AUGUST 2010 REPORT. Jump to an Article. What's Happening Around You? Boss Lift Gives Unique Insight into Reserves

Transcription

1 AUGUST 2010 REPORT Welcome to New Queensland Chair Margaret Goody is the new Chair of the Defence Reserves Support Council s Queensland committee. Ms Goody was handed the baton by outgoing Chair Tony Behm at Brisbane s United Service Club on 30 June following a special farewell dinner. Jump to an Article Boss Lift gives Unique Insight into Reserves Penrith Anglican College Supports Reservists Tasmania Rewards Supportive Employers Adelaide Balustrade and Fencing Networking at Anglesea Barracks Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division Major General Greg Melick, Defence Reserves Support Council Ms Margaret Goody, Mr Tony Behm and National Chair Mr Jack Smorgon. Tasman Scheme Recipient Tells Her Story Employer Support Payment Scheme Expenditure What's Happening Around You? Mr Behm said he was pleased to be handing over to Ms Goody, who had been his Deputy Chair for three years. Margaret brings such a wide range of experience to this role. She has excellent networks developed through her employment and community activities and this will continue to help the Queensland committee move ahead, said Mr Behm. I feel we have really increased the profile of the DRSC in Queensland over the past six years that I have been Chair and I know that Margaret will continue along this path. Mr Behm said he felt his biggest achievement had been helping with the implementation of the Employer Support Payment Scheme and the Reserve Leave Policy Guidelines. TRANSITION SEMINAR - LIVERPOOL 4-5 AUGUST - NSW BUSINESS AT SUNSET FUNCTION 11 AUGUST - NT TRANSITION SEMINAR AUGUST - NSW DEFENCE LAKE ATTACK 29 AUGUST - VIC Ms Goody s past experience included positions as Director of Development with a non-forprofit organisation; Principal of a business strategy, employer branding and economic development consultancy; Principal Consultant with an organisational review and change management company; CEO of a regional economic development organisation; and Managing Director of a human resource consultancy firm. I think having a solid knowledge of the linkages between business, industry and government will help me in this role, said Ms Goody. I am very much looking forward to working with the team both in Queensland and the national Defence Reserves Support Council. My main goal will be to further enhance industry engagement there has been a lot of activity in this space. However, the potential to promote what a Reservist brings to an organisation is unlimited. A second key goal is the engagement of the indigenous business community as the indigenous community has a high representation in the Defence Force in the northern parts of Queensland. Boss Lift Gives Unique Insight into Reserves For Dr Pamela Schulz, Chair of the Defence Reserves Support Council - South Australia Committee, an opportunity to participate on Exercise Boss Lift gave her a fantastic insight into the role of the Reserves on operations. Recently Dr Schulz joined with a group of New South Wales-based employers who travelled to the Solomon Islands, meeting up with their Reservist employees deployed as 1/6

