Characteristics of previous Australian Defence Force personnel

According to the 2021 Census:

• There were 496,300 people who had previously served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), 2.4 per cent of the Australian population aged 15 years and over
• Queensland had a higher number of previous service members (29.8% or 95,900 people) than any other state
• Previous service members aged 15-64 were more likely than those who had never served to be engaged in full-time employment (56.0% and 43.9% respectively)
• Previous service members (15.2%) were twice as likely to report working 50 or more hours in the week before Census compared to those who had never served (8.9%)
• Previous service members were most likely to work in the Public Administration and Safety industry after leaving the ADF (17.8%)
• Engineering and Related Technologies was the most common field of study for previous service members (25.0% compared to 13.6% of those who never served).

Serving in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) provides a unique variety of opportunities and experiences [1] and can have a significant impact on a person’s life after their service period. It may affect their education, employment and income.

Returning to civilian life following ADF service can present challenges, and previous service members may have distinct characteristics due to their military training, service and deployments.

The 2021 Census included a new question about service in the ADF. While records exist for current ADF service, limited records exist for previous service personnel. 

The following article analyses the education and employment characteristics of previous ADF service members aged 15 years and over based on 2021 Census data. The data provides information to enable better delivery of services and support for veterans to geographical areas where it is most needed.

For more analysis on the characteristics of current and previous ADF service members including need for assistance, long-term health conditions, living arrangements and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ADF service members see Australian Defence Force service.

Currently serving includes those who, at the time of the 2021 Census, were aged 15-64 years and were part of the:

• Australian Army, including North-West Mobile Force (NORFORCE)
• Royal Australian Navy
• Royal Australian Air Force.

A current ADF service member may be engaged in:

• Regular service - considered a person’s main ongoing job, with most roles full-time in nature. They may have also engaged in Reserves service previously.
• Reserves service - normally part-time in nature and can include up to 200 days of service per year, depending on the role. They may also have also engaged in Regular services previously.

Previous service includes former ADF members aged 15 years and over who served in Regular or Reserve services (including the National Service and the Second Australian Imperial Force) who are not currently serving in the ADF.

Total ever served includes those currently serving and those with previous service in the ADF.

Never served includes all people aged 15 years and over with no current or previous service in the ADF.

Note this analysis does not capture people who have served in non-Australian defence forces and excludes overseas visitors.

Detailed information on ADF service data variables is found in the 2021 Census dictionary:

• Australian Defence Force service, detailed (ADCP)
• Australian Defence Force service (ADFP).

According to the 2021 Census, there was a total of 496,300 people who had previously served in the ADF, representing 2.4 per cent of the Australian population aged 15 years and over. Of those who had previously served:

• 64.8% (321,800 people) had previously served in the Regular service (of these, 47,800 people had also served in the Reserves service)
• 35.2% (174,500 people) had previously served in the Reserves service.

Among those who had previously served:  

• 86.6% were male (429,600 people)
• 13.4% were female (66,600 people)
• the average age was 64 years.

The previously serving population are older than the general population, with over one quarter of those who had previously served aged between 65-74 years (26.1%).

The age profile of ADF service members varies considerably by whether they were current or previous service members. Currently serving ADF members have a much younger age profile, with over half (53%) aged under 35 years. Those who previously served in the ADF were more likely to be older, with over half (53%) aged 65 years or more.

Among previous service members, the most common 5-year age group was 70-74 years (16.5% or 81,800 people). According to the National Archives, selective conscription was introduced in Australian in 1964. This meant that 20-year-old men were chosen, through a ballot system, to serve in the Australian Army. The scheme ran from 1964 to 1972, increasing the size of the army by 40,000 people [2]. Individuals conscripted through this process would be between 69 and 76 years old today, explaining the high count in that age group. In total there are 122,500 previous service members between the ages of 69 and 76 years, making up one in four (24.7%) of all previous service members in Australia.

Nearly 30 per cent of previous Regular service members (29.8% or 95,900 people) were living in Queensland, compared to 20 per cent of the total Australian population (19.8%).

A person’s highest educational attainment could be the highest year of school completed or the highest level of post school education. Post school education includes qualifications such as certificates, diplomas or degrees, that are studied at institutions such as universities or TAFE.

People with post school education are more likely to have better employment outcomes than those with lower educational attainment [3]. While obtaining an education can occur across the lifespan, many people aged 15-24 have not yet completed their studies, therefore the following analysis is restricted to previous service members aged 25-64 years.

Fewer previous service members aged 25-64 reported year 12 or below as their highest level of educational attainment compared to people who had never served (24.1% compared to 27.9% respectively), suggesting they are more likely to go on to higher education after school.

