Differences by service

Of the 1,215 ex-serving ADF SHS clients, 7 in 10 (71%) discharged from the Army, 20% from the Navy, and 9% from the Air Force. The proportion of ex-serving ADF members discharged from the Army was higher among SHS clients (71%) than non-clients (65%), indicating they are over-represented among ex-serving ADF SHS clients. In contrast, the proportion of ex-serving ADF SHS clients discharged from the Air Force (9%) was lower than among ex-serving ADF members who were not clients (16%), indicating they are under-represented among ex-serving ADF SHS clients. 

Some differences existed in the demographic and service characteristics among ex-serving ADF SHS clients between each service: 

  • Army and Navy members served for a shorter time, compared with Air Force members—64% of Army and 66% of Navy members served for less than 5 years, compared with 46% of Air Force members.
  • A higher proportion of Army members were men (82%), compared with Navy (69%) and Air Force members (63%).
  • Army and Navy members were younger than Air Force members—54% of Navy and 45% of Army members were aged less than 35 as at the end of the reporting period (30 June 2017), compared with 21% of Air Force members.
  • Air Force members were more likely to have discharged voluntarily (62%), compared with Army or Navy members (50% and 27%, respectively). 

These differences were also evident in the overall population of contemporary ex-serving ADF members. This suggests that the differences between each service in the use of SHS may be due to demographic and service characteristics, such as the relative proportions of men and women.  

There were also a number of other differences between each service: 

  • 39% of Air Force members were homeless at the start of support, and 28% were homeless at the end of support, which was lower than for Army and Navy members—46% and 47% respectively at the start of support and 41% and 45% respectively at the end.
  • Army (39%) and Navy members (42%) were more likely to indicate that their main reason for seeking assistance at the start of support was accommodation, compared with Air Force members (33%).
  • A higher proportion of Army and Navy members (66% and 62%, respectively) were assessed as needing accommodation of any type, compared with Air Force members (56%).
  • A higher proportion of Air Force members (44%) were assessed as needing assistance to sustain their housing tenure, compared with Army members (37%). This reflects the fact that at the start of support, a higher proportion of Air Force members were housed but were at risk of homelessness (61%), compared with Army members (54%).  
  • A higher proportion of Air Force members had a support period end because their needs were met or their goals were achieved (66%), compared with Army members (61%). 
  • A higher proportion of Air Force (19%) and Navy members (21%) needed domestic and family violence services, compared with Army members (13%). It should be noted that 79% of ex-serving ADF SHS clients assessed as needing these services were women, and there was a higher proportion of women among Air Force (37%) and Navy members (31%) compared with Army members (18%).