Admin boost

MANY of the administrative functions that occur automatically in Australia require manual intervention in the deployed environment, including the receipt of pay and allowances, an essential factor in ensuring high morale.

Other issues, including compassionate leave and travel, may be complicated by the isolation of the deployment and the added stress of dealing with these issues away from the support of family and friends.

Welfare support provides some facilities that contribute to the morale of deployed personnel, such as canteens, cable or satellite television and sporting equipment.

The Directorate of Military Administration recently conducted a workshop in Darwin to develop Bench Level Instructions (BLIs) for welfare clerk (non-public money) functions and administrative processes for clerks on deployment and exercises.

BLIs assist administrative staff to improve the level of administrative support provided to personnel and standardise procedures.

Warrant Officer Michael Hinton headed the workshop, where the team developed about 37 BLIs. Some of the topics covered for deployed administration were compassionate leave and travel for deployed personnel, flight/group travel advances, conducting pay parades, reconciliation of cash holdings and Personnel Status Reports.

The welfare BLIs will provide guidance for such things as petty cash expenditure, property write-offs, reconciliation of welfare accounts, purchasing welfare equipment, and registration and insurance registers.

DMA-AF BLIs can be accessed at http://intranet.defence.gov.au/raafweb/sites/DMA-AF/. For further details, phone WOFF Hinton on (02) 6266 5142.

Exception reporting

ONE OF the more challenging parts of personnel management is where members “stray from the path”. When this occurs, an administrative process called exception reporting kicks off.

Exception reporting includes formal counselling, records of conversation, formal warnings, censures and adverse reports.

All are designed to modify the behaviour of members and get them back to full capability. In addition, exception reporting includes unsuitability reports, preferential treatment (PT) postings, Medical Employment Classification Review Board and incompatible-with-Service-life issues.

Unfortunately, some members have difficult circumstances thrust upon them, which are beyond their control, such as a family member’s illness or disability or other compelling circumstances that require them to seek special consideration.

Airmen and airwomen are covered through PT consideration. While there is not a specific instruction for officers, DP-AF staff use the principles of PT to appropriately assess any “PT” request – regardless of rank.

For further information contact Squadron Leader Rick Dyson, Officer in Charge – Exception Reporting on (02) 6265 3420 or email richard.dyson@defence.gov.au.

Equity data online

PERSONNEL can view and update their equity and diversity data on PMKeyS Self Service.

Information being collected includes data about languages spoken, ethnic group and disabilities.

Personnel are asked to check the data on their record and to complete or correct information. If personnel do not want to provide information, they are still requested to indicate this on PMKeyS by selecting the option of “Choose not to give this information”.

The information is being recorded so that Defence can make informed decisions. Information recorded is kept private.

For more details phone 1800 000 677 or email equityadvice@defence.gov.au.

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