Dont get me wrong, the ADF has benefited me heaps. It is perfect for the young, I joined when I was 20. The ADF gives you life experiences you cant get anywhere else and it always looks great on a resume for future work. I got paid to train/study, been deployed to the middle east and saved a fair bit of cash. But now with an instant family on the way with the mrs having triplets I honestly cant see myself moving across Australia every 3 years, its not fair on them. So after 8 years I am discharging and joining QPOL.
I spent about 4 hours on HMAS Parramatta and it felt like I was on that ship for 4 weeks.