The Abbott government has been accused of "empty words" when it comes to supporting Australia's troops by defence groups angry at the latest pay offer to thousands of serving personnel.
The government has been criticised for making a deal for a 1.5 per cent annual increase, which still needs approval from the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal.
The RSL and Defence Welfare Association plan to challenge the offer at a remuneration tribunal hearing on Wednesday.
They say the below-inflation offer amounts to a cut in wages for Australia's uniformed troops and have lashed out at a planned trade-off of recreational and Christmas leave.
But government has cited the tough budgetary environment.
"Importantly, there is a pay increase on the table for all defence personnel because frankly we regard their work and them exceptionally highly," parliamentary secretary Steve Ciobo said.
DWA president David Jamison called them "empty words", particularly while forces are being deployed to Iraq.
The association's survey of more than 10,000 personnel found 90 per cent were unhappy with the offer.
"Both the serving and the ex-serving communities are really sick of the fine words of support that are not followed through in any concrete fashion when it comes to providing service conditions for our troops," Mr Jamison told AAP.
The association wants the Defence Force Remuneration Tribunal to reject the pay deal and force the government and ADF back to talks.
The RSL will also register concerns at the tribunal hearing.
Defence Force chief Mark Binskin said the ADF had to work within a budget in its negotiations with the government, where productivity savings and offsets had to be found.
"People say to me what was the starting point that I had to work with - it was actually zero," he told AAP over the weekend.
"We have been able to argue to some extent the unique ADF aspects of a workforce, but I have got to be able afford it."
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has written to the prime minister asking him to reconsider the pay offer.
THE CHANGES WILL CUT PAY RISES TO MOST DEFENCE SALARIES IN HALF:
* A private/seaman or aircraftman on entering the service would have their pay increase from $43,766 to $44,422 ($656) instead of $45,078 ($1312).
* A sergeant or petty officer on entering the service would have their pay increase from $59,875 to $60,773 ($898) instead of $61,671 ($1796).
* A lieutenant, sub-lieutenant, or flight officer on entering the service would have their pay increase from $69,384 to $70,424 ($1,040) instead of $71,465 ($2081).
* Salary figures obtained from ADF/CPS
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