“Lest We Forget. But let us Remember and meet our Obligations…..”
“I ask myself why this grateful nation lets down so many servicemen and women, who on surviving the threats and brutality of conflicts and war, take their own lives on returning home.”

Remembrance Day Address 2016

For those in whose memory we gather here today …

For those who returned home, many with broken limbs, minds and spirits

For the families who have lost loved ones in whole or in part

For those who continue to serve

From we who remain, who live, and on behalf of those who will follow…

We salute you.

We are now and forever in your debt.

It is incumbent upon us to use your service and your sacrifice to build a better, safer Australia.

An Australia where our democracy is secure, where people are meaningfully occupied and where, as a result of our economic strength, we can – with compassion – provide comfort and dignity to those in genuine need.

As we gather here today at this great Memorial…

As Australians around the country come together in numbers large and small – in cities and country towns – to pause and remember those who put their lives on the line so that we could enjoy the opportunities we have today…

I ask myself why this grateful nation lets down so many servicemen and women, who on surviving the threats and brutality of conflicts and war, take their own lives on returning home.

Why is it that we as a nation have not been able to provide sufficient help – the services – that might have prevented all or some of the suicides of our armed forces personnel.

Just this year alone, more military personnel and veterans have died by their own hand – on Australian soil – than lost their lives during 13 years of Australia’s involvement in the Afghanistan conflict.

Surely, our obligations to those who return, should be, must be, that they are safer here, on home soil, than when away.

We know that many who return don’t leave those battlefields behind. They bring the battles home with them, but they carry them inside.

Too often these internal battles against depression, anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and suicide are fought and lost alone.

Mental Health issues and alcohol abuse are on the rise, particularly among younger veterans.

Their private battles must become our cause.

People in positions of authority – governing and leading from the safety of Australian turf – have made and will continue to make decisions in all our interests to send younger men and women to war.

Our service personnel volunteer for careers that place them at the pinnacle of the country’s First Responders. They knowingly put themselves at great risk, willingly entering theatres of conflict from which they may never return.

But most do return.

Some come home heroes. Some with a renewed commitment to family, friends and country, keen to forge new careers in civilian society. But some, unfortunately, return damaged physically and mentally as a direct result of the job we ask them to do.

Many who return home are unable to adjust to family life or put aside the grief of losing friends in battle. They carry with them excess baggage of fear, stress, anger and nightmares which if not addressed can lead to anxiety, depression and even suicide.

That’s no surprise. In fact, it is a common, natural human reaction.

We have known about post-traumatic symptoms for more than 3000 years. It was first reported in the epic poem, The Tale of Gilgamesh, when confrontations with death in battle changed the lead character’s personality. Gilgamesh was the first reported case of chronic mental health symptoms caused by war.

It has been called many things such as “soldier’s heart”, “hysteria”, even “nostalgia”. It was “shell-shock” in World War I and “combat fatigue” in World War II and Korea.

So why – after all this time – are we still so ill-prepared for the damaged home-coming veteran?

No-one will ever know the number of suicides of those who returned home from service in Vietnam, except it was tragically large, and has subsequently included many of their family members.

Records are much more precise today, but that so many servicemen and women and ex-service personnel have felt they have no alternative but to end their lives should be a national sorrow and is unacceptable.

In 2013 around 150,000 veterans with service-related disabilities were being supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs and, of these, up to 46,000 had ‘an accepted mental health disorder’. Common conditions included anxiety disorder, depression, stress disorder and alcohol dependence.

Put simply and tragically, many veterans struggle to adjust to civilian life and without the proper support they can spiral into deep depression and take their own lives.

If Australia cannot find the resources to provide the care necessary to help our servicemen and women re-adjust to life at home then perhaps we should not put them at risk in the first place.

We do not have the right to ask these people to risk their lives for us only to abandon them when they need us most.

It is not just an obligation, it is our duty, to care for our servicemen and women and to extend that support to their families.

It was encouraging to see the Federal Government announce in August a trial suicide prevention initiative in Townsville to help Australian Defence Force personnel there.

At the launch the Prime Minister said we have to go beyond the memorials and the monuments and focus on the men and women, the real challenges they face. I whole-heartedly concur.

But this must be just the first of many initiatives deployed without delay.

These are complex issues requiring a multifaceted response, not least of which is action to change the culture of the defence forces so that seeking support for mental health is seen as strength rather than a weakness.

We have to fight the stigma – some of it self-imposed, some imagined and some very real – that discourages people from acting early to protect and improve their mental health.

It should be seen as a public health first line of defence.

At beyondblue we know that early intervention and peer-to-peer support works and that it is possible to recover from many mental health conditions.

We can all play a part, especially those former defence force personnel who have first-hand experience. So I call on those veterans to mobilise again to assist in destigmatizing mental ill-health in your community.

We need you to step up once more; speak out about your journey and help others.

Talking about suicide does not make it happen and could well save a life.

More must be done, urgently, to address this trend. We may not prevent all such deaths, but we should be able to prevent most.

