Australia is so desperate for soldiers that the middle-aged are now being recruited.
”Why can’t we have people who might be well into their 50s, where there’s a whole variety of tasks that might be undertaken that don’t involve flying planes or marching 20km with a backpack?” Defence Minister Brendan Nelson told The Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday.
”We can get 10 years’ service from this individual,” he said.
Earlier this year Nelson announced a relaxation of recruitment rules so that the overweight, asthmatics and former drug addicts could join up. Last year the Australian Defence Force (ADF) changed its policy to woo women and gays into a force that is reportedly chronically understaffed.
There are 52 000 serving in the ADF, 7 000 of them women, despite years of expensive recruitment programmes to bring the strength up to 55 000. Advertising campaigns have challenged the popular perception that the ADF is the preserve only of straight men.
Changes gave same-sex partners of ADF personnel the same benefits as those in heterosexual relationships. Housing assistance, relocation expenses and reunion travel costs were formerly limited to those in heterosexual relationships.
The ADF also changed its policy to allow women to serve in support roles on the frontline. They will still be excluded from actual combat and serving in the elite Special Air Services regiment. – Sapa-DPA