Defence Service Homes
National Office Instruction
amending DSH General Orders (1993 edition)
Instruction No. 65
Date of Effect: 16 September 1999
ELIGIBILITY – WARLIKE SERVICE IN EAST TIMOR
Purpose
The purpose of this Instruction is to introduce an extension of eligibility to members of the Defence Force who render service in East Timor as part of OPERATION WARDEN.
Background
The Australian Government has committed troops to the United Nations "peace enforcement" multinational force in East Timor. The force is called the International Force for East Timor (InterFET).
All references to ADF personnel in InterFET should be in terms of "peace enforcement" service. It is not "peacekeeping" service which will occur after the UN reviews the current arrangements.
Eligibility stems from paragraph (ge) of the definition of Australian Soldier in subsection 4(1) of the DSH Act (i.e. rendering warlike service). The Minister for Defence has issued a determination of warlike service specifying the area of operation as East Timor and the territorial sea of Indonesia adjacent to East Timor. The start date is 16 September 1999. The end date is not defined at this stage and will be the result of, or dependent on, later UN resolutions. It is expected that a later determination will be made when the role becomes one of "peacekeeping".
A full nominal roll will be maintained of the Timor deployment by the Department of Defence and made available to DVA. This roll will contain a complete record of an individual's service in East Timor and will be useful in verifying the particular service for an applicant for a loan or insurance.
Policy to be applied
Members who enlisted for the first time on or before 14 May 1985 and serve on "peace enforcement" duties in East Timor will have access to Defence Service Homes loans and insurance. (Any other Australian Defence Force personnel will have access to the Defence HomeOwner Scheme with the waiving of the five-year qualifying period for eligibility.)
General Orders
A new chapter (Chapter 8A) has been created to cover warlike service. Service in Vietnam (Southern Zone) from January 1973 to April 1975 which was previously included in Chapter 5 has been removed from there and placed in the new Chapter 8A.
The opportunity is taken to update a number of Service Records Office addresses.
Attached are amended pages for the Eligibility General Orders. Please replace the existing pages 1 to 4, 25 to 34 and 77 to 78 with the amended version and insert the new pages 48a to 48d.
Also attached is an amended index of operative NOIs.
Effect on previously issued NOIs
This Instruction has no effect on any previously issued operative NOI.
BARRY TELFORD
Branch Head
Housing and Aged Care
6 November 1999