Women quit forces
By national political writer SIMON KEARNY
13jan02
The Sunday Telegraph
WOMEN are quitting the armed forces at an alarming rate, a new report has found.
In the last five years, the number of women in the army, air force and navy has dropped by 15 per cent.
The revelations come after news of another scandal involving alleged sexual harassment of women in the navy.
The chief of the navy, Vice Admiral David Shackleton, has launched an investigation into the behaviour of personnel from the HMAS Arunta at Christmas Island and behaviour on another ship.
Several personnel have already been suspended from duty pending the outcome of the inquiry.
In a report titled Environment Scan 2020, military researcher Thomas Schindlmayr said a significant proportion of military personnel were leaving the forces before the age of 30, especially females.
The biggest fall in women was in the Royal Australian Air Force where nearly a quarter of the women have quit in the last five years.
In the navy, 16 per cent of women quit while the army lost only seven per cent.
The report painted a grim picture of young Australians wanting to join up.
"Motivation and fitness for military service among young people is likely to decline," Dr Schindlmayr said. "Although young people are relatively healthy, mental health problems and obesity are of concern."
Defence Minister Robert Hill told The Sunday Telegraph the Government needed to address the problems.
The report found the current declines would continue until the air force and navy were down to more than half their current strengths and the army down by a third.
This would leave the Australian Defence Force languishing with total personnel numbering 29,100 compared to last year's total of 50,700.
The projections show the decline in the number of women would also continue.
"The results of these projections show that the target of 54,000 additional personnel by 2010 suggested in the Defence White Paper 2000 will prove a significant challenge to the ADF," Dr Schindlmayr said.
He said in the future only one-third of young people would take up "staff" jobs.
"The rest will work part-time,