RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA Liaison Letter 2024 / 2025 Edition 6 Editors Comment Hello and welcome to the Liaison Letter 2024 / 2025 edition. I am very happy to report that with the support of HOR, DHOR and RCC I have been granted a two year extension to my compulsory retirement and will now cease my service at the end of 2026. The speed of change is relentless, and I never cease to be impressed by the way in which those serving are embracing all that this brings to the Royal Regiment now and into the foreseeable future. It would not be an editor’s comment section unless I took the opportunity to express my views on a few matters, especially those of a Regimental nature. Retirement from Active Service We regularly hear of the ADF efforts to improve transition and reduce the culture shock members encounter, at least to some extent, when leaving military service. Defence, whether consciously or not, leaves this task, with varying degrees of success, to not-or-profit service organisations such as the RSL, Mates for Mates (technically part of the RSL), Soldier On, Wounded Heroes, Oasis and Legacy to name a few. It is my view that Defence has had limited success in managing this very important aspect of service life. I routinely see an example of how quickly the “machine” discards members, regardless of rank, namely base access. I believe for some members there is a link between base access and not feeling immediately “discarded” after what in some cases has been years if not decades of service. Whilst some individuals may have no desire to retain any connection, there are individuals who do, some for practical reasons such as banking, barber etc. Defence issues a “retired” ID card to those who request one which for all intent and purpose looks like an ID card except it has “retired” on it. My experience is for entering a military base they are not worth the plastic with which they are made. I understand there are base specific permanent passes that can issued to “civilians” for the purpose of accessing that base for administrative purposes. I guess the school bus at Puckapunyal is an example. Many years ago, well before “911” I recall entering the USAF Hickham Air Base in Hawaii on a commercial bus. It was stopped at the entrance, and a member of the service police boarded and checked every individual’s ID card including my mine prior to allowing the bus to enter. It was a small price to pay for the privilege of visiting the Base Exchange etc. If Defence is serious about looking after people when they leave after years of loyal and dedicated service give them an ID card that is befitting their status. Give retirees, who request one, an ID card that gives them general access to unrestricted areas on bases. As for more senior soldiers and officers, personally I find it downright embarrassing for them to stand there as I sign them into Puckapunyal to attend a conference or official function as you see the butcher and baker drive by and enter the base at ease. I have lost track of the amount of time in my life that I have spent signing retired officers including one and two star generals and senior soldiers onto Puckapunyal that I will not get back in this lifetime. I recall being at a RSL QLD State Congress some years ago listening an address by the then Minister for Veteran Affairs during which he announced that base access for retired members was an issue and that it was a matter being investigated with a view to finding a solution. That feels like a lifetime ago and I do not believe anything has changed. Regimental Dinner Nights Our Royal Regiment has a culture and related traditions which are derived from a proud history and heritage which have evolved over 154 years, along with some which have been adopted from the Royal Artillery who has a history dating back over 300 years. One of these traditional institutions is the Regimental Dinner Night and the simplicity of our protocols and refined atmosphere including our very elegant but simple grace and our limited but poignant toasts. A very disappointing aspect of modern mess life that has crept into the conduct of our formal dinners is the conduct of toasts. I am unsure if it