Women’s combat unit role
Expanded employment prospects

By Cpl Damian Shovell

UP TO 50 women are expected to take up postings in combat units this December following an increase in employment opportunities available for women within the ADF.

The Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, De-Anne Kelly, announced the employment changes and expected postings late last month.

She said the Government had reviewed the roles for women in the ADF but had confirmed the long-standing policy of restricting women from a combat role.

In line with the new employment changes, Army will now allow women to be posted to the headquarters and administrative companies of combat units in support roles such as clerical, medical, logistics, signals and transport duties.

“Suitably-qualified women can apply to be posted to armoured, combat engineer and artillery units as well as infantry battalions in support roles,” Mrs Kelly said.

CA Lt-Gen Peter Leahy said an increasing number of women were entering the workforce and Army sought to make the most of the available pool of qualified women.

“The primary reasons for the proposal were demographic changes which have seen a decrease in male participation and an increase in female participation in the labour workforce; the changing nature of warfare which challenges the traditional view of the battlefield; and the increased operational tempo,” Lt-Gen Leahy said.

Women make up around 13 per cent of the ADF and are eligible to serve in about 90 per cent of employment categories.

In an interview on ABC radio, CDF Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston reiterated that allowing women into combat units did not mean they would engage in combat roles.

“We’ve had a long-standing policy that about 90 per cent of the positions in the ADF were open to women. One thing that has also been long-standing, and it’s Government policy, is that women will not be involved in direct combat roles,” ACM Houston said.

“But in terms of women being involved in other parts of the Defence Force, they work very well as part of our team, which is essentially a team of teams.

“Women play a very valuable role in the Defence Force in all three services, and we value their contribution immensely. In fact, I’d like to see us attract a lot more women than we currently have in the ADF.”