Defence Force let me down

Letters

IT was back in May 2015 when the Defence Force conducted a recruitment drive at Lae’s Igam Barracks.
After weeks of going through all the recruiting processes, including the Australian Defence Force English language profiling system test, 22 candidates were chosen to go to Goldie River Training Depot in Port Moresby.
I was one of those selected. We were separated in two groups and interviewed by different officers.
We were told to stay physically fit and continue training and wait for the call to go to Goldie.
At the end of July 2015, I went to Port Moresby and reported to the Defence Force recruiting office at Murray Barracks because all the candidates were there for training to start the following month.
The excitement and joy to become a soldier to sever God and country with loyalty, dignity and pride ended when I was told by the recruitment team that my name was not on the list.
There were two separate lists and they had misplaced our names.
I was shocked by this news because I had come a long way knowing that I was successful.
I was confused and lost. What was I going to say to my parents, my community and everyone that had supported me to get there?
There were candidates from other centres in the same situation as I.
We teamed up and made follow-ups at Murray Barracks, but to no avail.
After a week of trying we went to Goldie with those who were on the list and spent a week in the lines doing head counts, punishments, etc, until the end of the week which was enlistment day.
We all went to enlist but were turned back because our names were not on the list.
Some senior officers asked us why we were at Goldie
when our names were not on the list?
We explained everything but nothing could be done.
For three months we did follow-ups at Murray Barracks while our friends got enlisted and attended training at Goldie.
I wept when I watched my friends passing out with flying colours (I salute you all and challenge you to be a good soldier, to serve with pride and uphold the oath that you have taken).
Now I need answers:

  • Why were there two interviewers interviewing us at two separate spots?
  • Why were there two separate lists?
  • While up at Goldie, some candidates who had failed the recruitment process in Lae where brought in. Why?
  • Can the authorities stop this corrupt practice?

Please don’t let this happen to anyone else.

True patriot PNGan