operator in the Australian Army Reserves

CHARLOTTE BEATTY

HOW I AM RICHER FROM BEING A COMBAT

RADIO OPERATOR IN THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY RESERVES

by Charlotte Beatty, Technology Consultant at EY and Army Reservist

There is a lot of ambiguity surrounding the word ‘enlist’. There is often a misconception that signing on the dotted line will mean deployment to a war zone. Probably not fully spelt out are the state-ofthe-art training and access to the latest and greatest equipment that Army Reservists (part time soldiers) gain from their part-time job.

I signed on the dotted line as a 19 year old in the hope of wearing a green uniform and doing something different from my bakery job. Due to fortunate timing—and a recruitment drive to support an expansion of communications, IT and Intelligence capabilities—I landed in the Corps of Signals, where I was trained in combat radio warfare. Today, my experiences in the Army have included training modules in Victoria, a deployment to Communications HQ during Operation Bushfire Assist in 2019-2020, the completion of the Cyber Gap Program in 2021 and a three week G-Wagon Course at Amberly. (The latter was just for fun). While I am known as being a ‘Sig’ the ADF training approach is ‘soldier first’, meaning each enlisted member has to maintain a fitness standard and weapon readiness and is provided with free medical support. The opportunities are many. There are options for pistol shooting, gaining a night vision goggles qualification, a truck driver’s licence, and always the chance of being deployed on active service This list does not do justice to the experience of these perks.

Initially I juggled this training with my university study timetable and now I juggle it with full-time work as a technology consultant at EY. The skills developed during my service training have been directly transferable into my professional career and personal life. I firmly believe being in the Army contributed to the success of my university studies and to my professional career. At the end of the day, if you can keep your cool while firing a semi-automatic rifle under immense pressure,

then how hard can it be to sit an exam or deliver a client report?

It is no secret that a competent, trained and prepared cyber task force will be an essential component of Australia’s security. In a recent article for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Shane Caughey questioned the role of land forces and conventional warfare in future conflicts. The leader of the opposition and former defence minister, Peter Dutton, said earlier this year that ‘cyber is the new frontline’. Simply put, Australia needs more people, and more women to build a diverse security taskforce.

The stereotypes of ‘hackers’ and ‘hoodies in dark rooms’ do nothing to overcome the challenges of cybersecurity recruitment. I have found the best way to get involved is to sign up and figure out the rest later. Whether signing up means signing on a dotted line to enlist in the Army Reserves, pressing submit on your application for the Cyber Gap Program Challenge or choosing to sign up for one of the many hackathons available, making a start as an amateur is the only way to get going. I used my role as an army reservist—a paid, part-time, no lock-in contract, Australian soldier—to get my career in security started.

This is not a sponsored article from Defence Force Recruiting. In my experience, money is not the primary motivation that draws people to particular jobs. Passion is the key driver. The rest will follow. There really is no pay that would justify a five-day field deployment in the rain. Motivation is what makes me turn up. Being committed, determined, searching for a challenge, having a lot of fun and laughter. How else are you supposed to manage being described as “a hobbit running into battle” when you thought you were charging forward bellowing your most blood-curdling war cry?

In order to ‘get rich quick’, you should first find something you are interested in. While I may have bumped up my savings each year through my service in the ADF, I would only define myself as ‘richer’ through the talented and passionate soldiers I have had the honour of working with, the real Australian security challenges I have been tasked to solve and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities I have explored. For as long as I serve as an army reservist, I am a richer person with a priceless career.

www.linkedin.com/in/charlotte-b-57529a124