Bellinger River RSL to host family retreat for younger veterans
The Bellinger Valley camping and fishing gathering will commemorate 25 years since Australian troops were first deployed to Afghanistan.
A retreat on the NSW mid-north coast will bring veterans together with their families as Bellinger River RSL seeks to connect with younger former service members who may have experienced isolation.
The sub-branch will host camping and fishing on a Bellinger Valley property, marking the 25th anniversary of Australia's first deployment to Afghanistan. President Emma Palmer said she wanted veterans to have somewhere to discuss their experiences with others who understood them.
Ms Palmer worked as a nurse at the Uruzgan Medical Centre and was subsequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She said families needed to be included because they, too, were affected by military service.
Josh Donnelly, a 39-year-old Afghanistan veteran and father of six, said the trip would provide an informal setting for commemoration and connection. He served in the army from 2006 to 2013 before being medically discharged with PTSD.
Fellow veteran Matt Foster served in Afghanistan in 2009. He said he hoped to renew connections with others who understood the experience of serving there.
With RSL members averaging 69 nationally, NSW RSL president Vincent Williams said activities for younger veterans needed to fit around jobs and family commitments. The Royal Commission into Veteran and Defence Suicide found that people leaving Defence needed continuing support and help rebuilding their civilian identities.
