A four-day trip to East Timor earlier this year for Army Reservist Kate Ames and her employer Professor Scott Bowman, CQUniversity's Vice-Chancellor, has paid real dividends in the form of a new and vastly improved Defence Force Service Policy passed recently by the University's executive...

Professor Bowman was one of 21 employers who participated in Exercise Boss Lift, a Department of Defence program that aims to improve understanding of the skills and capabilities Defence Reservists can bring back into the civilian workplace.

Major Kate Ames, also a professional communication lecturer at CQUniversity in Rockhampton, with her employer, Vice-Chancellor Professor Scott Bowman. Scott is a pilot in his spare time, and enjoyed the opportunity to get up close to the Blackhawk helicopters.

Upon his return from East Timor in January, the VC was proactive in supporting a change to CQUniversity's existing policy.

Kate is the head of the professional communication program at the University, and keeps her journalism and public relations skills honed as a Military Public Affairs officer in a part-time capacity with the Australian Defence Force.

One of a number of CQUniversity staff members who are current Army Reservists, Kate's role on Exercise Boss Lift was to escort media personnel, liaising between them and Defence members, as well as writing articles for employer newsletters on behalf of the participants. 

She was pleased that Professor Bowman took up the offer to see the scope of Reserve training and experience, and was particularly encouraged to see a very real outcome in the changes to the leave policy.

"I have been in the Army Reserve for almost 15 years, a little longer than I have been an academic, and my military life has provided great training and life experience that has complemented my role at CQUniversity. I've always seen it as one career, actually, because I wouldn't be as effective in either role without the benefit of the other.

"Our leave policy at the University previously didn't recognise the diversity of Reserve service, and made it quite difficult for someone like me to be able to access leave for trips such as this, because I'm often working operationally, rather than in a training capacity," she said.

"I was keen for someone senior to see how operationally focused Defence Reserve service is, and to think about how it does benefit the organisation.

"Each of us who are part-time Defence personnel have very different roles, training, and requirements. It's important our employers are aware of this, and also get a sense of the life experience we get as a result of our service," she said.

Thanks to Professor Bowman's visit, CQUniversity's revised Defence Leave Policy now provides for significantly more paid leave provisions and recognises all aspects of Defence service in its policy. However, it also promotes a sense of shared obligation, encouraging Defence Reservists to put their hand up for leadership and training positions within the University.

According to Kate, great care was taken in the rewriting of the policy, which included significant consultation with existing Reservists.

"We feel very gratified that not only can we access leave, but that there is also a sense, embedded in the policy, that the service we render is highly valued. It's arguably now one of the best, if not the best, Defence Service policies in the country," she said.

Professor Bowman said he had returned with a commitment to do more to recognise the training and experience given to both staff and students as a result of their Defence service and training.

"There's something people come back with which is much deeper than skills. It's actually a level of maturity that I'm not sure you get anywhere else, and a commitment to serve," he said.

"I returned thinking we needed to look at how we can recognise that. I don't think we can add to that level of service, but we can recognise it or accredit it, and make it much more sellable in the outside world," he said.

"I wanted CQUniversity to take a lead on recognising Defence service with our students and staff because it is the right thing to do."

Exercise Boss Lift's visit to East Timor in January was to visit soldiers and officers deployed on Operation ASTUTE, which is the Australian Defence Force's contribution to the maintenance of stability and peace in East Timor. The force consists of 475 Australian and New Zealand personnel with almost half of these currently being Army Reservists from Queensland.

Exercise Boss Lift is conducted by the Cadet, Reserve and Employer Support Division (CRESD), which is responsible for facilitating employer support for Australia's Defence Reservists.