Defence Reserves ENews

Assistant Chief of the Defence Force (Reserves) and Head Reserve and Employer Support Division Major General Greg Melick and his team sincerely thank you for your support throughout 2007 and hope you enjoy the festive season. We lo ok forward to working with you all in 2008.

Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Thank you and farewell

Director of Employer and Industry Engagement Steve Williams and Deputy Director of Employer and Industry Engagement Kylie Ormerod and the 2007 State Liaison Officers including Owen Schubert, Dave Thomson and Rob O’Brien

Every organisation has them – individuals busily working with the community, implementing policy and obtaining feedback on the successes and challenges of the organisation’s activities.

In DRS we call them ‘Liaison Officers’ and each State and Territory has one. They help develop that very important relationship between employers, Reservists and the Australian Defence Force.

In 2008, three Liaison Officers are moving onto new roles. Owen Schubert, Rob O’Brien and Dave Thomson have all achieved much in promoting Defence Reserves while in their Liaison Officer roles.

The Tasman Scheme

The Directorate of Employer and Industry Engagement oversees a number of programs and awards, one of which is the Tasman Scheme, which allows selected non-commissioned Reservists to travel to New Zealand for a two-week attachment to a military unit of similar capability to the one to which the Reservist is posted in Australia.

Tasman Scheme recipients Corporals Oliver Breeze and Alex Godman and Lance Corporal Sandhra Sullivan of 12/40th Royal Tasmanian Regiment and Leading Aircraftsmen Guillo White and Robert Shepherd of 29 Squadron recently completed their two-week attachments to New Zealand in November.

In 2008, we will share their experiences and discuss the proposed expansion of the program to include Reservists selected on an Australian wide basis with New Zealand Reservists given the opportunity to be attached to Australian units.

Defence Assisted Study Scheme

On our website is some very important news for Reservists and their employers. The Defence Assisted Study Scheme (DASS) has now become available to Reservists on training duty to allow them to access support for their studies based on mutual Defence and Reservist obligation. Here is another innovative approach to supporting Reservists while at the same time benefiting employers of Reservist through the direct transfer of subsidised knowledge and skills.

Follow this link to read more!

Boss Lift

Brian Plews from HGT Australia in the Malaysian jungle with employee/Reservist Private Rose

Last week, over a dozen New South Wales employers of Defence Reservists flew to Malaysia to see first hand the benefits Reserve service brings to their employees and to Australia.

As part of Defence's Boss Lift program the employers got a rare opportunity to witness the expert capability Reservists provide to Australian Defence Force operations.

The busy Boss Lift program allowed the employers to share experiences and meals with the soldiers - including a feast in the jungle, firing Steyr rifles, and mastering the art of getting in and out of Army trucks!

Boss Lift also showed the employers how military experience enhances their workers’ skill-sets.

The trip was a huge success with all employers being blown away by the leadership, teamwork and communication skills their employees demonstrated.

Review of the Reserve Service Protection Legislation

This year saw the Review of the Reserve Service Protection Legislation and the Review panel is now considering submissions with a view to preparing a draft report of recommendations for dissemination and comment early in 2008.

The three central and recurring themes emanating from the report were:

The need for adequate advance notice to employers.
The need for a relevant and authoritative Service “point of contact” with whom employers can discuss legitimate concerns; and
The need to clear up confusion about the largely subjective and effectively misleading definitions of “Protected” versus “Unprotected” Defence Service.

We will share with you the most recent developments as the recommendations from the Review unfold.

Supportive Leave Policies for Student Reservists

Previously, we have discussed the target of having all universities and TAFEs adopting Supportive Leave Policies for Student Reservists. Over 20 universities and a number of individual TAFES have agreed to adopt the recommended guidelines by early 2008.

The Director of the Office of Reserve Service Protection, Mr Phil Johnston and newly appointed Assistant Director, Mr Paul Lunn, will be working closely with other universities and TAFEs in 2008 to assist them with the adoption of supportive leave guidelines for student Reservists. Refer to the website for an updated list of academic institutions that have adopted the guidelines.

Revised Employer Handbook

A revised edition of the Employer Handbook is available now!

Contact your local Liaison Officer to secure your copy or go to the website.

Click here to order one online.

Defence Reservist Case Studies

How better to conclude 2007 than to focus once again on the men and women who balance the demands of their civilian careers and serving Australia as Reserve members of the Australian Defence Force.

This month we meet Greg Scott, a Naval Reservist who is a Combat Systems Operator and a member of the Classification Board, an agency under the auspices of the Federal Attorney General’s Department.

Monthly Report

We are happy to advise that additional staff have commenced processing of ESP claims this will enable us to decrease claims processing time in 2008. We also intend to recruit at least one more member in 2008. ESP expenditure is up again for November, with over $8.7m having been expended this Financial Year. Of that, $1,122,144 (13%) was in relation to service by Naval Reservists, $6,853514 (78%) related to Defence service rendered by Army Reservists, and $760,035 (9%) was in relation to service by Air Force Reservists.

If you have any questions regarding the ESP Scheme, please contact our friendly Defence Reserves Support staff
on 1800 803 485.