Letters to the Editor

Promotion commotion
'Maroon beret is the best'
Pay idea adds up
Schools' not in
no room at the base
Grateful soldier

WRITE TO US

Promotion commotion

I RECENTLY read a document detailing the new Personnel Advisory Committee (PAC) arrangements to be used by DOCM-A.

While I concede that a review and major restructure of the officer promotion system is a necessary precursor to addressing the significant retention problems currently being experienced at the captain and major levels, it is disconcerting to see that, apart from a couple of ineffectual procedural changes, the status quo remains.

The statement that "although we offer you no career progression within your field, your contribution at your current rank is highly valued" does not cut it for professionals who have career aspirations and want to engage in planning career goals for the whole of their career. This simply forces valuable people to start planning their exit strategy from the ARA.

The promotion system needs to be decentralised to some extent to allow for the inherent differences in specialisations present in a comparatively large organisation within the labour market in this country.

At present, there is a "one size fits all approach" and people with the traditionally (and, dare I say, archaically) highly valued general military skills continue to be advanced into fields where they do not possess any particular specialist qualifications or experience.

They then rely on specialists that have gained their expertise at the expense of a generalist career, but are held in place by a "glass ceiling" due to the current promotion and career progression arrangements.

It is ever likely that we have a mass exodus of people looking for career satisfaction elsewhere, taking many years of corporate knowledge with them and applying it to the advantage of other organisations.

I am doing just that now and I thank the Army for the kick-start, and so does my new organisation. The powers that be may like to take the kudos for the "great start to my career" as the advertisement goes, but it doesn't help the retention problem does it?

It is time to start benchmarking against 21st century practices. Perhaps a prerequisite HR qualification for an appointment in DOCM-A would be a little more appropriate than "psc". I can't see it happening though.

Maj Rob Archer
APA-P
Leeuwin Barracks

Response by Lt-Col David Mulhall, A/DOCM-A:

The changes made to officer Personnel Advisory Committee (PAC) processes followed a comprehensive procedural review and presentation to both CASAC and ACMC. The fact that these changes were considered by Army's two most senior committees indicates the importance that is placed on career management by Chief of Army and Army's senior leaders.

The changes to the PAC system are neither simple procedural changes nor ineffectual. DOCMA introduced these changes with the intent of retaining the procedural rigour and fairness of the previous system while advising outcomes in a manner that is easy to understand and which provides as many officers as possible with early certainty of their prospects. I would have thought that a clear and honest indication of an officer's promotion prospects is essential for empowering officers to make career choices.

Major Archer's observations are predicated on a perceived crisis in the retention of captains and majors. Current discharge trends do not support that assertion. It is true that Army is carrying a number of vacancies at the ranks of captains and majors; however, a "mass exodus of people looking for career satisfaction elsewhere" is not the root cause of this asset-liability problem.

I find it disappointing that Major Archer has chosen to take a cheap shot and attack my staff while expressing his views about Army's career structures and organisational culture. This indicates his ignorance of the experience, qualifications and commitment of DOCM-A staff, together with a display of the same simplistic approach to issues he is incorrectly accusing Army of taking in the management of its officers.

Through his recent transfer to the Reserve, Major Archer has made a career choice that he considers best for himself and his family. I wish him every success in the next phase of his working career, just as I look forward to his constructive contribution in Army's personnel management through his role at APA-Perth.

TOP

'Maroon beret is the best'

THE family of 21-year-old Pte Jamie Michael Clark, member of Recon Platoon 3RAR, wish to publicly acknowledge the wonderful members of the Defence Force for their amazing support following his loss in the Solomon Islands on March 10.

Special thanks must go to CO Adam Findlay, Padre Tim Booker and, of course, the wonderful soldiers who not only worked and lived with Jamie but came a long way to Western Australia to farewell their mate.

The outstanding support given to our family is second to none and not only did his military family make us proud, but so did all his friends in Perth who came to say goodbye.

A special thanks to WO Andrew Warner in Perth who has been by our side and has liaised constantly with Sydney to ensure our requests were met.

The soldiers from 3RAR are in our opinion the best the Army has and have proven this to us in our time of sorrow. As there as so many people who have touched our hearts over the past month we are unable to name you all, but please know you are all wonderful people. The maroon beret is the best boys.

Jamie was an excellent son and brother and we as a family are so proud of his achievements. We are going to miss him deeply and will always carry our beautiful memories in our heart forever.

Thank you so much.

Peter, Avril, David and Shaun Clark Perth, WA

TOP

Pay idea adds up

HAS any consideration been given to including on the Salary Variation Advice (SVA) an accumulated salary and allowances for that payday?

Many other government departments include on their pay slips how much you have earned for the year up to that day.

This is extremely handy when calculating your salary for other purposes, such as (but not limited to) family assistance.

My wife and I always overestimate my salary so as not to be hit with a bill at tax time. With the amount of allowances (field pay, deployment etc) that soldiers receive it is very easy to be caught short.

I am now in receipt of HDA and could be for up to a year, as such my previous estimate is not going to be enough. But how much to I increase my estimate by and for how long?

If I knew exactly how much I had made up to today I could do better than to cuff it.

I could keep track of my earnings and adjust as necessary to avoid the hurt at tax time.

I understand that pay will change with the new the new computer pay system. Will this be a feature? If not than I believe it should.

