Cassidy, Laureen (SEN)
From:	04A@f05.navy.gov.au
Sent:	Monday, 30 April 2001 10:58 PM
To:	fadt.sen@aph.gov.au
Subject:	sec: unclas 
This email is forwarded in response to a newspaper article into The 
Federal Govt. Senate inquiry into "Recruitment and Retention of Defence 
Personnel”.

I am currently a serving member of the RAN.  My posting is as the 
Gunnery Officer in HMAS MELBOURNE.  I am currently affected by the 
recruitment and retention difficulties that the ADF is experiencing.  On 
each of the RAN’s Adelaide Class FFG’s there are normally 4 Principle 
Warfare Officers, however due to a lack of personnel, there are only 4 
posted to MELBOURNE, which has greatly effected my workload.  

I feel very strongly towards my career in the Navy and find it difficult to 
believe that people do not wish to stay in the Navy.  There are many 
theories which I am sure you will get copious amounts of info on, 
however here are some points I think the Navy and its promoters could 
do better.

My  base wage is around $50,000.  My sailors start at around $30,000. 
     Unfortunately my sailors and the promoters of the navy promote 
    this figure.  My sailors quote that they could earn heaps more in the 
    civil sector and do less work.  I believe that this is because the civil 
    sector package their deals better.  I will use my case as an example.  
    With my service allowance and my sea-going allowance I earn in 
    excess of $62-65000.  The navy subsidises my married quarter house 
    with approx $16,000 per year.  For me to pay this I need to earn 
    approx $30,000.  Add on free medical, dental and all the other fringe 
    benefits and I believe my package totals in excess of $100,000.  Now 
    I am 28 and my income has not improved substantially since I was 
    24.  This means my package was approx $100,000 as a 24 year old.  
    Where else can you earn that?  

The next point to this is the pay increase for responsibility is not 
    compatible with the civil sector.  I have people subordinate to myself 
    who do very little work in comparison to a PWO and they earn close 
    to the same amount.  In fact my Captain does not earn much more 
    than I do and he is personally responsible for a warship and its 
    personnel.  There is no greater responsibility anywhere in the world 
    than a warships Captain and yet the ADF pays them peanuts.  But 
    yet we aspire for Command.  Yes I aspire to Command my own ship, 
    however this is only due to the challenge and the love I have for my 
    job.  I don’t know if this love will continue for all my life and I won’t 
    walk also. 

The Navy promoters have got it all wrong.  “Smart machines, smart 
    people; get a start to your career;” These lines do not attract the 
    right kind of people to the Navy.  We need to promote National 
    pride in recruitment like the older adds of ‘the pride of the fleet’..  The 
    Singaporean defence force does it reasonably well.  (that said they 
    also have difficulties maintaining personnel)  Their advertisements 
    acknowledges the actions of individuals who are at the sharp end of 
    the defence force.  They show their people what a great job their 
    defence force does and they put it in their face everyday by placing 
    it on buses etc.

Qualityof equipment.   People in the defence force study regional 
    capabilities and train everyday to defend against it.  During the last 
    decade Australia has lost much of its standing against regional 
    capabilities, however the Australian people are now expecting more.  
    There are people getting out of the navy because they are afraid of 
    dying terrible deaths by having their limbs ripped off and burning to 
    death.  This is because the defence force is extremely limited with 
    funds and procurement.  The equipment the ADF has is reasonable, 
    however needs increased spending if Australia is going to maintain 
    a fair standing in the region.

SI VIS PACEM PARA BELLUM
GUNZ