Operational service can essentially be described as service overseas by a member of the Australian Defence Force in a time of war, or during war-like operations within a defined operational area.
'Operational service' is defined in Ss6A – 6F of the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (the VEA). Section 6 of the VEA sets out a convenient summary:
S6A |
Operational service – world wars |
S6B |
Operational service – Australian mariners |
S6C |
Operational service – post World War 2 service in operational areas |
S6D |
Operational service – other post World War 2 service |
S6E |
Operational service – Korean demilitarised zone and Vietnam |
S6F |
Operational service – warlike and non-warlike service |
In broad terms, these categories of operational service can be described in the following terms:
Section 6B relates to Australian mariners who served outside Australia or faced actual combat within Australian waters.
Section 6C relates to members of the Defence Force who were allotted for duty in an 'operational area' in the period after World War 2 to the present day. Operational areas are listed in Schedule 2 to the Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 and (broadly) comprise:
Section 6D relates to certain service in Singapore, Japan, North East Thailand and with the Far East Strategic Reserve.
Section 6F relates to a member of the ADF rendering operational service during 'warlike service' or 'non-warlike service', which essentially is service declared as such by the Minister for Defence.
These terms are defined in VEA S5C(1):
This is a new classification introduced by the Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Budget and Compensation Measures) Act 1997 commencing on 13 May 1997 to cover operations of higher risk than normal peace-time service. The intention is to give service personnel greater certainty about their eligibility under the VEA before they commence future overseas deployments and to minimise the potential for anomalies to occur in the future.
Service will be declared as 'warlike service' when the military activities involve the authorised application of force and there is an expectation of casualties. These operations can encompass, but are not limited to:
Ministerial Determinations have been made in respect of service in East Timor and adjacent waters:
OPERATION FABER (19/6/99 – 15/9/99)
OPERATION SLIPPER (6/9/99 – 19/9/99)
OPERATION TANAGER (from 20/2/00)
OPERATION STABILISE (16/9/99 – 23/2/00)
OPERATION FABER (16/9/99 – 23/2/00)
OPERATION WARDEN (16/9/99 – 10/4/00)
The Minister made a Declaration of Warlike Service on 7 December 2001 covering members of the ADF who were allotted for service on or after 11 October 2001 with OPERATION SLIPPER in one of two Specified Areas. Specified Area 1 is a large geographical area covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Middle East and parts of Africa, Russia, India and the Central Asian Republics. Specified Area 2 is an area covering Diego Garcia and a radius of 250 nm out from that island.
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19499%23comment-form
[2] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19464%23comment-form
[3] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19508%23comment-form
[4] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19456%23comment-form
[5] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19469%23comment-form
[6] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19496%23comment-form
[7] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19513%23comment-form
[8] https://clik.dva.gov.au/military-compensation-srca-manuals-and-resources-library/general-handbook/ch-63-veterans-entitlements-act-1986/636-hazardous-service
[9] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/19572%23comment-form