High Readiness Reserve, Conditions of Service Focus Groups Feedback

摘要

The Government's 2001 election platform on Defence indicated a desire for individuals or elements of the Reserves to have a range of readiness levels or categories. Underpinning these new categories will be conditions of service packages that are structured to both attract and retain personnel. The study reported here was conducted between Dec Ol and Mar 02 with over 500 Active General and Specialist Reservists, about how the ADF may attract members into the new High Readiness (HRR) category. Participants were keen to be involved in the study, and facilitators found that discussions were frank and useful. The list of suggested conditions of service and nineteen recommendations generated by the research should not be regarded as a 'wish-list'. Rather, we represent genuine issues of importance to Reservists, and where there are potential conditions of service which present implementation difficulties, suggestions about how they may be further evaluated have been made. The high level of enthusiasm to participate in this study, together with the genuine nature of the feedback offered, reflect the strong need of Reservists to be recognized as equals to Regular service members. This theme flows through all the feedback gained by this study. There are no more powerful motivators over time than those which are intrinsic. If this psychological integration issue is addressed in concert with the other incentives and rewards suggested in what follows, there is no doubt that attraction to and capability of the High Readiness category and Reserve Forces in general will be enhanced. Many proposals for conditions of service for High Readiness have a direct relationship to existing problems and issues in Active Reserve service. To this end, many recommendations may relate to more categories than simply High Readiness.