Thread: The Strain On Defence Force Families.

Originally Posted by bob10

Spot on, and thanks for being an advocate. You're blood's worth bottling. Only those in the know, know how difficult the job is. Bob

But that is also relevant to a lot of jobs not just the ADF.

My daughter is in the Navy and has been for the past 9 years working up to the rank of Lieutenant.

She flew out today on a 7 month deployment to Afghanistan. No money paid is enough to go and do a job like that.

Her promotions have been based on the fact that she gets off her but and does what is required without hesitation.

Sure the Navy has put her through university and she now has two degrees and on completion of her deployment will be studying to be a doctor. This will require her to dedicate another 9 years of her life to the ADF.

The government and the opposition should hang their head in shame if this is the way they need to balance the books.

My love and admiration go out to her and all the ADF personnel who risk their lives so we can sit behind a computer and home and post our thoughts freely in a free country.

Originally Posted by Chenz

My daughter is in the Navy and has been for the past 9 years working up to the rank of Lieutenant.

She flew out today on a 7 month deployment to Afghanistan. No money paid is enough to go and do a job like that.

Her promotions have been based on the fact that she gets off her but and does what is required without hesitation.

Sure the Navy has put her through university and she now has two degrees and on completion of her deployment will be studying to be a doctor. This will require her to dedicate another 9 years of her life to the ADF.

The government and the opposition should hang their head in shame if this is the way they need to balance the books.

My love and admiration go out to her and all the ADF personnel who risk their lives so we can sit behind a computer and home and post our thoughts freely in a free country.

My thoughts, & prayers, are with your daughter. If hers is anything like my experience, these next 7 months will be very busy, perhaps she may not contact you as much as you would like, doesn't mean she doesn't want to. just means she is busy. Bob

Originally Posted by isuzurover

Last I heard from friends in the forces, low-mid level promotions are based on time served, mid-high based on merit.

The decent workers get fed up with the BS and leave, and then so often the only ones left to promote are the drop kicks. This isn't always the way. However it does happen all to often.

I'm feeling that my time is done.
Bit there just isn't that many jobs about.

Will

Sent from my R5 using AULRO mobile app

Originally Posted by Chenz

My daughter is in the Navy and has been for the past 9 years working up to the rank of Lieutenant.

She flew out today on a 7 month deployment to Afghanistan. No money paid is enough to go and do a job like that.

Her promotions have been based on the fact that she gets off her but and does what is required without hesitation.

Sure the Navy has put her through university and she now has two degrees and on completion of her deployment will be studying to be a doctor. This will require her to dedicate another 9 years of her life to the ADF.

The government and the opposition should hang their head in shame if this is the way they need to balance the books.

My love and admiration go out to her and all the ADF personnel who risk their lives so we can sit behind a computer and home and post our thoughts freely in a free country.

But to me it is a decision she has made of her own free will. I presume she loves her job and I wish her all the best. And also respect her choice but to me it was a choice. As in her decision and direction in life. For me I have never taken a job for the money.

Originally Posted by boa

But to me it is a decision she has made of her own free will. I presume she loves her job and I wish her all the best. And also respect her choice but to me it was a choice. As in her decision and direction in life. For me I have never taken a job for the money.

True. She does the job because she loves it and not the money. The point is that the old adage of a fair day's work for a fair day's pay rigs even more clearly when it is your life that you are putting on the line.

Originally Posted by Will Wallace

The decent workers get fed up with the BS and leave, and then so often the only ones left to promote are the drop kicks. This isn't always the way. However it does happen all to often.

....

However that still skirts around Nugget's (valid) question.

e.g. The army website gives (general) time frames for promotion (up to a given rank). My understanding is that unless you stuff up, you will be promoted based on time served up to certain level (e.g. major). Or am I wrong???

Commissioned Officer Ranks - Australian Army
http://www.army.gov.au/Who-we-are/Ranks/Other-Ranks

There is certainly a good deal of passion o this subject. I have nothing but the up most respect and admiration for those who serve in our armed forces.
I live in a area that has 2 large naval bases close by. My wife looks after some of the navy children as (well as non navy children) and I myself have taken care of a good number of navy children who are primary school aged. My wife has had these children in care (along with non military parented children) from around 8 mths till school age, I have been involved with the primary children ( navy children and non navy children) for a good 2 years now myself. My experience so far has been that these babies are very well adjusted, the primary children are great. I have some very satisfying and fulfilling relationships with some of these families. I worked in the local high schools' learning disability department with Navy and non Navy children. Honestly, the children that come from non naval backgrounds from preschool right through to high school Where I live definitely have more issues than the navy children.

In addition to this, the naval personal that I know (and there are a good number of them) earn a good deal more than my wife or myself do! Remember we are looking after the most important things in these peoples lives! Their children!
Good on them I say, they do an outstanding job! But they chose that job, they chose that life.
I know an ex-army family, only job the father ever had, missus never had to go to work. She stayed home while he was away, followed him to all his postings. Kids grew up well balanced and now have great jobs. He is only a little older than me and now retired.Owns his own home, manages to buy a new 4WD every 3 or 4 years and then kits it out however he wants. I bought his 2010 caravan from him in 2012 so he could go and buy a bigger one. He's rarely home because he's traveling our great country all the time. He DOES get free healthcare, and numerous other benefits I will never be entitled to. But good on him, he deserves them!

You make choices in life you deal with what it hands out.