One positive effect of the pandemic
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325818)
Rockingham, Australia
July 7, 2020 3:47am CST
In Australia, one aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic is the surge in enlistments in the military forces. Recruitments are up by 42% compared to last year. Those from the aviation and tourism industries make up the bulk of the new applicants. Women dominate the retail, hospitality, entertainment and other services sectors although male applications have also increased dramatically.
Virgin Airlines is one of the bigger companies that has gone into receivership, resulting in a huge number of job losses.
Compared to the same period in 2019, female applications have increased by 78%. This is believed to be because of the ‘pink recession’ where the pandemic has predominantly affected female roles and casual employment.
The last time such a growth in applications occurred was during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. It is one small upside to the pandemic as Australia has been seeking to recruit more personnel. And at least the Defence Forces won’t need to spend money on a recruitment drive for a while. Applications by West Australians has increased by 38%.
The photo is of my uncle who enrolled in the navy before World War II. When constant sea-sickness began to affect his balance, he was invalided out.
35 people like this
36 responses
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
7 Jul 20
At least we have some positive development. The airline industry is going down and probably out in a few more months.
6 people like this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
7 Jul 20
@JudyEv so the recruitment of the military there is a good sign. It seems that many countries are now intimidated by China unfortunately except us. Our president is very friendly with China.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Jul 20
@Alexandoy China is pouring money into many smaller countries in the region - Fiji is another one. It seems intent on becoming the new America. It doesn't augur well for us as we have nowhere near the military might of China.
3 people like this
@arunima25 (85328)
• Bangalore, India
7 Jul 20
Your uncle looks so handsome in that picture! Good that some good has come out of this bad human crisis. Many in my family served or are serving in Armed Forces. I feel proud of that.
4 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Jul 20
@arunima25 I think sometimes I am off my head but I couldn't stand on my head to save myself. 
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (85328)
• Bangalore, India
7 Jul 20
@JudyEv Oh! Wow. That;s a great balance. It is a very well known yoga pose called shirshasana....balancing on head. Doing it on horse will definitely be way more challenging.
2 people like this
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
7 Jul 20
I just pray to God to help us all about this Corona virus. I hope that there will be a vaccine for this soon 
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Jul 20
@m_audrey6788 It would be great if someone somewhere could come up with something positive.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (12599)
• Ireland
7 Jul 20
@judyev I hope that with the obliteration of the café industry the people who have lost jobs will be able to find work in emerging sectors (whatever they are) rather than see a revival in a surfeit of cafés. The western world seems to have become one big, mediocre cappuccino bar.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Jul 20
You have a good point. Even our small town seems to have more cafes than necessary.
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
7 Jul 20
Everything around is so messed up that it is hard to find the good from all the bad.
3 people like this
@amitkokiladitya (171936)
• Agra, India
7 Jul 20
@JudyEv yes ..so fetching good is like finding needle in a hay
1 person likes this
@Lignitecityabishek96 (7110)
• Cuddalore, India
7 Jul 20
Here in India the situation is getting worse.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 20
@Lignitecityabishek96 Yes, something like that. Let's hope it works.
1 person likes this
@Lignitecityabishek96 (7110)
• Cuddalore, India
8 Jul 20
@JudyEv seems it would take another 2 months of lockdown
1 person likes this
@nawala123 (20852)
• Indonesia
7 Jul 20
You story reminds me, that when the world down, military business then save it, just in the US and Germany before and during the WW2
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 20
@nawala123 It's not very remote these days what with missiles that can travel thousands of kilometres.
1 person likes this
@vladislav (411)
• Indonesia
7 Jul 20
everything has two sides, like coins hehe cheers
3 people like this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
8 Jul 20
@vladislav It's good to stay positive and try to see the good things but I think it is important to try to see both sides of many issues. It's not much good being blind to either the good or the bad.
@vladislav (411)
• Indonesia
7 Jul 20
@JudyEv yeah, so i think it's our perspective to see things
1 person likes this
@ptrikha_2 (45501)
• India
8 Jul 20
Yet the question is : where would all these forces be used? Disaster recovery efforts worldwide?
Because I do not think Australia is going to wage a war on someone?
2 people like this
@ptrikha_2 (45501)
• India
9 Jul 20
@JudyEv
Also I read somewhere that US provides Australia with nuclear support.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 20
The thinking is that we might need to defend ourselves against others one day, for instance, China - not that we'd have a hope of repelling them. We have no desire to go to war with anyone but some countries with huge populations might look at our empty spaces with envy. They are welcome to them really - the empty spaces. They're not very habitable.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
8 Jul 20
My first time hearing the new about Virgin Airlines. That's a shock!
Love the photo. Thanks for sharing real history. I have only memories of photographs like that. When my mother passed away, my brothers took most of her photo albums. But evidently someone in my family was uploading photos to the Internet because I found a picture of my aunt. I remember it was the picture my mother kept in our living room when I was growing up.
It's kind of weird finding a historical family photo on the Internet. You think to yourself: "That history only concerns me. Why would anybody else want to see it?" But then you shared that picture of your uncle and even though I don't know him I sort of felt a connection.
2 people like this
@cmoneyspinner (9221)
• Austin, Texas
9 Jul 20
@JudyEv - Yes. My aunt passed away many years ago. My husband never liked his photos being circulated online but since he passed away my daughter uploaded some photos. I also share some photos.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jul 20
I would never have shared such a photo while he was alive. But people seem to like to see these old photos. I guess there is a certain amount of nostalgia about them. The photos bring back memories for older people - and I guess young ones wonder what it was all about.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325818)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jul 20
@jaboUK Yes thanks. Our state is nearly back to normal - as long as we can keep our borders closed and keep those eastern staters out. lol NSW and Victoria have always thought themselves very superior and have had little regard for some of the other states but they are now the ones hardest hit. Of course, it isn't funny really and Victoria is really having a tough time of it at the moment.
I loved the photo of your flowers. The garden is obviously benefitting from your attentions. :)
@DocAndersen (54411)
• United States
7 Jul 20
i rode Virgin from Melbourne to Canberra i am sorry to hear they are having issues.
2 people like this
@DocAndersen (54411)
• United States
7 Jul 20
@JudyEv The original manager that ran Bain Capital was Mitt Romney.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54411)
• United States
8 Jul 20
@JudyEv he ran for president in the US in 2012. He made his fortune as part of Bain Capital.
1 person likes this
