Slow
moving on forms
I REFER to the article entitled “Get moving on forms”
(November 4).
In the article, DHA National Operations Manager Kevin O’Brien,
in response to some 3000 members having yet to lodge their Application
For Relocation (AFR) form, says, “Removals affect all branches
of the ADF because housing is allocated on rank entitlement, so
everyone needs to get their AFRs in now, otherwise they’re
just hurting their mates.”
My posting order was promulgated through the RAAF Postings and
Promotions web site on Friday, September 17, for an effective
date of Tuesday, January 11. Realising that there is a four- to
six-week wait for AFRs to be posted to members, I patiently waited
for the arrival of my AFR to start the ball rolling.
As of November 12 I had yet to receive the AFR, so I contacted
DHA as to when I could expect it. I was informed my posting was
not actually on their system, and in response to my question as
to why, was informed that DHA is not connected to the Defweb posting
web sites and that all postings are sent to the regional offices
by DHA head office. I was then informed that I could present at
the local DHA office with my posting order and receive an AFR.
I am not the only member of my unit who is up for posting to have
this problem. Another member who was sick of waiting for their
AFR presented to the local DHA office with their posting order
and was refused an AFR – told they would have to wait for
one in the mail.
If Mr O’Brien has the nerve to accuse those 3000 members
of being slack and “hurting their mates” then perhaps
he should look at his own organisation and their business practices.
I had assumed that DHA may have ironed out the bugs in the postings/removals
process by now, and having members’ posting orders not even
appear on their system a thing of the past. I am a member of a
section that provides a service to the members of our unit, and
we have successfully kept up to date with postings and the paperwork
associated without any problems, including the use of the RAAF
Postings and Promotions web site. Perhaps DHA, as a supposed service
provider, should take a leaf out of our book.
LAC
David McKeon
114MCRU
RAAF Base Darwin
Official
response
THANK
you to LAC David McKeon for notifying DHA of this problem and
taking the initiative to rectify it.
Unfortunately the situation arose due to a problem in transferring
data from Defence’s PMKeyS system to DHA’s system.
The incorrect interpretation of this data resulted in the failure
to issue a relocation pack by DHA. We apologise to LAC McKeon
for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Any member who is relocating over the Christmas period and has
not received a relocation pack by now can pick up a pack at their
nearest DHA Housing Management Centre (HMC). I have instructed
all HMCs to provide packs to members on request.
Alternatively, members can call our Customer Service Line on 1800
249 711 and have a pack mailed to them.
Kevin
O’Brien
National Operations Manager