A higher proportion of previous service members aged 25-64 (27.7%) obtained a Certificate III or Certificate IV as their highest level of educational attainment compared to 19.3 per cent of people who had never served. 

Previous Regular service members aged 25-64 were more likely than previous Reserve service members in that age group, and those who had never served to have obtained a certificate as their highest level of education.

Over one in five (20.7%) previous Reserve service members have a bachelor degree compared with around one in eight previous Regular service members (11.8%). While those who had never served were the most likely to have a bachelor degree, previous Reserve service members were most likely than any other group to have a graduate diploma or post graduate degree.

Males aged 25-64 who had previously served were more likely to obtain a certificate, diploma or advanced diploma as their highest level of education compared to females.

As a total population, previous service members aged 25-64 are less likely to have obtained a bachelor degree and above than those who have never served (26.2% compared to 35.8%). However, when looking at the previously served Regular and Reserves service members separately, previous Reserves service members were as likely as people who had never served to obtain a bachelor degree and higher (35.3% compared to 35.8% respectively).

Females who had previously served were more likely than males who had previously served to obtain a bachelor degree or higher (34.4% compared to 24.3%). Females who had previously served in the Reserves service were the most likely to obtain a bachelor degree or higher (42.4%) compared to females who had previously served in the Regular services (29.5%) and females who had never served (39.6%).

Previously served people aged 25-64 were twice as likely to have a qualification in Engineering and Related Technologies (25.1%) than those who never served (13.8%), however were less likely to have qualifications in Management and Commerce, Health or Education.

Of those who studied Engineering and Related Technologies, the most common qualifications of previously served persons aged 25-64 were:

• Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Technology (25.7%)
• Engineering and Related Technologies not further defined (19.6%)
• Mechanical and Industrial Engineering and Technology (17.2%).

Previous service members were almost six times more likely to have an Aerospace Engineering and Technology qualification compared to those who have never served (12.9% and 2.1% respectively).

The most common fields for non-school qualifications for females aged 25-64 who had previously served were Management and Commerce (25.6%), Society and Culture (20.8%) and Health 20.6%.

The most common field for non-school qualification for males who had previously served was Engineering and Related Technologies (30.1%). This was higher than males who had never served (26.4%).

Previously served males were also more likely to have qualifications in Society and Culture (13.1%) than males who had never served (8.4%). Over one quarter (25.7%) of previously serving males who studied in the Society and Culture field have a Justice and Law Enforcement qualification, much higher than males who had never served (9.1% of males).

Males who previously served were seven times more likely to have an Engineering and Related Technologies qualification (30.1%) compared with females who previously served (4.2%).

There were 174,300 previous service members aged 15-64 who were engaged in employment. A similar proportion of previous service members aged 15-64 were employed (74.8%) compared to people who have never served (73.7%). However, previous service members were more likely than those who had never served to be engaged in full-time employment (56.0% and 43.9% respectively) and less likely to be employed part-time (13.7% compared to 23.9%). They were also less likely to be unemployed (3.2% compared to 4.1%) than those who have never served. This difference is partially explained by the proportion of previous service members that are male, as they tend to be more likely to work full-time than females. Looking at males only, the previous service members are still more likely to work full-time than those who have never served (59.3% and 54.6% respectively).

While females aged 15-64 who had previously served were just as likely to be employed as females who had never served (71.2% and 71.0% respectively) they were more likely to work full-time (41.4% and 33.9% respectively). Correspondingly, they were also less likely to be employed part-time (24.4% and 30.8% respectively) or unemployed and looking for work (2.7% and 3.7% respectively) than those who had never served.

The 2021 Census asked Australians how many hours they had worked in the week before Census. Of the 174,300 previous service members aged 15-64 who were employed, they worked longer hours compared to those who had never served in the ADF.

Previous service members (15.2%) were twice as likely to report working 50 or more hours that week compared to those who had never served (8.9%). Previous Reserves service members were more likely to work 50 or more hours per week compared to Regular service members (16.4% compared to 14.5%).

As with labour force status, this difference is partially explained by the higher proportion of previous service members being male (who are more likely to work longer hours than females). However, when looking at males and females aged 15-64 separately, previous service members were still more likely to work 50 or more hours per week compared with those who had never served, with: 

• 16.8% of males who had previously served working more than 50 hours in the past week compared to 13.1% of males who had never served
• 8.1% of females who had previously served working more than 50 hours in the past week compared to 5.0% of females who had never served.

People who had previously served, aged 15-64 who were employed on Census Night, worked slightly higher median weekly hours than those who had never served (40 hours and 38 hours respectively).

