How was your day?
Get it off your chest.
Navy, Army and Air Force, permanent and reserve, and Defence civilians. Put down what you're carrying before you go home or back to the lines.
Which best describes you?
This changes a few questions and which support lines come first. You can change it any time.
Everything you enter stays on this phone. Nothing is sent to your chain of command, Defence or anyone else. Unladen Ranks is a prototype. It is not a medical or emergency service and is not connected to Defence or any government agency. · Give feedback
Take a moment.
Find somewhere quiet if you can. Take a few minutes. That's allowed.
Breathe with this
What you might be feeling
- Shaky, sick, or a racing heart
- Numb, or oddly calm
- Tearful, angry, or both
- Going over what you could have done differently
These are normal reactions. They usually settle over hours or days.
If what happened won't leave you
Talk to someone today. The ADF All-hours Support Line (1800 628 036) is confidential and 24/7, and Open Arms (1800 011 046) offers free counselling.
Ground yourself
Look around. Name them, out loud or in your head.
Call someone now
Add a mate, a chaplain or the All-hours Support Line in so they're here when you need them.
Not sure who to tell?
If you don't feel safe telling your chain of command, there are other people you can go to. Or write down what happened, just for you, while it's fresh.
What helps after
Handover to yourself
A few minutes at the end of the day. Notice what you're carrying, then put down what you can.
Please talk to someone now
You said you've had thoughts of harming yourself or not wanting to be here. Please call one of these now. If you're in immediate danger, call 000.
Light load
This phone isn't letting the page save. Your result shows here but won't be kept.
Your safety
You said you didn't feel fully safe. That matters. You can get confidential support outside your chain of command, any time.
Getting home safely
You said you've got very little energy left. If you're driving, a 15 to 20 minute nap before you leave can help, or get a lift. Text someone when you're home.
What might help
People you can call
This isn't a medical assessment. It's a way to notice how you're going over time.
How it's been going
Last 14 days
Handovers
This phone isn't letting the page save, so handovers won't be kept.
Privacy & your data
Add a PIN, download what you've entered, or delete everything from this phone.
Service takes something out of you
What to watch for, and what helps. Tap a heading to open it.
After something traumatic
- Shock, replaying it and trouble sleeping are normal reactions.
- The ADF All-hours Support Line (1800 628 036) is confidential and 24/7.
- Open Arms (1800 011 046) offers free counselling for ADF members and families.
Deployment and coming home
- Coming home can be harder than going.
- Reconnecting with family takes time.
- Open Arms supports families too.
Postings and moves
- Moving every few years strains families, partners' careers and kids.
- The Defence Member and Family Helpline (1800 624 608) can help, 24/7.
When it doesn't feel safe to ask for help
- Asking for help early protects your career far more than waiting until it's a crisis.
- You can call Open Arms or the All-hours Support Line without going through your chain of command.
Unacceptable behaviour, harassment or assault
- It's never your fault.
- You can report through Defence channels, or get confidential support first.
- 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) is there 24/7.
Training injuries and exhaustion
- Report injuries and get checked.
- Fatigue causes accidents.
Thinking about leaving
- Transition is a big change. Plan early.
- Open Arms supports people before and after they leave.
Signs you're carrying too much
- Dreading the next day
- Images or memories coming back
- Short-tempered at home
- Drinking more
- Pulling back from mates and family
These are common responses to service life, not a weakness.
When to get more help
If your load has been heavy for two weeks or more, you dread going in, or it's affecting sleep or home life, talk to your GP or EAP. A GP can set up a Mental Health Treatment Plan for Medicare-subsidised sessions with a psychologist. Open Arms (1800 011 046) offers free counselling for ADF members and their families, 24/7.
People to call
Save the ones that apply to you. They stay on this phone and show up on the Help now screen.
Support lines
Support outside the chain of command
Sometimes the person you'd normally tell is part of the problem, or it just doesn't feel safe. Here are other ways to get support. You choose what to do, and when.
From your organisation
Your unit can add its own support contacts here.
Someone outside your reporting line
- ADF All-hours Support Line. Confidential, 24/7, 1800 628 036.
- Open Arms. Free counselling for ADF members and families, 1800 011 046, 24/7.
- Defence Member and Family Helpline. 1800 624 608, 24/7.
- ADF Chaplains. For any faith or none, 1300 333 362.
- Your GP. Outside work altogether, and can refer you on.
Text or chat instead of calling
For when talking out loud isn't possible, or feels like too much.
For particular situations
You can get confidential support without going through your chain of command.
Spiritual and religious support
Some people find strength in prayer, ritual or their faith or cultural community after a hard day. Others find it in nature, music, exercise or quiet. Whatever gives you meaning counts.
If your workplace has a chaplain or wellbeing officer, they support people of any faith or none. Their role is to listen, not to persuade.
Words to start with
The first sentence is often the hardest. You could say:
"I'm not ready to make a complaint. I just need to talk this through."
"Can this stay between us? Is there anything you'd have to pass on?"
"Something from training or deployment is still with me."
"I need help but I'm worried about my career."
What happens if I tell someone?
- Counsellors, peer supporters and helplines keep what you say private. The main exception is if someone is at serious risk of harm. If you're unsure, ask at the start.
- Your private record in this app stays on your phone unless you choose to share it.
Not ready to tell anyone?
That's OK. You can write down what happened, just for yourself, and decide later.
Numbers and services are for New South Wales and Australia-wide. Check with your organisation for its own services.
Write down what happened
It stays on this phone. It isn't a report, and nothing is sent anywhere. If you later decide to raise something, notes written at the time are easier to rely on than memory.
My entries
Entries can't be edited, so each one shows when it was written. To add something, write a new entry.
No entries yet.
If you decide to share it, you can download it or send it to yourself.
Your phone, your data
PIN lock
Ask for a PIN when the app opens, and after it has been in the background for a minute.
PIN is on.
The PIN stops someone else opening the app on your phone. It doesn't encrypt what's stored, so keep your phone locked too. If you forget it, you can delete everything and start again.
Hide the screen
Tap the eye button at the top of any screen to cover the app straight away, for example on base or on the way home. Tap to come back, or enter your PIN if you've set one.
Download my data
Download everything you've entered (handovers, private record and contacts) as a text file. You could keep a copy, or show it to your GP or counsellor.
Delete everything
Deletes your handovers, private record, role, contacts and PIN from this phone.
Delete everything from this phone? This can't be undone.
About Unladen Ranks
Unladen™ Ranks is a prototype made by Co-Synthesist Pty Ltd, Newcastle NSW. Unladen™ is a trade mark of Co-Synthesist Pty Ltd. It isn't a medical or emergency service, and it isn't connected to Defence or any government agency. The questions haven't been clinically validated yet.
What's stored: your role, handovers, private record, saved contacts and settings, only in this phone's browser. Nothing is sent to anyone. There are no accounts, analytics or trackers.
Feedback: the feedback form is the only part of Unladen Ranks that sends anything, and only when you press Send. It doesn't include anything else from the app.
Keep in mind: if you clear your browser data or remove the app, what you've entered goes too. Download a copy first if you want to keep it.
Version 0.1 prototype · September 2026