I've been hearing a few reports on PTSD, soldier suicide and homeless vets.

It probably doesn't surprise people to hear that I am a strong opponent of our overseas military ventures, and I certainly won't begrudge the right for people defending their land to attack our soldiers against aggression.

That said, it is their job and they put their lives on the line for their country. In view of this I think the current pay and benefits and support these soldiers receive from the country they believe they are defending, is an absolute disgrace. If we are to be a society that relies on young men and women killing and being killed in foreign lands - mostly who pose no threat to Australia - then I believe these men and women should be paid a fortune - the highest possible pay grade for a public servant. But not just that, we should give them the best possible support when they return: fully paid for comfortable accommodation, all health benefits covered (this may already be the case). Critically, also, they must have access to 24-7 support in their battle against PTSD (which I guarantee will affect 100% of all vets - in varying degrees) - a fully paid for personal psychologist/therapist available to them 24-7 would be the bare minimum I would think.

The hypocricy of our political class who demand total reverence for our soldiers in time of war - but abandon them when they return, allowing them to self destruct from PTSD. For me, the cutting of defense personnel pay at the same time as the government announced the planned construction of a $100 million dollar white elephant in France, was what made me sit up and pay attention to this. Then I started hearing about the rampant suicide of vets, lives being destroyed by PTSD and even homelessness. What a disgrace.

I'm frankly astonished that there doesn't seem to be any noise about this - especially from the right.

Unforgiven wrote on Jul 29^th, 2015 at 8:08pm:


I feel like I know you. If not on a personal level, perhaps your tone, ideology, sentence structure, vocabulary and grammar, mark you as someone I am familiar with.

If not, please forgive me, for I have mistaken you for another - of 'your ilk'.

You, on the other hand, know nothing of me, other than a preconceived notion elicited by my online persona. More fool you!

You know nothing of my connections and interactions with veterans, and I feel no need to elaborate on them.

You are Unforgiven, right?

I can see how that works - on so many levels.

polite_gandalf wrote on Jul 29^th, 2015 at 7:53pm:


The Armed Forces are non-political - they don't get to choose where they will be sent to fight in the 'national interest'... they only get, as individuals.. to take the consequences personally... and far too often those individuals are isolated and feel it.

A 101st Airborne trooper said it all in 1969... "Our hearts are pure, brothers - it's the politicians who've screwed us all."

I had a mate commit suicide.... he could have called.... picked up the phone and we'd have been there.... few drinks and a bit of company and understanding...

polite_gandalf wrote on Jul 29^th, 2015 at 7:53pm:


Yep, no surprise.

Baronvonrort wrote on Jul 29^th, 2015 at 8:48pm:


Yes.  As a matter of fact, Jacka didn't die of his physical wounds - he shot himself, but the official line sounds better.

He died of his wounds, all right..... same as many others did and do.

My father was a PTSD for as long as I knew him - all the classic symptoms - but nobody recognised it until he retired and sought his Service Pension.  He ended up on TPI.

I was diagnosed with PTSD - you have no idea what is involved, and it took me years to learn to sleep in the dark.... and I only managed that by working until I dropped..... literally...

Remember 'Taxi Driver'?  "I'm workin' long hours now...."

It's not some cafe gangster boutique problem - it kills people, you jerk... like that young Captain from Afghanistan who went off and laid down and died... and anyone who knows it can see it in the eyes of the person afflicted.

It was around for centuries and Shakespeare and even the
Ancient Greeks recognised it... Shakespeare somewhere in Henry IV... the Ancient Greeks in this...

"Condemn not the man who spends his whole day staring into the fire - it may well be that he has already spent too long staring into the fires of hell."

I met a young ex-ADF guy couple of days ago..... I spotted it instantly.... next time I see him I'll have a talk to him.... explain that he WILL get through it.....

PTSD sufferers are shunned because they are not the strong invincible men the military likes to depict in it's propaganda.

The military treats it like a contagious disease that needs to be expunged and isolated by banishment lest it spreads through the ranks.

Oh - down here is 'Jacka Country' - there are a few of his relatives around here.  Lass up the road's uncle is a Jacka...

It's also Kelly Country... not that there's anything wrong with that...