Reader comments - ADF force structure

Bushranger 71

Hi Johnno.

I am a disciple of the traditional structuring of armed forces that existed pre-1974 in Australia. In those days, the functional commands for all 3 Services worked pretty well together.

Jointery had a long history among Australian armed forces. The Air Force hosted Air Support Unit which was charged with doctrinal development, Air Movements Train ing and Development Unit, Parachute Training School and some other joint orientated training. The RAN hosted the Australian Joint Anti-Submarine School that was manned by Navy and Air Force.

Much of my RAAF service was in Army Support roles and it seemed Army only really began to show interest in jointery post-Vietnam War. They perhaps saw this as an avenue to exert dominant influence within the thinly-veiled unified ADF, Army presently having around 55 percent of regular forces manning. Is manning of the new Joint Forces Headquarters in Canberra proportionate to respective Navy, Army, Air Force strengths?

The (Sir Arthur) Tange Re-organization of the defence realm in 1974 had been long in gestation and was really mostly aimed at broadening the power base of the Public Service. Any arguments regarding supposed cost savings involving civilianization and outsourcing have since been shot to bits.

Huge over-ranking of the ADF Officer corps and according the Public Service Senior Executive Service equivalent rank status is a major cause of sparring at higher levels within the DoD. Majority of the Public Servants have zero military background yet act as though they are qualified to make judgements on military issues.

It seems that the First Principles Review might result in shedding of up to 1,500 Public Servant functions, but that is a long way short of what needs to happen to adequately restore accountability for conduct of defence affairs to the military realm. The Public Service component needs to be hugely shrunk.

The incumbent CDF and Secretary are pretty positive guys in my view who have the fortitude to jointly exert strong leadership as necessary.The outcomes of the Force Structures Review should reveal whether the Defence realm is really interested in appropriate rationalization of the 3 Service arms functions. Soaring operating costs will force some pruning of roles as Defence budget increases envisaged by the incumbent Government are simply not realistically affordable.