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http://www.smh.com.au/news/NATIONAL/Army-may-recruit-drug-users-overweight/2006/08/24/1156012665686.html
Army may recruit drug users, overweightAugust 24, 2006 - 5:44PM
Former drug users, people with tattoos and the overweight could soon be welcome in the Australian Defence Force.
Middle-aged Australians could also be in recruiters' sights, with Defence Minister Brendan Nelson declaring there were many jobs in the ADF that can be done by people of more mature years.
"There are many tasks that can be done in the Australian Defence Force which can easily be done by people well into their 40s and their 50s," Dr Nelson told reporters in Canberra.
Announcing a major boost to army numbers, Dr Nelson foreshadowed a shake-up of recruiting methods and standards.
"So people that admit to having used illicit drugs in the past - whilst we would very strongly maintain a zero tolerance approach to drugs for people in the army and the services, (but) that's one of the issues the (defence) chiefs have reviewed," Dr Nelson said.
"(People) formerly suffering asthma, tattoos, body weight, a variety of things."
At present anyone admitting to past drug use is automatically scrubbed from the recruitment selection process.
Likewise, young men and women with weight problems and common health issues such as asthma are rejected by the services.
But Dr Nelson said the ADF had to change its practices and outlook if it was to meet new recruitment targets.
He said meeting those targets would involve boosting recruitment advertising spending.
The recruiting advertising budget was 30 per cent lower today than it had been six years ago, meaning fewer people were applying to join up.
The Defence department would also look at ways to ease the "turbulence" caused by moving soldiers and families around the country.
More favourable retirement packages could also be on the cards.
"We need to be much more customer focused in the way we recruit our people," Dr Nelson said.
Army may recruit drug users, overweightAugust 24, 2006 - 5:44PM
Former drug users, people with tattoos and the overweight could soon be welcome in the Australian Defence Force.
Middle-aged Australians could also be in recruiters' sights, with Defence Minister Brendan Nelson declaring there were many jobs in the ADF that can be done by people of more mature years.
"There are many tasks that can be done in the Australian Defence Force which can easily be done by people well into their 40s and their 50s," Dr Nelson told reporters in Canberra.
Announcing a major boost to army numbers, Dr Nelson foreshadowed a shake-up of recruiting methods and standards.
"So people that admit to having used illicit drugs in the past - whilst we would very strongly maintain a zero tolerance approach to drugs for people in the army and the services, (but) that's one of the issues the (defence) chiefs have reviewed," Dr Nelson said.
"(People) formerly suffering asthma, tattoos, body weight, a variety of things."
At present anyone admitting to past drug use is automatically scrubbed from the recruitment selection process.
Likewise, young men and women with weight problems and common health issues such as asthma are rejected by the services.
But Dr Nelson said the ADF had to change its practices and outlook if it was to meet new recruitment targets.
He said meeting those targets would involve boosting recruitment advertising spending.
The recruiting advertising budget was 30 per cent lower today than it had been six years ago, meaning fewer people were applying to join up.
The Defence department would also look at ways to ease the "turbulence" caused by moving soldiers and families around the country.
More favourable retirement packages could also be on the cards.
"We need to be much more customer focused in the way we recruit our people," Dr Nelson said.