Life As A General Service Officer In The Australian Defence Force

As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Rachel Chipman, never really considered the Defence Force as a career option. Rachel’s family moved to Emerald (QLD) when she was a teenager, where she wanted to pursue a career in medicine. After seeing advertisements for the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) however, Rachel knew that she wanted to join the Army.

“I really chose ADFA because I got a lot out of the selection process. The great thing about Army recruitment is that as a General Service Officer you don’t have to know what you want to do,” Rachel said. “I thought ‘what is the coolest thing a girl could do?’ So I applied for a logistics area where you can go parachuting and when I got there, because I enjoyed myself and I had fun, I did really well. If you really believe in what you’re doing and you’re involved and enjoying it, then the experience really comes alive.” As an Air Dispatcher in the Royal Australian Corps of Transport (RACT), Captain Rachel Chipman had the opportunity to work in a role not many would consider a traditional career option.

“I help pack equipment with parachutes and send it out the back of planes, and then I get to parachute after it which is a lot of fun.

“I love my work and I am so passionate about the Army. I look forward to the future challenges of marriage, motherhood and a successful and competitive career. I think you can have it all, maybe not all at once but I look forward to challenging that space,” Rachel said.

The Australian Army has a host of diverse roles available for women who are looking for a rewarding, flexible and challenging career. The Army has built a formidable reputation based on the core values of courage, initiative, respect and teamwork.

The Army is currently recruiting for General Service Officers. For further information on military training and careers in the Army visit:

defencejobs.gov.au/army or call 13 19 01.