The dreaded call… will it be Nowra, Tindal or Wagga Wagga? Or worse… Puckapunyal! The nervous anticipation of not receiving your desired news from a career manager is a recurrent reality for those in the military. The posting cycle offers change, professional development, and potentially a new living location, generally every one to three years. Sometimes it aligns with our preferences, and other times it can be an undesired role in an undesired location. Regardless of the reason, feelings of disappointment and frustration are entirely understandable.
Before diving into discussion around the potential frustrations of postings – a quick caveat to this article – I am yet to work in career management. This article is based on my ‘user experience’ following 16+ years of service in the Australian Army. For the most part, I have been posted to roles that I was interested in and thoroughly enjoyed. I have also been posted to a couple of … surprises. It was these jobs that, while they challenged me greatly, also opened doors, expanded my networks, and provided many opportunities I would not have gained otherwise.
When we receive unexpected or unwanted news, it can be hard to initially accept the decision. In this circumstance, there are essentially four avenues available to Australian military personnel:
1. ‘Throw your toys out of the cot’ – AKA ‘The Tantrum’
This option may appeal when emotions are high and you can only see the negative impacts this undesired posting will have on your life (and maybe on those in your family). While bottling things up is not healthy, it is always best to vent to the right people in the right place. First, speak to a trusted friend or family member. It will be more beneficial for you to then have a rational and calm conversation with your chain of command and career manager, rather than getting angry or excessively emotive. You can convey your desires or disappointments in a level-headed manner so they will be able to truly hear you and work to support you more.
2. ‘Make yourself heard’ – appealing to the decision makers
Decisions in the Australian Defence Force have a process for appeal, as part of ensuring procedural fairness. For the Army, you can submit a PE166 – Application for Reposting. When completing this form, ensure you have provided sufficient justification for why you should receive a different posting. For Other Ranks and Non-Commissioned Officers, seek guidance from your chain of command, particularly your Company Sergeant Major and Regimental Sergeant Major, who have significant experience with this process. For Air Force and Navy, a conversation with your chain of command and career manager is the best avenue to appeal. Having the support of your chain of command is vital in this process, which links back into your potential response for avenue one. While there is no guarantee the appeal will be granted, you can seek the opportunity to raise your concerns.
3. ‘Head for different pastures’ – discharge or transfer Service Categories
Fortunately, we live in a country where military service is a choice. This course of action may be a viable option if you already have plans in place. If not, the notification time between receiving your posting order and when you are due to commence the role may afford you time to seek out opportunities. Leaving full-time Defence service is not necessarily a final act. You may find that you need a couple of years away to gain a fresh perspective and look to re-enter at a later date. The Total Workforce System, as written about in Annie North’s brilliant article ‘We’re responsible for shaping her future: Pursuance of work life balance’, now supports far greater flexibility for how individuals contribute to service life. Transferring to SERCAT 3 or 5 can afford you time to explore opportunities while still remaining connected to service life.
4. ‘Bite the bullet’ – accept it and make the most of it
While your initial impression of an undesired role may be that there is nothing positive about it, you may be surprised by what you could get out of it. Every job has positives and negatives, and sometimes it takes months in the role to find these out. A challenging job may lead to a promotion. Being in the right time at the right place may lead to a deployment. You may meet work colleagues who become friends for life. Having a positive attitude to a potentially undesired posting will undoubtedly help you to adjust to your new role. This approach links to my previous Propel Her article ‘The Power of Attitude: The Choice is Yours’.
These avenues offer four approaches to managing potentially disappointing posting news. When you receive your next posting order, this advice will hopefully provide a way forward if your personal preferences aren’t met. Finally, in the words of George Bernard Shaw:
‘Don’t wait for the right opportunity: create it’
Your opportunities are infinite – don’t let a piece of paper stop you from achieving your goals. Good luck!
About the author: Sarah Bawden is an Ordnance Officer in the Australian Army and is currently working in the Directorate of Land Operations. She has been fortunate to work in the Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment and Retention realm for the Army over a number of years. Sarah is a passionate advocate of equality for all and, with a positive mindset, looks forward to much progress occurring in the future.