Letters to the Editor

Scarpering from salute

A soldier demonstrates the shirk from salute. Photo by Pte Shannon Joyce, Army newspaper

IN MY nine years service I have noticed a disturbing trend, a trend that quite frankly infuriates me. On my way into work I see soldiers of all ranks and corps scurrying, like fleeing peasants to the shelter of a building or covered structure. What are they fleeing from? A hailstorm? Lightening strikes? Swooping plovers?

No, they are fleeing from the sight of the duty officer marching out to the unit flag station to break the Australian flag at 7am.

It appears that a majority of soldiers these days can’t stand-fast for 30 seconds while their country’s flag is raised.

These are the same soldiers that can march 40km or swim five, stand on parade in the burning sun for what seems like hours and spend weeks and months away from their families on exercises or operations.

But these same soldiers are reticent to take the time to stand-fast and watch the flag be set loose in the free winds of a beautiful free country.

Let us not forget that the only reason we are a democratic, free country is that in two world wars, men and women of the AIF and second AIF went through unimaginable horrors and died for their country, for their flag.

The history of our Army and country at war being taught to soldiers is vital in maintaining fighting spirit, esprit d’corps and the will to win no matter what you’re put through.

Are soldiers forgetting where we come from or are new soldiers not being taught enough?
Might I suggest the following to some officers and soldiers of the Army.

The next time you find yourself outdoors at 7am, instead of running inside, face your country’s flag, stand-fast and for the time it takes the duty officer to break the flag, think about why it is you are where you are, and why we speak English instead of Japanese or German.

LBdr T.I.Charters
105 Fd Bty, 1 Fd Regt
Gallipoli Barracks, Enoggera

Not married it

DHA’s recent proposal to divest itself of all A-class married quarters and the removal of those entitled to such MQ moved to B-class, with an attendant rent increase, deserves comment and debate in this column.

DHA has, over recent years, been agitating to change as many MQ as possible to high-density housing, as they have done in Carey St, Darwin.

That apartment-style accommodation is totally unsuitable to most Defence members is of little apparent concern to DHA.

These styles of properties are easier for DHA to manage.

The A-class MQ are older and require increased maintenance as they age. This makes them more difficult for DHA to manage.

The holy grail for DHA for as long as I can remember, is the 50/50, rent/subsidy ratio.

Members pay 50 per cent, Defence pays 50 per cent.

Currently only A-class and B1-MQ do not have this ratio. So one can see the agenda here is to make DHA’s management of MQ easier, and attain DHA’s desired subsidy/contribution ratio.

I note with interest that at no point is any form of service to customers mentioned in this proposal.

That personnel currently entitled to a and B-class MQ will, under this proposal, have an immediate rent increase is glossed over and actually swept away as some form of choice on the part of the tenant.

It seems DHA believe that everyone would live in a one or two above entitlement MQ, regardless of rent, if allowed.

It has been mentioned previously in letters to the editor that every salary increase over at least ten years has been made with an attendant rent increase.

This fact coupled with the latest proposal lay bare DHA’s real priorities.

They want easy to manage properties, which return so-called market rents.

Just what is the REAL market value of a MQ in Puckapunyal or Singleton? Who, except us would live there?

This organisation has now reached the point where it appears to exist to serve itself. Not the ADF.

The question must really be asked, how many A and B-class MQ will be re-classified under this proposal and suddenly become a higher category? DHA has done this in the past, why not again?

The Group Rent Scheme is designed to provide affordable housing to all ranks, regardless of posting location.

That members are required to live remote from family and normal social support networks is a real factor in that design.

There is more to the provision of MQ than “business cases” and “market forces”.

DHA and those who advise them need to be made aware of this.

I can too easily imagine a private soldier with young children, forced into a B1-class MQ deciding that discharge is rapidly becoming a financially desirable move.

WO2 K.R. Davies
4CSSB, Vic

Director Housing and Removals Policy, Adrian Wellspring replies.

This letter raises a mixture of issues regarding the housing system.

Housing policy is a Defence responsibility and is administered by DHA under an agreement between the two organisations.

The current housing classification policy was introduced by Defence in 1990 and is described in terms of functional amenities that reflect housing standards at that date.

The 50:50 rent/subsidy ratio is a Defence, not DHA, budget policy and has been in place since 1992.

Australian housing standards have changed significantly since 1990. This change in the housing market and consequent implications for DHA’s stock requires Defence to consider redefining the minimum standard of housing entitlements for ADF members.

Any change to housing classification entitlements will need to be carefully costed from a Defence budget perspective, and will also need to carefully identify the financial impact on members of any GRS increases.

Ultimately any change to the housing classification standards and the costs associated with those changes will require a recommendation by the Defence Committee to the Minister for Defence for a decision.

There is some demand by members of the ADF for apartment style accommodation.

The Carey St apartments in Darwin are an example of the work Defence and DHA have done to provide members with an alternative style of accommodation to detached houses coupled with the benefits that go with DHA provided accommodation.

Occupancy by members of this style of accommodation is voluntary.

Exit Survey data indicates that subsidised housing is viewed positively by members discharging from the Services.

The 50 per cent subsidy policy enables members to access generally good quality housing at affordable prices.

The effect of this arrangement is seen most clearly in the current economic climate when affordability for first home buyers is low and most major rental markets have high rents.

It is doubtful that a junior member discharging today would view the full cost of either renting privately or the prospect of first time home ownership as financially better than subsidised GRS housing.

