Contact us | Army.gov.au

Defence National Switchboard

Due to privacy policies and security issues, Department of Defence will not to release contact details of its employees. All enquiries should be directed to the Defence National Switchboard on 1300 333 362 (from Australia) or +61 2 6144 9190 (if calling from overseas).

Defence Service Centre

The Defence Service Centre can assist current and former members with general enquiries, personal administration services, human resources, payroll group certificates, service records and honours and awards.

To contact Defence Service Centre call 1800 333 362.

Recruitment information

Defence Force Recruiting can assist with all recruiting enquiries including jobs available in the Australian Army, entry requirements and lateral transfers.

To contact Defence Force Recruiting call 13 19 01 or visit the Defence Jobs website.

Media contacts

Defence Media

Defence Media can assist with media enquiries relating to Army, as well as enquiries regarding support to films, television programs, books and other non-news media.

To contact Defence Media call (02) 6127 1999 (from Australia) or email media@defence.gov.au.

Noise alerts

Information on upcoming Australian Defence Force activities, including helicopter-training exercises, is available from the Army website.

Information about the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Australian Air Force activities is available from the Defence website.

Requests for Army personnel visits, speeches or ceremonial displays

To enquire about Army personnel visits, speeches or ceremonial displays contact your regions ceremonial officer available on the Defence website.

Social media

The Army Social Media Coordinator can assist with enquiries about Army's social media channels or Army's involvement in social media and can be contacted at army.socialmedia@defence.gov.au.

The official Australian Army online channels are:

Website: https://www.army.gov.au
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AustralianArmy
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AustralianArmy
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/AustralianArmyHQ
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AustralianArmy
LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/australian-army

Other contacts

Defence Legal

General legal enquiries can be made by contacting Defence Legal via the Directorate of Litigation. They can also assist with enquires relating to personal injury claims, responding to court orders such as subpoenas and summons, coronial inquests, debt recovery, compensation claims and aircraft noise complaints.

To contact Defence Legal email defencelegal.litigation@defence.gov.au or visit the Defence Legal website for more information.

Using Army and other Service emblems

All Australian Army emblems are protected by legislation. For information on using Army emblems, visit Protecting Australian Army Emblems.

For information on using the Australian Defence Force, Royal Australian Navy or Royal Australian Air Force emblems, please contact the Service Brand Manager via email:

Australian Defence Force Brand Manager: adf.emblems@defence.gov.au
Royal Australian Navy Brand Manager: navy.brand@defence.gov.au
Royal Australian Air Force: raaf.brandmanager@defence.gov.au

Medal entitlements and applications

The Army Ceremonial Cell can assist with enquiries relating to the Infantry Combat Badge, Army Combat Badge, Army Remembrance Pin and the Soldiers Medallion for Exemplary Service.

To contact the Army Ceremonial Cell email army.ceremonial@defence.gov.au or visit Honours and Awards for more information.

For information and applications for all other medals, please visit the Defence Honours and Awards website.

Unrecovered War Casualties

Unrecovered War Casualties is responsible for matters associated with Australian Army soldiers who remain unaccounted for from all wars. Registration on the next of kin database provides descendants with an opportunity to assist in the identification of soldiers who may be recovered around the world.

More information about Unrecovered War Casualties.

To register for the next of kin database please email army.uwc@defence.gov.au or call 1800 019 090.

Doing business with Defence

For information about doing business with Defence, including contracting, innovation and tenders, please visit the Doing Business with Defence website.

Requests for information on unsolicited business proposals can be sent to the Office of Defence Industry Support via email odis.contact@defence.gov.au.

Returning old uniforms or equipment

Issued uniforms and equipment can be returned to your nearest unit, who will dispose of the items in the appropriate manner. The easiest way to find your nearest unit is to call the National Defence Switchboard.

To contact the Defence National Switchboard call 1300 333 362 (from Australia) or +61 2 6144 9190 (if calling from overseas).

Military equipment disposal

If you are interested in obtaining ex-military equipment, please refer to the Australian Military Sales Office website.

Health and welfare contacts

Army Fair Go Hotline (1800 100 064)

The Army Fair Go Hotline is available to current and former Army personnel and their families to seek advice on how to report occurrences of unacceptable behaviour and other sensitive issues. Before calling, members should first review the Incident Reporting Hub, the Complaints and Alternative Resolutions Manual and endeavour to raise the matter with their chain of command.

Operating Hours: 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Serving members who call the Army Fair Go Hotline from a DPN enabled device, or phone number registered on the corporate directory, may be identifiable to the advice provider. However, your anonymity is assured and your information will only be used if you provide permission to do so.

Defence Member and Family Support

On behalf of Navy, Army and Air Force, Defence Member and Family Support, or DMFS, offers a broad range of programs and services to help Defence families manage the military way of life.

To access any of the Defence Member and Family Support services, contact the all-hours Defence Family Helpline on 1800 624 608 or email memberandfamilyhelpline@defence.gov.au.

Support for those impacted by the Afghanistan Inquiry

For people seeking support for issues related to Afghanistan Inquiry, a comprehensive list of welfare support services for current and former Defence members and their families is available on the Afghanistan Inquiry website: https://afghanistaninquiry.defence.gov.au/

You can also download the pdf ‘Welfare support for those impacted by issues relating to the Afghanistan Inquiry’ for further information on the support available and a list of contacts.

Scams and safety information

Common scams

Scammers can claim to be serving with the Australian Army to try to take advantage of members of the public. This information may help you to determine if you are being scammed. Army personnel are not charged money to go on leave, for secure communications, or to get married. Army personnel receive free medical and dental care while serving full-time, which covers their medical costs when treated at civilian health care facilities. Family and friends do not need to pay their medical expenses. Military equipment is not used to transport privately owned vehicles. Army personnel do not need to solicit money from the public to feed or house their troops on deployment.

Anyone who contacts you regarding any of these or similar matters may be posing as a member of the Australian Army in order to deceive you. Impersonating a member of the Australian Army is an offence under the Defence Act (1903).

We urge you to immediately cease all contact with the individual and call the non-emergency Police Assistance Line on 131 444 and visit the SCAMWatch website for more information.

Unauthorised websites and products using Australian Army branding

Scammers can use elements of Army's brand to imply that websites or products are endorsed by the Australian Army. The Australian Army does not produce or provide products for sale directly to the public. There are a small number of organisations with permission to use the Army's brand on commercial products for charitable purposes.

Please notify the Army Brand Manager if you believe you have visited an unauthorised Army website or wish to report the sale of items that you believe are unauthorised, via email army.brandmanager@defence.gov.au. Please include the website address and screenshots.

Unexploded ordnance in Australia

Ammunition which has been fired, but has not gone off, is known as unexploded ordnance. If you find a suspicious item that you believe may be unexploded ordnance:

DO NOT TOUCH IT. It may have been there for many years and won't hurt you if you don't disturb it. Do not attempt to move the item to a 'safe' location.
Mark the location so that it can be found later. Coloured tape or paint make easily recognised marker material.
Inform the property owner, park ranger, prime contractor or site foreman or supervisor of the find.
Contact the Police (emergency 000). Inform them that an ammunition item has been found. They will instigate a request for Defence personnel to attend and dispose of the item.

Apart from deliberate disturbance (picking up, playing with, kicking, throwing, etc), there have been no known instances, in Australia, of unexploded ordnance injuring a member of the public.