Operation ACCORDION - Conditions of Service
People Policy and Employment Conditions Branch
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
References
• PACMAN Version 2 Chapter 17
• DMCHP ADF COS message dated 190044Z MAY 14
• DMCHP APS COS message dated 190618Z MAY 14
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Nature of Service Declaration
•
The Minister for Defence, in consultation with the Prime Minister,
declares the Nature of Service (NOS) for operations. The relevant
Conditions of Service (COS) package for a deployment is then
authorised by the Assistant Minister for Defence.
•
Op ACCORDION - has been declared non-warlike service WEF
1 July 2014.
•
On 16 December 2013 Government agreed to redesign the Middle
East Area of Operations (MEAO) and create a new Operation, Op
ACCORDION, supporting operations in the Gulf States of Bahrain,
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Operation Accordion
BAHRAIN
QATAR
Supporting Operations in the Gulf States as at 1 July 2014
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Non-warlike Service - Definition
•
Military activities short of warlike operations where there is a risk
associated with the assigned task(s) and where the application of
force is limited to self defence.
•
Casualties could occur but are not expected.
•
Types:
– Hazardous - mine avoidance/clearance, weapons
inspections, service protected evacuations - minimum force;
and
– Peacekeeping - military personnel without powers of
enforcement to help restore peace in an area of former
conflict with the consent of all parties.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Reviews
•
DIO review threat assessments every twelve months or when
circumstances change.
•
NOS is reviewed when there is a change:
– in circumstance;
– in the task or role of deployed force;
– or at a minimum of every 12 months.
•
These reviews may result in new NOS declaration by the Minister
for Defence.
•
COS are reviewed when there is a change in threat assessment or
NOS.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
ELIGIBILITY
•
To be eligible for the Op ACCORDION COS package, members
must be:
– assigned for duty with Op ACCORDION
– be within the specified area
•
Eligibility for some COS depend on the expected length of
deployment and operational requirements.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Housing and Removals
•
Housing and removal benefits depend on;
– the expected length of your deployment
– the location of your dependants during your deployment
– your categorisation
– posting location on RTA
•
For deployments of less than six months;
– There are no removal benefits.
– housing benefits;
• Remain the same MWD and MWD(U)
• Remain the same in the posting location for MWOD with
the member not required to make a contribution
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Housing and Removals
•
For deployment of more than 6 months a range of assistance is
provided to help members manage their absence.
•
Members living in and Members living out;
– may choose to remain in their accommodation or access
removal and storage entitlements.
– should engage early with the decision maker to ensure they
are fully aware of the benefits and options available to them
upon deployment.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Housing and Removals
•
MWD
– normally there must be a remaining deployment tenure of six
months at time removal is affected
– dependants may remain in posting location; or
– dependants may be moved to a personal location for family
support where there is a compelling need. There are several
housing and removal options if approved to relocate your
dependants for family support. The level of benefit available to
the member depends on;
• the compelling need,
• members posting location on return; and
• length of time in posting location on return.
– Members should engage early with the decision maker to
ensure they are fully aware of the benefits available in
their circumstances.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Housing and Removals
• For full list of criteria refer to
– PACMAN Ch 17
– COS signal
– Toll Transitions
• Check Insurance! It remains the members responsibility to
ensure continued insurance coverage for home and content
during any period of absence.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Pre- deployment Leave and Travel
•
Deployments of less than six months do not normally attract a
Pre-deployment Leave entitlement.
– Some scope exists for special cases; apply via relevant
service DGPERS
•
Deployments of six months or more - Pre-deployment Leave:
– approval depends on operational requirements;
– up to 7 days (inclusive of weekends and public holidays);
– Free Travel:
– If entitled – free travel within Australia may be granted to
home location
– If BRL free travel entitlement exists then this is to be used
– Alt, family members may be conveyed at public expense to
members home location. Costs not to exceed that which
would have been expended for the member to travel.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Before Deployment
Members should:
•
Check with Centrelink regarding:
– Family Tax Benefits:
• Note - portability of Family Tax Benefit Part B beyond 6
weeks while overseas on deployment.
