A soldier who converted to Islam says he was branded a "security risk" and told he would never be promoted because of his religion.

Key points:

Australian soldier said he was ostracised after converting to Islam
Much of the alleged discrimination was perpetrated by senior officers
Prominent Muslim naval captain described one of the incidents as "alarming"
The soldier's wife has taken the matter to the Chief of Army
The lance bombardier claims he was also excluded from group counselling sessions and told to find another job "if he wanted to practise Islam properly".

As a drone pilot from the 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition regiment, he spent eight months in Afghanistan in 2011 where he was immersed in the world of military intelligence.

"He's a skilled operator of one of the most technical pieces of equipment we have in the Army," said military lawyer Brian Briggs, who is pursuing a separate compensation claim on behalf of the Brisbane-based soldier.

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"He witnessed some pretty atrocious things where he saw people being killed, not on a daily, but certainly on a regular basis.

"How he's being treated is certainly not good enough."

Anthony John (not his real name) enlisted in the army after the September 11 terrorism attacks in 2001. Eight months later he married an Indonesian woman and converted to Islam.

Australian Muslim soldier praying
PHOTO: Mr John said he was told he should find another job if he wanted to practise Islam. (ABC News: Alex McDonald)
As a serving member of the Australian Defence Force (ADF), he asked not be identified as he feared being targeted by those with an extreme view of Islam.

He believes some of those who serve alongside him fall into that category.

Mr John said he had experienced discrimination repeatedly during his 13-year career, much of it perpetrated by senior army members.

In 2008 — before he joined the surveillance unit — he said a senior army member berated him in front of a group of soldiers.

"My immediate supervisor told me that I would never be deployed or promoted because I'm a security risk," Mr John said. "Because I was a Muslim."

Soldier's colleague fined over anti-Islamic Facebook post

In 2013, a member of his unit posted on social media that all Muslims were "filthy", "scum" and "worthless".

"If they go overseas with that sort of attitude, in a country where they are predominately Muslim, then we're not really setting a good example for ourselves," Mr John said.

"In fact, we're probably making [ourselves] targets."

Racist Facebook comment

Mr John reported the Facebook abuse through his chain of command.

The member responsible was fined $400 and forced to apologise. Mr John said the incident made him deeply unpopular within the regiment.

Last year, he asked to work flexible hours during Ramadan. When his request was refused he approached an Army chaplain for advice.

He said the chaplain suggested he "find another job if he wanted to practise Islam properly".

"I said, 'are you serious?' And he said, 'yes'."

'No evidence' to support discrimination claim

Again he reported the incident internally. But this time he was advised he could be charged with making a vexatious complaint.

Although the Army conceded the conversation had occurred, his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Bede Galvin, said there was no evidence to substantiate his discrimination claim.

His commanding officer suggested it was simply a misunderstanding.

"It clearly was not a misunderstanding between two people," Mr John said.

"I had definitely sought the right advice through the systems available within the military."

The routine inquiry which followed recommended administrative action be taken against Mr John.

The lance bombardier was criticised for using a "religious angle" in his complaint and of being "uncompromising in his expectations".

His commanding officer said there had been "confusion" on both sides and cleared the chaplain of any wrongdoing.

"It was a legitimate complaint," Mr John said. "I hadn't just flown off the handle."

"All I wanted to do was do my job."

He then took his case to the Inspector General of the ADF (IGADF) — an independent body set up to deal with unresolved matters of military justice.

The IGADF found a warrant officer in Mr John's unit had a leadership style that was "incompatible" with the contemporary ADF.

But in a subsequent meeting in June, Lieutenant Colonel Galvin questioned his decision to go outside the chain of command.

"The fact that you went through an anonymous complaint to [IGADF]," Lieutenant Colonel Galvin said, "It would have been very different if you'd given the complaint to me."

"If I don't know about it, I can't do anything about it, and if I lose control of it, I can't help you."

Lawyer Brian Briggs said the alleged discrimination has had a "severe impact" on his client and his family.

it_is_the_light wrote on Jan 31^st, 2016 at 10:35am:




And we expect these poofters to defend us in times of war?

They will hit the enemy with their handbags.

it_is_the_light wrote on Jan 31^st, 2016 at 10:29am:


Women are not always their first choice. Sometimes livestock are dragooned.

Sometimes children.

"The details of a report into the Defence Force have revealed a horrific history of physical and sexual abuse that continues to this day."

"Hundreds of stories poured into the review held by law firm DLA Piper - from acts of ritual bastardisation to horrifying tales of brutal sexual assault against children as young as 13."

ADF Pedos

Been working in the catholic church have we Gregg? Been helping Father Fitzsimon in after Church activities, how to play housie with a five fingered approach?