RAAOC Vietnam Veterans Reunion Sydney 2014

The reunion will be held on the 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and possible to 10^th March 2014 at the NSW Leagues Club 165 Phillip Street, Sydney.

Friday the 7^th Meet and great with buffet style food. Beer and wine included.

Saturday 8^th Reunion dinner 6pm for 6.30pm start Coat and tie with medals.

This will be a sit down served meal with buffet style sweets. Beer and wine included.

A dance band will be provide and the function should close around 2am.

Sunday the 9^th March Service at the Shrine of Remembrance at 11.30am.

Followed by a Harbour Cruise aboard a paddle steamer Meal, beer and wine included.

Monday the 10^th we are after expressions of interest in the following.

A three hour bus trip to Canberra to the Australian War Memorial. Two hours at the AWM and a three hour bus trip back to Sydney. For a service to Dedicate a Unit Plaque to Ordnance Element Logistic Support Group, 2^nd Composite Ordnance Depot. 2^nd Advanced Ordnance Depot. Dedicated to all who served and group in memory of those who died.

It’s unknown as yet if we can pull this of as it’s in the hands of a very busy AWM. If you can let me know if you are interested it may help in arranging this event.

Accomodation:

50 Queen rooms at the Travelodge above the NSW Leagues Club. Rate $180 room only.

Hyde Park Inn  271 Elizabeth Street, Sydney 0292646001.

To receive a discount one member must show a current RSL Sub Branch card.

Any one wishing to stay here please let me know as they offer different rates for different style rooms. These are a very good deal with very good accommodation.

At the moment we are looking at a dress shirt with pocket/s Would you prefer a corps logo or reunion logo on pocket. Or, The standard Polo shirt.

A more detailed itinerary will be sent out later this year.

Please let me know if you are interested in attending or not. My number is 0414313288 email sippy1@optusnet.com.au.

Rick Reilly

Anzac Day care packages for ADF members serving overseas

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/).

Injured RAN sailor left without enough money to feed himself

Fighting ... Karl Andrews with his daughter Chloe / Pic: Nicholas Welsh Source: The Daily Telegraph




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

Why Yoga for PTSD?

The Veterans Yoga Project


Yoga does not cure PTSD. Yoga practices are, however, a valuable complement to professional treatment for PTSD.   PTSD is a complex psychological disorder that can be effectively treated with professional evidence-based psychotherapy. Unfortunately, even evidence-based psychotherapies do not work for many Veterans, and leave many other Veterans with residual symptoms. A mindful, embodied yoga practice can help provide relief from some of the symptoms of PTSD, and can help provide the supportive skills that are needed in other psychotherapeutic modalities. Yoga will not eliminate a Veteran’s PTSD symptoms, but it can support and aid in a Veteran’s healing journey.

Yoga has worked so well with many Veterans who are coping with PTSD and other trauma-related psychological difficulties because it brings them back into their body. It helps them sleep more soundly. It helps them transform anger. It helps them rediscover curiosity. It helps them experience love and happiness. It gives them the opportunity to live at their own pace and find their own truth. Veterans with PTSD use yoga as a method to regain control over a nervous system that is always “on edge”, and to regain control over self-destructive behaviors and habits. Since trauma lies in the body, mind, and spirit, we can use a holistic, integrated yoga practice to re-connect with ourselves as we are in the present moment, letting us feel comfortable in our own skin.

The healing effects of ancient yoga practices have begun to receive validation from modern science. Researchers have started to discover the pathways by which the physical postures and movements, meditation, and breathing practices support healing. In fact, many of the techniques used in yoga are strikingly similar to strategies used by clinical psychologists in the treatment of anxiety disorders including PTSD. (Veterans Yoga Project is working on a Virtual Library of resources-check back soon. In the meantime, check out our references page).

Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans Coping with Trauma is an empirically-informed, clinically-tested program consisting of a variety of "tools" that can help connect the mind and body. These practices or "tools" include breathing practices (pranayama), meditation, physical postures and movements (asana), and a specific form of guided imagery/meditation (Yoga Nidra). We invite you to give it a try.

