Including foreigners in military a ‘sign of how desperate’ the ADF is

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says including foreigners in the military is a “sign of how desperate” the ADF is.

“I think this is a pretty decent policy actually,” he told Sky News host Peta Credlin.

“But I do think it’s also a sign of how desperate things are for the defence force at the moment to recruit people.

“Then you’ve got to start looking at salaries too I assume.”

[trav]

I'm ex Army and I'd never go back. Been treated like a third class citizen since I left, no way I'd fight for what this country has become.

[stevewiles]

Put the beneficiaries of the voice into the ADF, it's their country, they can protect it.

[elizabethscott]

It's so simple. Many countries have compulsory service. A year or so of training and we have a prepared defence force. We don't need foreigners.

[cameronboyd]

I wonder why people are waking up and deciding not to join the army to fight rich peoples wars based on lies

[andrew]

As an ex-soldier who was still serving when retention bonuses where offered around 2007, I can confirm that they only work for a very limited number of people. The money is taxed as earnings at the same rate as for all Australians, therefore, bloats the recipients earnings for that taxable year. Anyone who is eligible for family tax, pays child support, or has a HECS debt as examples will get limited benefit from these schemes. Additionally the way that they are offered affects things like existing Return of Service Obligations (some courses have a minimum time that needs to be served once complete) as well as Military Super for those on that scheme. But the reality is that they generally don't work. When the offer was made while I was still serving, and as a snapshot of how it played out, I worked in a training organisation with 10 other people who qualified for the offer. 8 of us who had not intention of discharging took the bonus, 2 who had already started their plans for separation did not, and 1 person did not take it due to the affect on his child support situation. So in our case the change to Army for the money spent was 0.
The reality is that I could write a book on how the Defence Force that I joined in the late 80's was a better organisation (where man management was concerned) than the Defence Force I left 30 years later, and until the senior leadership realises that work/life balance as well as job satisfaction are issues that can not be solved with money, retention will not really change.

[apothecarymaybe]

Just bring in national service. We don’t need hundreds of thousands, and those that are found suitable for certain trades should be offered apprenticeships across the 3 services. Give some people some self discipline and pride in what they do and what they can achieve.

[frankdrevinpolicesquad]

Rome did this right before their fall, as the noncitizen soldiers had no loyalty to Rome

[Akenfelds]

I don't know precisely which foreigners the ADF has been recruiting, but I think only citizens of the British Commonwealth should be allowed to join. DEFINITELY not people from potential enemy regimes.

[Rob-pigo]

My father was in the RAN and served in conflict overseas but he never became an Aussie citizen.

[harrysoothsayer]

People may not want to become cannon fodder in a corporation war

[firemantim]

FFS, Army is knocking bad fit young men because of bad maths scores and now they want to hire foreigners? WTF!!!!

[tristanvonbickinstein]

I refuse to fight and die for a multicultural Australia

[VaucluseVanguard]

The ADF already takes several hundred foreigners per-year through its lateral transfer scheme. Most come form the UK, NZ, Canada, Ireland and US but it has taken a few from plenty of other countries too. Laterals have to have been in a military with similar standards to Australia. The really big draw is that they become Australian citizens after three months service. Seems to me this could be extended to some specialists who have not served but agree to do so on arrival with early citizenship offered. There may well be a few folks with nuclear engineering experience out there who would do say three years in the ADF if early citizenship was offered.

[lastChang]

Foreigners can be in the Australian Defense Forces, but background checks must be done thoroughly, especially ones from China 🇨🇳.

[raywatters]

This is what happens when the ADF goes woke and alienates it's previous recruiting pool. Blind Freddy could see this coming.

[lancelot]

Then and only then you will be entitled to citizenship.😂

[christopheratkins]

50K taxed, and it will be taxed. This will place you in the next tax bracket and you will only get 33 k out of the original 50K.

[pittuk]

Quiz question: an army comprised of sudenese nationals will be more ready to fight against a) Sudan b) Australia

[WHUFCxVB]

I’m currently applying to join the ADF from the US via the Overseas Lateral Transfer Scheme. Interviews are in July 2023, so I’m really hoping I’m accepted. The ADF looking overseas for allied recruits isn’t terribly new.

[sidecarmisanthrope]

We have more than enough young people on the dole. Give them the dole for 6 months then after that it is join the army or lose your benefits.