“Nearly seven years of my life down the toilet and I had nothing to show for it except anxiety and horrible memories.”
Class PR has been retained by Levitt Robinson – the solicitors behind the successful outcome in Searle v Commonwealth and the award of damages to 200+ naval officers.
In that case, William Searle, a Royal Australian Navy marine technician, entered into a contract with the Commonwealth to receive training that would enable him to attain an engineering qualification. When he did not receive the necessary training, he commenced proceedings for breach of contract.
Sydney-based law firm Levitt Robinson has become aware of another common grievance amongst military personnel, namely that new enlistees were waiting well beyond the 6 months they were told to expect for AGSVA Security Clearance. The extended delays affected enlistees earning capacity; their career progression and their mental health, causing widespread frustration.
Jeremy takes us through his AGSVA Clearance process below:
Jeremy joined on the 11th March 2013 as a Cryptologic Linguist Sailor and in June 2013 he enrolled in the Defence Force School of Languages, known colloquially as “LANGS”. Jeremy said that “this period for me was largely uneventful, however, I was reminded by visiting staff from HMAS Cerberus that both my own and fellow sailors’ activities were constantly being watched and assessed and were urged to not step out of line, either professionally or personally.”
It was around this time that he engaged in a romantic relationship with a law student with whom Jeremy was told to sever ties or risk his security clearance. Jeremy said that “during the six months at LANG’s, we lost six friends to denied clearances and they were unceremoniously taken from the classrooms and returned to the bases which they came from.” Little did Jeremy know this was just the beginning of what would turn out to be an incredibly long and excruciating wait.
In 2014, Jeremy returned to the HMAS Cerberus still awaiting clearance whereupon he was forced to do menial labour, completely unrelated to the role for which he had enlisted.
“During this period of ‘silence’ from AGSVA and our superiors, none of us would know whether we had a job, a career, or even more simply if we were waiting because we were not deemed suitable, or just because they had not even looked at our cases yet.” The lack of certainty at this point, together with months of mind-numbing and repetitive labour, began to have severe impacts on the mental health and stability of both Jeremy and others who were also in the same position.
After waiting for over two years without having been cleared and having received countless emails later stating that he “was in their matrix and would be assessed in order of priority,” Jeremy volunteered for a six-month deployment on the border force. While on this deployment Jeremy sustained a serious shoulder injury whereby, he lost function of his left arm and required medical attention upon his return to HMAS Cerberus. Given his injury, he travelled to Perth. In doing so, however, he was deemed AWOL, despite his case officer’s knowledge of his condition and the reason for his absence. Jeremy’s request to remain in Perth long term on compassionate leave was denied and yet on base he was unable to march, play sport, engage in any physical activity and, was forced to wear sneakers instead of his boots, which broadcast to others that he was “unhealthy and unable” and led to bullying.
Already struggling, in 2016 Jeremy’s mental and physical strength substantially deteriorated further. He suffered from anxiety, insomnia and fatigue due to lack of status and clarity regarding his pending clearance and rendered him unable to make ends meet on the wages of a Seaman Star not a Sailor. Jeremy earned only $1,100-$1,300 a fortnight and was forced to live on base. In addition, he was also forced to pay for substandard food and was prohibited from cooking.
After a long three years and eight months of waiting, Jeremy’s AGSVA Clearance was denied. In order to placate him, however, he was offered a lower-level position. Jeremy secured a role as an officer and passed the initial officer training.
On the 9th March 2019, with no formal qualifications and a great deal of trauma, Jeremy was discharged. “As I drove out the gate, I dropped my ID which had meant so much to me in the returns cylinder and that was it, nearly seven years of my life down the toilet and I had nothing to show for it except anxiety and horrible memories.”
“I do not expect to hold Navy, Air Force or Army accountable. The military is a tool that is used when it is needed. The fault, I now understand, lies squarely with the horrific laziness and ineptitude of a government department, tasked with dealing with clearances. The flow on effects, like being kept on crap pay, not being able to be promoted or have any sort of life is a direct result of this.”
If you have had a similar experience with the ADF, please get in touch with Class PR today via the button below, at contact@classpr.com.au or (02) 8267 9499.
