C37/2007 New and Reclassified Service for Operations Bolton, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Provide Comfort and Jural - Iraq No-Fly-Zones

Purpose

To advise about a change in the service eligibility for Australian Defence Force (ADF) members who served with the United Kingdom elements of the coalition force operation to patrol the Iraq No-Fly-Zones on Operations Bolton, Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Provide Comfort and Jural.  The areas of operations comprises Iraq for warlike service and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Incirlik airbase in Turkey for non-warlike service.

Background

On 16 April 2007 the then Minister for Defence, the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson, agreed to amend the area of operations to warlike for service in Iraq for Operations Bolton and Southern Watch and classify the area of operations for this service in Iraq as warlike for Operations Northern Watch, Provide Comfort and Jural.  The then Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Hon Bruce Billson, signed these five Determination on 15 October 2007 for service in Iraq with the United Kingdom elements of the coalition force to patrol the Iraq No-Fly-Zones to be warlike.  These determination were registered with the Attorney-General's Department on 19 November 2007 and can now be implemented.

Implications

This change in classification will not impact on disability pension claims for those who served on Operations Bolton and Southern Watch as the more generous standard of proof and Statement of Principles (SOP) have already applied to claims when this service was classified as non-warlike.

The greatest change is the classification of warlike service for Operations Northern Watch, Provide Comfort and Jural as they have gone from the default peacetime service.  These three operations now give rise to operational service for those who served on them.

Veterans with warlike service from any of these five operations will now also have qualifying service and be entitled to a service pension at aged 60 years and automatic Gold Card at aged 70 years.

CLIK Legislation Library

The details for these instruments can be found in CLIK's legislation library in the following paths:

'Service Eligibility'/'Ministerial Determinations'/'s.6F warlike service'/'War in Iraq' and are called by their relevant operation names.

Operations Southern Watch and Bolton can also be found in:

'Service Eligibility'/'Ministerial Determinations'/'s.6F non-warlike service'/'Persian Gulf' and are called by their relevant operation names.

Contact

Any queries regarding this instruction should be directed to Paula Green on (02) 6289 4779 or by e-mail to Paula.Green@dva.gov.au.