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Indigenous candidates experience the Army supplied by ADF 23 October 2015
T
he Australian Army hosted 17 Indigenous candidates considering ADF careers at Exercise CHONG JU, Puckapunyal. Exercise CHONG JU demonstrates some of the newest equipment used on operations today by Australia’s Army and provides Army officers with essential tactical and technical training in the employment of weapons and support systems. The candidates travelled to Victoria from across Australia and represented multiple Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Defence Force Recruiting, Specialist Recruiter, SGT John Angel-Hands, said candidate experiences like Exercise CHONG JU are an opportunity to show young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people what a career in the ADF involves. “Through Exercise CHONG JU the candidates are able to observe that the Army offers a wide range of jobs, world-class training, mateship, and supports its people to develop and fulfil their potential,” he said “Our aim is to build young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ confidence and enable them to make informed decisions about applying for full-time careers in the ADF. Candidate, Kerby Siemsen, from
Australian Army soldier Corporal Bryan Monkhouse (right) from the School of Armour shows Miss Kerby Siemsen the M1A1 Abrams tank during a visit to Exercise Chong Ju, held in the Puckapunyal military training area, Victoria.
the Wiradjuri people said that the experience made her even more excited to be part of the Army. “The highlight of Exercise CHONG JU was being able to watch the Army in action, and see how they work together as a team to achieve an objective,” said Kerby. “It helped me understand what life will really be like when I join. As a Medical Officer, I hope to have the chance to work in deployable field hospitals as well as Combat Health Units. I am really looking forward to the challenge,” she said. Defence Force Recruiting is working with the Army, Navy and Air Force to encourage Indigenous recruitment and to build close ties
with the Indigenous community. The ADF aims to achieve 2.7 per cent representation of Indigenous people by 2018. Currently Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people represent 1.4 per cent of the permanent ADF and 1.9 per cent of the Active Reserve. The ADF is offering two prerecruitment courses for young Indigenous adults focused on building or enhancing the skills, knowledge and experience to apply for full-time careers in the ADF. There is a six-week Indigenous pre-recruitment course and a five-month residential course, the Defence Indigenous Development Program (DIDP). For more information see www.defencejobs. gov.au
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