DEFENCE MEDIA RELEASE
Issued by Ministerial Support and Public Affairs, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT
Phone: 02 6127 1999, Fax: 02 6265 1545
MSPA 258/10
Monday, 28 June 2010
Tasmanian Reserve units show strong recruiting focus
Tasmania has long held the claim of providing the most recruits per head of
population to the Australian Defence Force and if recent trends towards the Army
Reserve are any indication, the State can still hold to this historical reputation.
Tomorrow 12 candidates will be enlisted into the Army Reserve, joining infantry,
artillery and transport units in Launceston and on the North-West Coast.
According to Major Claire Vonwald from Defence Force Recruiting, a strong interest
in a part-time Reserve career has seen enlistments in the north of the State jump 48
per cent over the past year.
“Last financial year 79 Tasmanians enlisted into the Army Reserve,” Major Vonwald
said.
“This year we have enlisted 116 Reservists which is an excellent result for the
Tasmanian based units.”
Major Vonwald said that although some positions in the Regular Army are full, the
Army Reserve still had many positions open in the areas of infantry, artillery,
transport, stores, administration and pay, catering and musicians.
“Defence aims to be an employer of first choice and we are always looking to recruit
high quality people with strong motivation as well as the physical and psychological
resilience required to cope with military training,” Major Vonwald said.
The 12th/40th Battalion, The Royal Tasmania Regiment, is one unit which has
achieved outstanding results. The recruitment of nearly 80 members over the past
year recently resulted in the unit’s expansion back to Hobart’s Anglesea Barracks.
“The important point of Reserve positions is that they are really local jobs for local
people and at the same time offer many unique opportunities for members to learn a
variety of different skills,” said Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Colin Riley
The enlistment ceremony will take place at Patterson Barracks in Launceston on
Tuesday 29th June at 1:00pm.
Media contact: Major Vonwald Ph: 6237 7343
Major Phil Pyke Ph: 0408 300 148
Defence Media Liaison: (02) 6127 1999 or 0408 498 664
NEWS 
