MILITIA AND A.I.F.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 114, 16 May 1942, Page 5

MILITIA AND A.I.F.

MANY. ENLISTMENTS

(Rec. 9 a.m.)

SYDNEY. May 15

Militiamen are applying in large numbers to join the A.I.F. following the Government decision to permit enlistments from the citizen forces.

The Army Minister. Mr. F. M. Forde. states that he expects large transfers. The Government decision was made as the result of a conference between Mr. Forde and the commander of the Allied land forces. General Blarney. The normal A.I.F. recruiting continues, but Mr. Forde emphasised that there had been no need to appeal for recruits since Japan's entry to the war.

Militiamen serve in Australia under the same conditions of training, pay, and pension rights as the A.I.F. They can be sent to serve in mandated territories, but they are not permitted to wear "A.1.F." on a grey background or colour patches or "Australia" on their shoulder badge. LOWER STANDARD. Mr. Forde announced that the A.I.F. physical standards will be lowered to permit militiamen of inferior physique to join the A.I.F. The Minister stated that it was now considered that if a man was fit to fight in Australia he should be fit to fight outside Australia. Militia officers and non-coms will retain their militia ranks on transfer to the A.I.F. "It is believed now that all barriers to militiamen joining the A.I.F. have been removed. Few men hesitate to volunteer for service abroad," says a Sydney newspaper. Militia transfers to the A.I.F. were stopped when Japan entered the war.