Mythbusters

Volume 48, No. 17, Sepetember 21, 2006

GREENER GRASS: A career outside may not necessarily better. Make sure you take into account service allowance, free medical/dental and housing entitlements when making a comparison.Photo by LAC Dave Gibbs

I RECENTLY attended a conference with a group of Australian business leaders.

They were effusive in their support for the work we do and admired our courage. They then commiserated with me on what they knew of Air Force’s ‘significant problems’ — drugs, alcohol, low pay and an inability to retain personnel.

I am sure that many of you have similar perceptions, but what are the facts?

Drugs and the Air Force
We recommended random testing for prohibited substances, which includes illicit drugs, in June 2005. Since then 1526 tests have been carried out.
The results?

In one year, only 10 Air Force members tested positive, and one refused to be tested. That’s 0.7 per cent. Australian businesses conducting similar testing indicated that up to 10 per cent of workers are testing positive to illicit drugs.

It is interesting to note the majority of positive results occurred in the first few months of testing. The most recent results over three months indicate a positive result rate of zero. Random testing has worked as a deterrent for Air Force, so we will continue the current testing regime.

Air Force does not have a drug problem; in fact the rate is quite enviable across Australian society. Alcohol and the Air Force

We undertake alcohol testing within Air Force to help identify problematic or dependent alcohol users in Safety Critical Areas.

Over the past year, 1074 random alcohol tests were conducted and only one member tested positive. This is extremely encouraging and indicates Air Force members take a responsible attitude towards alcohol consumption and working within Safety Critical Areas.

Air Force does not have an alcohol problem, but we shouldn’t become complacent. The Alcohol Testing Program is designed to enhance safety, and the acceptable blood alcohol level is zero.

Crisis in Recruiting and Retention?
You can’t have helped noticing the steady stream of bad news regarding recruiting and retention performance in the ADF. Let’s look at the facts:
Recruiting

In the last financial year, Air Force achieved 77 per cent of the officer target and 91 per cent of the airman target from ab-initio recruiting. We recruited 345 more people, representing an increase of 50 per cent over the previous year.

Retention
The long-term average separation rate for Air Force is 10 per cent. For the last year, the separation rate hovered around eight per cent — at a time of unprecedented job opportunities outside with a 30-year low unemployment rate of five per cent.

Strength
The overall result was an increase in the strength of Air Force by 83 members in the last year, and we expect that to continue.

So, what’s the problem?
We are working very hard but our ability to grow is around 100–150 people per year. We are more limited in achieving greater numbers by our ability to train rather than the recruiting rate.

Remuneration
The ADF is underpaid and needs a big pay rise. You have all heard it so often that more are beginning to believe it. I will share with you my personal views. I have been associated with Air Force pay and conditions for 20 years. I have worked outside the Air Force and experienced a highly successful, mercenary-style employer.

I believe only about 20 per cent of Air Force personnel would actually do better in remuneration terms if they left and gained outside employment.

You need to be honest with yourself about why you are dissatisfied with some aspects of your career. We are working very hard, we disrupt and stress our families with postings, and we are a numerically small organisation where promotion eventually becomes limited. If you have served the Air Force well and want to leave for a different lifestyle, that is a sensible choice. If you are considering separating for purely remunerative reasons, use the salary package calculator on the DPE website or at http://aurora.cbr.defence.gov.au/cypmain.htm.

If you are not taking into consideration service allowance, free medical/dental and housing entitlements in your comparison, you may have a considerably poorer lifestyle.
In coming editions, Air Force’s future Personnel Strategy and the new Air Combat specialisation will be discussed.”

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