DFWA MONTHLY UPDATE #257 – 15 February 2011

UPDATE is a monthly news sheet produced by the Defence Force Welfare Association containing current items of interest to the Service and ex-Service community. It is widely distributed to Members of Parliament,
media outlets, senior Service and Public Service Officers and DFWA members.

THE FAIR INDEXATION BILL

On 10 February 2011 the Senate scheduled debate on the Bill proposed by the Shadow Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, to index military pensions in line with the Coalition's pre
election commitment. If passed, the Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2010 will enable DFRDB (and DFRB) superannuants aged 55 and over from 1 July 2011 to
have their pensions indexed at the higher rate of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI).

The debate was delayed and has been rescheduled for debate on 3 March 2011. Unsettlingly, the Government has suggested that this Bill (along with a number of others) is “unconstitutional”, as it involves introducing 'money bills' in the Senate. The disagreement about this rages on between the Houses (s53 of the
Constitution refers) and we shall see what transpires. A hung Parliament can toss up many conundrums !

During debate in the Senate on 10 February, the Greens indicated that they will not support any Bill that puts a burden on the budget without there being a mechanism for funding. Indeed if there is a reluctance to place any further “burden on the budget” then an analysis of the excess earnings of the Future Fund provides a strong argument for affordability at no conceivable extant cost to the “on-book” budget. The Association, in concert with the Superannuated Commonwealth Officers Association has made representations along these lines, providing an analysis of how the Future Fund could be utilised.

Finally, the Association was disappointed in the advice provided to Senators and MPs by the Parliamentary Library on the Bill in its Bill Digest #55, finding it flawed in many aspects. The Association has issued its own commentary on the Bill and this has been distributed to all Senators and MPs.

We again call upon all elected Senators and Members of Parliament to show their support for the military and veteran community by supporting the legislation, and following up with further legislation to ensure all military superannuants are included. In particular, we call on those independent members who have previously voiced their support for the provisions contained within the legislation, to show their support by voting accordingly.

LIVING-COST RISES OUTPACE INFLATION

The Association welcomes the confirmation in today’s The Age that living-cost indices released by the Bureau of Statistics show the increases facing families, age pension households and welfare beneficiaries have all outpaced the CPI. Working households faced extra costs of 4.5 per cent in the year to December,
age pensioners 3.1 per cent and welfare recipients 4.5 per cent. The CPI grew 2.7 per cent. The bureau says there are different reasons for each group. Age pensioners spend a relatively high proportion of their income on utility bills and fruit and vegetables, both of which shot up in price in the year to December.

Does this mean the consumer price index is a poor guide to living costs? The bureau says it does. It is meant to be a measure of inflation rather than living costs, a very different concept, which is why the bureau produces separate living-cost indices.

The good news for pensioners is they get a choice. Their payments are adjusted twice a year in line with eitherthe CPI, the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living-Cost Index or Male Total Average Earnings, whichever has increased the fastest. For Military superannuants of course there is only bad news!

SENATE QUESTIONS ON NOTICE

On a closely related matter, the Department of Finance and Deregulation continues to drag its heels by its delays in responding to the Questions placed by Senator Humphries on 16 November 2010 on matters relating to the flawed Matthews report and other matters relating to indexation. To date, replies to just one question out of nine have been received, and that over two months after it was due.

REVIEW OF DVA FUNDED ADVOCACY AND WELFARE SERVICES REPORT

The Association will closely examine the Review of Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)–Funded Ex-Service Organisation (ESO) Advocacy and Welfare Services Report which was released yesterday.

Whilst the aims of the review are laudable – ie, to provide a prescribed framework to ensure veterans, war widow/ers and their families have access to quality advocacy, welfare and support services – there may be unexpected consequences that will need close examination.

The Review covered the Building Excellence in Support and Training Program (BEST), Training Information Program (TIP), and the Veteran and Community Grants (V&C) program.

MINISTER’S RESPONSE - RELEASE OF SERVICE RECRDS

The Association was pleased to receive a detailed response from the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel to our concerns about the release of Service Records by the National Archives. The Minister acknowledged that the fairness of a particular decision to release information is not an issue that can be easily
resolved.

