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Greetings, Airmen and Airwomen of the Air Force.
How time flies when one is busy. It feels like just the other day when I wrote my last column. Firstly, I would like to give everyone a huge pat on the back for all the good stories and pictures that have been published to date in AIR FORCE News.
Please keep up the good work and continue to support our “team Air Force” paper.
Not wanting to dampen the enthusiasm, but I do ask that you all keep an eye on how the pictures present ourselves. For example – safety concerns with wearing of jewellery on the flightline, the wearing of the correct hats with uniform, the possibility of wearing ‘blues’ where possible and, when wearing DPCUs, the appropriate patches are worn. Anyway, as I mentioned earlier, well done and keep the articles, with pictures, rolling in.
I have not travelled as extensively as last year, as I have been concentrating on a big issue in the hope of having it implemented into the system as soon as possible. I am referring to the WOFF pay case. Ten Air Force WOFFs from around Australia have been nominated and will be arriving in Canberra this week (May 25) to sit down with the same number of warrant officers from the Navy and Army to ‘nut out’ some issues with regards to the pay case.
These issues revolve around how to dovetail the new 16 pay group other ranks structure to the new WOFF structure (see DEFGRAM 270/2007).
The information gleaned from this get-together is a step in the right direction and will no doubt help us to put together a sound case for the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal (DFRT). Normally the DFRT conducts inspection tours to experience for themselves how the ADF delivers capability, however, in this instance, the ADF has decided to bring the WOFFs to the DFRT.
On May 20, I accompanied CAF AIRMSHL Shepherd, along with ACM Sir Neville McNamara (retired Chief of Air Staff and Chief of Defence Staff), AIRCDRE (Chaplain) Peter O’Keefe and Aide de Camp FLTLT Angela Crisp to Mildura to attend the RAAF Memorial Dedication Ceremony.
The fantastic memorial is at the Mildura Airport, and, should you be in the area, I encourage you to stop and have a look at it.
The whole ceremonial guard was provided by No. 6 Wing Australian Air Force Cadets, and they did a superb job. Air Force Cadets from many locations – Mildura, Berri, Gawler, Edinburgh to name a few – were brought in to support this great occasion.
They are our future, and they did the Air Force proud.
I would also like to congratulate the Air Force personnel (listed below) for being awarded recent commendations.
‘Till next time, please keep on smiling.
| Commendation winners |
CAF Commendation – Gold
- WGCDR Stephen Richards – for his outstanding contribution to the development of the Capability Management System within Air Command and the wider Air Force.
- WGCDR Martin Nussio – for his outstanding efforts in the development and implementation of resource and capability management systems at ARDU.
- FLTLT Peter Komar – for his valiant actions during an emergency wheels-up landing of an F-111 at RAAF Base Amberley on July 18, 2006.
- WOFF Jan de Haan – for his exceptional leadership, superior personal qualities and exemplary service to the RAAF supply trades.
ACAUST Commendation – Silver
- FLTLT Jason Taylor – for his outstanding service as the Operations Officer at 1ATS, as a Detachment Commander at RAAF Bases Darwin and Richmond and as the OIC of the Air Mobile Air Load Team on Operation Anode.
- FSGT Alexander Smith – for his outstanding service while employed as the SNCOIC of Airfield Engineering Section at 386ECSS.
ACAUST Commendation – Bronze
- FLTLT Andrew Hoare – for his outstanding contributions while employed as the Development Officer Theory at SATC.
- FLTLT Mark Saurins – for his outstanding contributions while employed as the Indonesian Liaison Officer at 37SQN during Exercise Rajawali Ausindo 2006.
ACAUST Commendation – Bronze (Group)
- SGT Andrew Morrell, SGT Michael O’Brien and CPL Lawrence Harvey – for their tireless and outstanding performance at 36SQN. |
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