Wounds not just physical
A FORMER major who trained the Iraqi Army in the midst of an insurgency remembers not only his fallen mates come Anzac Day, but those left nursing deep physical and psychological wounds from their service.
Tim Conn, 44, served with the Australian Army infantry “during the surge of 2006-2007” and finished up about eight years ago.
Mr Conn, who has relocated from Brisbane to the Gold Coast and attended his first Southport service yesterday with his family, described the time abroad as exhausting and felt fortunate to come home to his wife and son in one piece.
Mr Conn, who now works in a management consultancy role, said some of his mates “are really struggling”.
“They’ve done tours to Afghanistan and some other places and maybe not been as fortunate as I’ve been. You just thank your lucky stars and think of others, particularly on a day like Anzac Day,” he said.
“I’ll certainly raise a thought for (those lost). But I think a lot more (veterans of modern conflicts) came home injured or with psychological injuries.”