Enlistment Signal
Well, it’s been a while since I last posted, but honestly, not much had happened until this past couple of weeks. The OLRS team confirmed our visa approvals and sent me an email with five potential enlistment dates, all based on my termination date. We picked our preferred date, sent it off, and then played the waiting game for another few weeks until the enlistment signal arrived.
About four weeks after our visas were approved, we received the signal, which was packed with all the juicy details from the Letter of Offer (LOO). This signal essentially kick-starts the admin and logistics chain. It gave us a timeline for when our hosting officer would get in touch, along with crucial info about housing and embassy details.
My hosting officer did indeed reach out via email, and since then, we’ve had several FaceTime chats. These conversations have been a great opportunity to discuss everything from work to family life, really setting the scene for what’s in store when we finally touch down in Australia. And despite the horror stories floating around about having to dive straight into work, I’m happy to report that’s not the case for me. Phew!
Housing
About three weeks after we received the signal, Defence Housing Australia (DHA) reached out. They sent a form for us to fill out so they could assess our criteria and allocate a rent band. The whole system works online, allowing us to search for houses in our posting location. However, there’s a bit of a catch—since the Army doesn’t issue your PMKeys (think army ID number) until you officially enlist in London, the process is handled manually by DHA housing specialists. DHA will send you a PDF document which provides detailes of the property and some pictures. I had added an example here https://newadventuresdownunder.com/links/. For more info on housing and the costs etc follow here is the link https://pay-conditions.defence.gov.au/pacman/chapter-7/part-6
The first house they offered us, Let’s just say it had “character,” but was a solid 40-minute drive from my base and not in the location we wanted. After a few emails and phone calls to DHA, explaining our desired area, they informed us that, due to a lack of available housing, we should accept the first offer and they would review our case every two weeks. True to their word, they’ve now allocated us a house in our preferred location. We can’t officially “lock it in” until we create our account on enlistment day, but we’re cautiously optimistic!
Flights
In early August, the embassy reached out requesting our passport details, names, ages, and so on. This is all part of booking our flights, which they’ve now confirmed—with a two-night stopover in Singapore, no less! The form they sent asked if we’d like to take our relocation time via a stopover or once we arrive in Australia. The flights are business class with a 40kg baggage allowance per person. I have to say, what a great way to start our Australia journey.
London
Before enlistment day, we’ll be booked into a hotel for the night. I cheekily asked if we could head down to London on the 4th to squeeze in some extra time in the city, and they were fine with it, though I’ll be paying for the additional night. The hotel they often use is the Thistle in Kensington https://www.thistle.com/kensington-gardens More on that to come!
In a nutshell, our move to Australia is officially in motion, with visas approved, housing allocated, and flights booked. There have been a few bumps along the way, but we’re on track and excited for this new adventure. Next stop: pack the house and enlist in London, then it’s off to the Land Down Under! Bring on the kangaroos, koalas, and (hopefully) a BBQ or two.
The next post I’ll talk money and how I managed to order a new car ready for when we arrive…
