My name is Robyn Harrison. I enlisted in the Air Force as part of the Women's Royal Australian Air Force (WRAAF) at 19 and I reported to Recruiting in Sydney on July 3, 1972. The idea of leaving home didn’t faze me. I loved recruit training and then onto mustering training as a Stewardess and then posted back to RAAF Base Edinburgh on staff. In December 1973, I was posted to RAAF Base Williamtown, NSW, where I met my husband. I became pregnant and discharged on 24 April 1974. Our two children arrived safely in the intervening years.
I waited until 1979 to try for enlistment again in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). During the interview with the Officer in Charge, I told him I was married with two children. I was denied enlistment until December 1980 when I received the final denial letter stating 'my domestic situation' as the reason. I requested help from The National Committee on Discrimination in Employment and Occupation (NCDEO). They were very excited to be involved regarding my case. I had no idea I would become the first married woman to enlist in Australia's Defence Force history. Finally, I had won my case and enlisted in the RAAF on 3 August 1981. I’m so very very glad I went through that process and seeing the changes to Defence, and meeting Airwomen who achieved their own ‘firsts’ throughout the following years.
In November 1983, I was promoted to Corporal. In 1986, came the marriage separation. My husband and children were posted to Richmond and I was posted to Laverton. In 1989, without any expectation - I’d only served 7.5 years - I received my Sergeant’s rank. My Catering Officer was not accepting the idea. He wanted my promotion withdrawn. During 1981 to 1996, the verbal abuse, harassment, sexual harassment was a continuing battle throughout that time.
The Warrant Officer Disciplinary asked me if I would take the very first all-female Honour Guard for the Minister for Defence in 1989. The excitement started all over again. That was an amazing time. The Honour Guard was all female even our Sergeant photographer. From then on, I carried out duties on ceremonial parades as Sergeant-at-Arms taking lights. Then in 1991, I experienced the highest honour allowed me. I was asked to take the very first all-female Military Funeral Firing Party for an Air Commodore Padre RAAF Vietnam Veteran who had passed away. The Airwomen of the Flight and myself marched to our position. I could never have been prouder of the eight girls; their precision, their diligence to their duty, wanting it right for the family. It was one of my proudest moments during all of my exciting times.
I was posted to Support Command, Melbourne in December 1990, which then became Logistics Command. My duties as Mess Supervisor in the Officers Mess were extremely difficult. Going through abuse and sexual harassment against myself and staff from senior members. The decade of the 1990s was the beginning of the demolition of our country's Defence Forces. Middle management were offered redundancy packages. Senior staff discharged and not replaced. Our personnel were demoralised, wondering whether we would have jobs left. The Messes closed in December 1995.
My posting to Perth, RAAF Base Pearce, was a total shock. It turned out there was not a position for me. Personnel from bases all around Australia were being discharged, classing us as being non-essentials. I personally considered this as disloyalty to our Armed Services and discharged on 7 February 1996. Australian people did not have a 'Battle Ready Defence Force' to defend our country. Thousands of years of work experience gone with the stroke of a pen.
This is the story of Robyn Harrison as told to Carla Edwards.
