Service in East Timor is no longer war-like

By Pte John Wellfare

SUCCESSFUL peace enforcement in East Timor has led to continuing ADF service with the UN’s Operation Citadel being declared non-warlike from August 18.

Following a thorough review of all the circumstances in which ADF members in the UN contingent now serve, the CDF recommended the change in service conditions which had been accepted by the Minister for Defence Robert Hill.

Director Joint Logistics – Administration, Strategic Operations Division, Gp-Cpt Andrew Kilgour, said the factors considered in the review governing the decision included the military threat, the rules of engagement, the expectation of casualties, the task assigned to the force and the UN Charter under which the force operated.

“The review supported non-warlike service and this recommendation was progressed by the head of Strategic Operations Division, who put the initial submission forward through the CDF to the Minister for decision,” he said.

Gp-Capt Kilgour said DPE had separately advised the conditions of service pay and allowance changes resulting from the forthcoming change in nature of service.

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