Cassidy, Laureen (SEN)
From:	Ray Lewis [ray.lewis@greypath.com]
Sent:	Tuesday, 17 April 2001 1:17 PM
To:	fadt.sen@aph.gov.au
Subject:	Senate Enquiry ADF Recruitment and Retention
Dear Secretary,

I make this submission with a background many years in personnel, high tech
business and ADF service, [albeit a long time ago (1954 -1966)], and some
reasonably current involvement
(1995- 2000), as the owner of Milskill, an ex defence personnel placement
agency.

1. The outsourcing of recruitment is a basic error as it takes  away from
the recruitment process, those who have served, and therefore are more
likely to be able to  assess the liklihood of applicants being able to fit
in to service life. Replacing them with people from the personnel industry,
many of whom being too young to understand the effect of regular
relocations, family issues, absences, esprit de corp,  accidents,
restrictions to freedom,  etc, doesnt stand scrutiny, if we are to get one
plank of the problem right, that is to recruit the right people in the first
place.

This also denies postings of the 'softer kind' that may well assist in
retaining some people who may have temporary need for such

2. There is no campaign at all, to educate civil employers as to benefits of
the recruitment of ex defence people, who are uniformly well trained at
current practice levels, seek stability, will accept authority and are
reliable in attendance, but will also accept accountability and assume
authority when required. If civilian employers sought retiring service
people, then more recruits may be encouraged apply, so as to obtain skills
that would make them employable in the longer term.

3. During peace time, when moral usually flounders, Defence should be
extremely liberal in permitting 'out of paramaters' activities such as  the
London to Sydney Air Race, mountaineering, Sydney Hobart Yacht race
entiries, etc.

4. The process of outsourcing, takes away command opportunities and other
posts.

5. The allocation of only a certain number of promotions in many musterings,
leads to people (eg. six years service and a degree, and not getting past
corporal) resigning when they see others, perghaps less able, in better
musterings, go past them

6. Retention models in other countries should be reviewed

7. Career 'management' that leads to qualifications, overseas postings,
attachments, an element of time promotion, etc, at likely scheduled times,
may also assist in keeping people in for longer, if they can see such
benefits coming up ahead of them.

8. A  'public esteem' marketing programme, needs to be put in place. Such
programme to be ongoing for many years. The Timor press activity was a good,
(short time), example of this although it may not have resulted in increased
recruiting.

9. A 'broken service' concept, may also be a tool to retain many.

10. Recruitment activity to be directed to areas of high unemployment.

11. Recruiters in schools etc to be presentable and beribboned.

12. School cadets to be encouraged and expanded, as perhaps with after hours
such corps.

13. Finally a new millenium peacetime activities review of the defence
forces attitudes of being not only as an extension of national policy, but
also as the protectors of "the more subtle national assets", such as
stopping foot and mouth disease or brucellosis, coming in through illegals
entering, drug dealers detection and apprehension ( thus saving the lives of
some of our children), marine pest eradication, search and rescue, education
of those in our near north  etc

While I am certain that some of the above comments are astray, I hope that
some also may re-inforce other more informed submissons.

Yours sincerely

Ray Lewis

www.greypath.com - Australian Seniors Internet Portal
www.edion.com  - IT Consultants
18 Hill Street Richmond Vic 3121
Tel 03 9428 8300, Fax 03 9428 8893