WHAT ANZAC DAY MEANS TO ME
WHAT ANZAC DAY MEANS TO ME
FORMER soldier and Queensland Young Australian of the Year Phillip Thompson knows exactly what he will be doing this Anzac Day.
“It is a time of reflection on the things I’ve done and for friends of mine that have paid the ultimate sacrifice on operations and for my friends that have succumbed to the war within and died by suicide back in Australia,” he said.
“The war within should not only be considered on Anzac Day but during the other 364 days of the year.”
Mr Thompson, 29, was awarded the Queensland Young Australian of the Year last year for his work supporting other veterans.
The soon- to- be first time fa- ther enlisted in the army in 2006 at the age of 17 and was deployed to East Timor and later Afghanistan.
It was while on a patrol in 2009 that Mr Thompson was wounded by an improvised explosive device.
The incident left Mr Thompson with an array of medical conditions which have changed his life dramatically.
Since recovering from his injuries he has advocated for veterans’ employment, health and wellbeing, which has seen him appointed to national and government boards on mental health, self- harm and suicide.
Mr Thompson said the price of war was high.
“We have lost more people to suicide than we did in the whole 14 years of operation in Afghanistan,” he said. “The is- sues that returned service women and men have, be they mental or physical injuries, are not just defence issues, not just veteran issues, they are societal issues.”
Mr Thompson said although he didn’t have family members in the military as a child growing up in the Sunshine Coast he attended Anzac Day ceremonies.
“I grew up knowing about the Anzac tradition and attending the ceremonies but of course when I signed up ( as a defence member) taking part in Anzac Day ceremonies took on a deeper meaning,” he said. “It’s a humbling experience. It is not just a public holiday.”