Australia must declare war on veteran suicide. This has to be a zero tolerance campaign.

This wonderful War Memorial, is more than just a historical record of past deeds. It is correctly and increasingly a place that does and should explain our current military involvements overseas.

It is a living place as well as a place of history and remembrance.

As a National Serviceman of the ‘60s, I value my service, and what that period taught me. I respect those men and women who have in the past and today proudly worn the Australian uniform.

But I am so saddened that our nation, in a bi-partisan way, cannot make the welfare of those who returned from service a top priority.

At services such as this we repeat the words Lest We Forget. We should never Forget. We will never Forget.

But let us also remember our obligations to those who served. To those who return from conflicts with broken bodies and minds we must commit ourselves as a nation to work with them to ensure their return to Australia is a happy, worthwhile and lasting experience.

Lest We Forget. But let us Remember.

Lest We Forget. But let us Remember.

Lest We Forget. But let us Remember and meet our Obligations.

 

Friday 11 November 2016

The Hon Jeff Kennett AC

 

The Royal Australian Regiment supports the War Widows. Help promote The War Widows Guild’s membership promotion for the benefits it offers and the representative voice it can have to protect its interests to the Government

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The National Mental Health Commission today invited public input into the Review of the services available to veterans and members of the Australian Defence Force in relation to the prevention of self-harm and suicide.

A survey is now online and written submissions can also be made at www.nmhcreview.com.au until 22 November 2016.

“Everyone is encouraged to have their say on self-harm and suicide prevention services available to current and former members of the Australian Defence Force,” said Commission CEO, Peggy Brown.

“In particular, ex- and serving ADF personnel, their families, friends and carers, are invited to share their experiences.

“Providers, including community based and ex-service organisations as well as health professionals are also welcome,” Dr Brown said.

In addition to the survey and written submissions, the Review is being informed by focus groups, a reference group as well as consideration of previous studies and inquiries.

The Commission will present government with an interim report, based on the terms of reference, in December. The final report is due in February 2017.

“The Review will provide information and advice to the Australian Government to help focus future activity.

“Its focus is on understanding how the system works and identifying opportunities to make improvements for the benefit of current and former Defence personnel and those who support them,” she said.

The Review was announced in August by the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull.

With Remembrance Day near, we prepare to honour our fallen. In doing so we should not forget the families particularly, the war widows who  deserve much recognition and our immense respect.

Helping or donating to Legacy which supports war widows and families is one very effective way of doing just that.

The Hidden Price of Freedom

Each year on the 11^th of the 11^th we pause to reflect on the sacrifice made in war, particularly by those who did not come home. They were mostly very young and so full of energy and zest for life.

They had many similarities including love of country, mateship and acceptance of responsibility. These men and women were dedicated to each other, sharing and caring, defiant when the odds were against them, daring, a wry sense of humour and longing to be back in their beloved Oz.

There are others who also became casualties of war; the women who waved loved ones goodbye and kept the home fires burning. For them, no matter the generation and regardless of the conflict, of when and where or its degree of intensity, they too endured and still do.

The long wait for mail, the loneliness of sleeping between cold sheets in an half empty bed,  the smothering uncertainty from day to day and always waiting for that reassuring message that all was OK.   For many it was also being both Mum and Dad and so many extra chores that used to be his.

Those women who have experienced such separation would agree it was a very long and anxious time waiting and too often a skipping heart beat when the media with breaking news announced there had been casualties. Each announcement followed by the long, long dreaded wait for a possible knock on the door by a grim face in uniform.  It’s the game played by next of kin in any war and there are the winners and losers.

Let us never forget such women, particularly those who lost and the pain and anguish many of them experience for the rest of their life.   The average profile of a woman on becoming a war widow is a stark reminder of the tragedy of war. Most are very young and more often than not they have infants. Many never remarry. Their dreams are gone and life is changed for ever with photographs of a smiling soldier on the mantelpiece as a reminder of sweet memories from yesterday.

So when you recall war, never forget the hidden sacrifices of those who were caught in the terrible game of waiting, hoping and then had lost. Sadly there has been no change to the rules and the game goes on this very day.  I will conclude with some lines dedicated to those women who in all seasons of war have always kept the homes burning brightly

                The Women Who loved and Lost 

Such ladies are always seen with brave face

Young and old, they’ve never faltered in life’s great race

Duty, honour and love of country was a familiar cry

A final hug, the last kiss as he whispered goodbye

These women knew well the loneliness of the waiting game

The smothering silence while pretending he was home again

Each day and night dreading to hear that cruel knock on the door

Hoping tomorrow would go faster than the one before 

To see once more that familiar wave from the front gate

Have him safe and no longer the agony of wait

Longing to hear his laughter reaching out above  

The comforting warmth and sweetness of his love

They have such proud and loved memories of yesterday

When married to the best who for Nation led the way

God bless and salute them for the brave women they are

Their beloved heroes watching from above mid the brightest stars

George  Mansford  © October 2014