Operation HIGHROAD

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Operation HIGHROAD Afghanistan Conditions of
Service

• People Policy and Employment Conditions Branch

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References

• PACMAN Version 2 Chapter 17
• DMCHP ADF COS signal DTG 300204Z OCT 14
• DMCHP APS COS signal DTG 300403Z OCT 14
• Defence Determination 2014/56 date 23 Oct 14

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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 HIGHROAD - Afghanistan has been declared
  warlike service WEF 1 January 2015.

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Warlike Service - Definition

• The application of force is authorised to pursue
  specific military objectives and there is an
  expectation of casualties.
• Types
• Declared war
• Conventional combat operations against an armed
  adversary and
• Peace enforcement IAW Chap VII of UN Charter.

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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.

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ELIGIBILITY

• To be eligible for the COS package, members must
  be
• assigned for duty with Operation HIGHROAD, and
• be within the Op HIGHROAD specified area.
• Eligibility for some COS depend on the expected
  length of deployment and operational requirements.

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Operation HIGHROAD
Specified area comprises Afghanistan
Specified area as at 1 January 2015
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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
• time remaining in losing posting location.
• 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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Pre-deployment Leave and Travel

• Deployments of less than six months do not
  normally attract a Pre-deployment Leave
  entitlement.
• Some provision exist 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.

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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

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Allowances

• Deployment Allowance (DA)
• 150 pd
• DA is
• Payable from the date of first arrival inside the
  specified area
• Ceases the day after you leave the specified area
  for the last time (RTA at the end of your
  deployment)
• payable during temp absences related to
  operational service ie. Leave, med escort.
• subject to change at any time up or down (based
  on changes to military and environmental
  conditions)
• NOT payable for temp absence not related to
  operation service ie. Compassionate leave

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Allowances

• DA is paid
• Recognition of operational and environmental
  hazards and stress likely to be experienced of
  the whole of the deployment period
• Based on threat assessment
• Can change (up or down) at anytime, even during
  your deployment.
• DA is not paid
• For leave accrued on RTA

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Allowances

• Other allowances where applicable
• Separation
• Special Forces Disability
• Flying
• Maritime
• Field Allowance applications are to be submitted
  to DGSPT at HQJOC for approval IAW the
  requirements of PACMAN, providing the stipulated
  threshold criterion of 'living in the field' has
  been met.

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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.

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Leave

• War Service Leave - 18 days pro-rata pa accrued
  on a daily basis. No qualifying period and only
  accrued inside specified area.
• ARL combination of Field, Maritime or Flying
  granted IAW PACMAN, if eligible

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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 members 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

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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
  HIGHROAD
• 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.

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ROCTFA

• ROCTFA - continued
• For members who do not wish to RTA the ROCTFA
  destination is Rome.
• Members may offset the cost of return travel to
  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) using
  the best fare of the day that offers a reasonable
  standard of safety and security
• NB TA is not payable while on ROCTFA.

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Taxation

• Members who deploy on warlike service are not
  required to pay tax on salary and allowances
  associated with their deployment.
• Section 23AD of the ITAA
• all ADF salary and allowances earned inside the
  specified area are exempt from taxation
• Taxation exemption continues on RTA for all leave
  accrued while deployed.
• ITAA the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936

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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.

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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_at_dva.gov.au
• It is essential to keep records and report all
  incidents. Ensure all paperwork is completed.

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Other Information

• Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme
• qualifying period remains unaffected by warlike
  service
• possibility of up to an additional 5 years
  subsidy
• only periods Within Specified Area count as
  warlike service for the purpose of this scheme
• Medals
• OSM - qualifying period - TBA
• Infantry Combat Badge Army Combat Badge IAW
  normal policy

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Defence APS Employees

• Allowances
• Operational Support Allowance (if assigned to
  undertake operational support duties)
• 150 per day service in Afghanistan
• Refer to DEFGRAM 211/2013 for payment of
  allowance details

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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

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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 to pers who have
  Diplomatic Accreditation.

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Defence APS Employees

• Other Information
• 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 AO.
• Life Insurance
• Reimbursement of life insurance premiums for
  policies taken out by Defence APS employees for
  the duration of their operational support duty in
  an overseas Area of Operations.
• - Limited to policies providing coverage within a
  war zone and reimbursement capped at 2,244.

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Foreign Third Country Deployments

• Personnel from other forces on exchange with the
  ADF and deployed on Operation HIGHROAD
• have no eligibility to ADF deployment package
• are provided conditions of service from their
  parent country

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Where can I find the Conditions of Service for
Operation HIGHROAD?

• CoS messages for all operations are published on
  the DPG web page
• Questions are to be directed through your chain
  of Command in the first instance

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Any Questions?