“It takes a lot of time and energy to build a great employee and only a second to lose one” – Anon

In 2020, I reluctantly began exploring opportunities for employment outside of Defence. My career, like many other junior officers, has seen its fair share of peaks and troughs, and – having reached the end of my initial minimum service period – I was finally in a position to decide if the peaks were worth the troughs. To be candid, Army has been great to me, but the 12 months prior to my contemplation of discharge had not been. I felt professionally dissatisfied, I was fatigued and lacked motivation. That said, I was still passionate about service and about Army. There were, and are, many opportunities I still look forward to.

After consideration of my options, I decided not to leave Army, but to seek a transition to part-time service as a Service Category (SERCAT) 5 member. This decision was one of the best I have made in my career. I have been exposed to new opportunities, including a deployment on OP RESOLUTE. In 2022, I will again transition from SERCAT 5, back to full-time service at SERCAT 7.

Since transitioning to SERCAT 5 I have received many calls asking me about the process and my experiences, so I have decided to write this piece to share those experiences. These are my reflections on how the Total Workforce System (TWS) can increase retention for the Army. Here I will outline the transition process, highlighting the excellent conditions and benefits that are available. I use my own personal experience as the vignette on how an individual can leverage the TWS to reignite their motivation to serve and continue providing effective service to the Australian Army.

My experience: respite, recruitment and deployment

Upon embarking on my transition journey, I decided to solely conduct work for Army in a part-time capacity. I searched through the limitless options available on ForceNet; however, discovered a position by engaging with my existing Defence network. I now work four days a week at Headquarters Defence Force Recruiting in the Recruiting Attractions Cell. This position was ideal because I could render service in my desired location, it allowed me flexible hours, and it provided me with the autonomy to lead a project that has strategic effects. To legitimise securing this position I engaged with the unit through a peer already working in this area who put me in touch with their superior. Once I had identified the position the Reserve Career Manager was engaged through my gaining unit’s reservist manager.

As a SERCAT 5 member I have been gifted the autonomy to lead my own project capturing authentic, contemporary and relatable content to refresh and strengthen Army recruitment initiatives. I have been able to travel around Australia to engage with diverse units, and have been exposed to many of the external stakeholders and contributors who support the Army. I have also had the opportunity to deploy. As an Army Reserve officer, I deployed on Operation Resolute supporting Regional Force Surveillance Group Units in northern Australia. This is an opportunity that is not readily available to full-time service personnel, but which provides excellent insight into the work of some of our most remote units. This deployment offer was advertised through a call for nominations on Army’s Signals list. Overall, my experience has been one that has provided me with flexibility, variety and new and interesting challenges. I am able to choose the amount of days I want to work and taking time off is as simple as discussing with my chain of command in advance. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had these opportunities, and my passion for serving in Army has been reignited.

The Total Workforce System (TWS).

The ADF's Total Workforce System (TWS) was implemented in 2016 with the intent of increasing the attractiveness and retention of the workforce by providing more agile service options. It is designed to recognise that people are the ADF's most valuable asset and therefore provides a model that is flexible enough to suit the needs of the individual.[1] For the Army, the TWS supports an Army in Motion by providing a framework that ensures continuity of force density into the future.[2] It can increase career longevity and can be tailored to the needs of the individual to provide continual service in a flexible environment.

In my opinion, the opportunities are endless for an individual choosing to render part-time service. The service spectrum, pictured below, outlines the options available for a member wishing to serve in a part-time or full-time capacity:
 

Figure 1. Total Workforce System Model[3].

In my case, I am working in a ‘pay by day’ tax free arrangement known as Army Reserve Training Day Salary (ARTDS). As a member employed under ARTDS I do not receive full-time entitlements, including Rental Assistance and Defence medical and dental. Nor do I receive superannuation contributions. Alternatively, part-time service members can be employed under Continuous Full-Time Service (CFTS), also known as Service Option C (SERVOP C), arrangements which are available for some roles. CFTS contracts employ part-time members to work at a full-time rate and receive the same benefits as a full-time member. Work under a CFTS contract is taxed. Part-time serving members can only access medical and dental services if they are injured or ill whilst on duty. The performance appraisal process for a part-time service member is the same as full-time. There are also some misconceptions that rendering part-time service is detrimental to career progression. This is not the case and in my particular situation I have re-entered full-time service at the same seniority I left it, but with new and improved skills.

Applying for SERCAT transfer, the process, and benefits.

The process may be existing knowledge for some and new information to others but I write it as a consolidation of what I have learnt of the transition process. I believe it is necessary to highlight the step-by-step process involved. I have had several peers request that I talk them through the process in depth, and found it was common that they were not aware of the process or the steps involved. Whilst the information is available, there is no consolidated guidance on how to apply and incorporate a transition into your career planning. To understand the process and their entitlements upon transition, a member transferring from full-time to part-time service must compile information from separate sources; the ADF Transition Manual, the Pay and Conditions Manual (PACMAN), and from attendance at a transition seminar. Currently the best go-to source for information is the TWS Hub on the Defence network which has recently been released. The ADF puts a lot of effort in to ensuring a serving member has a seamless transition, but it was not until halfway through the process that I felt I understood what I was entitled to.

