Time to look at your attitude

PERSONNEL can have their say and let Defence and Air Force decision-makers know how things are going through the Defence Attitude Survey (DAS).

Last year, Air Force members led the way with the highest survey return rate of the three Services at 63 per cent, and members are urged to aim higher again this year.

Chief of the Defence Force Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston said he took the results from the survey seriously.

“Headquarters staff strive to make strategic and policy decisions that will address the needs of Defence personnel, however, it is easy to lose touch with what is important to both ADF and APS members at every location and at every level of the ADO,” he said.

“The DAS, in combination with other research, provides a valuable means of letting the Leadership Team know what’s working and what isn’t. It is, therefore, important to know exactly what people are currently thinking so that we can prioritise our efforts accordingly.”

The DAS report is compulsory reading for both senior Defence and Air Force leaders.

Based on past feedback, Air Force is targeting those areas that its members have said really matter. The new Air Force personnel management concept, which places primary responsibility for career management in the hands of the individual, is one example.

People Central was introduced to provide the information people need to manage their own careers, and the RAAF Individual Career Plan was introduced to provide longer term planning, including future locations.

The establishment of the Directorate of Military Administration in 2002 also provided the means to ensure military administration met the needs of both the Air Force and individuals.

For more information on the 2004 DAS results, a full copy of the report is available on the intranet at http://aurora.cbr.defence.gov.au/DSPPR/default.shtml.

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