Letters to the Editor

Left Standing by
RLLT change doesn't travel
Birthday wishes

HOW TO GET A LETTER PUBLISHED

Left standing by

I HAVE become aware of a practice in Victoria whereby GRes lieutenant-colonels may do two-three postings upon achieving the worn rank and then, if they are not promoted, they are posted (often involuntarily) into the Standby Reserve (SR).
Certainly in Victoria, where only three established GRes senior officer appointments exist (two colonel and one brigadier positions), this doesn’t provide many options for most people.
This practice appears to be a gross injustice and certainly does not reward a member for years of loyal effort; not to mention being extremely bad for individual and unit morale. Where is the loyalty from the Army back to the member?
In my unit alone, two members are being involuntarily shuffled off to the SR: the net result is a loss of some 55 years’ combined experience in the Army Reserve.
It is understood that people do need to move on so that promotion can continue within the GRes officer stream, however there are a host of other jobs and tasks that can be done – remotely if necessary – by these highly experienced personnel, without impacting on the promotion opportunities for other up-and-coming Gres officers.
Where is the true incentive for our GRes officers to be promoted to lieutenant-colonel – particularly if it means they can find themselves literally promoted out of the system? One might argue that if a GRes officer wants to enjoy many more years serving part-time, then the advice they ought to be given is to not try for promotion beyond major – at least the chances of being involuntarily shuffled off to the SR are greatly reduced.
Capt Stephanie Roe
RTC Vic
Simpson Barracks

Lt-Col Leigh Wilton, Senior Officer Manager, responds:
THE SR is a force of Army and transfer to the SR is a valid career management tool that facilitates career progression in the Active Reserve.
The notion that officers transferred to the SR are not valued and their loyalty is not appreciated is false. DI(A) Personnel 47-2 Career Management of Australian Army Reserve Officers states that promotion only occurs when there is a suitable establishment vacancy. While it is true that some officers are transferred involuntarily, the majority of officers agree to transfer to the SR on a voluntary basis. The assertion that there are a “host of other jobs and tasks that can be done – remotely if necessary” is true and for this reason there are a number of options available such as employment with the Reserve under the provision of Defence Act 50 (4) and the use of designated national positions such as those in the Active and Standby Staff Group. Officers being transferred to the SR are specifically approached by their career adviser who seeks to encourage them to pursue these options with their chain of command.
Career managers transfer officers to the SR to allow career progression to more junior officers, but it is not considered to be “bad for individual and unit morale” – there are recent cases where officers have been transferred from the SR and promoted back into the ARes when an appropriate position becomes available.
Generally, the decision to involuntarily transfer an officer to the SR occurs only when the officer’s chances of promotion, on merit against their peers, appears very unlikely; there are no regional or national positions against which to post them; and they are holding up promotion opportunities for more junior officers.

TOP

RLLT change doesn't travel well

• I WAS pleased to receive a marvellous and enlightening presentation on the new conditions relating to RLLT.
  The PowerPoint presentation was great. The who, what, when and why was explained, along with the rationale behind the decisions, and left me feeling warm and fuzzy.
  The presentation was attended by JNCOs and above. They were MWD, MWOD, with a sprinkling of single-income families. However, the tone of the questions raised indicated that the majority of the audience were unhappy with most of the answers.
  Those of us who came to Darwin in the big move of 1993 were told of the wonderful conditions of service we would get when we moved from Holsworthy and Puckapunyal. The housing was great, they had been purchased/built with the tropics in mind, and 99 per cent of the homes did not need air conditioning. As for RLLT, fantastic, go to the travel agent, book a package, off you go with your family once a year with nothing further said. This worked well for a while. The cost of living was high, but that was OK as we got a little extra in the pay packet for moving up to the north.
  However, somebody forgot to tell the powers-that-be that it gets hot up here. The power bill is now through the roof. The air-conditioning allowance has been turned on and off with gay abandon.
  As for RLLT, as long as you have the money up front, you are pretty much set. For the one-income MWD digger, if you don’t eat, walk to work, and don’t use your air conditioner for three months, you may afford to take your entitlement of RLLT.
  Forget about your Centrelink payments however, because you have just earned too much (grossed up fringe benefits). If you are paying maintenance, your ex-partner will be happy because of the grossed up fringe benefits, although at tax time you will be in for a big surprise.
  This exciting new scheme will cost the taxpayer an extra $80 million. It also means a majority of members will not be able to afford to take a RLLT holiday. Then the retention rate will drop quicker than the rise of the cost of living. That money would have been better spent fixing the ice machine at Camp Crusty, Mt Bundy.
  I would think that paying a fixed amount for RLLT each year would be a waste of time and open to abuse.
  I wait with bated breath for when this new scheme is also kicked into touch, along with all the other schemes and conditions of service that were working very well in the past.
  WO2 John Holyoake
  1 Armd Regt
  Robertson Barracks
  