2 travelled to the Solomon Islands, meeting up with their Reservist employees deployed as part of Operation ANODE in the Pacific nation. Exercise Boss Lift is conducted by the Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division (CRESD), which has the responsibility for facilitating employer support for Australia's Defence Reservists. CRESD ensured the four-day Boss Lift program highlighted the important role the Reserves play in the Australian Defence Force, through allowing employers to experience directly the essential roles played by their employees. The majority of Reservists currently deployed under the Regional Assistance Mission Solomon Islands (RAMSI) under the Combined Task Force 635 (CTF 635) Rotation 21 are from NSW-based units, particularly under the 5th Brigade, and it was predominantly from within this pool the employers were identified. Dr Schulz said Exercise Boss Lift had given her the most amazing experience. Dr Pamela Schulz enjoying ration pack while on Exercise Boss Lift. What I find has been significant for me is the young men and women who come over here to assist a neighbouring nation on the path to peace and stability, she said. From what I have seen, these soldiers are a credit not just to the uniform but also the Australian Defence Force. In her 14 months as the Chair of the Defence Reserves Support Council - South Australia Committee, Dr Schulz believes that the Boss Lift experience will be an advantage. I can say that this experience will make a difference to my work with the Council. More significantly, I will be able to now talk first-hand about the role of Reservists on operations and the differences they are making over here. A highlight of Exercise Boss Lift for Dr Schulz was the range activity where she fired a number of weapons in use by the Australian Army, including the 9mm Browning pistol, the F88 Austeyr, the Minimi light machine gun and the larger (and louder) MAG 58 general purpose machine gun. During the four days of Exercise Boss Lift, Dr Schulz viewed a public order control demonstration, toured the Guadalcanal Beach Resort base where Australian police and defence members are based, attended a village feast at Sole, toured the Don Boscoe Technical College, attended the 32nd Independence Day celebrations and underwent briefings and museum visit on the WWII history of the Solomon Islands. Boss Lift is an exemplary way of showing off the work of our troops in deployment situations, Dr Schulz said. For someone like me as an advocate who is trying to get employers to support their Reservists, it means I can talk first-hand about those transferable skills which Reservists can bring to the civilian work-place. Some of those skills and qualities that I have identified in the deployed members here are integrity, respect, personal presentation, confidence building, team-work, leadership the list is endless. Penrith Anglican College Supports Reservists The Headmaster of Penrith Anglican College, Barry Roots, has never been a Reservist but after 40 years of seeing students choose Defence careers and the changes being a cadet can have, he appreciates the role they play in the community. Having Reservist Army Captain, David Poirier, on staff for the past seven years has showed him some of the skills and qualities that Reservists bring to their civilian workplaces. David s been teaching commerce and geography in our Human Society and Environment program for the past seven years, Mr. Roots said. His part-time role as an Army Captain gives him a rapport with students that extends beyond the classroom as well as expertise that we re aware of and utilise in the many outdoor programs we run. Captain David Poirier 2IC of 101 Squadron - 21st Construction Regiment on ANZAC Day with his son, Alexander, 8, and his daughter Felicia, 6. The school has a very active Duke of Edinburgh Program and runs outdoor activities such 2/6

3 The school has a very active Duke of Edinburgh Program and runs outdoor activities such as camping and orienteering and we use David s skills on these programs because our students look up to him as a role model. Defence service is a great career for students. We ve had some get scholarships to study to be an officer at ADFA and it always surprises me on ANZAC day to see which students have found a niche in Cadets on parade. School can be a very myopic community and becoming involved with cadets exposes those who serve to Australia s diversity of backgrounds and education. It broadens their minds and helps give them the skills and rapport to deal with people from many different walks of life. It s not just rapport and outdoor skills that David s brought back from Reserves. Working with a team, following instructions and the capacity for independent thinking are all directly transferable into the workplace. Because it s important for students to have continuity in their teaching, most of the work that David s done with the Reserves has had to take place outside term time, but when he s had to go for training or on deployment, we ve made allowances and given him leave to serve. And David s not the only Reservist we have on staff. RAAF Squadron Leader Norman Kerr has been our College Marshall for the past three years". Mr Roots said Squadron Leader Kerr was responsible for disciplinary matters, absenteeism and compliance with uniform regulations. Ensuring compliance with these things is an important role in the school community, like that of a Regimental Sergeant Major. "Norm does a terrific job with keeping the students in line and managing the image they present to the community on the school s behalf. If I could have a cadet corps in the school, I d start one up. For 40 years, I ve watched the positive benefits of serving in Defence either as a cadet or Reservist. We re very close to Gladstone Command here, I ve been to many Reservist functions in my Headmaster s role and I m very happy to support Reservists mission and operations. They re a key and integral part of the defence of our country and all other things being equal, I d choose to employ a Reservist to any job in the school just because of the particular skills they bring to us that civilians don t. Penrith Anglican College was awarded the NSW State Employer Support Award this year for the most supportive large private business in NSW. Tasmania Rewards Supportive Employers His Excellency, the Honourable Peter Underwood AC, Governor of Tasmania has hosted a reception to award certificates of recognition and appreciation to 11 employers of Reservists. The function at historical Government House was held on 9 July and was attended by 140 guests The guest list included Defence Reservists, employers, officials from many areas and their partners. The Governor spoke highly of the contribution that Defence Reservists make to the defence of Australia and acknowledged the key role of employers. His Excellency presented framed certificates to the award recipients alongside the State Chairman of the Defence Reserves Support Council - Tasmania Committee, Mr Michael Barrett. Mr Jack Smorgon AO, National Chair Defence Reserves Support Council and Mr Bob Zeitlhofer, Assistant Director Employer and Industry Engagement from the Canberra office were also on hand to support the Tasmanian branch. Katherine O Donnell from the Department of Education, Legal Service Unit. 3/6

