No two Australian veterans are the same. They are both men and women. They are ethnically, politically and religiously diverse. They agree on some things, and not on others. In short, they’re everyday Aussies – united by their commitment to serve. We are proud to share their unique stories of service and bravery with you.
For much of his life, Geoff MacNicol knew exactly who he was. He was a soldier. Over 13 years of service, including deployments throughout Southeast Asia and East Timor, the Army gave Geoff purpose, lifelong friendships and a place where he felt he belonged. For someone who had grown up in a difficult and unstable home environment, the Army became more than a career. It became family.
"Transitioning is hard. It’s really hard and I’m not the only one who feels this way. I do lean on my mates. I can’t work in the civilian workforce because of my injuries. I medically discharged July 2012 and now in retirement from the Army and it is a new era for me”
“I didn’t have anywhere to go. I was stuck. Who do you approach? I tried everything we could ourselves. We used our savings, and I found some work but it just wasn’t enough."
“Once I made that call, I started picking up it was like a huge weight off my shoulders. I felt so good and was able to laugh again and smile and give my little dog a big hug."
"The support that Bravery Trust provided me when I first left defence, and I was waiting on my pension classification, was huge."
Sometimes a relatively small amount of money provided at the right time can have a huge impact and we were able to assist within 48 hours.
"You expect your family to help you out, but Bravery Trust became my family. You really helped me reestablish myself."
Shane sought help and support through several Veteran Support Services after his discharge, and continues to engage and support Veterans so that he can give back.
“We see members join from 17, 18 straight out of home and, like me, they don’t have the tools or knowledge to manage their finances ... Finances are a major factor in a member's home life, and mental health."
“We know veterans are at a higher risk of suicide so being able to access this type of help is very important. The support of Bravery Trust really does save lives!”
Bravery Trust is the registered business name of the Australian Defence Force Assistance Trustee Company Pty Ltd.
ACN 162 078 168. ABN 13 735 747 821.
Lvl 18, 1 Nicholson St,
East Melbourne 3002
ask@braverytrust.org.au
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