Twenty-two leaders of industry and business got a taste of military life when they visited the Northern Territory and Exercise Pitch Black 2010 as part of the Exercise Boss Lift program.

The Boss Lift participants spent five days learning first-hand about the Australian Defence Force, including getting involved in the Weapons Training Simulation System at Robertson Barracks; an Armidale Class Patrol Boat at HMAS Coonawarra and the Darwin air traffic control tower; as well as a return trip from RAAF Darwin to RAAF Tindal on board a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules.

They also visited Headquarters Nothern Command and North-West Mobile Force (NORFORCE) at Larrakeyah Barracks, the RAAF’s F/A-18 and F-111 detachments, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force and Royal Thai Air Force detachments at Exercise Pitch Black 2010.

Chris Young, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Commerce Northern Territory, said the highlights of Exercise Boss Lift were talking to the flight and maintenance crews out on the lines and visiting the air traffic control tower to watch air operations, including a simulated ejection exercise.

Allan McKinnon, Community, Alliances Manager of the Australian Football League New South Wales said, it was 'a real pleasure to spend a week with so many competent professionals who talk about their job and communicate that to someone like me.'

Exercise Boss Lift, coordinated by Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division (CRESD), is designed to show employers the vital contribution Reservists make to the Australian Defence Force's operational commitments and for them to gain an insight into the benefits that Reserve training brings back to the civilian workplace.

CRESD's Director Reserves Support Ian Flawith said the Pitch Black Boss Lift had been particularly successful in bringing together a diverse range of managers and senior executives from both the public and private sector.

"It has given them an insight into the important role that Defence Reservists play in delivering operational capability for the Australian Defence Force," said Mr Flawith.

"We were able to highlight to the participants in Boss Lift the important part that they play as senior employers in ensuring the availability of their Reserve employees to undertake Defence service."

Squadron Leader John Nelson, a Reserve member of the Royal Australian Air Force security police, was the security liaison officer for this Exercise Boss Lift, and is also a Chief Inspector in the New South Wales Police Force at Windsor Police Station.

His boss, Catherine Burn, Deputy Commissioner, Corporate Services, New South Wales Police Force was a participant this Exercise Boss Lift.

"It’s been really good to see him interacting, broadening his experience and knowledge, and that can only have a positive influence on the police," she said.

Squadron Leader Nelson said it was a great opportunity for him to highlight to the executive of his civilian employer the benefits and skills that he attains through his Reserve service.

Greg Mullins, Commissioner of the New South Wales Fire Brigade said his organisation employed Navy, Army and Air Force Reservists and some had deployed to the Middle East, East Timor and the Solomon Islands.

"They bring those military skills back to work so it’s win-win," he said.

"Seeing the overall effort of what Reservists do is just great. Exercise Boss Lift has just brought home to me how important it is for employers to do this."

Exercise Pitch Black 2010 ran from 16 July to 6 August in the Northern Territory and involved participants from the Australian Defence Force and elements from the New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand air forces.

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Australian comedian extraordinaire Vince Sorrenti has heard about the importance of Reservists to our country’s military capability at this year’s Defence Charity Ball in Brisbane.

"He really had no choice because we sat next to each other," laughed Deputy Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division Brigadier Bill Sowry.

"Vince was very interested to learn about what Reservists do in the three Services, especially when deployed on operations."

The ball, which raises much-needed funds for Legacy, was held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 830 guests attended this year’s event - a record number!

Defence Reserves Support was a ‘significant sponsor’ of the ball, which is also designed to bring the Defence and business communities together in a social environment.

Mr Sorrenti, the ball’s celebrity MC, is a big supporter of the Australian Defence Force and Legacy.

"No one supports the freedoms and liberties of this great country as much me," said Mr Sorrenti, who was presented an Army Slouch Hat at the end of the evening.

"As a comic the ability to speak my mind and live my life openly is sacred to me.

"The ADF protects not only our borders but these values, in any part of the world that they are threatened.

"Through Legacy we can acknowledge and help the brave people who put themselves in harm's way for the values we hold so dear. It was my pleasure to be involved with this event."

Among the many highlights of the night was a display featuring the Australian Army’s new Tiger helicopter. It provided the backdrop for hundreds of photographs.

