Category: Blogs
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A taste of adventure for Townsville family
A little misunderstanding online over 10 years ago marked the start of an exciting journey for Defence family Gabby and Adam. When Mexican-American Gabby saw Adam’s online profile location as being in SA, she thought he was in San Antonio, Texas. As the couple continued to get to know each other (and established that Adam…
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Defence family navigates unfamiliar waters together
In her 14 years as a Defence partner, Alyssa has seen her shares of ups and downs with her sailor, Ben. But like the tides which take him in from and out to sea, the Nowra-based family of five know the uncomfortable moments are part of the ebb and flow. One of those moments was…
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Life is sweet for Townsville Defence family
On their first posting away from their families, new parents Danielle and Adam were a little nervous about how life would play out. With their daughter Lilly, respective careers, three pugs and new town to navigate, it looked like things would be busy. But months into their posting, the Defence family have settled comfortably into…
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Defence housing rights and responsibilities
It is essential to know your rights and responsibilities to make setting up your home – or packing up for your next posting – as painless as possible.
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Defence family focuses on abilities
High school sweethearts Ruth and Dane did not anticipate the curveballs life would throw at them when Dane joined the Army in 2004. Since that time, they have welcomed two children, James and Jarrod. James has a physical disability and is autistic, and Ruth has a disability herself. Combined with Dane’s deployments, courses, living apart as…
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Defence family life ‘is what you make of it’
A sunny outlook on life, a spirit for adventure and the support of their tight-knit family has made their time as a Defence family a positive one for Natalie and Eric. Despite the challenges which come with being a Defence family, Eric’s Australian Army journey has overall been “a happy experience”. The South African born…
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Toddlers, tweens and teens: How to help your kids navigate Defence life
Thank you to Defence Member and Family Support for contributing this article. Life as a Defence family can be challenging – including for the kids! Even the most resilient of children can find the Defence lifestyle tricky at times. Defence offer a range of supports for all members of your family to build resilience through…
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2022 ADF Families Survey
UPDATE | The 2022 ADF Family Survey will now close on 24 July 2022. Families play a critical role in the wellbeing of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, and often make sacrifices to support Defence service. The ADF Families Survey is the primary Australian survey capturing information about experiences of service life directly from families…
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Finding support for employment during the pandemic
We know there are many ADF partners and family members that have lost jobs during the current lockdowns and border closures. Last year and earlier this year, we published several blogs that are still relevant in the current climate. Check them out to see what support is available. Information on making the Partner Employment Assistance Program…
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We are looking for two new National Delegates
Are you a Defence partner based in Perth or Darwin? Defence Families of Australia (DFA) is looking for two skilled National Delegates to represent Defence families. National Delegate – Western AustraliaNational Delegate – Northern Territory & Kimberley These roles work closely with the National Convenor and other delegates to make recommendations for policy change and…