Tasmania Police Joins Forces With Defence Reserves

A Memorandum of Understanding supporting Defence Reservists who are also serving policemen and women was signed between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Tasmania Police on Monday 17 May.

The Department of Defence’s Director of the Office of Reserve Service Protection, Mrs Linda Jelfs, said the purpose of the MOU was to enable Tasmania Police and the ADF to develop a mutual understanding and agree on terms for the employment of personnel who are members of both organisations. The aim is for the MOU to be adopted by all staff of both organisations, creating a more transparent approach and better management of a shared workforce.

“Reservists bring valuable life skills back to their civilian workplaces and that includes our nation’s police services,” said Mrs Jelfs.

“Reservists are highly disciplined team players with a ‘can-do’ work ethic and the confidence to accept responsibilities. It is our firm belief that the experience and expertise they gain from their Defence service will assist them in their role as policemen and women.”

State and Federal emergency services often have a greater proportion of ADF Reservists in their work places. This may provide challenges in balancing the needs of the civilian employer and the ADF. While there may be less inherent flexibility in working arrangements within some emergency service workplaces, an agreed and appropriate approach in dealing with a ‘shared workforce’ can mitigate most issues in an equitable and mutually beneficial manner.

Tasmania Police are the first Emergency Service to sign up to this MOU.

The signing of the MOU took place in Hobart, being signed by Acting Commissioner Hine representing the Tasmania Police and Major General Melick Head of the Department of Defence’s Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division.

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New Face Joins Victoria’s DRSC Committee

The newest member of the Defence Reserves Support Council (DRSC) Victoria committee is already enthusiastically embracing the role of Reservists in the broader community.

Jaquie Scammell has joined the DRSC after sampling a weekend with the Reserves through the Exercise Executive Stretch (EES) program.

“EES was a tremendous experience,” Ms Scammell said.

“It felt great working in a small team. We were strangers at the start but within six or eight hours we were a well-oiled machine.

“I’ve never been with a team that worked so well, so quickly.

“I’ve worked in hospitality for years and after EES I’ve been thinking about what I can do to get my teams working more cohesively using the skills I learnt over that weekend.”

The daughter of a Vietnam Veteran, Ms Scammell brings a young and fresh perspective to the Victoria committee. In her early 30s, she has worked in hospitality since she was 14 and is now the General Manager of Catering at Melbourne Park and Olympic Park in Melbourne.

“I work for Delaware North – a global leader in hospitality and food services. It’s a multi-national company, based in the US and has a presence in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and here in Australia,” she said.

“I oversee all the catering we do at the Tennis Centre at Melbourne Park. We cover sporting events, concerts and, of course, the Australia Open in January.

“It’s funny but there are some real similarities between the work I do for Delaware North and what Reservists do.

“Both areas are highly structured and regimented with work needing to be done in a timely manner up against a strict deadline. It’s uncanny, really, how similar they are.”

Ms Scammell is also looking forward to the personal and professional benefits she will gain from being involved in the DRSC.

“It’s great sitting around a table with so much experience. There is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom that benefits the Reserves, but also us as members.”

She is also working on getting a formal Defence Leave policy in place at Delaware North – Australia and New Zealand.

“Our parent company releases people for Defence service in the United States and I’m keen to get a similar policy up and running here,” she said.

“During EES it became really clear to me that being a Reservist gives you a skill-set that’s very attractive to an employer like Delaware North.

“If, through my involvement with DRSC, I can get that message across to both employers and their employees I will have done my job.”

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It was smiles all round for a select group of Cairns employers who experienced New Generation Navy during a recent Exercise Executive Stretch weekend.

“I laughed so much my stomach hurt,” said Events NQ, Hire Co-ordinator Helen Clarkson, of her first experience with a Navy life jacket drill.

“I was wearing an orange survival suit and didn’t remove all the air from it before I jumped into the pool so my arms and legs were all akimbo and sticking in the air. I was floundering around ridiculously – and laughing at the same time,” Ms Clarkson said.

“It was one of the many highlights for me during a weekend where I learned so much about the professionalism and flexibility of the Reserves and their cooperative partnership with the business community.”

The life jacket drill was part of a busy activity schedule organised for participants in Defence Reserves Support-Queensland’s Exercise Executive Stretch, hosted by Navy personnel at HMAS Cairns.