While the final figure raised for Legacy is still being calculated, the ball committee advised that more than $9000 was raised just through the Navy Dive Tank Game, which saw ball goers pay $20 for a mini hornet, slouch hat or submarine before throwing it into the tank for a chance to win a trip to anywhere in the world!

Memorandums of Understanding to support Defence Reservists who are employed with South Australia's Police and emergency services were signed on 24August with the Australian Defence Force (ADF).

This important signing ceremony was hosted by SAPOL at their headquarters in Flinders Street, Adelaide.

South Australia Police, represented by Commissioner Mal Hyde, the Country Fire Service, represented by Chief Officer Euan Ferguson, Metropolitan Fire Service Chief Officer Grant Lupton AFSM and State Emergency Services, represented by Acting Chief Officer Matt Maywald joined with Head Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division Major General Greg Melick to sign the MOUs.

Major General Melick said the MOUs will allow each organisation and the ADF to develop a mutual understanding and agreed terms for the deployment of staff who are members of both organisations.

The aim is for the MOUs to create a more transparent approach and better management of a shared workforce.

"Reservists bring valuable life and work skills back to their civilian workplaces and that includes our nation's emergency services," said Major General Melick.

SAPOL has around 160 staff who are also Reservists. Commissioner Mal Hyde said Reservists and police officers share similar skill requirements, including high-level decision-making and team-work.

"Enabling SAPOL members to participate in Reservist activities and deployments strengthens their ability to carry out police work back home. There is no doubt Defence training provided to SAPOL members is beneficial to the South Australian community," Commissioner Hyde said.

David Place the Chief Executive of the SA Fire and Emergency Services Commission’s (SAFECOM) says the CFS, SES and MFS also have a number of staff and volunteers who are active Reservists.

"We find that there are great synergies between the emergency services and the ADF Reserves," Mr Place said.

As police and emergency services employ a large number of ADF Reservists, it provides challenges in balancing the needs of the employer and the ADF.

While there may be less inherent flexibility in working arrangements within some workplaces, an agreed and appropriate approach in dealing with a ‘shared workforce' can mitigate most issues in an equitable and mutually beneficial manner.

The South Australian police and emergency services follow Tasmania in signing up to MOUs with Defence.

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Three local government councils in and around Sydney are among the latest employers to declare their support for Reservist employees in New South Wales.

The Parramatta and Kogarah City Councils and Wollondilly Shire Council have all become supportive employers, acknowledging the many Reservists in the Navy, Army and Air Force who continue to serve at home and overseas.

The councils have developed specific Defence Leave policies to assist their employees to train and deploy with Defence.

In return, the councils get the benefit of high-level and task-specific training that is directly applicable to the Reservists’ civilian jobs.

In Sydney's southern suburbs, Kogarah City Council employs Christian O’Shea, a team leader in its Parks and Gardens Division. He is also Corporal Christian O’Shea, an Army Reservist who recently deployed.

Kogarah is about 15 kilometres from central Sydney and is home to about 50,000 people.

The Council's Manager of Human Resources, Alison Hester had an opportunity to see Corporal O’Shea's work up close when she recently participated in Exercise Boss Lift to the Solomon Islands.

New South Wales based 5th Brigade is on a four-month deployment as a part of Operation ANODE, Australia's contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands.

"Boss Lift is a program that encourages employers to see their civilian employees in a Defence environment," Ms Hester said.

"In four jam-packed days I was blown away by the professionalism and range of what Christian did. It really brought us closer together.

"Through Boss Lift I was able to see the personal benefits of Reserve training. In Christian’s case, self confidence, passion and a pride in his work are all attributes that will also benefit the Kogarah Council.

"The Council has decided to formalise its policy to employing Reservists. We give them two weeks of paid leave and support their applications for extra leave, including leave without pay to be able to train and serve with Defence."

Meanwhile on the south-west fringe of Sydney, about 75 km from the CBD, Wollondilly Shire Council continues to be supportive of its Reservist staff.

The Council employs two long-term Army Reservists and in early 2010 received an Employer Support Award from the Defence Reserves Support Council in NSW.