Of specific interest was the Minister’s advice that both the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Federal Court have determined that information relating to a person’s professional affairs, including their employment performance, is not considered to be their personal affairs. The Association acknowledges this however suggests that ADF records are, by their nature, more detailed and contain more sensitive and personal information than any civilian employment record would contain!

The Minister also advises that the National Archives policy for the release of deceased members’ medical information is that it will release information unless it contains information about medical conditions that are hereditary and that such release may constitute an unreasonable disclosure of a third party’s personal affairs.

However, the Association wonders whether National Archives officers are medically qualified to make such a decision?

OUR THANKS TO THE ADF

The Association, along with its partners in the Alliance of Defence Service Organizations, expresses its thanks to the ADF for the support provided in the recent natural disasters that have plagued Australia. Once again the true grit of the members of the ADF was on display for the Nation to see and the community owes them a great deal.

We offer our sincere and profound sympathies to all those who were adversely impacted by the disasters.

Media Contacts

Executive Director:

Les Bienkiewicz 0411 444248
http://www.dfwa.org.au/
National President:

David Jamison 0416 107557

Robert S Buick MM JP - Gallantry award

Last year the Australian government awarded the highest unit gallantry citation to D Company the Sixth Battalion Royal Australian Regiment for its gallantry in the Battle of Long Tan 18 August 1966.


LtCol Smith was awarded the nation’s second highest individual gallant award, the Star of Gallantry, and 2Lts Kendall and Sabben the Medal for Gallantry earlier in 2009.

LtCol Harry Smith SG MC arranged with Her Excellency the Governor General for the investiture of the three officers of their Gallantry Awards and the company members the Unit Citation for Gallantry (UCG) and the next of kin of those veterans now dead to be done at Yarralumla.

The G-G agreed but this important and significant event was stymied by the Chief of Defence and Defence Department. The government refused to approve the transport arrangements for members from their place of residence to Canberra and return.

The veterans, and those of the veteran community who were aware of this refusal, were angry and disappointed. There is still no date when the veterans will be awarded with the UCG emblem and Harry Smith will have his Star of Gallantry pinned to his chest during a function at Maryborough early March by his local federal Member of Parliament..

Today I have received two phone calls from Long Tan veterans who are again spitting chips because the Australian government flew detained illegal entries from Christmas Island to attend the funeral for those who tragically died when the boat they used from Indonesia was shipwrecked on Christmas Island late last year. I accept and applauded this humanitarian service but I too am not happy with the CDF and Defence Department refusing war veterans their honour they are also entitled to.

They could not understand how, or why, their government would approved the cost for non citizens to attend a funeral yet deny this nation’s war veterans transport to Canberra to received Gallantry awards from the Governor General.



Robert S Buick MM JP
24 Mountain Ash Drive
Mountain Creek 4557 Qld
07 5452 5890
strait8@bigpond.com

Government to replace medals lost in natural disasters

Directorate of Honours and Awards

 
 
 
Government to replace medals lost in natural disasters




Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator the Hon David Feeney, today announced that the Government will relax the policy on replacement of Australian Defence Force (ADF) medals so that medals lost during the Queensland and Victorian floods, the impact of Cyclone Yasi and the fires in Western Australia can be replaced.

“Government policy for many years has been medals can only be issued to the ADF member who earned them,” Senator Feeney said.

“This usually means that medals cannot be replaced if they are lost or destroyed after the ADF member has died.”

Where medals are lost in natural disasters, however, this policy may be relaxed. This was done following the Victorian bushfires in 2009.

“While the Government is committed to maintaining the integrity of our system of military honours and awards, there are circumstances in which the Australian community rightly expects us to show greater flexibility in implementing the existing policy. I believe this unprecedented series of natural disasters is one of those circumstances,” Senator Feeney said.

“I have therefore decided that ADF medals may be reissued to the next of kin or other appropriate relative of deceased ADF members, if the medals have been lost or destroyed in the current natural disasters. Family members who have, in the course of these natural disasters, lost the medals of loved ones, may now make application for replacements.

“Unfortunately, however, only medals dating back to the First World War can be replaced. Medals for conflicts prior to this war are no longer in production.”