Participants fired semi-automatic weapons under supervised conditions at a rifle range, witnessed a traditional Colours ceremony, dived in the pool for life jacket training and spent the day on a working Patrol Boat. They also experienced the Navy’s fitness regime, with 5am reveilles to test their mettle.

“By the end of the weekend, I’d stretched every muscle in my body,” said Better Promo Promotional Products Director Rowland Perry, who had approached the physical fitness training with some trepidation.

“I’ve just given up smoking and knew that I was very unfit,” Mr Perry said.

“It didn’t sound too hard…20 push-ups, 20 more, jumping up and down, hauling yourself up a rope without using your legs…but the reality of it was exhausting.

“On the last day when I was heading to lunch, there’d been a choice between taking the stairs and the wheelchair access route. I chose the wheelchair access because I didn’t want to bend my legs!

“No exaggeration, this was one of the best weekends of my life. I’ve always been a team player, a tribal person. I was a member of Scouts and Boys Brigade when I was a kid so seeing how well Reserves were integrated into the Navy and the great work they do as well as the Navy’s professionalism and competence has inspired me to try and join up. I’m only 43 and figure I have plenty of work in me yet.

“Now when my young son and I watch Sea Patrol, I’ll be able to say ‘I saw them doing that’ or ‘No, that’s not how the Navy does it’. EES added so much to my understanding of the work Defence does in protecting our borders and to see a couple of young families waiting to greet their Dads back at the dock was a very moving experience.”

Apart from the life jacket exercise, Ms Clarkson said she had appreciated the opportunity to talk to sailors and their Commanding Officer and to hear about their personal experiences.

“We did a boarding exercise in which the employers played the part of refugees,” Ms Clarkson said.

“We were showed how the boarding party dealt gently and courteously with the refugees and how they were processed.

“The EES was a once in a lifetime experience for me and my colleagues are all asking me how they can go along to one themselves.

“I know that if I had a choice between employing a Reservist and someone off the street that my first choice would be the Reservist. Life in the Services gives them a work ethic, level of professionalism and self-discipline you just don’t see in other people.”

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Closure of DHOS Scheme

Ex-service members have one more calendar month to apply for entitlements under the Defence Home Ownership Scheme (DHOS).

Defence replaced the scheme in 2008 with the Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme (DHOAS). But, DHOS has remained accessible to enable personnel who separated from the ADF prior to its replacement on 1 July 2008 to access entitlements.

Acting Director General Personnel Policy and Employment Conditions, People Strategies and Policy Group, Peter Bavington said that this access to DHOS will officially close on 1 July 2010.

“As the date of closure nears, we want to inform any Ex-service members who have an outstanding entitlement to submit an application for an entitlement certificate,” Mr Bavington said.

He highlighted that in particular Reservists who served prior to 1 July 2008 should look into their entitlements under DHOS.

“The older scheme operated with a different definition of ‘serving member’ to the current DHOAS and members who were in the Reserve prior to the cessation of DHOS may be entitled to subsidies if they meet certain other eligibility criteria,” Mr Bavington said.

“Anyone that this applies to has until 30 June 2010 to submit an application or they risk losing this entitlement.

“There will be limited extenuating circumstances where an applicant who misses this deadline may be able to access a similar benefit to the DHOS offer under the DHOAS,” he said.

Mr Bavington advised that this cessation of access would not impact on the ongoing payment of DHOS subsidies to existing recipients.

For further information on the closure of DHOS, the scheme’s eligibility requirements and the extenuating circumstances for late applicants visit www.dhoas.gov.au.


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NSW Employers Celebrate at Sydney Cricket Ground

Awards have been presented to 30 New South Wales employers to thank them for the excellent support they offer to Defence Reservists.

The metropolitan Sydney area employers were recognised with Defence Reserves Support Council Employer Support Awards at the Members Pavilion of the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Chair of the Defence Reserves Support Council Jack Smorgon, Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division Major General Greg Melick and DRSC New South Wales Committee Chair Rodney Cavalier delivered insightful speeches to the 105 employers, Reservists and other distinguished guests who attended the function.

All guests had the opportunity to walk on the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground prior to the event.

