First to sign up
Volume 11, No. 55, November 02, 2006
By Graham McBean and Michael Brooke

Making his mark: CO 9RQR Lt-Col Chris Austin welcomes Pte Daniel Upton on to the High Readiness Reserve scheme at the battalion’s headquarters at Gallipoli Barracks. Photo by Graham McBean

THE first reservists have signed on the dotted line to take up the challenge of service with the High Readiness Reserve (HRR).

Nine reservists from 9RQR and one Reserve officer from 1HSB all made the commitment in September. Five of the 9RQR soldiers were deployed to East Timor with 6RAR at short notice.

Ptes Brendan Carroll, John Hardgrave, Adam McLean, Ernest Sweet and Daniel Upton got the phone call from their unit at 6.30pm on September 14, with an offer to serve with 6RAR and began their deployment administration the next day.

Pte Adam McLean, who enlisted last July, said it had been a great 12 months in the Army Reserve and he was keen to sign up with the HRR as soon as it was offered.

“There is nowhere else you can experience the Army to this degree. Having the Reserve more integrated and changeable is a real move in the right direction and I think that is what the HRR is about,” Pte McLean said.

Pte John Hardgrave, a Brisbane motor mechanic, said the chance for reservists to put their training into action was the real benefit of the HRR.

“The HRR really isn’t any more commitment than I am giving at the moment and you get the chance to deploy and get paid better for it,” Pte Hardgrave said.

“The workshop where I’m employed is big enough to cover for me when I’m not there and I really wasn’t going anywhere – so two years is not that long.”

DComd 7 Bde Col Chris Hamilton said the new HRR recruits validated the CA’s vision for the HNA and demonstrated that the Army Reserve was well positioned to provide operational forces to the Army.

“Within 7 Bde we already knew that we had a significant pool of individuals who were trained to the appropriate level and ready to go,” Col Hamilton said.

“The HRR provides reservists with a golden opportunity to continue doing a job that they are committed to and obviously love, but now on a part-time basis and under excellent conditions.”

SO1 Reserve Policy Wg-Cdr Thomas Buckham said that in accordance with the DFRT decision of August 31, reservists would not have their salary discounted, bringing it in line with ARA counterparts.

Reservists would also receive $10 a day service allowance.

“This applies to all fully trained HRR and ex-serving members who have retained their skills,” Wg-Cdr Buckham said.

Lt Frank Ware, a member of 1HSB’s parachute surgical team, signed up for the HRR in front of LCAust Maj-Gen Mark Kelly, at Victoria Barracks on September 25.

Lt Ware, who has been in the Reserve for three years, enjoyed his first deployment on Op Ramp – the evacuation of Australians from Lebanon during the recent conflict – so much that he rushed to join the HRR.

“I really enjoy the challenge of being a reservist so I am confident of meeting all the Army requirements, including AIRN compliancy over the next two years, in order to qualify for the $10K bonus,” he said.

Maj-Gen Kelly congratulated Lt Ware for his commitment to the HRR, which entails being ready to deploy on ADF operations on short notice.

“As the Land Commander, I appreciate the availability that high-readiness reservists will give us,” he said.

“HRR offers Army reservists who can make such a commitment financial rewards and also adds capability to Army.”