Well chaps, I have been following this thread for a while, but have resisted the urge to respond as I wanted to see the colour of everyone's flags :D.
I am by no means an expert, but I feel relatively entitled to comment as (many know already) I am a current serving member, 33 years and counting with a rank that contains the words 'Sergeant Major'. FWIW, there are not many of those, less than 700 in the whole Army and I am in a senior sub group of less than 200.
I reckon many posters to this thread are well intentioned and generally read the mood surrounding this issue well. Here's my perspective.
Service in the ADF is very disjointed and stressful. The level of stress varies across roles, locations, families and outlook. Increasingly, it affects families more so. The main stressors are the constant threat of routine disruption and the general uncertainty to life. By this I mean not knowing (generally) what the day will bring or when it will bring it.
Remember, ADF folks don't control their life routine, we signed it over to the crown upon enlistment.:o
In some ways the issue is very similar to the mining industry. Mining companies require their employees to live 'differently' to most Australians and to do this they know they have to sweeten the deal...usually by remuneration. Defence is the same. It requires 'service before self' and so over the years a number of mechanisms and benefits were devised to compensate or sweeten the deal. Few of these are left now.
The intangible benefits were the most effective. Those little unwritten gems that just make it better. Most of those were legislated away over the years due to WHS or FBT. Yes FBT....when you are taxed on perks, you stop giving them.
It's all in the fine print. Some have already mentioned examples.
We still get 'no cost relocation' but only those items average Australians would have...hang on...you just said we are not average...
Free medical Yup. Great. Benchmarked to the 'accepted public health care standard' albeit, much shorter waiting times. Where this is noticeable is in allied health, prosthetics, hearing aids, glasses etc.
Subsidised housing. Still a great condition of service, but did you know the subsidy percentage has fallen from 70%, 30 years ago to 50% now and rumours are afoot to 'normalise' the subsidy to that of contemporary Australia...around 35%.
Anyways, it's not always about the headlines. I noticed today that PM Abbott has asked the remuneration tribunal to reconsider the conditions of service bit of the DRT ruling. This is spot on and captures the mood perfectly. It was never about the pay, always about the conditions. Always has been. Always will be. Those little and not so little things that add up and make service before self bearable and attractive.
Just quickly, we are fighting demographics today. Kids don't join for adventure and pride like we did back when. It's all about the now, the money and them.
To finish up as it's brekky time I ask a question...
How many births, marriages, birthdays, graduation, kids sports and weddings are you prepared to miss before it affects the home front?
If you feel the need to flame me coz of my comments, remember, I know what marque of car you drive!:p
Ralph
