Review into the treatment of women at the Australian Defence Force ...

the Officer Commanding positions at Major level and the Chief Instructor position are accreditedas sub unit command or unit command as important career goals for Army Officers. 32The tri-Service environment itself can pose a challenge:I think it’s part of the cultural thing for us. Most Service folk don’t want to step out of the parentService. It’s just a part of it. 33The Review was aware of these different Service models and structural incentives and disincentives.As a consequence the Review framed its recommendations around the selection process and the skills,qualities and knowledge required of staff in a work, residential and academic environment with youngpeople. This should be achievable without necessarily challenging the structural context.The Audit noted the messages presented to staff and undergraduates at the 2013 staff inductionsessions 34 and YOFT, 35 that the staff were ‘handpicked’ and specifically chosen to be selected forADFA because of their skills, qualities and attributes. This sends a very positive message to staff andundergraduates and the Audit encourages efforts to build pride and value in an ADFA posting.However, it is also clear that there is still work to be done in actively changing perceptions about aposting to ADFA. Staff told the Audit that:This is just the weirdest, strangest posting I’ve ever had! You’re an orphan here. There is nothingto do with the ADF here…It’s bordering on a punishment draft to come here. 36There’s a few who are probably here for punishment and there’s probably even more who arehere to get ticks in the boxes in terms of you know doing courses and getting promoted andgetting a good write up. 37There is a big lack of pride in anything here. A lot of people that I speak to when asked what theydo they’re like yes, I’m an officer in the military. That’s really cool, where are you stationed? Andthey are ashamed to say they’re here... it needs to come down from on high that this place isn’tjust a dumping ground for officers. 38The Audit welcomes the efforts by the COMDT and the Career Management Agencies to begin tochange perceptions by taking the message out to members:Early next year [2013] we have to go on a roadshow within the career management agencies,reinforcing to them the importance, and we have to do it every year…It’s a perk posting for Armyto go to Duntroon, it has to be a perk posting to come to ADFA. 39The Audit also understands that ADFA will be developing a communications campaign to promote ADFAas a desirable posting and plans to generate articles for Service Newspapers featuring current staffpromoting experiences. This is to be progressed ahead of the recruiting timeline for 2014 and the Auditwelcomes this approach. 40Representation of womenExamination of the gender breakdown of ADFA military staff over the last three years indicates that therehas been an increase in the number of military female staff at ADFA in 2012/13 to 20.7%, from 18.5%in 2011/12 and 14.2% in 2010/11. 41 Over this three year period each Service has also posted a higherproportion of women to ADFA. 42 While this is in keeping with the intent of the Recommendation theAudit was unable to locate evidence that this outcome has been achieved through a deliberate strategy.Audit Report: Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy • 2013 • 53