Anzac Day and PTSD

Once, perhaps twice a year we come together to consider the sacrifice of a few for the many - the servicemen who went to war on our behalf. To date, Anzac Day has been about two world wars and, as you will hear from the interviews today, it has grown to recognise the sacrifice of men who went to war in the Vietnam, Borneo, Afghanistan wars to name but a few.

I hear so many times and from so many different people that 'a serviceman never comes back the same as he left', the unseen emotional scars wound in a way that is hard to explain to those who have never experienced war. That is why these opportunities to bring servicemen together offer support from a community who have been there, who all, in fact, speak the same language are so valuable. Some of the men I interviewed have only recently considered going to an Anzac Day service, such is the prejudice they experienced from local RSL's on their return from Vietnam.  I have been honoured to interview them all and I thank the Hornsby RSL, the Hornsby Sub-Branch and the wonderful interviewees for their time and willingness to share with us.

Thanks go to Clancy, Phillip, Philip Chin Kwan, Bill Roberts, Jenny, Joanne and Kate for the interviews and to Hornsby RSL for hosting the breakfast, to the Hornsby Sub-Branch for hosting the Anzac Dawn Service and asking Triple H to broadcast live and to Neil Ashworth for editing all their interviews with intro and outro music!

There are many resources attached to this show which can be found by clicking read more below.

Resources

Hornsby RSL Sub-Branch interview with Neil Ashworth on Streetbeat
Extended interview with Bill Roberts Vietnam Veterans Peacekeepers and Peacemakers on Streetbeat
Ashley Bryant - A brave police officer on the effects of PTSD and why we must do something before more people take their own lives from not being able to cope.
Chris May - a young 27 year old who struggles to deal with being back and the banal issues that concern us when others have seen such horror and pain
Andrew Cullen - author of Resurrection with his wife - on the pain of wondering how you can stay alive when the memories of war infiltrate your every day life at home.
Invictus Games Sydney 2018

If you need support

• Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service on 1800 011 046
• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
• Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
• Headspace on 1800 650 890