Publication:Sea Talk Summer 2008/Defence Families of Australia News
Defence Families of Australia (DFA) represents the views of Defence families in a recognised forum, makes recommendations and influences policy that directly affects them.
National Convenor
On behalf of DFA National Delegates and Senior Representatives, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. For families with loved ones at sea or ’absent from home’ during this period we send you a very special holiday blessing.
For those of you on the move during this peak posting period, may the ‘moving gods’ be kind to you and you get to spend some of the holiday session with extended family and friends!
Please note many of our volunteers, our Delegates and Senior Representatives, relocate over the Christmas/New Year period. If you experience difficulties getting through to your local representative please do not hesitate to contact our national office on 1800 100 509 or log onto our website http://www.dfa.org.au.
We wish you the very best for Christmas and a happy and safe 2009.
DFA Profile -
Brie McNab, National Delegate for the Central NSW region and Navy spouse
Brie McNab is a Navy spouse and our National Delegate for the Sydney Central NSW region. She, her husband Scott and their two boys, Ben and William, have just ‘survived’ a six month deployment. She shares some of her tips for getting through a long deployment:
Make a plan
We sat down together and discussed what our communication would be like during the deployment so we understood each other’s expectations. Our five-year-old loved his man-to-man chat with dad, full of suggestions of what he would like to do whilst dad was away. In turn he was pleased to have a list of things he knew dad wanted from him - eg homework sheets, drawings, letters.
Face the issues before the deployment
There were certain aspects of the deployment I was uncomfortable in facing, however, after I had addressed them I felt more prepared to cope should any situation arise.
It’s OK to feel bad
Allow your mood to occasionally wildly swing, in a matter of minutes, between overwhelming pride of your partner and utter resentment of him (or her) being away and back again.
Surround yourself with positive supporters Utilise Defence provided support resources like NWCC whenever you need to and use your allowances to make life easier at home, be it getting a cleaner or having your lawns mowed by a professionalDon’t put the deployed partner on a pedestal forgoing your own needs. Whether you are a partner without children, or have a brood, if you need something from your partner while he or she’s away, ask for it- directly.
We often make sacrifices as Defence spouses and I wanted to take this opportunity to recognise those sacrifices. Disregarding the constant worry about my husband, the overwhelming fatigue of caring for the kids alone, and the never-ending nature of the trip, I rate the deployment as a positive experience for us!
- Brie -
Christmas posting cycle
If you are relocating during the busiest moving time of the year, DFA would like to remind you to get your paperwork in as early as possible. This can affect, amongst other things, your temporary accommodation bookings and the timely arrival of your car in the gaining location. Also please read the Easy Move Guide provided by Toll – the information provided in this is booklet is really important in ensuring a smooth a move as possible.
We have been working very hard on our website to fill each posting location with information to help your move to a new location a little easier. We have pulled together local information including useful contact numbers for Defence and Defence-related organisations, local maps, directories, websites, local schools and schooling, childcare, health services, entertainment and much more. We also have links to various kinds of support which you may be entitled to and policies relevant to families.
DFA also recently sent a special e-bulletin to our registered families about living in the tropics. This e-bulletin focused on cyclone season tips and we would love to hear from you and add to our tips of living in the north.
As always, DFA is seeking suggestions and comments from families about their relocation. You can do this on our website or by calling your National Delegate in the region. Please let us know how you go.
Family survey – a partner’s point of view
DFA is very pleased to see Defence conducting a very important survey for families. The families survey is an important step towards formally representing your views within Defence.
Like the Defence Census and Attitude Survey this is an excellent opportunity to inform Defence leadership and policy makers of the real impact of the ADF lifestyle on families.
We appreciate we get asked to do surveys all the time but this is significant as it is the first one on this scale and it asks spouses and partners directly for their views. If successful, it will form the basis of representing families’ views over the coming years. DFA ask that you take the time to complete the survey to ensure it can be used to be represent all of us in the future. A link to the family survey can be found on our website.
How can you be involved in DFA? Our yearly posting cycle always results in national delegates being posted so please check our website for up and coming national delegate and senior representative vacancies. Check http://www.dfa.org.au.
As always, I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
- Nicole Quinn -
National Convenor
