The requirements for Eligible War Service, Operational Service and Defence Service all contain references to Continuous Full-time Service. This section describes what is meant by that term and the ways in which a person can meet this criteria.
VEA ? [3]
A period of continuous full-time service is required by a member of the Defence Force if they are to be considered as having eligible war service, operational service or defence service and access to the benefits associated with those forms of service.
More ? [4]
VEA ? [5]
Continuous full-time service is defined in s5C(1) [6] of the VEA. The definition is such that any service of the following types is regarded as continuous full-time service:
Basically, this means that the person must have served with one of the three branches of the Defence Force on a continuous full-time basis, as opposed to a part-time basis.
VEA ? [14]
VEA ? [15]
Most regular members of the Defence Force (Army, Navy and Air Force) are appointed on a continuous full-time basis and thus meet the criteria. Some persons who are deemed by Ministerial Instrument to be members of the Defence Force are also deemed to have served on a continuous full-time basis.
The following groups do not meet the requirement for continuous full-time service.
The Minister may make a determination under s5R of the VEA that the VEA or specific parts of the VEA, are to apply to a person or a specific group as if they had served on a continuous full-time basis. For a listing of these Determinations see Legislation library Ministerial Determinations. . [6]
Such determinations are usually made in respect of members of the Reserve Forces who performed full-time duty in an operational area. For example, such determinations have been made in respect of members of the Reserve Forces who served in South Vietnam and the Gulf War.
Such determinations have also been made in respect of members of various philanthropic organisations. In these cases, the persons involved are both deemed to be members of the Defence Force and deemed to have served on a continuous full-time basis.
VEA ? [16]
Persons who served with the forces listed below generally served on a part-time basis. However, such service has been deemed to be continuous full-time service by Ministerial Instrument. Thus a person is to be treated as a full-time member of the defence force during WW2 if they:
Part-time reservists on extended periods of training or training camps
While training activities and training camps for reserve members may be “full time” (ie 9am-5pm or greater) for the period over which they run, they are not generally considered to be ‘continuous full time service’.
Such service is only considered to meet this definition if a formal ‘continuous full time service’ agreement has been entered into with ADF by a reserve member prior to the service being rendered, or a ministerial determination has been made deeming a certain type of service to be continuous full time service. Where this type of agreement or determination exists, attendance at any kind of formal training is regarded as continuous full time service.
Members during the First and Second World War who attended full time training camps and then undertook continuous full time operational service immediately after without a break in service have their training period covered as CFTS under the VEA.
For NLHC mental health purposes, the 1950s National Service scheme required members to undertake a period of fulltime service prior to a Citizen Military Force obligation. This initial period is considered to be continuous fulltime service for purposes of NLHC mental health eligibility (but does not give rise to other coverage under the VEA).
More ? [17]
Members of the following philanthropic organisations, who provided welfare services to the Australian defence force [18] on or after 7 December 1972, are deemed to be members of the defence force, rendering defence service.
The Australian Defence Force includes:
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/16678%23comment-form
[2] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/16650%23comment-form
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn77
[4] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn78
[5] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn79
[6] https://clik.dva.gov.au/service-eligibility-assistant-updates/all-determinations-order-date-signed-oldest-most-recent/determinations-under-vea
[7] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn77
[8] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-1-service-requirements/12-service-types/122-service-requirements-disability-pension/eligible-war-service
[9] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-1-service-requirements/12-service-types/122-service-requirements-disability-pension/operational-service
[10] https://clik.dva.gov.au/compensation-and-support-policy-library/part-1-service-requirements/12-service-types/122-service-requirements-disability-compensation-payment/defence-service
[11] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn78
[12] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn79
[13] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/16658%23comment-form
[14] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn80
[15] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn81
[16] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn82
[17] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#tgt-cspol_part1_ftn83
[18] https://clik.dva.gov.au/%23
[19] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn80
[20] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn81
[21] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn82
[22] https://clik.dva.gov.au/book/export/html/16678#ref-cspol_part1_ftn83