– any other benefits that you may be eligible for depending on
your family composition and income
•
Check with Child Support Agency regarding child support payments
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Allowances
•
Deployment Allowance:
–
–
–
–
$81.72 per day
Tax exempt
payable inside the specified area
payable for leave accrued in the specified area
• paid at the rate leave was accrued, not the highest rate paid
– subject to change at any time – up or down (based on
changes to military and environmental conditions)
– NOT payable at any other time; ie. working outside the
specified area (Darwin), escorting AME, RTA injured,
conference/BOI etc
•
Recognition of operational and environmental hazards
•
Threat assessment sets basis for rate
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Deployment Allowance
•
The rate of DA is arrived at by combining rates associated with
Operational and Environmental threats as assessed by DIO.
•
Threat Assessments
– initial assessment completed on commencement of operation
– routine review at minimum 12 month intervals
– threat levels can/do move up and down.
•
Operational assessments take into consideration;
–
–
–
–
–
–
political and military situation
activities and aims of military forces
military hazards
incidence of violent crime
the nature of the deployment
command arrangements
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Deployment Allowance
•
Environmental assessments give consideration to;
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
health, including quality & availability of health services;
topography and climate
extent and quality of civil infrastructure
Extent of insect, plant and animal hazards
risk of road accidents & traffic conditions
language and social conditions
nature of deployment
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Allowances
•
District Allowance
– MWD members DO NOT have this allowance ceased if the
family remain at posting location.
– MWOD members DO have this allowance ceased:
• after 30 days if returning to remote location after
deployment, or
• on date of deployment if posted out of remote location
and not returning after deployment.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
•
Other allowances where applicable:
Allowances
– Separation
Allowance
– Flying Allowance
– Maritime Allowances
– Field Allowance
•
Field Allowance applications are to be submitted to DGSPT JOC for
approval IAW PACMAN requirements, providing the stipulated
threshold criterion of 'living in the field' has been met. FA for
Op ACCORDION is not guaranteed.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Leave During Deployment
•
Additional Recreational Leave (ARL) for non-warlike service - up to 10
days pa pro-rated.
•
ARL for Field, Maritime or Flying service if entitled (granted IAW
PACMAN):
• Be aware prior Field Leave accrued for current LY will count
for the max Field Leave that can be credited – 10 days pa.
•
ERL is not granted for warlike or non-warlike deployments
NOTE: IAW with HQJOC direction members leaving the AO
must take ADF leave. Any other form of leave inc. UN/CTO
leave is only to be taken in theatre and accounted for as
short leave on PMKeys.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Relief Out of Country Travel Fares Assistance (ROCTFA):
•
The purpose of relief out-of-country travel fare assistance is to help the
member have time away from the difficulties of a deployment. ROCTFA is;
– subject to operational constraints and provided the member’s leave
plan includes being outside of the specified area for at least seven (7)
consecutive days
– to be taken as near as possible to midway point of deployment
– travel on cheapest available airline offering a reasonable standard of
safety and security
– travel is intended to assist personnel to have time away from the
arduous conditions of the deployment
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
ROCTFA
•
ROCTFA entitlement is based on length of deployment as follows:
– Less than 6 months = NIL entitlement
NB: HQJOC may approve 1 ROCTFA in exceptional circumstances see
PACMAN 17.9.38.1.a
– 6 months but less than 9 months = 1 ROCTFA
– 9 months but less than 12 months = 2 ROCTFA
•
ROCTFA RTA designated destination for OP ACCORDION:
– to the previous posting loc, or
– the location to which the family has been moved at public expense for
the period of deployment, or
– to the nominated family members normal residential loc within Australia,
or
– to the Defence recognised dependant normal residential loc within
Australia.
•
there is no offset for the RTA provision.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
ROCTFA
•
ROCTFA - continued
– For members who do not wish to RTA the ROCTFA
destination is Rome.
• Members may offset the cost of return travel from Dubai to
Rome against the cost of travel to an alt destination.
• The alt destination must be suitable as a ROCTFA
destination as determined by the CO.
• Class of travel – economy class (all ranks) best fare of the
day available airline that offers a reasonable standard of
safety and security
NB: TA is not payable while on ROCTFA.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
TAXATION
•
Taxation - non-warlike service
– Section 23AG ITAA (qualifying period of 91 continuous days):
• As a result of an agreement between the Australian
Government and the Government of the UAE, military
personnel and Defence civilians serving in the UAE may be
eligible for exemption from Australian income tax under
section 23AG of the Tax Act (91 continuous days or more).
• Section 23AG does not apply in Bahrain or Qatar.