Wollondilly Mayor, Councillor Col Mitchell said the council was “honoured to receive this award and thank the employees who nominated us for it".

"Council will continue to support these employees in their military activities. We are proud of their hard work and dedication to both Council and the Army Reserves,” he said.

Michael Kelly and David McEwan are the council’s Reservist employees.

Michael is a Town Planner at Wollondilly Shire, employed as a Development Assessment Supervisor. He has been an Army Reservist since 1984.

Captain Kelly is an infantry officer with 4th/3rd Battalion, Royal New South Wales Regiment, based at Holsworthy. In 2008, he undertook seven months full-time service, which included a four-month deployment to the Solomon Islands.

David McEwan is a member of 21 Construction Regiment, Littoral and Riverine Squadron based at Holsworthy and has been deployed overseas for short periods on a number of occasions. He has been a Reservist since 1988.

At the Council, David is a Senior Compliance Officer, having worked there since 1994.

Executive Services Manager at Wollondilly Shire Council, Janice Hardacre says the Council gets plenty in return for its support of these Reservists.

"Michael and David both work in compliance areas, heavily governed by laws and regulations,” Ms Hardacre said.

"Council finds that their Reservist training in things like people and resource management and their incredible attention to detail is a real benefit.

"In short, they bring plenty back to the Council.”

Janice Hardacre says the employees’ enthusiasm for the Army Reserve led Wollondilly Council to develop a Defence Leave Policy.

“They were using all of their annual leave for training and deployments. Being a family-friendly employer, we realised that there wasn’t much holiday time left for their families, so we came up with a Policy to assist,” said Ms Hardacre.

“Now, Council examines each Defence Leave request case-by-case and the boys receive the same wage whether they’re here or not. We try to make sure they aren’t out of pocket.”

Parramatta City Council, in western Sydney, employs about 700 people including Landscape Architect Alastair Hickey.

He has been with the council for four years, having joined the Army Reserve in 2003 where he is a Communication Systems Operator with the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.

"I have found that my managers at Parramatta City Council are very flexible and understanding of my involvement with the Reserves,” said Signalman Hickey.

"I know my dates for Army training at the start of each year which makes it easy to balance my Reserves commitments with my civilian work and family life."

Alastair says being a Reservist has many other benefits.

"Reserve pay is tax free, so there are economic as well as personal and social benefits," he said

"It’s also a great place to meet people and expand your social and professional networks. I have made some great mates in the Reserves.

"The Reserves has also given me opportunities to travel in Australia and overseas."

The Parramatta City Council has a strong community focus and sees supporting the Reserves as a key plank in this.

The council gives its Reservist employees four weeks of paid Defence Leave each year. Human Resources Manager Ian Fitzgerald says it’s a worthwhile investment.

"Our commitment stems from a realisation that when Reservists leave for training or deployment they will return with valuable, transferable skills such as leadership, teamwork and management,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

"The skills our Reservists gain from their service is just as important in the business world as they are to Defence.

"Because of this Council is promoting the Reserves to our staff internally. We’d like more of our people to sign up."

All three councils receive Employer Support Payments (ESP), which provide financial assistance to eligible employers to help offset the costs of releasing employees for Reserve service.

ESP is paid at a weekly rate (currently $1243.10 per week) regardless of the employee's salary, and there are no restrictions on the way in which employers can use the money.

At Kogarah, Employer Support Payment funding is poured directly into staff improvement programs and initiatives. One recent initiative was workplace sun cancer screening. Therefore all council employees got a direct benefit from the payment received from Defence.

In Wollondilly’s case, because the Reservists are in quite specialised roles, the Employer Support Payment allows for them to be replaced most of the time.

Meanwhile at Parramatta the ESP helps to offset the costs associated with having to backfill Reservists when they are training or on deployment.

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Aaron Clarke was a shy and withdrawn 20-year-old when he went for his first ‘real’ job at Sydney’s Cram Foundation 10 years ago.

Client Services Manager, Shiela Frater, remembers the young man she interviewed slouched into her office with his long hair worn in a pony-tail and that his attitude was typical for his age.

