Letters to the Editor

Some hairy discussion
Extinct size 57
Change wanted
Lost the dream
Sinking ship
Where is the fair go now?


Fire for Effect

How to write to Army News

Some hairy discussion

Not all cadets act like kids – many go on to join the ARA. Photo by Pte Shannon Joyce, Army newspaper

REFERENCE the input from Sgt Morley, 9CSSB, Unshaven Cadets, [Edition #1106, September 23].

Sarge, what relevance does Naval tradition have to a young lad who apparently couldn’t be bothered dragging a razor across his face before he went on parade?

The Navy does the beard thing for a reason. There is no operational or tradtional reason for a cadet to be unshaven on parade.

I refer you to ASOD, Volume 2, Part 7, Chapter 1, Australian Army Cadet Corps – Uniforms and Appearance. Paragraphs 1.5 and 1.6 clearly state that cadets are to adhere to all the requirements of ASOD’s, excepting only certain variations of uniforms and embellishments.

Having recently observed a large number of cadets at Victoria Barracks, I was unimpressed with their behaviour, discipline, dress and bearing.

Granted that these are children, however, standing in a formed body with hands in pockets and with hair poking out from under unbashed berets is completely unacceptable.

Also, seeing these kids slouching up against walls, ignoring their OC’s repeated requests to, “Please form up, gentlemen!” and wearing uniforms that looked like they’d crawled out of a Salvo’s bin was really annoying.

If they want to learn soldiering, they can start by behaving like soldiers, and not spoiled kids playing silly buggers.
The history of cadet training is a proud one. We were able to field a large and lethally competent force at Gallipoli, primarily because of compulsory universal cadet training.

Can you imagine the Diggers of Anzac looking at todays’ cadets? What would they say?

None of the foregoing is aimed at the adult cadet instructors. I am certain that they do the best they can with the resource and political correctness constraints placed upon them.

LCpl J. Gardner
ASA Commcen Paddington

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Extinct size 57

I AM currently in an instructional posting and have been trying to get my hands on a size 57 pugaree.

This is an impossible task, as there are none in the system anywhere within Australia. I have completed a Subject One for Sergeant Course, which I had to do with a second rate pugaree because of the above mentioned problem.

I have been trying to get a pugaree for 10 weeks and still there is no light on this subject.

The civilian staff cannot even tell me when they expect any. I will soon be taking up a posting to a new unit and, as my current colour patch is square and my new patch is smaller and in a oval shape, I am unable to unstich the current one and place a new one on the same pugaree.

So as a result, because of a lack of supply, I have to look like a fool and explain that there is nothing I can do about this due to a lack of competence from the suppliers.

I am sure that this is affecting people all around the service who would need a new pugaree for parades and courses alike.

Can someone please find out what is going on? It is not just limited to the one size – there were four or five sizes unavailable. Date-in unknown.

Cpl Robert Gentles

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Change wanted

I AM a very keen coin collector and as such I am chasing two items.

The first item is any quantity of the 2003, 100 years anniversary of the RAAMC folder. These folders feature a purple coloured outer sleeve with a four-fold insert. The insert has a 1995 Sir Weary Dunlop 50c piece and a token that has the RAAMC Badge on one side and the Centuar, a Hospital Ship, on the other.

Anyone with any of these folders for sale are requested to contact the undersigned.

I would also like to hear from anyone, military or civilian, who attended the release of a $1 coin by the Royal Australian Mint, onboard the present HMAS Sydney, when that ship was in Sydney in May 2000.

The coin commemorated the actions and eventual loss of the Australian Cruiser, HMAS Sydney, during WW2.

Anyone who attended, or knows of anyone who attended that function, is asked to contact me at the address given below.

Bruce Mansfield
(03) 9382 7044
bjmgoose10@hotmail.com

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Lost the dream

IF YOU are thinking of buying a home and currently have a service residence entitlement, be careful.

I currently pay market rent for my MQ (which is considerably higher than RA figures) and I am being evicted three weeks prior to being able to occupy my own home, as the law prevented me gaining vacant possession upon settlement.

If you purchase a home without vacant possession you will lose your service residence entitlement three months after signing the contract, or seven days after settlement, whichever is the sooner.

The direction in PACMAN, however, allows for discretion (exercised by DHA) in extending occupancy based on current service residence requirements, but DHA seems to have little regard for member welfare.

Raising the issue with DE is likely to get the “service residence entitlements are an operational capability tool and not a condition of service” line. DE also states that Defence does not encourage or discourage home ownership.

I now fail to understand what HPAS, HEPSEA and the Defence Home Owner Scheme are all about. Additionally, I fail to see how allowing a member to effectively become homeless at the hands of DHA contributes to operational capability and current retention initiatives.

Normally I would have the right of appeal under the Residential Tenancy Act, but considering my good tenancy record, would be unlikely to be evicted since I am still paying the rent.

If you occupy an MQ, any such rights are replaced with DHA’s goodwill, or lack of it.

