AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES RELIEF TRUST FUND SEVENTY‐ONE ANNUAL REPORT

Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel

Dear Minister

The Trustees of the Australian Military Forces Relief Trust Fund (AMFRTF), trading as the Army Relief Trust Fund (ARTF), have the honour to submit their report of operations for the year ended 30^th June 2019 (the period). This report is accompanied by audited Financial Statements for the period and associated notes which are to be read as part of this report.

The AMFRTF was established by the Services Trust Funds Act 1947. The AMFRTF provides benefits through loans and grants that contribute to the welfare of members of the Australian Army, in particular members who have served in the Australian Army and for the dependants of these members.

Ministerial Directions and Finance Minister’s Orders

There were no Ministerial Directions or Finance Minister’s Orders issued to the AMFRTF during
the period.

Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013

The AMFRTF complies with the requirements of the Public Governance, Performance and
Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act) with respect to:

• reporting to Minister and Parliament;
• content of Annual Report;
• audit of the AMFRTF's Financial Statements by the Auditor‐General;
• banking and investment powers of authorities;
• general policies of the Australian Government; and
• conduct of directors and officers, including the civil consequences of any breach of their duties by the directors and officers.

Significant non‐compliance issues with finance law

Section 17AG and 17BE of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Rule require that Commonwealth entities' annual reports must include a statement of any significant oncompliance issues that relate to the finance law that were reported to the responsible Minister under paragraph 19(1)(e) of the PGPA Act. During the reporting period there were no noncompliance issues reported.

Statutory powers of direction

The AMFRTF is a corporate Commonwealth entity and operates within the Defence Portfolio
reporting to the Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel.

The Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel may, by instrument in writing published in the
Gazette, authorise the Trustees to administer other property. This authority was not exercised
during the year.

Reviews by outside bodies

The Fund's financial statements are audited annually, in accordance with the requirements of the
Services Trust Funds ACT 1947, by the Australian National Audit Office.

Risk Management and Fraud Control

The Trustees have established a risk management and fraud control plan in line with the
Commonwealth’s endeavours to make risk management an integral part of everyday business
practice. The AMFRTF adopts Commonwealth and Defence best practice for risk management and fraud control to meet obligations to Army members and the Australian Government. The AMFRTF Risk Management and Fraud Control Plan was reviewed and updated in April 2019.

Work Health and Safety

The Trustees and all those who assist the Trustees are either members of the Army or the
Australian Public Service (APS), and undertake their duties as part of their service in the Army or
employment in the APS. The Fund utilises the Department of Defence’s work health and safety
protocols, security, training, welfare, reporting and other systems to ensure the health and safety
of the Trustees and its APS staff.

Indemnities and insurance premiums for officers

The AMFRTF has taken out insurance coverage with Comcover for directors and officers’ liability,
fraud and fidelity, general liability and personal accident. There were no related incident claims
during the period.

Audit Committee

In accordance with the requirements of the PGPA Act the Fund has established an Audit
Committee. The Audit Committee provides advice to the Trustees and its main objectives are:

• review internal controls and ensure adequate procedures are in place;
• review risk management and fraud control practices;
• improve the objectivity and reliability of financial reporting, and
• ensure the Board complies with all governance and other obligations.

Board of Trustees

The Services Trust Funds Act 1947 provides for the establishment of the AMFRTF and the termination and appointment of Trustees by the responsible Minister.

Trustees attendances at Board meetings

Board Members during 2018 ‐19

Brigadier L. Wilton, AM
Brigadier Leigh Wilton graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, to the Royal
Australian Army Ordnance Corps (RAAOC) in 1991. Her early appointments included regimental
and staff positions as a supply officer, and as a project manager involved in the enhancement of
the Standard Defence Supply System.

Brigadier Wilton’s command experience includes a posting as the Officer Commanding Supply
Company, 7th Combat Service Support Battalion and, being appointed as the inaugural
Commanding Officer/Chief Instructor of the Army School of Ordnance.

Brigadier Wilton has held a range of staff appointments at both Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel.
She has held positions as the Senior Officer Manager within the Career Management Agency,
Directing Staff at both the Australian Command and Staff College (ACSC) and the Centre for
Defence and Strategic Studies (CDSS), and as the Chief of Staff for Headquarters 633 – Afghanistan, and Chief of Staff for Army Headquarters.

Brigadier Wilton is a graduate of ACSC and CDSS. She holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Studies, a Masters of Management, a Bachelor of Business and a Graduate Diploma in Information Systems. Brigadier Wilton has also completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course.

