Perpetuating the Military Myth – Why the Psychology of the 2014 Australian Defence Pay Deal Is Irrelevant. Issue 3 (16th July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Balint, Peter; Dobos, Ned
• Is Part Of: Australian journal of public administration. Volume 74:Issue 3(2015:Jul.)
• Page Start: 359
• Page End: 363
• Publication Date: 2015-07-16
• Subjects: Public administration -- Australia -- Periodicals; Policy sciences -- Australia -- Periodicals; Australia -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; 351.9405
• DOI: 10.1111/1467-8500.12161
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0313-6647

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>There is a widespread belief that members of the armed forces have a unique psychological relationship with their institution and their nation, and that it is this relationship that leads to loyalty and self‐sacrifice. Yet this 'military myth' does not hold. Many soldiers serve for 'occupational' rather than 'institutional' reasons, and as the experience of private military contractors demonstrates, this need not reduce operational effectiveness. In this article, we argue that the concern expressed in the recent commentary in this journal by Williamson et. al. (2015) that the dispute over the 2014 Australian Defence Pay Deal may damage the 'psychological contract', turn it from 'relational' to 'transactional', and undermine operational effectiveness is unfounded and seems to buy into this military myth.</p> </abstract>