  Bob Jones, Directorate of Service Conditions, responds:
  ANYONE interested in RLLT, should read the feature article on the Personnel pages in this edition.
  WO2 Holyoake is concerned that some members cannot afford RLLT up front. In fact, every member who is eligible for RLLT can go to their orderly room or travel cell and book flights or own-means travel without having to pay a cent. Members who choose to use RLLT in a different manner need to accept the consequences of that choice.
  WO2 Holyoake also mentions two common concerns for members thinking about taking RLLT: Centrelink benefits and child support payments. Members worried about this should use the online calculators mentioned in the feature article to work out how RLLT might affect their payments (make sure to include an estimate for all taxable allowances and use the grossed-up value of reportable fringe benefits). Many members will find the effect is not as serious as they may have feared.
  During and subsequent to the review some practical examples were run using low incomes to find out what effect RLLT would have on family tax benefits and child support obligations. The online calculator on the Centrelink web site was used to work out what family tax benefits members would receive. Normal gross taxable income was used to find the upper amount various members could get. The calculation was done again, entering the grossed-up value of RLLT as well, to find out how much benefits went down.
  The Child Support Agency was called to gain an estimate of child support payments given the gross taxable income, with and without the grossed-up RLLT added.
  In the cases looked at, it was found that members got a higher value of travel from RLLT than they lost in reduced family tax benefits or increased child support payments. Members who receive Centrelink benefits, pay child support, or have any concern at all about the effect of taking RLLT, should check for themselves or get advice from a professional adviser. If checking for yourself, remember to include all taxable salary and allowances and to gross-up any reportable fringe benefits; Pacman explains how to work these out.
  In regard to the reference to air-conditioning allowance, this allowance was extended to Darwin on a trial basis in December 2002. Shortly after the trial ended, Defence completed a full review of the ADF remote location conditions of service. One result was that the grossed-up value of the air-conditioning allowance was rolled into ADF district allowance. Most members now get more in district allowance than they used to get in district and air-conditioning allowances together. District allowance now includes reasonable use of air conditioning over the year.
  A feature of the new remote locality package is an additional entitlement for the member and family to travel to any Australian capital city. This travel is paid directly by Defence.
  The bottom line is members should estimate the effect of taking RLLT before deciding whether to take it – don’t decide based on a guess.
  
  
• Centrelink calculator: www.centrelink.gov.au – click “online services” then look for “Estimate Family Assistance (no logon required)” and “Centrelink rate estimator (no logon required)”
  
  
• Child Support Agency: call 132 272 – can be done anonymously
  
  
• Pacman: www.defence.gov.au/dpe/pac – click “Pacman” then “Pacmate” and “Tax Issues”
  
  
• Defence Tax Management Office: http://www.defence.gov.au/cfo/tax
  

TOP

Birthday wishes

To all Australian soldiers, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Australian Army on the occasion of your 105th birthday.

You have a proud history of providing an outstanding service to your community, to Australia’s national interests and to international peace and security.

I hope you reflect on your exceptional achievements and also feel that the Australian public is deeply grateful for your fine efforts and sacrifice.

You often work in harsh and challenging environments but your dedication, courage and professionalism is highly valued and respected. The sacrifices and support of your families is also greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your service and your great domestic and international contribution.

Bruce Billson
Minister Assisting
the Minister for Defence

TOP

HOW TO GET A LETTER PUBLISHED

Preference is given to letters of fewer than 300 words. Letters will be rejected if they are too long, abusive or can be answered by the author's unit.

They will be published only when they include the author's name, unit, location and contact number.

Send letters to: The Editor, Army newspaper, R8-LG-037, Russell Offices, Canberra, ACT 2600; or email: armynews@defencenews.gov.au