You are not alone

By: Doug (Registered ) on 15-10-2007 01:56

You are not alone in this thousands of ex service men and women have been disabled due to their service. Every service man and woman swears an oath to protect AUstralia it's people and it's government WITH THEIR LIFE IF NECESSARY. In return our government told us we would be cared for if we were injured and our families cared for if we were killed. 
 
We kept our side of the contract, we did as we were told, we are still waiting for the government to keep to their side of the contract. Billson and the Veterans Affairs department have just become a joke they keep 500 well paid lawyers on tap to prevent payouts to the very people they are supposed to be helping and protecting.

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What do I have to do to get help?

By: Jim (Registered ) on 15-10-2007 04:18

This went to main-stream media and all politicians some time ago.The full tale is much worse. Its the story of Jim Riddle. 
Jim Wiltshire  
Dear Sir, 
 
I have been using ordinary mail and email in the past months in my desperate attempts to communicate to you my serious isolated physical and psychiatric concerns your department will not address. Because your office have refused to reply to my repeated requests, other health issues which could have been resolved by responsible acceptance from your Department, have now escalated and caused aggravation of my PTSD and mental health issue into major health problems 
 
Your office and your department know I was unfit for employment during the ten year period prior to my 65th birthday. Although I was unaware of the PTSD cause and effect throughout. Both you and your department know I was “shanghaied” out of the regular army by my own RAR officers after a discrete psychiatric evaluation that I then knew nothing about. In the words of the “referred shrink”, I was a shell shocked mentally ill soldier. The system and service I served and trusted as a regular professional soldier betrayed me. Minister you know I was “discarded with indifference and contempt by my then employer”. You also know that if the Army my employer had done the right thing, I should have been medically discharged with the appropriate DFRB medical disability superannuation and guided into physical and psychiatric veteran care. You know I was “discarded as an unwanted damaged combat soldier without any support or understanding that I was mentally ill as defined by my employer, aka the Army, aka My Country Australia. 
 
Yes cast adrift, then I was locked out of and denied my home and isolated for 31years without the emotional support of my fellow veterans and or the ESO’s who had I been in Australia, would have given me the emotional support that my former diggers had. Being denied access to Australia since 1975, I knew nothing of the requirements or even symptoms of PTSD, and I certainly cannot be expected to know that I could, or had to apply before age 65 let alone that the DVA support system was there for us damaged diggers. 
 
...the (4 Month)late application was caused by DIMIA error, their error in saying I was not an Aussie Citizen when I was, and they had the records to prove that.."

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A raw deal for veterans

By: willy*bach (Registered ) on 15-10-2007 08:33

Dear Noel, Doug and Jim 
 
I am doing research for a Masters on the Secret War in Laos at QUT, which involves some documentation of veterans who have served in war zones or who were involved in 'warlike activities'. Quite a lot of these people have been denied their rights. I am very aware that both major parties have a policy of sending the ADF to war and then they try to dodge the issue of adequate compensation. Veterans Affairs is a bi-partisan area of government. 
 
These same political leaders are quick to drape themselves in the Australian flag to instil patriotism in the community. But they try to do their dirty work on the cheap.  
 
I have heard that the current federal government spend as much as A$60 million to outsource legal advice to fight against veterans' claims. I expect Labor to do the same; but I suggest lobbying Labor’s Allan Griffin MP. This is the only time you can succeed in getting anything from these people – but be quick. His contact details: 
http://www.griffinmp.com/ veterans.html  
 
The two major parties are so alike that they may be useless to you. You could try the two smaller parties that could get the balance of negotiation in the Senate:  
 
Senator Bob Brown  
http://www.bobbrown.org.au/ 900_contact.php  
 
Senator Andrew Bartlett 
http://andrewbartlett.com/ contact.php  
 
How much they can help you will be determined by how overworked they already are. 
 
If I were you I would also write letters to the editor and warn young Australians that the same could happen to them. If I had my time over I would not have joined unless compensation is pre-arranged, as personal injury and life insurance would be. 
 
Willy Bach 
Greens candidate for Griffith

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