Females who had previously served, reported higher median weekly hours worked in the week prior to Census Night than females who had never served (38 hours and 32 hours respectively). There was no difference for males who had previously served compared to those who had never served, for both groups there was a median of 40 weekly hours worked. This compares to 38 weekly hours for the never served population.

Of the 174,300 previous service members aged 15-64 who were employed, at a broad level, the most common occupations they were in were:

• Professionals 22.1% (compared to 24.1% of those who never served)
• Managers 17.3% (compared to 13.2% of those who never served)
• Technicians and Trade Workers 15.1% (compared to 13.0% of those who never served).

Those who previously served were more likely to be in Machinery Operating occupations (10.2%) than those who had never served (6.2%). However, they were half as likely (3.9%) to be in Sales Worker occupations than those who had never served (8.4%).

Previous Regular service members were more likely to be Technicians and Trade workers compared to previous Reserves service members (16.2% and 13.1% respectively). In contrast, previous Reserves service members were more likely to be Professionals (26.3%) than previous Regular service members (19.9%).

Males who had previously served were almost twice as likely to work in Community and Personal Service occupations (11.9%) than males who had never served (6.2%). In contrast, they were less likely to work as Labourers than males who had never served (6.9% compared to 11.5% respectively).

Females who had previously served were 1.5 times more likely to work in Machinery Operating and Driving occupations than females who had never served (2.5% compared to 1.6% respectively). They were about half as likely to work as Labourers than females who had never served (3.9% compared to 6.7%).

According to the 2021 Census, at a broad level, the most common industries of employment for previous service members aged 15-64 were:

• Public Administration and Safety (17.8%)
• Health Care and Social Assistance (10.6%)
• Construction (9.0%)
• Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (8.1%).

Of those employed in the Public Administration and Safety Industry, 37.6 per cent of previous service members were employed in the Government Administration industry, 22.4 per cent in the Police Services industry, and 14.8 per cent in the Defence Industry.

Comparatively the most common industries of employment for those who have never served were:

• Health Care and Social Assistance (14.7%)
• Retail Trade (9.4%)
• Construction (9.0%)
• Education and Training (8.9%).

ADF members who leave the Regular service and continue to serve via the Reserves have access to generous leave entitlements through their employment which are guaranteed in the public sector [4,5]. If they leave the Reserves service, their employment in the public sector may continue.

Males who had previously served were around three times as likely to work in Public Administration and Safety than males who had never served (17.8% compared to 5.7% respectively). Of those who worked in Public Administration and Safety, males who had previously served worked in:

• Government Administration (34.9%)
• Police services (23.8%)
• Defence (14.4%).

A similar trend was observed for females who had previously served, who were almost three times as likely to work in Public Administration and Safety than females who had never served (17.7% compared to 6.3% respectively). Of those who worked in Public Administration and Safety, females who had previously served worked in:

• Government Administration (50.4%)
• Defence (16.5%)
• Police services (15.8%).

Equivalised total weekly household income (HIED) is an indicator of the income resources available to a household and does not consider the assets that might be held by members of a household (such as the family home). Equivalised total weekly household income is adjusted to enable comparison of income levels between households of different sizes and composition.

For persons aged 15-64, equivalised weekly household income levels were generally higher among previous service members than those who had never served. According to the 2021 Census, of people aged 15-64 living in a private household, median weekly equivalised household incomes of those who had previously served in the Regular service was $1422 and Reserve service was $1445. In contrast, people who had never served had a lower median weekly equivalised household income of $1257.

1. Defence Jobs Australia, ‘Lifestyle & Benefits’, www.defencejobs.gov.au/lifestyle-and-benefits, last viewed 26 May 2022
2. National Archives of Australia – the conscription lottery, www.naa.gov.au/learn/learning-resources/learning-resource-themes/war/vietnam-war/national-service-ballot-balls-conscription-lottery, last viewed 19 May 2022
3. Australian Government National Skills Commission, Australian Jobs 2021, Education and Skills Education and Employment | National Skills Commission, last viewed 20 Oct 2022
4. Reservists Handbook, ReservistsHandbook.pdf, last viewed 20 Oct 2022
5. Defence reservists rights and responsibilities, https://www.fairwork.gov.au/sites/default/files/migration/723/Defence-reservists-rights-and-responsibilities-at-work.pdf, last viewed 20 Oct 2022
6. Australian Government Defence Jobs, https://www.defencejobs.gov.au/lifestyle-and-benefits/salary-and-benefits?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIr-DHwPzt-gIV03wrCh0Drwi2EAAYASAFEgIf0vD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds, last viewed 20 Oct 2022