http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/peter-criss/ Peter Criss was a long-serving Royal Australian Air Force officer who rose to the rank of Air Vice-Marshal and served as Air Commander Australia in 1999 during the build-up and initial deployment of Australian military forces to East Timor. He was awarded the Order of Australia (AM) and the Air Force Cross for dedication and service to the Royal Australian Air Force. Now retired, Peter resides on the South Coast of New South Wales at Malua Bay. Whilst in the RAAF he flew Vampire, Sabre, Mirage and F-111 aircraft and accrued over 5000 hours in combat jet aircraft. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Vets-need-super-not-a-war-with-the-government/ Veterans are once again engaged in battle, but this time they are not fighting on behalf of the Australian Government. They are fighting against it. Serving and retired military personnel continue to be seriously financially disadvantaged by deliberate Government policy and they demand justice. Armed with flyers and posters, they are engaging with the general public in Operation AWARE to explain their grievances and increase awareness and support for change in Federal Government attitude, an attitude that callously refuses to acknowledge the Government’s financial obligations to current and former Diggers, their widows and those who are on invalid and disabled pensions.  feedback@thepunch.com.au (Peter Criss) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Vets-need-super-not-a-war-with-the-government/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Vets-need-super-not-a-war-with-the-government/#item8157 Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:30:15 +0000 Peter Criss | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/military-superannuation-pensions-need-protection/ The Deputy Prime Minister, Wayne Swan, spoke at the National Press Club, Canberra, on Monday – the topic, The Rising Influence of Vested Interests in Australia. In a supporting essay Mr Swan wrote: “We’ve always prided ourselves on being a nation that’s more equal than most – a place where, if you work hard, you can create a better life for yourself and your family.”  Members and retirees of the Australian Defence Force champion this principle. The trouble is the veterans have had with successive governments is that they’ve not been fair regarding the indexation of their superannuation. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Peter Criss) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/military-superannuation-pensions-need-protection/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/military-superannuation-pensions-need-protection/#item7961 Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:50:49 +0000 Peter Criss | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/War-is-hell-and-military-life-is-no-picnic/ The reader response to The Punch article, 12 January 2012, “Why have we abandoned our troops?” highlighted a deep misunderstanding of the central tenet of the article, and, more worryingly, a flawed knowledge of the actual conditions of service applicable in the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Some of the more ill-informed myths about what entitlements our military men and women received were: • Tax free salaries – No (but there are some concessions when deployed to war zones). feedback@thepunch.com.au (Peter Criss) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/War-is-hell-and-military-life-is-no-picnic/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/War-is-hell-and-military-life-is-no-picnic/#item7624 Sun, 29 Jan 2012 19:45:31 +0000 Peter Criss | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-have-we-abandonded-our-troops/ “The willingness of future generations to serve in our military will be directly dependent upon how we have treated those who have served in the past.”  George Washington. So the politicians have seen fit to grant themselves another pay rise. No, sorry, the Federal Remuneration Tribunal has granted them a pay rise and they have accepted its ruling. Changing the legislation to say no is apparently not an option. What many may not realise is that politician pay rises benefit not just current politicians, but all qualifying pre-2004 retired politicians. If those retired politicians are survived by their spouse this pay rise also goes to them. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Peter Criss) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-have-we-abandonded-our-troops/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/why-have-we-abandonded-our-troops/#item7511 Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:00:57 +0000 Peter Criss | Author bios | The Punch