DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 352/09
Tuesday, 20 October 2009
AIR FORCE ACTS ON SPECIAL FORCES DISABILITY
ALLOWANCE
The Royal Australian Air Force is taking action to resolve the Special Forces
Disability Allowance issue as quickly as possible. Air Force is committed to ensuring
its members receive all allowances to which they are entitled.
Air Force’s Special Tactics Flight is a new capability within Number 4 Squadron, located
at RAAF Williamtown. These are Air Force personnel who undergo specific training to
enable them to undertake a range of activities including operations with Special Forces.
However, 4 Squadron is not categorised as a 'Special Forces Unit’.
When 4 Squadron Special Tactics Flight personnel are deployed on operations or
conducting associated training, they have an entitlement to a component of the Special
Forces Disability Allowance (SFDA). Eighteen RAAF 4 Squadron members are entitled to
receive a component of this allowance.
The policy allowing payment of SFDA for 4 Squadron Special Tactics Flight personnel
was established in April 2009. At this time the required business rules were not developed
enough to enable a change to the pay system for Air Force personnel.
Because business rules guiding how the allowance would be applied were still under
development, some confusion at a number of levels as to actual entitlements led to an
unfortunate incorrect application of SFDA to 4 Squadron personnel.
Air Force acted quickly to delay the payments of SFDA in order to avoid significant
overpayment of some members, which would require debt recovery in the future.
Air Force is in the process of finalising the required business rules for payment of the
allowance to ensure that all affected members are paid their correct entitlements. Air Force
will keep affected members regularly updated on progress in resolving this issue.
The Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin, has directed resolution of the SFDA
payment to 4 Squadron personnel be undertaken as a priority; ensuring the business rules
are robust, well understood and effectively implemented
Media contact: Defence Media Liaison: 02 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