Sgt S.J. Twidale
School of Military Engineering
Moorebank DCSO

Matthew Radisich, Director Business Analysis and Process Improvement, replies:

Thank you for your question in relation to displaying year-to-date earnings and allowance figures on the Salary Variation Authority (SVA).

Amazingly, this is the first occasion that the year-to-date earnings issue has been brought to our attention.

It is planned for the current ADF pay system to be integrated with PMKeyS, as part of a proposed upgrade to the Defence Personnel Systems.

The requirements for the upgrade are currently being defined. The display of year-todate figures on the SVA has been incorporated into these requirements.

Subject to the government approval process and subsequent funding approval, work on the implementation of the upgrade may commence in early 2006.

As this issue has not been raised previously, it is unlikely that the data will be shown on the SVA prior to the upgrade.

However, the current ADF pay system can produce this data and therefore I suggest contacting your administering pay section to obtain your current year-to-date figures.

TOP

Schools' not in

I WAS pleased to see the list of Soldier's Medallion recipients published in Army News (Edition 1112, December 16).

It provided public recognition to our high-performing soldiers and also gave me the opportunity to look for soldiers I have served with in previous postings.

I note, however, that while there were a number of soldiers from School of Infantry, School of Armour and School of Arty listed in the table, there were none listed as being from the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, Army School of Transport and Ordnance or the Army School of Administration and Health.

Instead, one can only presume that the soldiers listed as being from ALTC actually belong to some of these schools.

With the exception of ALTC soldiers, all other soldiers were identified against their parent unit or school name.

Why are soldiers from CATC identified by the name of their school, while soldiers from ALTC are identified against their higher HQ, and not their school?

Lt-Col Mike Barry
DDNCWI
Russell Offices

Editor's note: The names of the schools were inadvertently removed during the sub-editing process.

TOP

No room at the base

I WISH to draw your attention to a matter involving transit accommodation in Darwin.

It has been pointed out to me that the only personnel permitted to access social transit accommodation - ie. not on exercise or TDY to any of the bases in Darwin - are personnel posted to RAAF Base Tindal.

While it is understandable that Darwin is the closest major city to personnel in Tindal, I find it baffling and also a little discriminatory that other Defence personnel who wish to utilise and are willing to pay for it are unable to obtain this because the Darwin Accommodation Centre does not have an agreement for another base irrespective of Service.

Yet most other ADF bases will allow one to two nights' stay in transit accommodation for personnel who are not posted to that region.

On investigating this further for a member to request social transit accommodation, I was advised by CSIG-NT that the approving authority is Commander 1 Bde.

Due to approving authority being such a high position, members would then just disregard the idea of obtaining accommodation.

Tpr T.R Baldwin
RHQ Ops
5 Avn Regt

Stan Mitchell, Regional Manager CSI NT/K, replies:

Directorate of Entitlements has provided the following guidance regarding entitlement to access official accommodation for social visits:

"A member may be approved (by the local commanding officer/ officer commanding) to occupy living- in accommodation, provided the accommodation is not required for members who are required to live in. If a member is approved to access on-base accommodation for a social visit, they would be required to make the normal contribution according to the level of accommodation occupied. There is no provision to waive the contribution for a member transiting through a locality on leave."

Serco Sodexho Defence Services (Serco) are the Garrison Support Services contractor for the Corporate Services and Infrastructure Northern Territory/Kimberley (CSI NT/K) region.

In the region, Serco provides an accommodation service for members posted to, attached to or transiting through RAAF Darwin, Larrakeyah Barracks, Defence Establishment Berrimah and Robertson Barracks. Neither CSI NT/K nor their contractor, Serco, control the accommodation bookings for RAAF Base Tindal.

The Serco accommodation cell in Darwin provided advice that members are not accommodated on social visits, free of charge.

Requests to use accommodation on a base, while waiting for a connecting flight to an international destination on recreation leave, would be considered a social visit.

Advice was provided that approval from the commanding officer of a base is required for requests for accommodation that are not for official purposes, ie for personnel other than those who are posted to, attached to or transiting on official travel through a base or the region.

This includes members seeking approval to use official accommodation for social visits. Priority is given to accommodation requests for official purposes.

Robertson Barracks accommodation is currently managed based on unit precincts, meaning a number of accommodation buildings may be allocated to a specific unit for the purposes of housing members within unit lines".

CSI NT/K therefore requires Serco to assist by collocating members in unit groupings wherever possible. Requests for social accommodation at Robertson Barracks for a member not attached to the barracks or visiting on official travel, would require approval being given by the base commander, prior to any bookings being made.

Regarding members from RAAF Base Tindal accessing accommodation on social visits to Darwin, the above applies. The approval of the commanding officer of RAAF Base Darwin is required and the appropriate charge levied on the member.

TOP

Grateful soldier

I WOULD like to take this opportunity to extend mine and my wife's thanks and appreciation to those members of the Defence Force School of Signals and particularly the staff of Advanced Training Wing who facilitated my speedy RTU following an illness in our family.

I was moved from a field exercise to my home in a remote locality (Nhulunbuy, East Arnhem Land) in under 24 hours and able to care for our children while my wife travelled to Brisbane. Once again we would like to express our gratitude to those who were able to make this possible.

Cpl K.R. Ervin
Arnhem Sqn
Norforce

TOP

WRITE TO US

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.

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Send letters to: The Editor, Army newspaper, R8-LG-037, Russell Offices, Canberra, ACT 2600; fax (02) 6265 6690 or email: armynews@defencenews.gov. au (note this is not an internal email 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.