• Note: Taxation advice regarding a member’s personal
circumstances is not provided by Defence. It is the responsibility of
the individual to seek advice as necessary regarding the application
of Section 23AG (or other provisions) to their personal
circumstances and/or the ATO regarding a private ruling.
ITAA = the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
TAXATION
• Taxation - non-warlike service
Defence continues to work with the ATO and Treasury on
tax issues, any further information or change will be
published as soon as it is known.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Other Information
•
Meals and Accommodation provided at Commonwealth expense in
specified area; or
– If meals are not provided – TA (including incidentals) can be paid
•
Telephone calls & mail service:
– NOT a COS, however, members MAY BE provided the
opportunity to telephone Australia:
• The frequency and duration of these calls will be set by
HQJOC.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Other Information
•
Compensation:
– covered under the provisions of the Military Rehabilitation and
Compensation Act 2004 for death, injury or illness.
– covered 24 hr a day
– Hotline No 1300 550 461
– E-mail - mrcs@dva.gov.au
•
It is essential to keep records and report all incidents. Ensure all
paperwork is completed.
•
Medals
– Medallic recognition for OP ACCORDION for non-warlike
service is currently pending with Defence Honours and
Awards for submission and authorisation by the Governor
General.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Defence APS Employees
Allowances
•
•
Operational Support Allowance:
Employees receive operational support allowance for each day or
part of a day they are in either of these situations.
– in the operational area, and
– on leave during their period of duty but only if the leave
taken is not greater than the leave credit accrued for the
period of duty.
• OSA rate:
– $81.72 per day
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Defence APS Employees
Leave and Travel
•
APS employees additional annual leave for duty in operational areas.
– Additional 10 days annual leave for duty in an AO, pro rata pa,
and
– 1 day additional annual leave for every 10 days of service paid
OSA; to a maximum of 10 days pa.
•
Relief Out of Country Travel Fares Assistance (ROCTFA).
– APS employees are eligible to ROCTFA in accordance with
PACMAN Part 9 Div 6
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Defence APS Employees
Taxation
•
Taxation advice regarding an employee's personal circumstances is
not provided by Defence. It is the responsibility of the individual
employee to seek advice as necessary regarding the application of
Section 23AG (or other provisions) to their personal circumstances
and/or the ATO regarding a private ruling.
– Note: Section 23AG does not apply to all countries [ie.
Qatar, Bahrain, etc] within the specified area nor to pers who
have Diplomatic Accreditation.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Defence APS Employees
Other Information
Defence APS Employees
• Clothing and equipment
– Block scale of issue now available. See Q Store.
• Compensation
– Covered under the provisions of the Safety
Rehabilitation and Compensation Act for death,
injury or illness; except while on leave outside the
specified area.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Foreign Third Country Deployments
•
Personnel from other forces on exchange with the ADF and
deployed on Operation ACCORDION:
– have
no eligibility
EXCHANGE
PERSONNEL
to ADF deployment package
– are provided conditions of service from their parent country
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Transition Period
•
It is acknowledged there will be personnel who will be deployed and
will transition from Op SLIPPER to Op ACCORDION on 01 JUL 14.
The following needs to be taken into consideration at the time of
transition.
– ROCTFA – time served on Op SLIPPER will count as
overall time deployed when transitioning to
Op ACCORDION for the purposes of ROCTFA qualification,
ie. total deployment period greater than six months.
– Taxation – time accrued on 23AD tax exemption
(Op SLIPPER) will count as foreign service for qualifying for
23AG tax exemption if eligible (UAE). The 91 day
qualification period starts when first deployed on
Op SLIPPER.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Transition Period
– Allowances / Leave:
• ICA for any unused leave accrued on Op SLIPPER is to
be calculated and paid out on transition at the highest
rate paid whilst deployed.
• DA for service on Op ACCORDION is to be paid at the
rate of DA when the leave accrued.
• DA for unused leave for Op ACCORDION is to be paid
on RTA.
– Removals – time served on Op SLIPPER will count as
overall time deployed on transition to Op ACCORDION for
the purposes of removal eligibility, ie total deployment
period greater than six months.
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Where can I find the Conditions of Service for Operation ACCORDION?
•
•
CoS messages for all operations are published on the
PeopleConnect web page
Questions are to be directed through your chain of Command in the
first instance
Where can I find the Conditions of Service for Operation ASTUTE?
Correct as at 06 Nov 14
Any Questions?
Correct as at 06 Nov 14