Alas, I am but a humble ADF member who is trying to explain to his civilian family that being second-class citizens is acceptable.

PACMAN is not entirely clear on this issue and discretion seems to be exercised against the member.

Capt P. Stuart
LTS-ADFA

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Sinking ship

I FIND it interesting that adults can’t swim unsupervised at the ADFA pool during work hours.

Particularly when our Navy friends are expected to swim out of sinking vessels, unsupervised if necessary, and most Army people have passed swim tests.

Many Defence establishments allow members to swim unsupervised, provided they have passed a swim test and signed a disclaimer.

Lt N. Skoeg
Canberra

Where is the fair go now?

FOR over 20 years I have enjoyed receiving and reading the “Soldiers Newspaper”.

But today it is with mixed emotions, as I was shown by several annoyed and disappointed soldiers, a Letter to the Editor titled Diggers’ spirit written by Chap Gary Stone [Edition, 1102 July 29].

First, let me be clear that the letter contains some very good thoughts and suggestions. And then for some unexplained reason it sinks into the murky depths of the popular gutter press that sees the Army as an easy target without the right to respond.

It is the comments about abuse and mistreatment of trainees that has caused myself (and many serving infantrymen) distress.

For the past 20 years I saw Army as a fair medium that endeavoured to enhance the morale of the Australian soldier, both at home and when overseas.

Unfortunately this letter has gone a long way to undoing the work that chaplains and other staff at the Training Command Schools have done this year to ensure that our trainees have a safe and supportive environment to work in.

Diggers’ spirit is no more than an open attack on those who have been hand selected to train, not only trainees who will become our future soldiers, but also those who train our NCOs, SNCOs and officers.

Training that has not only melded them into one of the world’s best fighting teams, but has also ensured we have had very few young Australians brought home to grieving families.

The second concern I have is that the letter undermines a fundamental right each and every Australian soldier has, even those who work within Training Command. Under the Westminster System of Natural Military Justice we are all entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty of any offence.

By publishing this letter and its accusative and negative comments you have not only denied those who may be currently facing investigation that right, but also anyone who may be placed in this precarious situation in the future.

I am the chaplain at the School of Infantry and we have had to suffer this short sighted rhetoric for too long.

It is time for any persons who wish to cast stones just to gain cheap publicity, to get down out of their ivory palaces and come and visit any of our training establishments and see for themselves the work of our training instructors.

Never before have I been on a base where trainees are provided with medical, psychological and chaplaincy support that is equivalent to what I would consider to be of world’s best practice. This opinion was echoed by one of the Senate Committee members when she said that Singleton was far ahead of other bases they had visited in providing such support to both trainees and staff.

I believe the ball is now in the court of Army and Chap Stone to revisit in your hearts the reason for your being a part of this wonderful organisation and rectify in some way the damage you have caused.

Please don’t continue to be party to this indicative, uninformed, knee jerk reaction that permeates some sections of the Army about Training Command Soldiers.

Padre Ron Paschke
SoI Singleton

Leaving a calling card
I’VE been collecting phone cards since 1994 and am deeply interested in the ones used by troops during peacekeeping or peace enforcement missions.

If anyone has cards they don’t want – I’d love them for my collection. Please contact me on the address below .
Thanks in advance.

Adjt COC/RS Michael Alexandre

Michael.Alexandre@mil.be or 2WTAC – GpV, Base J. Offenberg, Route Charlemagne 191, BE-5620 Florennes Belgium.

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53 Bn WW1 research
I AM researching a family member who served in 53 Bn, in the 1914-18 conflict. I would be interested in hearing from any serving members who may have had family who served in this unit.

I am particulary interested in photos of the unit in training and at rest.

Also, if anyone has a copy of the unit history The Whale Oil Guards I would like to hear from them.
Arthur Gane (ex medical corps)

Anyone with any information can contact Mr Gane at arthurgane@hotmail.com or 2/7 Hesper Drive, Forster, 2428.

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Fire your well-aimed shots at a deserving target through the Fire For Effect column.
Keep them short and snappy.

Longer letters will be edited.

HOW TO WRITE TO ARMY NEWS

It is the right of all soldiers to correspond with Army. Soldiers wishing to air their views through letters to the editor have access to the newspaper without using the chain of command.

Letters will be edited for spelling and grammatical errors and newspaper style, and may be edited for space.

Preference is given to typed letters of fewer than 300 words. Letters will be rejected where they are too long, abusive, cover a subject that has been exhausted or can be answered in the author’s unit.

They will be published only when they include the author’s name, unit (where applicable), location and contact number.

Send letters to: The Editor, Army Newspaper, R8-LG-029, Russell Offices, Dept of Defence, Canberra, ACT 2600. Phone (02) 6266 7612, fax (02) 6265 6690 or e-mail : armynews@defencenews.gov.au (Please note this is not an internal e-mail address and therefore requires Sec: Unclassified in the subject line when sending from a DRN terminal)

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