 031 and electronically via the Defweb at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/dpepay and Internet at www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dpedet

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