Abstract
The public version of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review (DSR) (and corresponding government response) identified a number of urgent initiatives and recommendations that Defence must undertake to improve its capability. The DSR has attracted significant media and analytical commentaries regarding the best way to implement the review. These discussions have overwhelming focused on the traditional capability and force design aspects of Defence (Bristow & Davis, 2023). However, an equally weighted recommendation, and worthy of its own chapter in the DSR, was that Defence is facing significant workforce challenges and urgent reform must be undertaken to improve recruitment, retention and the use of the reserve workforce (Commonwealth of Australia, 2023, p. 24). Despite its importance, this topic has not garnered the same level of commentary and analysis outside of proposed retention bonuses (Reuters, 2023). Here, I will present a few ideas on how Air Force could engage with its reserve workforce to improve recruitment, retention and deliver the urgent capability improvements that the DSR demands.
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