What are some attributes that will make you more competitive?
- Motivation and attitude
- Knowledge of ADF
- Demonstration of ADF values
- Ambition and knowledge of role
- Eligible
- Aptitude / fitness / interview
What are the Defence Values and Behaviours?
- Service – selflessness to place security and interests of nation + people first
- Courage – Strength to say and do the right thing even in adversity
- Respect – Humanity to value other and treat them with dignity
- Integrity – Consistency to align thoughts, words, and action to what is right
- Excellence – Willingness to be the best me each day
Why do you want to join the ADF?
• Serve country • Driven by grit / heard work • Pushing my capabilities • Learning practical skills • Fitness / proactive • Best version I can be • Uphold behaviours Values Standards - structure and discipline
Why join the RAAF?
- already acquired knowledge and insight into the RAAF
- Visiting bases and meeting personnel
- I loved how there were so many sides to the service with roles both on the ground and in the air and even combined
- My Family history my great grandfather was a bomber piolet in the RAF during WWII, and his brothers were in the Navy and Army, his dad was also in the home guards
Why are you interested in Loadmaster?
- combination of ground and airbourne routines
- I love the employment training courses, every single subject seemed so engaging and truly interested me
- I have always been engaged with emergency and first-aid training, I love the attention to detail and accuracy needed, always being alert and able to identify oncoming issues or danger, crucial for deployed troops
What do you think are some challenges you will face in basic training and how will you overcome them?
- Physical limits / mental endurance -> remember why I wanted to join in the first place, if I cant push through the really challenging times then I don’t want it enough and I really want to make a difference
- Absorbing everything new and taught -> sometimes I struggle with retaining everything taught within non-practical lessons but through practicals and repetition I am able to absorb better -> repetition, constant attention, and practice
- Performing under pressure -> I want it to feel like second nature -> remembering to calm my nerves be relaxed but focus and breathe, pushing through it
What is your IMPS (Initial miniumum period of service)?
1-6 years but for Loadmaster 6 years
Responsibilities of the RAAF?
To put this nation and the safety of its people first.
Swift, decisive, resilient, respected • Act with purpose for Defence and the nation. • Be adaptable, innovative, and agile. • Collaborate and be team focused. • Be accountable and trustworthy. • Reflect, learn and improve. • Be inclusive and value others.
Why do the services have values?
- reflect what the ADF stands for and everything they do
- Underlines the expectations and standards for all members to strive every day
- creates purpose and without purpose they wouldn’t stand for anything
Do you know what your IMT will be like (initial military training)?
Aims: transitions to military life, basic military knowledge/skills/fitness, develop values/attitudes/personal attributes aligned with RAAF
- Understand back tracking
- On arrival fitness assessment, initial briefings, post-enlistment induction activities
- Divided into course groups (approx. 30) + allocated serial number and two NCO’s
- Covers military/RAAF knowledge, skills/attitudes, drill, weapon handling/firing, airfield defence, firefighting, abseiling, fitness, military law, first-aid, interpersonal skills
- Must pass all aspects (personal/written assessments)
Do you know what your IET (initial employment training) will be like?
- Airman aircrew initial course (2 weeks - RAAF Base Richmond NSW)
- Aviation medicine (1 week - RAAF Edinburgh SA)
- Aircrew survival evade resist escape (SERE) (2 weeks - combat survival training school RAAF Townsville QLD)
- Dangerous goods pack and accept air course (1 week) RAAF Base Richmond NSW
- Loadmaster basic course (2 weeks RAAF Base Amberly QLD)
- Loadmaster aircraft conversion course (ground 3-6months, air 1-2 months)
Airman aircrew initial course (2 weeks) – RAAF Base Richmond, NSW:
Introduces students to a variety of aviation principles including:
• Air Traffic Control
• Meteorology
• Basic theory of flight
• First aid
• Crew Resource Management
• Aviation Risk Management
Aviation Medicine (1 week) – RAAF Edinburgh, SA:
• Prepares aircrew for the physiological effects of flying
• Teaches theory and practical exposure using a hypobaric chamber
Aircrew survival evade resist escape (SERE – 13 days) – Combat Survival Training School RAAF Townsville, QLD:
• Trains aircrew who may be forced down or separated from friendly forces in a combat environment
• Teaches evasion, resistance to interrogation, indoctrination and exploitation, and escape
• Involves practical exercises conducted in the sea and along the coast, and in arid and jungle environments
• Includes a swimming component
• Culminates in an evasion and capture scenario
Dangerous goods pack and accept air course (1 week) – RAAF Base Richmond, NSW:
• Identify the classes of Dangerous Goods
• Classify, pack and accept Dangerous Goods
• Label and document Dangerous Goods for transportation by civil and service air transport
Loadmaster Basic course (2 weeks) – RAAF Base Amberly, QLD:
• Publication interpretation
• Customs and quarantine
• Weight and balance calculation
• Cargo identification
• Aeromedical evacuation
• Marshalling of vehicles
• Cargo handling for air transport
• Cargo restraint calculation and application
• The preparation and loading of cargo for air transport
Loadmaster aircraft conversion course (ground 3-6months, air 1-2months)
Ground phase:
• Aircraft safety equipment
• Emergency procedures
• In-flight drills and emergencies
• Aircraft specifications
• Pre, during and post-flight checks and procedures
• Flight documentation
Loadmasters graduate from recruit training and are promoted to Corporal following completion of initial employment training.