"Ask him to get something done today and it might happen tomorrow or the next. I could see he was very interested in working for the Foundation but in the first years after we employed him, Aaron had a bit of a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and although he never actually caused any issues here, he was always one of the people I needed to talk to if things had to be sorted out," Shiela said.

Some three years into the job, Aaron approached management to tell them that he wanted to join the Reserves. His family had a history of Defence service and Aaron wanted to do his part and find a role in the ADF that suited his humanitarian nature.

"We supported Aaron’s wish to join the Reserves wholeheartedly," Shiela said.

"Apart from easily passing his initial Certificate Three training for Disability Services, Aaron went on to do three more certificates in his first years with us. Settling him into staff here had been all about finding the right team for him to work with and we thought that experience in the Army could only help this process."

The transformation was dramatic.

"They cut his hair and I don’t know whether it was all the drilling, marching and discipline but Reserves made a huge difference to his self-confidence," Shiela said.

"He’s not afraid to say what he thinks any more and to contribute ideas. Reserves made him walk tall and transformed him from an introverted young boy into a man whose thoughtfulness and compassion has made an appreciable difference to the lives of the people he’s caring for."

The Cram Foundation is a government-funded not-for-profit organisation that provides long-term care for people with acquired brain injuries as well as those born with disabilities. Aaron’s role as a carer requires patience, reliability, skill and empathy.

"Both Aaron’s jobs at Cram and at his support role as a driver in the Army Reserves have stabilised his life and helped him mature into a compassionate and caring person. He’s buying a house and getting married soon and these days he has a very firm understanding of the need to obey rules, policies and procedures. If I ask him to do a job, I’m confident that he’ll meet any deadline I set him. He’s competent and confident and we’re so proud of him here that we use his picture in our advertising,” Shiela said.

"Cram has a fleet of wheelchair accessible vehicles to assist our clients to access the community. Aaron used the skills he’s developed in the Reserves to help us review the everyday safety checking procedures for staff who use the vehicles.

"One day he’d had to rush to work from Reserves training and signed on still wearing his camouflage uniform. He was responsible for the long term care of a very frail man at the time and his appearance in uniform made the patient remember his family’s strong ties with the Army. Aaron had a set of fatigues made for our patient and the remembered connection gave him a new lease on life.

"Aaron’s support roles in the Army Reserves and here at the Cram Foundation have made him into a model employee.

"We have learned through Aaron’s choices that it takes all types to maintain an Army. Being a soldier gives young men and women from all paths of life an opportunity to contribute to the development and protection of our Nation. Aaron’s role is one of support to the front line and he has been able to successfully combine his two quite different work experiences into one really worthwhile and enjoyable life. We appreciate that both Cram and the Army have offered opportunities to Aaron and we have both gained from his choices," she said.

This year, the Cram Foundation was awarded with a Defence Reserves Support Employer Support Award for its contribution to Private Aaron Clarke’s Reserve service. It was the second such award that the company has received in as many years and testimony to the symbiosis that can be achieved when Reserves bring their skills back to their civilian roles.

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Recognising the contribution small businesses make to the Sydney community is the focus of a major awards program currently sponsored by Defence Reserves Support - New South Wales.

DRS-NSW State Manager Squadron Leader Del Gaudry said being a major sponsor of the City of Sydney Business Awards provided her team with an excellent opportunity to promote the benefits of Reserve service to a wide range of industries while at the same time allowed her to congratulate local businesspeople on their achievements.

"I see this as a way to build better relationship with other organisations, especially local businesses that employ or may employer Reservists," she said.

"It has been a great opportunity to meet with other sponsors as well. Some of the sponsors, including EngergyAustralia and YellowPages, have already signed our Statement of Support for Reservist and we are working with the other sponsors to gain their support as well.”

Squadron Leader Gaudry and Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division Director of Communication Deanna Nott attended the City of Sydney Business Awards Finalists Function late last month.

The major awards dinner, which will be held on 20 September at the Westin Sydney, will be hosted by Sunrise’s David Koch. DRS-NSW will present an award at the event.

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The Employer Support Payment (ESP) expenditure for the month of July and the progressive expenditure for FY 10/11 are detailed in the table below.

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 email an enquiry to esp@defence.gov.au.

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