Brigadier Wilton was appointed as the Director General Personnel – Army in 2016. In this role she
also holds the appointment as Deputy Head Army People, and was recently recognised for her
work by being awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) on the Queen's Birthday 2018.

Brigadier W.B. Stothart, DSC, AM, CSC
Brigadier Wade Stothart joined the Army in 1987 and graduated from the Australian Defence
Force Academy (ADFA) with a Bachelor of Arts in 1989. He graduated from the Royal Military
College (RMC) in 1990 and was commissioned to infantry and posted to the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR). Brigadier Stothart has served in a variety of regimental and training positions. He served as a Company Commander in 1 RAR in 2000/01 and had the honour to command 3 RAR, ‘Old Faithful’, in 2008/09.

Operational service has included a tour in Bosnia 1997/98 as part of the NATO Stabilisation Force
(SFOR). He deployed to East Timor as a Company Commander with 1 RAR in 2000/01 and returned in 2008, with the majority of 3 RAR, in command of the ANZAC Battle Group. In July 2013 Brigadier Stothart deployed to Afghanistan as Commander Combined Team – Uruzgan (CT‐U)
until its end of mission on 15 December 2013. During this tour he was responsible for the transfer
of responsibility for security in Uruzgan Province to the Afghan National Security Forces and the
withdrawal of Coalition Forces. Brigadier Stothart is currently deployed to the Middle East as the
CJ5 in the Headquarters of the Combined Joint Task Force ‐ Operation Inherent Resolve, based in
Kuwait.

Staff appointments have included Strategic Operations Division, Personnel Branch, Future Land
Warfare Branch and Chief of Staff Branch in Army Headquarters. In 2006 Brigadier Stothart was
the Staff Officer Policy to the Chief of the Defence Force and in 2010 he was the Military Assistant
to Commander Forces Command. He was appointed as the Director of Officer Career Management‐ Army, on promotion to Colonel, in 2011. In March 2015 he was promoted to Brigadier and took up the role of Director General Career Management ‐ Army. He will take up his next appointment as Director General Army People Capability in February 2019.

Brigadier Stothart completed a Master of Arts in International Relations from Deakin University
in 2001. During his attendance at the Australian Command and Staff College course in 2002 he
completed a Masters of Management through the University of Canberra, and for his performance
at Staff College was awarded the Governor General’s Prize. Brigadier Stothart attended the Centre for Defence Studies in 2014 and completed a Masters of Politics and Policy from Deakin University and was awarded the Vice Chief of the Defence Force Prize. On Australia Day 2013, Brigadier Stothart was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to Army in command and staff appointments. On Australia Day 2015, he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross for distinguished command and leadership as Commander Combined Team ‐ Uruzgan. On the Queen’s Birthday in 2018 Brigadier Stothart was awarded a Conspicuous Service Cross for his contribution to Army people capability.

He has been married to Susan for 19 years and they have been blessed with two sons, Hugh (16)
and Owen (14). Brigadier Stothart’s interests include reading, current affairs and being actively
involved in his sons sporting and school communities. He is a keen supporter of Australian Rules
Football and supports Richmond.

Major J. Denton
Major Denton enlisted in the Army Reserve in 1990 as a Private in the Royal Australian Pay Corps.
She trained as a Unit Pay Representative and was posted to a variety of HQ 2 Division Units. Major Denton undertook continuous full time service from 1998 to 1999 and was commissioned during that time.

Major Denton has worked in a variety of roles as a member of the Australian Public Service
including service in the Directorate of Business Management ‐ HQJOC. Other civilian employment
included contract accounting roles with the NSW State Government, various emergency services
roles and, more recently, working as an Entitlements Advisor with ex‐members assisting with their Department of Veterans Affairs claims.

Major Denton is a Certified Practicing Accountant with CPA Australia and has been awarded a
Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from the University of Wollongong as well as several post
graduate qualifications. During her service with Army, Major Denton has deployed to the USA on
Talisman Saber 2009 as the Blue Force Assistant Financial Advisor.

Major Denton is currently on a fixed period of service and her current posting is as Staff Officer
Grade 2 Workforce Supply (ARA) in Army HQ.

Mr T. Heenan
Tim graduated from the Officer Cadet School Portsea in December 1978 into the Royal Australian
Infantry. He served a variety of regimental and non‐corps postings with 5/7 RAR and various
training and headquarters units. In 1990 he undertook Technical Staff Officer training at the Royal
Military College of Science, Shrivenham UK, and in 1993 he attended the Army Command and Staff Course at Queenscliff.

