Heartfelt initiative

By LACW Simone Liebelt

Flight Lieutenant Kay Ellis and her late husband, Tim.

MORE than 12 years after the devastating loss of her husband in an aircraft accident, Flight Lieutenant Kay Ellis has used her experience as a way to help other Air Force families faced with similar tragedy.

FLTLT Ellis has overcome personal adversity and serious illness to contribute to an important milestone for Air Force – the introduction of a new post-accident guide for commanders. The 30-page “how-to” guide provides helpful, realistic advice on casualty notification, family aftercare and a range of personal and practical issues faced by commanding officers.

FLTLT Ellis’s husband, Tim, was the co-pilot of an Air Force B-707 that crashed near RAAF Base East Sale in 1991. Upset by the treatment she received after his death, she took on the emotional task of compiling a report on how the Air Force should look after bereaved families after an aircraft accident.

Employed by the then Director General Policy and Planning (DGPP), Air Commodore John Blackburn, the Reservist Air Traffic Controller consulted with the Defence Community Organisation and drew on her experience as well as those of other families to produce a list of recommendations.

“I would like to think out of the worst thing to happen in my life, something positive has come of it, because it’s no good criticising what happens unless you’re willing to point the way forward,” FLTLT Ellis said. “I was critical of the Air Force after the accident so to see that they have had the vision to try and learn from my experience has been very good for me.”

After submitting her report in 2002, FLTLT Ellis was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following a full recovery, she again continued with the project, assisting the new DGPP, Air Commodore Mark Lax, in converting the recommendations into a simple reference guide.

AIRCDRE Lax undertook to produce the 30-page guide as part of the Capstone Program – a Defence senior leadership development initiative.

“I felt this was important enough for me to take on, as people have gone through some terrible trauma, not just with the accident and the bereavement, but the way it was handled later,” AIRCDRE Lax said.

“I had a death when I was in command so it can happen to anyone. The guide is not meant to be a checklist, just an advisory publication that explains who gets involved, who they can turn to and what the support mechanisms are out there.”

AIRCDRE Lax and FLTLT Ellis have presented the guide on two Commanders’ Courses and will distribute the new booklets, once printed, to all COs. FLTLT Ellis said sharing her personal experience with new commanders had been an effective way of educating them of their responsibilities to service families in the event of a tragedy.

“Talking about the accident has been very difficult at times but when you see that others benefit from hearing your experiences, I think it’s worthwhile. The most important point we can make to commanders is to look after the families the way you would like your family to be looked after if something happened to you.

“Communication is the most important thing, as it not only shows people that we care about them but is a way of ensuring that a person’s memory and their contribution to the Air Force is acknowledged.”

FLTLT Ellis will continue with the project in her role as Next of Kin Relations Officer and will present on future Commanders’ Courses as well as provide individual advice on request.

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