The Australian Army includes 23.1% officers, the highest percentage in its history. This compares to 20.7% in Nov 96 and 16.7% in 1986. This has happened in spite of efforts to give more responsibility to enlisted personnel and to hire civilian contractors to perform many non-combat jobs. The Australian military says that it has had to hire many more lower-grade officers in order to have personnel qualified for the latest high-tech equipment.--Stephen V Cole