“Nearly seven years of my life down the toilet and I had nothing to show for it except anxiety and horrible memories.”
Class PR has been retained by Levitt Robinson – the solicitors behind the successful outcome in Searle v Commonwealth and the award of damages to 200+ naval officers.
In that case, William Searle, a Royal Australian Navy marine technician, entered into a contract with the Commonwealth to receive training that would enable him to attain an engineering qualification. When he did not receive the necessary training, he commenced proceedings for breach of contract.
Sydney-based law firm Levitt Robinson has become aware of another common grievance amongst military personnel, namely that new enlistees were waiting well beyond the 6 months they were told to expect for AGSVA Security Clearance. The extended delays affected enlistees earning capacity; their career progression and their mental health, causing widespread frustration.
Jeremy takes us through his AGSVA Clearance process below:
Jeremy joined on the 11th March 2013 as a Cryptologic Linguist Sailor and in June 2013 he enrolled in the Defence Force School of Languages, known colloquially as “LANGS”. Jeremy said that “this period for me was largely uneventful, however, I was reminded by visiting staff from HMAS Cerberus that both my own and fellow sailors’ activities were constantly being watched and assessed and were urged to not step out of line, either professionally or personally.”
It was around this time that he engaged in a romantic relationship with a law student with whom Jeremy was told to sever ties or risk his security clearance. Jeremy said that “during the six months at LANG’s, we lost six friends to denied clearances and they were unceremoniously taken from the classrooms and returned to the bases which they came from.” Little did Jeremy know this was just the beginning of what would turn out to be an incredibly long and excruciating wait.
In 2014, Jeremy returned to the HMAS Cerberus still awaiting clearance whereupon he was forced to do menial labour, completely unrelated to the role for which he had enlisted.
“During this period of ‘silence’ from AGSVA and our superiors, none of us would know whether we had a job, a career, or even more simply if we were waiting because we were not deemed suitable, or just because they had not even looked at our cases yet.” The lack of certainty at this point, together with months of mind-numbing and repetitive labour, began to have severe impacts on the mental health and stability of both Jeremy and others who were also in the same position.
After waiting for over two years without having been cleared and having received countless emails later stating that he “was in their matrix and would be assessed in order of priority,” Jeremy volunteered for a six-month deployment on the border force. While on this deployment Jeremy sustained a serious shoulder injury whereby, he lost function of his left arm and required medical attention upon his return to HMAS Cerberus. Given his injury, he travelled to Perth. In doing so, however, he was deemed AWOL, despite his case officer’s knowledge of his condition and the reason for his absence. Jeremy’s request to remain in Perth long term on compassionate leave was denied and yet on base he was unable to march, play sport, engage in any physical activity and, was forced to wear sneakers instead of his boots, which broadcast to others that he was “unhealthy and unable” and led to bullying.
Already struggling, in 2016 Jeremy’s mental and physical strength substantially deteriorated further. He suffered from anxiety, insomnia and fatigue due to lack of status and clarity regarding his pending clearance and rendered him unable to make ends meet on the wages of a Seaman Star not a Sailor. Jeremy earned only $1,100-$1,300 a fortnight and was forced to live on base. In addition, he was also forced to pay for substandard food and was prohibited from cooking.
After a long three years and eight months of waiting, Jeremy’s AGSVA Clearance was denied. In order to placate him, however, he was offered a lower-level position. Jeremy secured a role as an officer and passed the initial officer training.
On the 9th March 2019, with no formal qualifications and a great deal of trauma, Jeremy was discharged. “As I drove out the gate, I dropped my ID which had meant so much to me in the returns cylinder and that was it, nearly seven years of my life down the toilet and I had nothing to show for it except anxiety and horrible memories.”
“I do not expect to hold Navy, Air Force or Army accountable. The military is a tool that is used when it is needed. The fault, I now understand, lies squarely with the horrific laziness and ineptitude of a government department, tasked with dealing with clearances. The flow on effects, like being kept on crap pay, not being able to be promoted or have any sort of life is a direct result of this.”
If you have had a similar experience with the ADF, please get in touch with Class PR today via the button below, at contact@classpr.com.au or (02) 8267 9499.
