Support ADF Pride: Embrace Uniforms for National Unity

Over recent decades, an unofficial rule has emerged within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) discouraging personnel from wearing their uniforms in public. Concerns about eliciting negative reactions from civilians, internal perceptions of public uniform display as “cringeworthy,” and fears of intense media scrutiny have contributed to this trend. While these concerns are valid, they have hindered the positive promotion of the ADF’s image—at a time when such visibility is sorely needed.

The ADF faces significant recruitment challenges, with its personnel numbers well below target. The Defence Strategic Review (DSR) in 2023 called for a faster recruitment process and a strategic overhaul, including a review of the Reserves. Yet, with Australia seeking to grow its forces to 80,000 uniformed personnel by 2040, achieving this goal will require more than just policy shifts. A national culture shift is needed to reframe how Australians view their military.

Historically, Australia’s treatment of uniformed personnel has been mixed. Vietnam veterans were instructed to hide their service due to public hostility. More recently, ADF personnel have been discouraged from wearing uniforms in public during the Afghanistan conflict, out of fear of terrorist targeting. However, as those threats have waned, so too should the reluctance to allow uniformed presence in everyday life.

In contrast to this cautious approach, other nations proudly showcase their military. The US, for example, has long embraced the sight of uniformed soldiers in public, promoting a sense of unity and patriotism. For Australia, allowing and encouraging ADF personnel to wear their uniforms outside of strictly controlled environments could foster similar national pride and inspire future recruits.

With recruitment numbers falling, it’s essential that Australians see their military as part of the community, not just on Anzac Day. The ADF has an opportunity to lead a national reset, allowing soldiers to wear their uniforms with pride, reflecting the honour of their service. It’s time to embrace a new era where military service is celebrated and normalised, fostering both recruitment and a stronger, more united nation.

 

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5 comments

  • John Hawkins October 11, 2024   Reply →

    Greeting and salutations,
    I would like to add my two bobs worth to this article; firstly I served in the Australian army for over 40 years (medically discharged in 2019) from PTE to WO to MAJ, I used to wear the well ironed starched greens, green beret and the stable belt of the RAR and was extremely proud to do so, we could wear it in public back then and I did.
    The recruiting problems we are having and have had for a long time is not pride or pride in the military, it’s the management of the forces. The dissatisfaction from the troops of our now civilian commanders leaks out with every conversation and every story being told.
    I know what you are going to say, but; In my day we had real commanders Cosgrove, Cantwell, Molan and others that were proper soldiers, that lived the soldier’s life, in uniform and then came the eighties where our chains of command were being infiltrated by civilians that were pushing for their next promotion up the chain and making decisions without the depth of knowledge or experience that was needed for the position.
    And our politicians cutting our numbers and budget so they looked good to the people, all they did was weaken the nation, but she’ll be right mate we’ll make do. (Just a side bar here – 6 RAR lost all their cooks and bottle washers because the civilians took over the messes, which is great until we needed cooks and bottle washers for deployment to Timor in 99’, then it cost a fortune to bring in contractors to fill the gap and feed the troops).
    Anyway back to recruiting; the job market in civilian life is tight, you have to have a lot of education to get anywhere, now tell these highly educated people that they can sit on their arse and get unemployment benefits or they can join the forces where they could be allocated to a job they don’t want, in a place they don’t want to go, that their work day is a 24hour day, that they will be well disciplined and come under not only the state’s Criminal Code but also the Commonwealth Crimes Act and the good old DFDA; that they could be sent away on exercise for weeks at a time in hard conditions OR here’s a good one- lets send them overseas to fight in another nations war to kill or be killed.
    But it’s not all bad, they can have free medical and dental, free uniforms, they can be posted around Australia every two or three years, they can have cheaper living in accommodation and subsidised rations.
    What a sale pitch that would be, the overall package would be hard to knock back especially when they will be paid up to $80,000 a year, (another side note – In 78’ I was paid $128 a fortnight, I still have my paybook).
    In the last few years Defence has come under a lot of scrutiny from the politicians in relation to the manner in which their commands have been carried out by the troops on the ground, the same ground that they sent them to; they have questioned the methods of our troops in executing their orders without having the slightest idea of what it takes to execute those orders, they place rules of engagement on our troops where the enemy has no rules what so ever and then attempt to crucify our warriors because they may or may not have got a little rough.
    Again, why should a highly educated person want to get involved with this when they can sit on the arse and get paid to play games.
    That all sounds rather negative, but I spent 41 years in the army, I loved it and hated it at times, I loved the camaraderie and the banter, the friendships I made over the years.
    The worst was the lack of support from our senior managers, it was this that did my head in as I tried to fight them.
    Jim Molan said it best “that we have a boutique army” we will never recruit the numbers that the government want, they have caused too much damage over the years.
    To those still serving, God bless you and thanks for your service. To all my brothers and sisters in arms, past and present, stay safe and take care.

  • Ralph Schwer October 11, 2024   Reply →

    In 1965, even before the problem with anti-Vietnam protesters, at recruit training the instructors advised us, “You must leave and return to barracks in uniform. Change into civvies when you get our the gate and change into uniform before you came back through the gate. Because in uniform you are subject to military law and control by military police”. That was good reason enough for me.

  • Ken.T October 11, 2024   Reply →

    This wearing of Uniforms of any of the Front Line Services was never a problem until the Governments made it one with their Immigration of people who had a negative view of our Front Line Personnel. The average Australian respects the military, Law enforcement, and other front-line services. get the drongos out of the equation and things will come back to normal again.

  • John dwyer October 12, 2024   Reply →

    I have been receiving frontline since its inception. I read it on my iPhone. Unfortunately with the plethora of ADS now interrupting the flow of most articles I am close to cancelling. Please give an old bloke, as most readers are a break. Jd

  • Paul October 12, 2024   Reply →

    I note the comment about Viet Nam Veterans discouraged from wearing uniform in public. This carried on through the decades. Returning from the Middle East AO in 1996, we wore civvies out of the Desert base and stayed in civvies right up to when we were taken to Randwick to get changed into cams, for a “Medal Parade” in a hangar, out of public light We were then ordered to get back into civvies and go to our respective homes as such.

    The reason? OPSEC.

    Who recalls the young ADF diggers in uniform selling Legacy badges near Southern Cross Station in Melbourne being beaten and abused by Middle Eastern Men, during the Iraq/Afghanistan conflict? A sad point of fact as to how our society is disunified.

    Seriously, the days of openly displaying national pride in wearing the uniform of your country is highly limited due to increased abuse from the public and the risk of terrorism. Even Aboriginal Activists abuse Veterans on ANZAC Day!

    We’ve turned into the UK, where soldiers haven’t publicly worn uniforms for decades following security risks from “The Troubles” and other Terrorist attacks on their soil. The violent death of Drummer Rigby, perhaps the most poignant example.

    So, one has to ultimately consider, is that Australia’s society is highly divisive that the days of old are no longer. It is emanating from the educational institutions where socialist ideology is brainwashing kids, which has significantly detracted from National Unity and National Pride. Thereto, the Nationalism values to serve Australia. We’ve never been so divided!

    Apparently it’s cool to hate your country.

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