4 Tony Luttril from the Tasmanian Polytechnic. Adelaide Balustrade and Fencing Adelaide Balustrade and Fencing s resident Reservist Private Ben Nicholls had been with the company for more than two years before deciding that he might try his hand at fulltime Defence service. Private Nicholls boss, Diana Green, said his positive experiences in the Reserve were part of the reason why the business, which has been manufacturing and supplying fencing to Adelaide since 1984, decided to sign a Supportive Employer Agreement recently with Defence Reserves Support. We re a fairly small business that employs 20 people but the boss is very aware of how much Reservists do for the country and we re interested in supporting Reservists in any way we can, Ms Green said. That means if we have a Reservist on staff, we ll do our best do make leave allowances so they can be deployed and go on training. Reservists have a great attitude. Ben has a terrific work ethic very capable and responsible. I think his experiences with the Reserves added to his self-motivation and discipline. Ben was very keen about Defence service and we did our best to encourage him to follow his ambitions. When he had to go away for six weeks once, for training I think it was, we replaced him with a temporary worker and his job was waiting for him when he came back. Diana Green and Richard Johnston from Adelaide Balustrade and Fencing. We ll certainly be keeping our eye out to look to employ qualified Reservists whenever we have a position available. Ben showed us how having a Reservist on staff can add a lot to our business. Networking at Anglesea Barracks More than 60 members of Tasmania's business community have heard about the benefits of Reserve service while attending a cocktail networking function at Anglesea Barracks. The function, hosted by the Defence Reserves Support Council's Tasmanian Committee, was held in conjunction with the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's Hobart Branch. Head of Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division Major General Greg Melick addressed the guests and encouraged them to ask questions about Reserve service and the benefits it can bring to their businesses. A highlight of the evening was a performance by the Australian Army Band - Tasmania. Major General Greg Melick and Defence Reserves Support Tasmania State Manager, Major David Zehmeister with TCCI Board member, Darren Alexander. 4/6

5 Employers chat with DRS-TAS Committee member Lieutenant Commander Iain Weir. Tasman Scheme Recipient Tells Her Story Able Seaman Diver Amel Beasley, a Navy Reservist based in Tasmania, recently returned from 'the land of the long, white cloud' where she spent time working with the New Zealand Navy. Amel, who is pictured in Maori costume and flanked by two of her Kiwi hosts, was in New Zealand after being presented a Tasman Scheme travel scholarship. The Tasman Scheme is sponsored by the Defence Reserves Association, in conjunction with the Australian Defence Force. Tasmanian-based ADF members and their guests will hear about Amel's experience at the Tasman Scheme Debrief - a function sponsored by the Defence Reserves Support Council Tasmanian Committee at Anglesea Barracks on 4 August. The Defence Reserves Association of Tasmania has sent more than 50 Reservists to New Zealand as part of the Tasman Scheme. Able Seaman Diver Amel Beasley accompanied by two of her Kiwi hosts. Employer Support Payment Scheme Expenditure The Employer Support Payment (ESP) expenditure for the month of June and the progressive expenditure for FY 09/10 are detailed in the table below. Details Month of June 2010 Expenditure ($M) Percentage Expenditure ($M) Progressive Total FY Percentage Naval Reservists $ % $ % Army Reservists $ % $ % Air Force Reservists $ % $2.18 9% Total $ % $ % Information on ESP is available on this website however, should you require additional information or clarification on any aspect of the Employer Support Payment Scheme that is not already covered by our website, you may an enquiry to Department of Defence 2010 Content approved by Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division. You are receiving s because you previously joined our list. 5/6

6 You are receiving s because you previously joined our list. If you do not wish to receive any further s from our website click here to unsubscribe. 6/6