During his later tenure with the ADF he served in Force Development (Land) within Headquarters
ADF, and from 1997‐1999 served as Project Manager of the Ground Surveillance Radar program
within Project NINOX.

Tim left the Army in March 2000 to join the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), initially to coordinate DMO input into the ongoing review of the Capability Life Cycle Management Handbook and then to coordinate development of the Naval Shipbuilding and Repair Sector Strategic Plan submitted to Government in mid 2002.
In August 2002, Tim took up a three year exchange posting within the Office of the US Under
Secretary of Defence (Acquisition, Technology & Logistics) located within the Pentagon.

In April 2006 Tim was seconded to the ADF’s Counter Improvised Threat Task Force, precursor
to his current position within the JCIT TF. In this role he has been responsible for developing and
implementing Defence’s bilateral and multilateral Improvised Threat information sharing framework and related strategic policy documentation. In this capacity he continues to maintain
close linkages with Defence military personnel deployed on operations.

Captain D. Khanenkov
Captain Dmitry Khanenkov was born in Volgograd, Russia, on 16 May 1986. He migrated to
Australia in 2008, and acquired Australian citizenship in July 2014.

Captain Khanenkov enlisted in the Australian Regular Army on 30 June 2015 and was posted to
Headquarters Army Financial Services Unit. In 2016 he was posted to the Operations Cell of the
Army Compliance and Assurance Unit. In January 2019 Captain Khanenkov was posted to Resource Management —Army cell of Directorate of Preparedness in Land Operations Branch of
Army Headquarters.

Captain Khanenkov is a member of the Audit Committee of Army Relief Trust Fund.

Captain Khanenkov has a Bachelor of Economics and Graduate Diploma of Accounting; and also
holds associate membership with CPA. He is currently studying a Masters of Strategic People Management at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

Ms M. Hannaford
Michelle Hannaford commenced with the Department of Defence as a public servant in 2007,
and has held various finance and specialist human resource roles across Army. Michelle is
currently the Staff Officer Cultural Renewal – Army.

Michelle has worked across a wide range of Army’s personnel areas including the Directorate of
Officer Career Management, Directorate of Reserve Career Management, and the Career Management Executive. In 2012, Michelle transferred to Director General Personnel – Army to
undertake specialist Human Resources functions in the field of organisational change as the Staff
Officer Diversity – Army and most recently as the Staff Officer Cultural Renewal – Army. In 2015,
Michelle also spent time on secondment to Defence People Group in the Organisational Development Unit as the Assistant Director – Pathway to Change. Prior to her career in Defence,
Michelle gained qualifications as an embalmer completing ten years in the funeral industry across
a range of operational and managerial roles.

Michelle holds a Bachelor of Business with Distinction and a Masters of Terrorism and Security.

Warrant Officer Class One MJ Bates
Warrant Officer Michael Bates enlisted in the Australian Regular Army on 9 March 1988. After
recruit training he was allocated to the Royal Australian Engineers and posted to 7th Field
Squadron in Enoggera, QLD.

After deploying to Namibia in 1989 he was posted to 18th Field Squadron in Townsville, QLD.
After completing six years at 18th Field Sqn and later 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment he was
posted to the School of Military Engineering as an instructor.

Warrant Officer Bates has had further deployments to Kuwait, East Timor, IRAQ, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands. In Dec 2007 he posted to the Counter Explosive Hazards Centre in Fort
Leonard Wood, Missouri, USA for 24 months.

Upon his return from the USA, he was promoted to Warrant officer Class One and appointed as
the Regimental Sergeant Major of 21st Construction Regiment. During his tenure at 21st onstruction Regiment Warrant Officer Bates deployed to CTF635 Operation Anode‐Solomon
Islands as the Regimental Sergeant Major for that Task Force. In 2014 he was appointed the
Regimental Sergeant Major of 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment and in his second year deployed
to Vanuatu as part of Operation Pacific Assist.

In January 2016 Warrant Officer Bates was appointed as the Career Advisor for Combat Engineer and Explosive Ordnance Disposal trades. As of January 2018 he was appointed as the
Regimental Sergeant Major Ceremonial – Army.

Warrant Officer Class One Ken Bullman, OAM
Warrant Officer Class One Ken Bullman was born in 1966 and raised in Sydney until enlisting in
the Australian Regular Army in March 1984. After graduating from Kapooka, he was allocated to
the Royal Australian Infantry Corps and initially served in the 3rd Battalion, the Royal Australian
Regiment until transferring to the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police in 1988. Warrant Officer Bullman was posted to numerous domestic and field policing units in Sydney, Brisbane, Wagga Wagga, Bandiana, and Townsville including an instructional posting at the Australian Defence Force Academy Canberra.

