Brodie Moore was just 17 when he joined the army and served as a rifleman in the 6th battalion Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) for six years. Brodie was deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 on Mentoring Task Force One (MTF-1). Upon returning to Australia, has watched far too many soldiers lose their struggle with mental health and have taken their own life, some of which were from his battle group.
As November 11 approaches, the nation prepares to commemorate Remembrance Day to honour the sacrifices made by Australian veterans. But if the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has taught us anything, it’s that support is vital year-round for veterans. Remarkably, the 2021 Australian Census was the first year to ask questions about service in the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The data reveals that there were 496,300 people who previously served in the ADF, which makes up 2.4% of the population aged 15 years and over. Two-thirds (67%) veterans are supported by the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA)2 and possess a DVA Gold or White Card, yet understanding entitlements, how to access services, and learning about differences or restrictions in entitlements can be difficult and cumbersome. In response to this, Veteran Benefits Australia has created a service providers list to help our Aussie veterans better understand the services that they’re entitled to.
The list comprises of the top ten most popular services from physiotherapy to online mental health programs. Ahead of Remembrance Day (11 November), Veteran Benefits Australia is encouraging Aussies to share their new service providers list to help create more awareness in the veteran community. Aussies can download the list here or for more information can visit www.veteranbenefitsaustralia.com
• The latest Census data reveals that there were 496,300 people who previously served in the ADF • Two-thirds of Aussie veterans are supported by the Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA), but understanding entitlements and accessing services can be difficult • Ahead of Remembrance Day (11 Nov), Veteran Benefits is launching a service providers list to help our Aussie veterans better understand the services that they’re entitled to. Veterans who are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide and those who know a veteran in crisis should call the Veterans Crisis Line for confidential crisis intervention and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year at 1-800-273-8255 and press 1, chat online at VeteransCrisisLine.net/Chat, or text 838255.
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