UPDATE is a monthly newsletter produced by the Defence Force Welfare Association (DFWA) containing items which are of interest to the Service and ex-Service community. It is distributed to politicians, media outlets, senior Service officers and DFWA Branches. Branches are encouraged to distribute UPDATE to Association members and other interested people or organisations.  You can read the full update by clicking here.

The Organisations1 listed on the previous page are concerned that the community’s appreciation of the special and unique nature of Defence Service has been allowed to deteriorate. There is a grave concern at the progressive move to see service conditions for Australian Defence Force members benchmarked against community standards and veterans support as welfare. Service in the ADF comes with a cost not just to the individual service member but their dependants as well. Government and Departments have a leadership role in ensuring that the community clearly appreciates that servicemen and women and their families deserve special recognition reflecting their contribution to the service of our Nation.

ADF serving and former members expect that the conditions under which they enlist and serve will be honoured. Serving ADF members expect that there will be no reduction of benefits, and that Government’s clear obligation to servicemen and women will be met. There is a growing understanding that over time, successive Governments have fallen well short of meeting their responsibility to the individual members of the Australian Defence Force and their dependants.
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