About Us

OUR PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES

1. To watch and foster the interests of members of the Australian Defence Force in any matter likely to affect them during their service or in retirement; and
2. To advise or assist any serving or retired member of the Australian Defence Force, or their dependants, as required, in matters affecting their welfare.

Included in these activities is the provision of advocacy services for serving and retired personnel who may have a claim on the Government under various Commonwealth legislation covering superannuation, compensation and veterans’ entitlements. DFWA is also recognised as an intervener at the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal.

DFWA is an Australia wide organisation with the National Office located in Canberra and Branch Offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. We also have representatives in Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory, North Queensland and country New South Wales.

Our current membership consists serving and ex-serving ADF members and their spouses, directly affecting some 20,000 persons. Significantly, the work of the DFWA impacts on ALL serving and past members of the ADF and their families!

 

More recently, the proportion of serving members is growing. In 2007 we began a more active recruiting effort and are now seeing a growing number of serving and recently discharged personnel joining. Our members (apart for those still serving) tend to be individuals with a personal interest in Defence in general and service conditions and veterans’ policy issues in particular. Our work is funded by members’ subscriptions and donations and we are a predominately volunteer based organisation.

Strategic Partnerships:

In addition to the formal partnership we share with the Naval Association of Australia; the Royal Australian Regiment Corporation; the SAS Association of Australia; and the RAAF Association as part of the Alliance of Defence Service Organisations, the DFWA also enjoys strategic partnerships with:

Defence Families Australia.  The DFWA enjoys a close working relationship with Defence Families Australia.

Defence Reserves Association. The DFWA enjoys a close working relationship with Defence Reserves Association.

Army Apprentices Association of Australia.  The DFWA enjoys a close working relationship with the Army Apprentices Association.

Military Police Association Australia (MPAA).  The DFWA enjoys a close working relationship with the Military Police Association Australia.

 Corporate Sponsors:

The Defence Force Welfare Association is proud to announce that InvoCare, Australia’s largest provider of funeral services and well known for its commitment to family care and community engagement has become a Corporate Sponsor. The sponsorship arrangement will not only provide significant financial benefit to the Association itself but give discount benefits to all DFWA and Alliance members, supporters and their families as well.

Other sponsors include the following:

Defence Housing Australia is a proud sponsor of the DFWA.

Defence Bank is a proud sponsor of the DFWA,