Military recruit truths

ALTHOUGH civilians are now employed in Defence Force Recruiting (DFR), military members remain an important part of the area’s work. Wing Commander Mark Quilligan, the Chief of Staff of DFR, said by doing business with a young and enthusiastic ADF team and working with civilian partners, DFR was meeting its targets and achieving good results.

He said civilians brought in specialist skills in recruitment to be able to process applications, develop marketing campaigns and research while military members came into DFR with a vast knowledge of things military, but initially without the requisite recruiting skills.

Nonetheless, it was the ADF who set the recruiting standards. Some myths about DFR work are explained below.

Myth: DFR is staffed and run entirely by civilians.

Military people form 50 per cent of DFR. There are 221 uniformed military staff working in DFR. They are the public face of recruiting around the regions, working as recruiting officers and on the career promotion teams.

In HQ they work in the marketing campaigns and on overall policy. The military members of DFR are used where their skills and credibility count – taking policy decisions, talking to the candidates about military lifestyle, visiting schools and universities, and making the final decisions on applicants’ suitability.

Civilians are concentrated in two main areas. Most are involved in recruitment operations and the processing of applications. Large numbers of ADF personnel have been released back into the ADF operational workforce as a result of this organisational change.

Myth: DFR sets the recruiting standards.

The category sponsors in the three Services still set the standards and criteria for entry.

Myth: Civilians have the final say in who comes in.

A uniformed Defence recruiter has the final say. Ultimate approval lies with the acting Director of Defence Force Recruiting.

Myth: Civilians decide what goes in recruiting ads.

The advertisement scenarios are developed using the real experiences of people in uniform. Because the aim of the ads is to reach people who are civilians, it makes sense to listen to expert civilian advice on how to reach them.

But every military detail of the ads is checked by ADF members to make sure it is correct.

Myth: The people in the ads are paid actors.

Every person is in the advertisement is a serving member of the ADF, matched to the job vacancy, whether Seaman Officers, Air Force Officers, Infantry Officers or Reservists.

Myth: There are no visits to schools.

Military careers promotion teams visit schools at key times of the year, such as around the time of the ADFA Awards and presentations.

Myth: The new-look DFR strategy isn’t working out.

The new way of doing things has been in place since July 1, 2003, and is already paying off. DFR have recruited 6482 people against a target of 7677. This is already slightly ahead of the previous year and there are many candidates still in the pipeline.

WGCDR Quilligan said the best advertisement for the ADF was the people already in it. “So next time you are talking to friends, remember the importance of what you have to contribute to recruiting,” he said.

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