This is a three-month process; however, a member can transition within four weeks at command discretion if a letter of offer for other employment is provided. The process is as follows:

Step 1 – Submit an AC853. Submission of an AC853 – Application to Transfer Within or Separate from the ADF will initiate internal unit interviews with your Officer Commanding and Commanding Officer, as appropriate, to ensure that you have properly considered your options. At this time, you will also be required to book into, and attend, a transition seminar, which are run in-person or virtually. You can register your attendance through Campus.

Step 2 – Commanding Officer and Career Management engagement. Once your Commanding Officer has signed and approved your application, your AC853 is forwarded to Career Management Army for your Career Advisor's attention. While your form is being processed it is a good idea to contact your nearest Australian Defence Force Transition Centre (ADFTC) and book in an appointment.

Step 3 – Authority to commence transition. After the Career Advisor has been made aware of your intent to transfer, a signal is released providing the authority to begin transition. You will need to conduct a separation health and dental examination, which you should book in as early as possible. Ensure you have a copy of your form AC853-2 – ADF Transition Clearance with you for these appointments.

Step 4 – Transition Coaching. You will be required to attend the ADFTC initial interview that you booked in with a transition coach. My experience at the Transition Centre was excellent. The team tailors a transition plan to suit the individual so it takes away a lot of the uncertainty you may feel regarding your transition. One of the major highlights of meeting with your transition coach is that you are provided information on the benefits you can access.

Upon transition, members may be entitled to:

1. Continual receipt of the Defence Own Home Assistance Scheme (DOHAS) for up to five years after transition.
2. Up to $5,000 in the first 12 months to assist with study and/or job training.
3. Up to $2,000 in the first 12 months to see a financial advisor.

You are also entitled to a DVA funded medical appointment with a GP of your choice six months after transition. (Ensure you have applied for a DVA White Card through your MyGov account prior to your transition). Other considerations during this part of the process include applying for a Medicare card – if you do not already have one – and private health insurance.

As a part-time service member, it benefited me to acquire private health insurance. Not only did this exempt me from paying the $2,000 Medicare levy at tax time, but – as an additional benefit – I was also eligible for up to $600 per financial year, subsidised by the ADF through the Health Subsidy Allowance. To receive this benefit, fill out an AC729 and provide evidence of your health insurance policy.

Step 5 – Final transition interview. Once you have completed the transition requirements, you are required to conduct a final transition interview with ADFTC, and your transition coach will submit your AC853-2 to complete the process.

Ongoing Steps: Throughout the transition process, you should engage with your new unit to discuss your suitability for the position and negotiate your availability.

In my opinion there is merit in having all leaders and managers, including JNCOs, up to commissioned officers, attend a transition seminar to better understand the transition process. This will allow commanders to better inform subordinates on their options when considering transition and to offer a viable alternative to discharge. This will allow subordinates to transition confidently, and with dignity. It will demonstrate a level of care that will aid in increasing the likelihood that Army will retain its members in a part-time capacity, and keep the door open for return to full-time service.

For those seeking to take a year or more of reduced tempo, like me, the transition back to full-time is quite simple; with the implementation of DEFGRAM 370/2020 there is now a clear process for Transfer to SERCAT 7. The streamlined transfer back to full-time is as simple as submitting an AC853, obtaining a note verifying your fitness for service from your General Practitioner and your Dentist, and submitting those with a PM640 for a desktop review by a Defence Medical Officer.

The TWS supports personnel wishing to transition to a part-time role. While employment is not guaranteed, opportunities are available. I did not seek other employment beyond my part-time service; however, members are not limited in their exploration of other career opportunities external to Army. They are supported to seek out new opportunities through the benefits provided during the transition process.

Why Army should support more SERCAT 5 transitions.

The benefit that both the individual and Army stand to gain can be significant. The member gets their choice of posting location, job and workload. Furthermore, the member has a secure part-time job and stable source of income whilst exploring these opportunities. The benefit the Army gets to leverage is the skills that the member may gain whilst undertaking civilian employment. The Army may also want to employ the member in a role where they can utilise these skills gained from civil employment. An example of this is the current initiative that Army has generated with industry. Army’s partnership with BHP is focused on accelerating recruitment for specific qualifications and skills and recruiting BHP employees into a part-time capacity after placing them through a two-week recruit induction course at a nearby depot.[4]

Conclusion

Since taking a year of reduced tempo I have been able to reset mentally. A reduced work tempo for the year has reduced my stress levels and has given me more time to spend with family, travel and do the activities I’d put off in the past.[5] My new role has given me the motivation to return to full-time service in 2022. The TWS, in my opinion, works at enhancing retention because it gave me a sense of greater autonomy over my career path and the flexibility to explore different options that suited my personal needs.