After successful completion of the Regimental Sergeant Major Course he advanced to the rank of
Warrant Officer Class One and commenced his regimental appointments in 2006 as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the 1st Military Police Battalion followed by the Regimental
Sergeant Major of the Defence Police Training Centre in 2008.

In 2010, Warrant Officer Bullman graduated from the Australian Command and Staff College
Canberra. This saw the commencement of his formation level appointments as the Regimental
Sergeant Major of the Royal Military College Duntroon in 2011, the Royal Military College of
Australia in 2012 and the 4th Brigade in 2015. In 2017, he was appointed as the Command
Sergeant Major of Training and Doctrine Forces Command.

In August 2018, Warrant Officer Bullman commenced his current appointment as the Regimental Sergeant Major Career Management Army and continues to hold the appointment as Corps Regimental Sergeant Major of the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police.

Overseas representational duties have included exchange and regimental duties in the United
Kingdom, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, France and Belgium.

Operational experience includes Operation Relex II Border Control operations in 2002; Operation
Bel Isi Bougainville in 2003; Operation Catalyst Iraq in 2005; and Operation Slipper Afghanistan
in 2013‐14.

He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday
Honours List for meritorious service during successive appointments within the 1st Military
Police Battalion. In the 2012 Bravery Council Honours List he was awarded the Commendation
for Brave Conduct for his role in a building fire at the Royal Military College Duntroon. In 2014
he was awarded the United States Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service during Operation
Enduring Freedom with the 205th Coalition Advisory Team and the US 4th Infantry Division
Afghanistan.

Warrant Officer Bullman is married to Valda and together has three children Kristy, Gareth and Dael who are all serving soldiers in the Australian Regular Army.

Major Caroline Lee Kelly, CSM
Major Kelly entered the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1991 and graduated with a Bachelor
of Arts (Economics) in 1993. She subsequently graduated from the Royal Military College in 1994
into the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps. Postings as a Lieutenant include South Queensland Logistic Group, as the Administration Officer, and the 3rd Brigade Administrative
Support Battalion as the Pl Commander of the Supply and Combat Supply Platoons.

In 1998, Major Kelly was promoted to Captain and posted to Headquarters 5th Brigade as the
Staff Officer Grade 3 Personnel and Logistics. During this posting Major Kelly acted as the Divisional Adjutant Quarter Master General of the 5th Brigade and was awarded a Commander
2nd Division commendation. At the conclusion of this posting, Major Kelly transferred to the Army
Reserve to concentrate on raising her family.

During the period 2006‐2009, Major Kelly undertook project work in Unrecovered War Casualties
– Army (UWC‐A) where she worked to locate, identify, repatriate and reinter the remains of soldiers from past conflicts. Major Kelly was awarded a Conspicuous Service Medal in the 2009
Queens Birthday Honours for her work during this period.

In June 2013, Major Kelly was promoted to Major upon re‐enlistment into the Australian Regular
Army and worked in Post Group of the Directorate of Career Management ‐ Army. For her work
in this role, Major Kelly was awarded a Deputy Chief of Army commendation.

After completing a Master of Business full time in 2016, Major Kelly has been employed in the
Directorate of Personnel – Army in the Culture and Diversity section of Workforce Strategy –
Army.

She is married to David, a serving Army Officer, and has two children aged 17 and 18.

Funding Assistance Provided

Loans assistance provided

The Fund has provided loan assistance totalling $77,970,853 to serving members since its inception. Loan assistance provided by the Fund in the last 10 years is as follows:

Grants assistance provided

The Fund has provided grant assistance totalling $107,595 to eligible members and persons since its inception. This includes an approximate total of 1,903 individuals who were determined to be in needy or necessitous circumstances. These circumstances have varied from bushfire, drought and flood relief to the purchase of medical equipment to helping with general living expenses.

The Fund has also made a practice of converting outstanding loan balances owing by deceased members to grants. In this reporting period, no loans were converted to a grant.

Two hardship grants to the value of $3,843 were provided to support a former Army member for medical assistance and a current member’s dependents during the reporting period.

Conclusion

The Trustees are responsible, under the PGPA Act, for the preparation and content of the report of operations in accordance with the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability (Financial Reporting) Rule 2015. This report of operations is made in accordance with a resolution of the Trustees and is signed for and on behalf of the Trustees.

Director's Report Signatures