Applicants should use the application form and statutory declaration located on the Defence Honours and Awards website at: www.defence.gov.au/medals

Completed applications should be submitted to: Directorate of Honours and Awards

Department of Defence, PO Box 7952, Canberra BC, ACT 2610. Enquiries may also be directed to Defence Honours and Awards toll free on 1800 111 321.

Help for Flood affected veterans

Both Di and I feel for all those affected by the floods, not only in Queensland but Australia wide. We would like to do our bit to help with the recovery, but Di's Military commitments preclude this. (Yes she is still serving and almost ready to complete her 36th year). I was involved with the cleanup with 6RAR in the '74 floods so I have a pretty good understanding of the problems faced by all affected.


As you may know, I have been mounting medals professionally for about 16 years, and because of that I thought I might offer my services to those affected by the floods.

I am offering all veterans the following:
If service medals were damaged as a result of the floods, I will
polish, re-ribbon and mount all damaged medals FREE of charge;

If Service medals were lost I can replace with high grade Replicas at
cost price(normally about $10.00 ea). I will ribbon and mount any replica medal purchased, FREE of charge.

The turn-around time would be about 7-10 days after either receiving original medals or notification of Replicas required.

From my understanding, lost medals will take about 4-6 months to replace.
The only cost to the Veteran will be return postage via Yellow Express Bag ($10.00 approx) and cost price of any Replicas required.

Should anyone want to avail themselves of my offer, I can be contacted in any of the following ways:

Phone: 02 9938 3572
Mobile: 0410 519968
e-mail: kayel@iprimus.com.au

regards Kev Lunny, Sunray 32

FLOOD DISASTER PHONE NUMBERS

SES 132 500


ROAD CLOSURES 131 940 or www.131940.qld.gov.au

DISASTER RECOVERY HOTLINE 1800 173 349

POLICE (EMERGENCY) 000

CENTRELINK 180 22 66 or www.centrelink.gov.au

INSURANCE COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA 1300 728 228

GENERAL ENQUIRIES & ASSISTANCE 13 QGOV (13 74 68)

COMMUNITY RECOVERY LINE 1800 173 349

LEGAL AID QUEENSLAND 1300 65 11 88

FINANCIAL OMBUDSMAN SERVICE 1800 337 444

SALVATION ARMY 1300 363 622

LIFELINE 13 11 14

RED CROSS 1300 554 419


REPLACEMENT OF DOCUMENTS

Land titles
Natural Resources and Water
13 13 04

Driver’s Licence
Queensland Transport
13 23 80

Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates
Queensland Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
1300 366 430

Business Registration
Office of Fair Trading
13 13 04

Letter to ESO National President

 OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY

Mr John Ryan OAM
National President
Australian Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Servicemen and Women

tpifedhq@bigpond.com

Dear Mr Ryan

With the escalating flooding crisis in Queensland and northern NSW, I am writing to let you know that

the Department is doing all it can to ensure the veteran community can continue to access our services

and that additional assistance is provided to ease hardship where required.

We have been monitoring the situation very closely for the past couple of weeks, with special

arrangements put in place between the Deputy Commissioners in Queensland and New South Wales.

With the temporary closure of our main Brisbane office, our Brisbane VVCS office and our

Toowoomba VAN, the Department has re-routed telephone enquiries through the Veterans’ Services

Centre to interstate offices.

If required, the veteran community can continue to access information on insurance, payments and

counselling by telephoning the usual numbers. Veterans who have their property insured with Defence

Service Homes Insurance and whose property has been affected by the floods are encouraged to contact

their local customer service officer on 1300 552 662. The VVCS (Veterans and Veterans Families

Counselling Service) may be contacted on 1800 011 046, 24 hours a day.

The Department is working with other Commonwealth agencies, State Governments and charitable and

community organisations to ensure a range of support services offering personal, emotional,

psychological and financial help is available.

Additional services will be required well into the future as the floods peak, dissipate and the clean-up

phase gets underway. In the meantime, I seek your assistance in letting us know of any member of the

veteran community that you feel needs urgent departmental assistance. Referrals can be made by

contacting the Deputy Commissioner’s office in each State.

Yours sincerely

Ian Campbell

Secretary

13 January 2011