Following requests from a number of community-based organisations and private citizens, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) has established special mailing addresses for members of the public to send Anzac Day care packages to service men and women serving on operations overseas.
The ADF Joint Operations Command Director of General Support, Brigadier Dianne Gallasch, said she is moved by the desire among ordinary Australians to remember those currently serving overseas on the day the nation honours all who have made the ultimate sacrifice in present and past conflicts.
“To be serving on operations on Anzac Day is an experience no sailor, soldier, airman or airwoman forgets,” Brigadier Gallasch said.
“The significance of the challenges and sacrifices made by those who have gone before them is all the more poignant when they stop to commemorate Anzac Day on foreign soil. To know that complete strangers back home are thinking of them on this significant day and have sent a small care package is extremely heartening.”
Members of the public are able to send parcels through Australia Post, so long as they do not exceed a 2kg cubic weight limit. Items weighing up to 2kg and posted in a ‘BM’ size Australia Post carton can be posted without cost to the sender. Parcels exceeding this limit will incur full postal charges which must be paid by the sender.
The postal addresses are active from 14 March until 15 April 2011 and packages will be distributed throughout the appropriate operational areas. For postal security reasons, parcels must be posted in person with presentation of photograph identification and can be lodged at any Australia Post outlet, using the following addresses:
Middle East:
An Australian Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Airwoman
Anzac Day Mail
Middle East Operations
AFPO 60
Australian Defence Force NSW 2890
East Timor
An Australian Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Airwoman
Anzac Day Mail
East Timor Operations
AFPO 61
Australian Defence Force NSW 2890
Solomon Islands
An Australian Soldier/Sailor/Airman/Airwoman
Anzac Day Mail
Solomon Islands Operations
AFPO 62
Australian Defence Force NSW 2890
Brigadier Gallasch said deployed service men and women usually have access to essential personal items and those care package items most often appreciated include uniquely Australian treats such as lollies, as well as magazines, books and DVDs.
“Defence subsidises care packages to deployed personnel for Anzac Day and Christmas each year. For Christmas last year, some 10 tonnes of care packages were sent to deployed personnel by members of the public, boosting morale and providing a welcome treat,” Brigadier Gallasch said.
“On behalf of those members of the ADF who will receive care packages this Anzac Day, I would like to thank the public and community groups, particularly the RSL, for their thoughtfulness and kindness.”
Information on sending Anzac Day messages and care packages is available on the Defence website at http://www.defence.gov.au/anzacday/mail/index.htm.
An alternate option to individual members of the public sending care packages is to donate to the RSL Australian Forces Overseas Fund (AFOF). Twice a year the AFOF provides packages to Australian Defence Force, Australian Federal Police and AusAID personnel serving overseas. Further information regarding the AFOF is available on the RSL web site (http://www.rsl.org.au/).
Friday 11 March 2011
Wednesday 9 March 2011
Injured RAN sailor left without enough money to feed himself
FORMER high-achieving navy sailor is having to eat every second day so he can support his eight-year-old daughter on just $130 a week.
When Karl Andrews' back was seriously injured in a workplace accident, RAN doctors wrongly fed him a cocktail of prescription drugs - including morphine.
He became addicted to the drug and was medically discharged in 2002 and labelled "drug dependent".
While military accident victims are now entitled to a tax-free pension and free medical benefits, the former navy communicator is not - which means his annual $30,000 pension is taxed and docked for child support for his two older children.
Injured Service Persons Association president Ray Brown said Mr Andrews' case was not an isolated one. Despite having fought for total and permanent incapacity status for 10 years, he was ignored by both sides of politics.
"The doctors say he can't work and if he was on a [TPI] pension he would not be taxed or assessed for child support," Mr Brown said.
He would receive a gold card for free healthcare, free public transport and car registration and other benefits.
"Because of the navy I'm forever a drug addict and I struggle with it every day. I can't live like this," Mr Andrews said.
He hopes to contact other veterans in a similar situation to form a support group. A spokeswoman for Veterans Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon said that no defence personnel were disadvantaged in treatment for accepted medical conditions no matter what legislation they were covered by.
Ian McPhedran
From: The Daily Telegraph
March 09, 2011 12:00AM
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