What do you expect in your day to day role?
- Manage freight on the ground and while airborne
- Brief personnel and supervise load teams
- Configure cargo compartments to enable safe weight distribution
- Coordinate loading, airborne monitoring and unloading of cargo
- Manage and facilitate airdrops
- Liaise with those providing the cargo and those receiving it
- Threat detection + SAS
D you know the physical standards for enlistment?
RAAF: Push-ups 4, situps 20, beep test 6.5
Loadmaster:
- At least 152cm + body mass index 18.5-32.9
- Swim 200 metres, split into 150 metres freestyle or breaststroke plus 50m on your back with or without the use of arms
- Jump in and submerge to at least one metre, swim 15 metres underwater, then approach and right an overturned craft and climb into it
- Swim 20 metres to a person, and using recognised lifesaving methods tow the patient 20 metres and safely remove them from the water
- Retrieve a 5kg weight from a depth of at least two metres
- Tread water for ten minutes.
What is your current fitnness routine and have you attempted the PFA?
I currently train at least 5 days a week and have recently focused on cardio training.
Yes I have attempted the PFA every week since 05/09/21
What are the ADF policies and conditions?
- Must be prepared to be deployed near/to war zones and dangerous areas
- Natural disaster places / offensive and defensive possibilities / SAR
- Navy personal must serve at sea (sea service)
- Australian citizenship us a requirement other cases may be accepted
- Not prohibiting drugs or alcohol + non-medical
- required to acquire and maintain military/trade/professional skills/qualifications e.g. weapon handling, combat proficiencies and drill/ceremonial procedures
- minimum 17 years of age with consent + all must provide birth certificate
- compulsory retirement age 60 (full-time), 65 (reserves)
- Postings are long to develop an understanding of the role preferably three years
- Normally experience a lot of moves
Do you know about the defence force discipline act?
- establishes a legal system to maintain service discipline and ensure ordered/fair/workplace; handles uniquely military cases or issues within the military environment
- Tailored to requirements of the service and disciplined force to protect defence personnel subject to military low that binds them to follow all lawful commands (deploy anywhere anytime)
- Entitled to legal advice through the ADF system
Three levels:
1. Discipline offer scheme – lowest
2. Summary authorities – mid-level
3. Defence force magistrate and courts marital proceedings - highest
What is unrestricted service?
- must be available to be moved/deployed across Australia or overseas, long hours / shift work / irregular hours, no overtime/penalty rates, cannot have civil / criminal restrictions that would limit their service until the restriction ceases
Do you know any overseas operations the ADF is involved in?
- South Sedan; Operation ASLAN implementing the UN’s mandate through protection of civilians, monitoring/investigating human rights violations, humanitarian assistance
- South-East Asia; Operation GATEWAY maritime surveillance patrols in the North Indian Ocean and South China Sea
- Middle East; Operation HIGHROAD (Afghanistan – support NATO resolute, to contain terrorism and support government), ACCORDION (overarching support mission), OKRA (Iraq – ISIS protection)
Do you know the domestic/local operations that the ADF is involved in?
- RESOLUTE (protect AUS boarders and offshore maritime interests)
- COVID 19 Assist
- Southern Discovery – enduring peace-time activity for Australian Antarctic division
