Time for military veterans to tell their tales

It should not just be on Anzac Day that we reflect on the suffering of those who served and the enduring consequences of that service. As a nation we are fast approaching a fork in the road regarding our acknowledgment of military service — and the treatment of those who performed it and those who continue to do so. As a former member of the armed forces, I urge veterans and serving ADF personnel to seize the day and make a submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide before it’s too late.

It is an opportunity to tell their stories to a powerful national inquiry examining how they are treated and how they respond to the challenges arising from their service.

There’s never been a better time to speak up; new confidentiality laws are now in place to protect the privacy of people who make a submission.

But it’s now or never. By Friday, October 13 this year, the opportunity will have passed. Submissions to the inquiry must be received by that time.

In response to the Royal Commission’s interim report, the federal government has announced plans for sweeping changes to legislation governing veterans’ entitlements.

The Commonwealth has commenced a public consultation process regarding the simplification of more than 100 years of legislation covering veteran compensation and rehabilitation. That reform was prompted by Royal Commission submissions.

The simplification of veterans’ legislation is important and the government is to be applauded. However, this reform is just one of many the Royal Commission has, and will, recommend as a direct consequence of the stories it hears.

But here’s the problem. Having served in the ADF, I know that speaking up can be especially hard for people from a defence background.

To make matters worse, many serving and ex-serving ADF members are unaware of the vital support that is available to help them speak up.

The Defence and Veterans Legal Service, for example, is a specialist nationwide body providing free and confidential legal support to veterans and defence members, plus their families and supporters.

Now is the time to act. This opportunity, this inquiry, will likely never be repeated in our lifetimes.