the bennymay story: chapter 59

Complain? Yes. Investigate? No.

Ronny RAAF spent from November 1998 until January 2004 pushing me elsewhere, palming me off, directing me sideways, and generally bouncing me elsewhere (as Ron admitted in chapter 29). Thus the huge list of people (chapter 41) all giving me their reasons for why Ron could not do anything to help me, but if Ron could it would be through some other squadron or section.

So, after years of telling me conflicting, contradictory, and blatantly false information, I sought answers. I put in FOI requests under Australia’s Freedom of Information Act. Even then, Ron refused to cough up the information. As one of Ron’s officers mysteriously describes it, ‘it seems the request has been held up somewhere…’. At least she gives an explanation for Ron’s years of given me conflicting information:

So, it was because of ‘the kindest of spirit’. Whose kind spirit is causing this situation? Ron’s?

Again I seek resolution from the Wing Headquarter’s new Senior Administration Officer (SADMINO). Nope; the SADMINO says our wing cannot investigate. So, I go to our boss, the CO.

Again I ask my Commanding Officer (CO). Nope; the CO says he cannot investigate. So, I go to his boss, the Officer Commanding (OC).

Again I ask my OC. Nope; the OC says he cannot investigate.

After years of telling me that Ron can’t investigate, finally, since I’ve sought resolution ‘at the lowest possible levels through normal command channels and administrative arrangements’, Ron admits that I can submit a ROG as I please.

However, in the way only Ron can, Ron tells me, although I ‘may’ submit a ROG to my CO, he will not be able to investigate, so there’s no point or purpose in doing so.

So, I go to my OC’s boss: the Force Element Group (FEG) Commander.
Again I ask the Commander (CDR). Nope; the CDR says he cannot investigate. But, he directs me to his Legal Officer (LEGALO).

CDRSCG’s LEGALO says he cannot investigate. But, he says that I can submit a formal complaint, via the Redress of Grievance (ROG) process.

Again I go back to the SADMINO.

Again, I go back to my Commanding Officer. The CO says that he will not be able to investigate, but that I can submit something, and he can pass it on to the service chief—Ronny RAAF’s head.

I’m fairly fed up with Ron’s behaviour. I grew up near a stock route (an area of land where cattle feed and transit). As a child I used to ride 2-wheel, 3-wheel, and 4-wheel motorbikes on the stock-routes. Stock-routes have various grasses and flowers. Once a big bull, a cow, or a young calf has bitten, chewed, eaten, swallowed, digested, and dispensed with those grasses, they all seem to appear the same—a small pile, initially sloppy, but later hard and dry in appearance, of waste material. Young boys on motorbikes soon learn to avoid, as much as possible, such sloppy outcrops. After a few years it becomes habitual—almost instinctive. Sorry. I digress.

Even though Ron has told me repeatedly that ‘investigations fall under the responsibility of RAAF Medical‘, and thus my ‘normal chain of command‘ are unable to investigate my case, I figure it can’t hurt to submit a formal complaint in the form of a ROG. If 44 Wing is right (that they can do nothing about it) then it should go to the Chief of Air Force.

I write to the OC:

Ronny RAAF tells me to rewrite my complaint!

On the nine-year anniversary of attaining my commercial pilot’s licence, I submit it again—basically just saying the RAAF made bad decisions and they are doing nothing to fix it.

My CO complains again. He still feels my complaint is ‘broad’:

HQ 44 Wing keep telling me that my complaint is so broad that 44 Wing cannot investigate it. Ron keeps on, demanding that I either withdraw, or change my complaint. I respond, that I do not want to change my complaint.

So Ron puts his barking-wolf-admino’s onto me, demanding more information. I respond:

My CO chants Ron’s five-year mantra. ‘[D]ue to the complexity and medical nature of the grievance, it unlikely to be investigated at [headquarters / wing / ROG] level’ (compare chapter 42). Translation: it ain’t our job; it ain’t our responsibility.

Let’s glance back across my career to date—from 1998 to 2004. We’ve seen DVA (chapters 42, 43, 44), and Ronny RAAF repeatedly refuse to investigate the evidence (chapters 14, 15, 17, 19, 28, 41, 42, 43). At the time I had no idea Ron’s repeated refusals constitute an offence under section 20 of DI(G) PERS 34-1 (AL2).

OOPS!

It seems like Ron is finally permitting me my right to lodge a complaint—albeit with full knowledge that ‘it was unlikely to be investigated at this level.’

© Benjamin May 2010
Go to chapter 60.