Criticism is easy to do and a bit of a right after the fact. More pertinent is to also offer solutions. Given the boys and girls of the ADF work pretty hard particularly when deployed overseas and in particular over Christmas, away from families when would a suitable stand down period be? Given they are often away on exercises or tsunami, earth quake, flood etc relief and away from family when would a pertinent time for stand down be? Given that the ADF is not a humanitarian organisation which assets would you keep working over the summer period when would a suitable stand down time be? Given that the stand down period is often only two weeks when, well you get the gist.
The personal of the ADF are not different to anyone else in the community. Every member is more than willing to dig in and help out particularly in times of crisis, have a look at recent history. But the difference from our local population is that every member must wait and be told when and where to go and what to do.
Like everything that is Government based, infrastructure cost money. We all complain about our taxes but all want that hospital, ambulance, policeman when the need arises. I don’t want to see a cop when I’m 10klm over the limit but where are the buggers when some ones on a rampage. If you want better humanitarian capabilities pay for it.
Possibly crewman do get winch training. So ??? Where are the winches?
Billions spent, on what. Do you expect the Super hornets to do pass’s dropping loaves of bread? Where are the assets? Well either deployed, under maintenance etc.
More than happy to expand the ADF and include some more assets to be utilised for emergency civilian situations. Has already been thought of 20 odd years ago with an idea of using a fixed wing amphibian to be ADF utilised (very happy SAS here for amphib ops) and then on standby for water dropping during summer seasons. Why didn’t it happen, ask the pollies.
Where is this thread headed. Are we unhappy with the ADF, the people in the ADF, the fact that the ADF is not on permanent work up.