The written English standard required on this site is generally correct and free of errors. If you don't put the effort in, you will be harassed until you do. If you don't conform, your posts will be deleted.
Remember this is NOT text messaging or a MSN conversation. If you're going to write something do it in a semi intelligent manner and write out the full word, use punctuation so as to facilitate readability. Treat this forum as you would a report you were writing for the military; you would be castrated for writing before as b4, using gonna or wanna, im or ive in that situation so please don't do it here.

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Hello and welcome to the forum otherwise known as Australian Special Forces. Unlike the name suggests the majority of users here are people wishing to gain knowledge for their upcoming recruiting into the ADF and not Aus SF. But please read on for our Rules of Engagement regarding this site.

The following are a few dot point on what not to and what to do regarding this forum
• All can post here regardless of military experience
• Join up and browse at the beginning. In other words read more than you post. This forum has its own humor with what everyone is used too. Get the feel for the place before posting.
• Clock up a few posts before adding your humor. Your humor mightn’t be accepted. So abide by the above rule and there will be no problems.
• Be aware there are what we call BTDT (Been There Done That) here. They are here to help in anyway possible to you new comers. But don’t rub them up the wrong way or be prepared for a short an uneventful stay.
• BTDT’s can be recognized by there stunning looks and their massive appendages!
• USE THE FREAKING SEARCH BUTTON! If you have a question, first use the search button or at least try to Google it! If you do a search for it, then pose your question in the following manner. “I have searched but couldn’t find anything on it, could you please tell me how to get to the mess from Battalion Head Quarters”(example only)
• BTDT’s or existing users, if you are going to write off someone’s thread by saying “Use the search Button”. At least provide a link to where they can go. (This doesn't apply to Mods or Admin)
• Once you have decided to add your two cents worth, give a little introduction about yourself, it will help existing users figure out who or what they are dealing with.
• USE CORRECT ENGLISH AND PUNCTUATION! SMS talk is not tolerated.
• When posting a reply. Keep it on topic.
• Do not post in CAPS!
• Icons are great, but don’t over do them.
A few icons per paragraph should do the trick.
• Cadets.. Ahh good old cadets. Cadets don't count, they are not a topic for discussion here.
• Do not post Nudity, Obscene Pictures or anything else likely to offend. (As much as some of us would like, however this site is visited by minors)
• Do not post something that is a direct flame towards someone. Flaming as a newbie is not tolerated here and our moderators will make your stay short.
• Do not think that you must suck up to the Mods or BTDT’s. This is not true. Providing you follow all the rules, YOU ARE ALLOWED YOUR OWN OPINION! However if you haven’t served then don’t expect someone to take your side on your “grandma’s brothers Son’s story”!
• PM’s. Everyone here is entitled the privilege of having private message. But just because you message a serving member for something DON”T expect something back.
• With this grow a thick skin and don’t be easily offended... In other words “Harden the f*** up!”
• Avatars/Usernames. Be careful in what you choose. ie DON’T go calling yourself “hardparatrooper” unless you are or were a Para trooper. By choosing a name or Avatar of something you aren’t may offend some of the serving members here.
• AusSF is a tightly run ship. Poser’s, dickheads and wannabe know it alls are not tolerated.
• If you choose to leave the site, just do so. We don’t want threads started with “I am leaving because!” Nobody will care, nor will anybody beg you to stay.
• Be mindful of Opsec and Persec.
• For the ex or currently serving there is a separate ex/serving member’s forum to post in. Just PM one of the mods or Admin to get access. You will need to give pmkeys, Reg no. for entry.
• Remember, membership here is a privilege, not a right. It is NOT a democracy here. If you don’t like the way things are run here, don’t let the door hit you on the way out!

So there you go, keep to those rules and your stay here will be enjoyable. You will gain a lot of information from people who have served or are going through the same recruiting /training process that you are/will be.

Below is some other useful links that may help you.
Enjoy

Department of Defence

Army

Navy

RAAF

Defence Recruiting

Royal Military College

Defence Force Reserves

Army News

Navy News

RAAF News

RAN Clearance Divers Association

Commando Association

Candidate Resource Centre

To paraphrase from another military forum (which I will not name so as to not flood their forum with a non-target audience):

Font colour. Yes it is an option, but no, there is no need for you to use it for anything more than to highlight a word or two in a post if required.
We've got zero interest in trying to read your pink and purple posts. Stick to black and let the content of your posts make you stand apart, not the colour of your font.

Any posts dominated with coloured font will be edited back to black, doing this will irritate us and will make you someone who draws the crabs. You do not want to draw the crabs.

New users, if you find your account has been deleted, you probably signed up with a username like SAS4life, whodareswins, deltasniper or Commandokilla. Feel free to start a new account with a slightly less imaginative name.

There is a no dick heads policy.

If you get around with your head up your arse, don't be surprised if you get banned.
If you can't communicate in a normal fashion, you're a chance to be banned.
If you have a disconnect between what you are saying to serving/ ex serving defence members online and what would be acceptable face to face, you'll probably end up being banned.
If you demonstrate no ability to learn, you may not be worth the effort and you might get banned.

This isn't a new policy, but with a few members recently bobbing their heads up, it's a point that obviously needs to be highlighted again.