AWARD WINNERS: Airservices Australia, Australian Federal Police - Close Personal Protection, Australian Federal Police - Computer Forensics Team, NSW Police - Liverpool Area Command, NSW Police - Goulburn College, South Western Sydney Institute of TAFE NSW, South-Eastern Illawarra Area Health Service, Australian Customs and Border Protection Services - Border Protection, Australian Customs & Border Protection - Tariff and Compliance, Lithgow High School, Sydney West Area Health Service - Blacktown Community Health, University of Western Sydney - College of Business, Wollondilly Shire Council, Royal North Shore - Intensive Care Unit, NSW Police - Hawkesbury Local Area Command, Downer EDI Rail, Lend Lease Design, Scania Australia Limited, Xstrata Coal Tahmoor, Acor Consultants Pty Ltd, DMS Maritime Pty Ltd, St Augustine's College, Visy Industries - Corrugated Carton Products, Woolworths Limited, Aurecon Australia Pty Ltd, Penrith Anglican College, The Cram Foundation, Cub Campers Pty Ltd, Total Survey Systems Pty Ltd and Able Tyre Plus Brookvale.

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DRS-Tasmania Bring a Boss

DRS-Tasmanian staff and State Chair Michael Barrett accompanied a small group of employers to observe their Reservists participating in Infantry Minor Tactics Training at Bucklan recently.

Following an activity and security brief the guests, including His Excellency the Governor of Tasmania, Peter Underwood, were taken to a vantage point to observe a clearing patrol demonstration by the Infantry. Guests were then taken to the firing range and following a Steyr familiarisation and safety demonstration, were able to try their hand at live firing.

Following lunch, the Commander 9th Brigade Brigadier Steve Smith then addressed the troops and guests. Mr Barrett and State Manager Major David Zehmeister also mingled and spoke to the employer guests and Reservists.

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Special Relationship Honoured With Award for Police

Reservists who combine a military and policing career are doing something ‘very special’ for the community, says Queensland Police Service Commissioner Bob Atkinson.

Commissioner Atkinson made the comments after receiving an Employer Support Award from Major General Greg Melick, Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division, at a function at Victoria Barracks Brisbane.

“I think it is a wonderful thing in terms of your life’s work if you decide to devote that to the service of your community’s safety and security,” said Commissioner Atkinson.

“If you do that as a member of the Australian Defence Force then that is a marvellous thing to do and equally if you decide to do that in terms of policing then that’s also a great thing too.

“Time is the most valuable thing we have. For people who give up their time and actually do both, it is a great credit to them - it is something very special.”

Chair of the Defence Reserves Support Council Queensland Committee Mr Tony Behm told ceremony guests that more than 150 of the State’s police officers were also Reservists.

“We are honoured to have Commissioner Atkinson here and acknowledge his support and that of his police officers towards the operational capability of the ADF through valued service in the Reserve,” said Mr Behm.

Commissioner Atkinson said from the Police Service’s point of view it was not ‘all one-way traffic’.

“We get a great benefit from our officers being involved in the ADF, regardless of whether it is service in the Navy, Army or Air Force.

“The experience the officers get, particularly when they get an overseas deployment is extremely good in terms of their personal life experience and their breadth of knowledge and understanding. This is very much two-way traffic in terms of the benefits.”

Commissioner Atkinson said receiving the Employer Support Award on behalf of the Queensland Police Service was particularly special for him as his family had a long association with Defence, with both his father and grandfather serving in the military.

“When I was making a career choice many, many years ago, it was a toss up between joining the Royal Australian Air Force or joining the Police Department. And even after joining the Police Department, I was still, in the first few years, tempted to leave policing and go to the RAAF.

“As it turned out, I stayed with policing and of course, life has been kind and I have had wonderful opportunities and been privileged to end up doing this job.

“I have respect and regard for the sacrifice and contribution that members of the Defence Force have made for our country on so many occasions.

“We do have a special relationship with Defence in Queensland. The police and the Defence Force work so well together. It is almost seamless. I feel we have a very bright future together.”

Mr Behm thanked Superintendent (Colonel) Mark Plath and Defence Reserves Support staff Majors Barry Flaherty and Linda Moffat and Ms Narelle Zillmann for coordinating the important event.

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