Publication:Sea Talk Winter 2005/Reserves column
By CMDR Joseph Lukaitis Director Naval Reserve Support - Victoria
The earlier articles by the SO Individual Readiness and Reserves draws a focus on those in the ANR who choose to prepare themselves for deployment.
There are two areas of difficulty for Reservists wishing to have themselves declared individually ready and qualify for the SRB.
First, Reservists are not required to pass the annual RAN fitness test, which is compulsory for Permanent Navy personnel yet the test is a component of service readiness.
Reservists, however, are now able to volunteer to complete an annual fitness test if they can arrange to be included in one being held for PN members.
Fitness tests are held regularly by the PTs in most Navy establishments. If one cannot be arranged while you are on actual Reserve duty, the test will have to be undertaken on a voluntary basis.
The second issue concerning the wearing of the SRB is 'Dental Fitness'. Reserve medical health examinations do not incorporate dental health checks.
Reservists, therefore, must obtain proof of dental fitness from their private dental practitioner (at their own cost) to satisfy this component of service readiness.
The problem is what form should the private dental practitioner complete and what are the criteria your dentist should use to provide evidence of dental fitness. Pending the availability of a form for your private dentist to complete, it is suggested that the categories in the sample format (below) be adopted and referred to in a personal letter from your dentist addressed to your Commanding Officer.
Criteria for Dental Classification
| Class | Meaning | Amplification | Deployable for Sea Duty |
| 1 | Fully dentally fit | No treatment planned within the next 12 months plus no active oral disease plus adequate home care | Yes |
| 2 | Requires treatment which could be deferred for 12 months | Expected not to present as a dental emergency within the next 12 months. All restorative dentistry is complete. Requires minor preventative therapy eg removal of plaque / calculus Prosthodontic treatment for restorations or prostheses that can be maintained by the member for 12 months | Yes |
| 3 | Requires treatment within 12 months | Restorative dentistry Prosthodontic treatment for procedures that cannot be maintained by the patient for 12 months. Treatment of moderate to severe periodoetal disease Any complex treatment Any pathology associated with third molars | No |
| 4 | Requires early treatment | As a guide "early" means within approximately one month. Examples are ongoing RCT, deep caries, or insertion of a prosthesis before imminent posting. | No |
These catagories are extracted from Annex A to Defence Health Policy Directive 402
Reserve overseas study grant scheme
Reservist LCDR Andrew St John-Brown has been awarded the first Professional Studies Program (PSP) overseas study grant. He has used the grant of $14,000 to visit the US Naval War College in Rhode Island to research the delivery of staff officer training to US Marine and Navy Reserve officers.
He will also examine the use of the distance learning methods used by the NWC to facilitate the development of staff skills amongst those Reserve officers.
LCDR St John-Brown received his award from the Chief of Navy at the RANR Leadership Forum dinner held at HMAS Harman on March 15.
Applications are now open for the 2006 overseas study grant scheme. The grant is open to all Navy Reservists irrespective of rank. The closing date for applications and further details about the grant are available from the Reserve Web-Site at www.navy.gov.au/reserve
Applicants' projects should focus on Naval Reserve capability issues and might include matters related to recruitment and training, maritime defence, financial corporate management, operations and logistics, military law and health, public relations and information technology systems and management.
In addition all reservists are invited to submit articles for consideration for publication in Goorangai , the title of the PSP's occasional paper series. Copies of the first three editions of Goorangai are also available at the Reserve web site. Further inquiries about Goorangai or the overseas study grant should be directed to ranr.psp@defence.gov.au
