RAA Liaison Letter 2024 - 2025 Edition

RAA Liaison Letter – 2024 / 2025 Edition 86 A UTHOR B IOGRAPHIES L IEUTENANT C OLONEL N ICK F LOYD HAS OVER 35 YEARS ’ REGULAR SERVICE WITH THE R OYAL A USTRALIAN A RTILLERY IN GUN REGIMENTS , INSTRUCTIONAL INSTITUTIONS , A RMY AND D EFENCE H EADQUARTERS . H E HAS SERVED ON WARLIKE OPERATIONS IN I RAQ AND A FGHANISTAN . A S A D IRECTOR OF THE RAAHC, HE CONVENED THE F IREPOWER : L ESSONS FROM THE G REAT W AR S EMINAR S ERIES , 2015 TO 2018. H EWAS PREVIOUSLY THE A RMY C ONTRIBUTING H ISTORIAN TO THE O FFICIAL H ISTORY OF A USTRALIAN O PERATIONS IN I RAQ AND A FGHANISTAN , AND A USTRALIAN P EACEKEEPING O PERATIONS IN E AST T IMOR . M AJOR G ENERAL P AUL S TEVENS AO (R ETD ). SERVED 33 YEARS IN THE A USTRALIAN A RMY BEFORE RETIREMENT . H E SAW ACTIVE SERVICE IN S OUTH V IETNAM WITH 105 F IELD B ATTERY . H E LATER SERVED AS C OMMANDING O FFICER /C HIEF I NSTRUCTOR AT THE S CHOOL OF A RTILLERY , AND C HIEF OF A RMY P ERSONNEL . A FTER THE A RMY , P AUL HELD THE STATUTORY APPOINTMENTS OF R EPATRIATION C OMMISSIONER AND D IRECTOR OF THE O FFICE OF A USTRALIAN W AR G RAVES IN THE V ETERANS ’ A FFAIRS PORTFOLIO AND WAS A MEMBER OF BOTH THE A DMINISTRATIVE R EVIEW C OUNCIL AND THE A USTRALIAN W AR M EMORIAL C OUNCIL . A common diagnosis deemed Riley unfit for the Defence Force. That’s a problem SBS The Feed, 3 July 2024, Matt Gazy The Australian Defence Force (ADF) can turn down applicants with a history of mental health difficulties. It's also struggling to recruit enough people. Previous recruits and experts say these things may be linked. Riley* was diagnosed with obsessive- compulsive disorder and anxiety at age 14, but he never thought it would affect his application to the ADF as an adult. He had progressed through the application process, until revealing to a psychologist that he had experienced mental health difficulties as a teenager. As a result, Riley was deemed unfit to join - a decision he considers "an extreme overreaction" given he'd overcome his battles. "Instead of deciding case-by-case which candidate is unfit or not, they automatically reject everyone [with a history of] mental health issues," Riley said. The ADF stated each applicant is assessed on mental health and psychological suitability, and that a mental health diagnosis is not considered automatic grounds for disqualification. Riley's application process took seven months, which caused him "financial stress". "I never thought it would take so long to do my army application, so I didn’t apply for other jobs," he said. A stringent application process According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, almost a third of Australians aged 16 and 25 experience anxiety disorders in a year. But some ADF applicants avoid divulging details of their mental health disorders. To join the ADF, applicants must undergo a medical assessment, an interview and a psychological interview. The latter is what stops many in their tracks. Standards not 'fit for purpose' A Defence spokesperson said that the growth and retention of "a highly skilled Defence workforce is an immediate priority. But with that in mind, it’s important to also prioritise the wellbeing of our personnel." Robert Hoffmann, a professor of behavioural economics believes the ADF's recruitment mental health standards are no longer "fit for purpose". "The mental health landscape has changed … the regulations probably need to be looked at again now [that] people have different mental health issues than they did previously," he said. When the ADF deemed Riley permanently unfit, he had to appeal the decision, further bogging down his process. "I had to obtain medical documents and specialist reports which took time, money and effort. It put a huge burden of stress on me mentally," he said. How to appeal to young people? The 2024 National Defence Strategy sets out a plan to "expand mental health and suicide prevention programs" and "streamline" the recruitment system to include a wider pool of applicants. Hoffmann said the ADF needs to make itself appealing and accessible. For some people, the ADF can actually be a saviour, Hoffmann said. "Recruits are not looking for a job, they're looking for a calling. They're really looking for somewhere to express themselves, to have a mission - to have a purpose in life." *Name changed to protect identity for this story.