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Brigadier Wade Stothart has been appointed as Director General of the newly established Joint Transition Authority, designed to support ADF personnel transitioning from military to civilian life.
The federal government has announced the appointment of Brigadier Wade Stothart, DSC, AM, CSC, to the role of Director General of the Joint Transition Authority (JTA), launched earlier this month as part of the 2020–21 Budget.
BRIG Stothart has operational and personnel staff experience, and has overseen the Army workforce generation systems, including transitions and employability classifications.
The JTA has been provided with $17.7 million in funding to support Australian Defence Force transitioning from military to civilian life.
The funding will enable JTA to:
- improve service delivery and transition, including connection with medical professionals in civilian life;
- enhance programs which can be accessed by individuals when they need them;
- through a whole-of-system approach, deliver a more connected transition for ADF members and their families, catering to their individual needs;
- identify opportunities, address gaps, integrate existing services and influence new ones as they are developed; and
- undertake stakeholder consultation on the final functions and design of the JTA.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Minister for Defence Personnel Darren Chester said supporting the ongoing health and wellbeing of ADF veterans is a priority for the government.
“Transitioning from the ADF is a significant life event and we want to ensure it can be made as smooth as possible,” the minister said.
“The JTA will ensure ADF members and their families are prepared and supported through transition from military to civilian life.
“The government has recognised the importance of getting the transition right for ADF personnel and their families, and the JTA builds on improvements made to the transition system in recent years.”
The JTA will operate within the Department of Defence and will partner with DVA and the Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation.
The transition system offered by the JTA will be reviewed over the coming months to identify where improvements can be made, including opportunities to better integrate services and share information.
The JTA will work closely with a range of organisations, including ex-service organisations that deliver transition support services to veterans.
According to the government, the establishment of the JTA was a response to recommendation 7.1 from the Productivity Commission report — A Better Way to Support Veterans.
“The JTA will build on these improvements to ensure all transition services and support mechanisms are working together for the benefit of transitioning ADF personnel and their families,” Minister Chester concluded.
[Related: DVA to support veteran health, fitness and wellbeing after transition]