You don’t choose your battles

AS AN ex-serviceman I wear my ASM and UN Peacekeeping medal with great pride and am dumbstruck why the ASM has been updated to the AASM.

I agree some incidents that were reported (and some that were not) encounted situations that required diggers to use all their diplomatic skills to avert a purely military solution.

Service in Namibia was a bit different to all the years of training I had.

Namibia meant that small detachments were sent to extremely isolated locations to construct or maintain various UN facilities with all types of equipment that could not easily be protected by the small number of Australian personnel on hand.

As an NCO [I knew], and I’m sure some of the diggers knew that if you were bumped you had no chance of fire support and once your ammo was gone that would be it.

From memory the Australian contingent was the only large contingent not to record a death for any reason in its ranks.

This brings me to the point of the Australian Active Service Medal (AASM).

To me the AASM, in my case a plant operator, would be equivalent to an infantryman being awarded the Infantry Combat Badge (ICB). That is, time spent on a two-way rifle range.

I enlisted in 1977 and looked at instructors at 1RTB with the ICB and think well “they’d been there, done that”.

When I was allocated the engineer corps I was suprised to see engineers wearing the ICB and it was explained that some of the guys seen the light after returning from Vietnam and corps transferred to engineers.

I notice that interest is being shown in the entitlement of the ICB by current members. I can only relate the issuing of the ICB and AASM to the ADF members I met after their return from Vietnam.

If you want to be entitled for the ICB, then join the infantry and do the time.

My Namibia service, though testing at times, didn’t compare to what some ex- Vietnam guys did and I don’t think warrants an AASM. As such I wouldn’t be applying to swap my ASM.

Stephen Casey (former Sgt)
Keperra, Qld

Thanks for support

I am a member of a fully intergrated Regional Training Centre (RTC), who has been recently diagnosed with an incurable medical condition.

This is very much “a tough luck” situation and not the point of this letter.

My main point is that I am an active and involved member of our community, with a full time professional position in education, leadership positions in a number of national, state and local organisations, all of whom have expressed both support and sympathy with the situation I now find myself in.

However, none have given such immediate, continued and practical support as the RTC-Tasmania.

My thanks partictularly go WO2 Bob McKerrow, a friend of some 30 years, Chap Henry Ivey, who has become a close and valued friend, our Commandant, Col Steve Smith, whose immediate hospital visits and continued support I highly value, likewise Maj Andrew Herbert our 2IC, whose calm and supportive approach has made me want to continue my service as long as I am able.

In fact, all unit members have demonstrated a high level of support and interest in my condition and have made my duties as pleasant and as useful possible.

Included in all of the above must be Capt Nick Murnane of the University of Tasmania Company, a former member of our unit, whose frequent visits both while hospitalised and at home have been heartening and practical.
Similarly, I must thank Maj Annette Wyatt, another former member.

The point of my letter is to assure all of those who believe that the “Old Army” of mateship has gone are incorrect and that my own experiences of the past six months have reminded me that most of us really do maintain the values so frequently stated to us in your informative publication.

Once again, may I take the opportunity to thank my fellow soldiers for their practical and valued support.

Capt Art Hamilton
RTC-Tas
Anglesea Barracks, Tasmania

For gong’s sake?

I RECENTLY read an article regarding a new medal (NT News June 26, 2004) for the ADF. The award is referred to as the Australian Defence Medal, to be awarded to all who gave volunteer military service since 1946 (less National Service pers). The article reckons that about 400,000 pers would be eligible for the medal.

Now a gong for doing a job we chose to do ... talk about the gong show.

WO2 Meurant
JLU-N, Darwin NT

All serve same Army

A recent correspondent wrote to claim to correct the use of the rank Staff Cadet by Reserve Officer cadets [June 17, 2004]. He was wrong.

Cadets under training at RMC-A, whether ARA or reserve, are Staff Cadets, one and all.

Nowadays, all newly commissioned GSO officers are RMC graduates.

To stick to “tradition” would be to reinforce the artificial and foolish distinction that once divided the Staff Corps from the CMF.

Not all so called “traditions” contribute to the morale, discipline and esprit de corps of the Army. We all serve in the same Army.

Brig Chris Appleton
Commandant
RMC ACT

Pulling the Ace card

In reference to Lt Alastair Hee’s article regarding the correct forms of address for cadets, he forgot to use in his examples of sergeant majors, Artificer Sergeant Major (ASM, no it’s not the gong).

Being from 1CSSB he should know to stay on the right side of the “Ace”.

Out of character and a bit picky for me but then again so was he.

WO2 Paul Sos
ASM, 162 Recce Sqn

Not so rank after all

IN RELATION to Lt Alastair Hee’s letter (Fire for Effect, June 17, 2004), I can reassure him that reserve officer cadets are indeed referred to, and hold the rank of, Staff Cadet while undertaking their First Appointment Course.

This has been the case since all reserve officer training has come under the auspices of RMC-A.

They hold this rank while they undertake training at their parent University Regiments and then when they undertake their final seven week training period at RMC-D prior to commissioning.

Believe me, I heard the dulcet tones of a DS yelling “Staff Cadet McCarthy!” enough times to know that this was indeed the rank I held prior to commissioning.

2Lt Dayton McCarthy
25/49RQR, Gallipoli Barracks Qld

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The opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not represent the views of the editor or the Army.