Due to escalating costs it has become necessary to review the use of our Outreach Teams in providing assistance to veterans in NSW. In addition, it has been found that DVA Teams and other “Pensions Officers” have been arriving in the towns we advertised, both in this Newsletter, and on our website, just prior to the Outreach Teams arrival. Thus negating the effectiveness and efforts of our Outreach Teams. In order to reduce costs and eliminate others taking advantage of our organisational expertise, the procedures for future Pension Tours will be as follows:

Any veteran, widow of a veteran, and/or, relative of a veteran in rural NSW seeking assistance of the Outreach Team, in matters of Service Pensions, Disability Pension Claims, War Widows Pensions, and/or MCRS Claims, should contact the Outreach Coordinator (see below), who will organize assistance

In the event that members have friends who need assistance they are urged to contact Dennis Hanmer who will coordinate the visit program. Of course, the more people wishing assistance in any one town or rural area, the more fulfilling the trip will be for the Outreach Team.

Remember, we assist all veterans, and ex-service personnel, as well as currently serving personnel, in any matter relating to your service that may require a lodgement of a claim or application with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The team will give assistance and advice to all veterans of all conflicts, including Peacekeeper and Peacemaker Missions. ALL PERSONNEL WHO SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES BETWEEN 1973 AND 1993 ARE ELIGIBLE FOR REPATRIATION BENEFITS. The team also deals with Military Compensation aspects.

Contact: Dennis Hanmer (JP)
Mobile: 0428 388 221

Mail To:
VVP&PAA NSW Branch Inc., PO Box 170 Granville NSW 2142
Phone: 02 9682 1788 Fax: 02 9682 6134
Email: vvfagran@bigpond.net.au

ASIST PROGRAM

In Morbidity of Vietnam veterans: A Study of the Health of Australia’s Vietnam Veteran Community Released by DVA, in May 1998; it was reported that children of Vietnam veterans had a substantially higher rate of suicide than that experienced by the general Australian community.
This report was based on a self reported survey of 49,944 male veterans about their own and their children’s health. A validation study was carried out by the Australian Institute of Health & Welfare Canberra, and this study estimated that the number of suicides was in fact more than three times that of the general Australian community.
The sex distribution of suicides of veterans children is strongly male dominated, as 90% of the validated suicides were males. This is identical to national patterns, where 81% of suicides in the 10-39 age group between 1986 & 1997 were male.

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE

Nationally, veterans are at the forefront of a program which is aiming to raise awareness of men’s health issues by encouraging members of the veteran and ex-service community to share responsibility for managing their health and well-being.

Veteran committee members from the Men’s Health Peer Education Program, sponsored by the Federal Government through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, has been running since 2000, with more than 200 volunteer facilitators now working to introduce their mates to the benefits of adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Men’s Health Peer Education committee members from each State and Territory met in Canberra on 6-8 November for an inaugural national conference to discuss issues in men’s health and the future of peer education.

The conference was opened by the Repatriation Commissioner, Major General Paul Stevens, and included a healthy breakfast, hosted by Commission President and DVA Secretary Dr Neil Johnston, to introduce the committee members to Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (high blood pressure).

All state committee members agreed the inaugural conference was very productive.

"DVA agreed to continue its sponsorship and will work to improve promotion to ex service organisations at the National and State level, to boost the support that our volunteer facilitators are receiving," a committee member said.

The inaugural conference highlighted the facilitators agreement to work closely with the Department to promote DVA’s Alcohol Health Promotion strategy, recognising the impact that alcohol can have on veteran health.

To deliver programs more effectively, the national committee will be developing a new national ID card for volunteers, so that we can make sure all facilitators are up-to-date with their training and accreditation.

It was stated that the Men’s Health Peer Education committee will also seek representation on the DVA’s younger veterans forum, to voice the health education needs of the grass roots veteran community.

The national committee agreed that the program needed more volunteers willing to host a Men’s Health Peer Education session, or to become facilitators themselves.

They called upon veterans in all regions to support their mates. As the brochure says, back when we were in the armed forces, we stayed healthy because our lives depended on it. That hasn’t changed and staying healthy is probably more important now.

Veterans can find out more by contacting their State committee member,
calling DVA on 133 254,
or by visiting the Men’s Health Peer Education website at www.dva.gov.au/health/menshealth.