Bellinger River RSL Reaches Out to Veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq

Bellinger River RSL sub-branch is making a concerted effort to engage with veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq, providing them with a supportive community and a chance to reconnect with those who understand their experiences.

Josh Donnelly, a 39-year-old Afghanistan war veteran, is one such individual who has benefited from this initiative. Medically discharged with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after serving in the army from 2006 to 2013, Mr. Donnelly has found it challenging to work due to his condition. However, he is now able to spend quality time with his three youngest children, finding joy in being a father of six.

"It's hard; all of them could come and see Dad, and I could be the happiest bloke in the world," Mr. Donnelly said. "And they can come and see me, and I can be an angry bastard, basically."

The Royal Commission into Veteran and Defence Suicide highlighted the need for members transitioning out of Defence to access ongoing support and rebuild their identities as civilians. Approximately 30,000 Australians were deployed across the Middle East from 2001 to 2021.

NSW RSL president Vincent Williams emphasized the importance of providing activities that allow younger veterans to engage with others who have shared similar experiences. "At the age of 43, you've still got commitments to work, and you've got commitments to your family," he said. "It's important for us to provide activities which will allow them to engage with other veterans because the camaraderie and the connectivity are very important."

Emma Palmer, president of the Bellinger River RSL sub-branch, has been working to attract younger veterans to her branch. A nurse who was deployed to the Uruzgan Medical Centre in Afghanistan, Ms. Palmer treated patients impacted by the conflict, describing it as a "life-defining experience."

"It was a life-defining experience," she said. "I was only there for a short time, but the impact of that has been lifelong."

Ms. Palmer was diagnosed with PTSD last year and emphasized the need for a supportive community where veterans can share their experiences without having to explain themselves. "It doesn't stop affecting you and you need somewhere to talk about it," she said.

This weekend, veterans like Matt Foster will participate in a retreat with their families on a property in the Bellinger Valley, nicknamed "Chora Valley Resort." Mr. Foster, who served in Afghanistan in 2009, said he wanted to reconnect with those who understood what it was like to be there.

"It could be nerve-wracking outside the bases and even inside the bases, due to indirect rocket fire," he said. "The thing that gets everyone through is the mateship and the guys and girls that you're there with."

Mr. Donnelly said the trip would give veterans a chance to commemorate and connect in an informal way. "If it's sitting around having a beer, or a chat with people around a fire," he said. "That is what I find most exciting about what we're doing."

Ms. Palmer highlighted the importance of including the families of veterans, as their experiences are unique and intertwined with those of the veterans. "No veteran has served alone; their family serves alongside them," she said.