RSL Australia will honour and commemorate the thousands of Australians who served in the Vietnam War on this week’s 50th Anniversary of the end of the conflict. We acknowledge the service of those deployed as well as the sacrifices of those who supported from home including service families. 

RSL Australia has called for the establishment of a National Office for Defence and Veteran Wellbeing headed by an Independent Commissioner, supported by a cross-organisational Advisory Group. The proposed entity would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

This is the true story of Van Nguyen (Minh), a Vietnamese orphan rescued by the RAAF’s Operation Babylift in 1975. Minh embraced life as an Australian, joining the Australian Navy Cadets and the Royal Australian Navy Junior Recruits and serving eight years in the Navy.

RSL Australia has paid tribute to the last two members of the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion (TSLIB) who recently passed away. “They served with dedication, bravery, and distinction and should have been recognised for their Service at the time,” Greg Melick said.

Each year RSL Australia provides scholarships for children and grandchildren of veterans to assist them to undertake tertiary education in Australia. This year’s deserving recipient is Matilda Langham.

RSL Tasmania submitted a business case to the Australian Commonwealth Government applying for funding for Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs. The application was successful. RSL Tasmania will now commence the implementation of VeteranHub across the state.

A ceremony will take place on July 27, 2023 to unveil the Perth Korean War Memorial which marks the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice of the Korean War.

The RSL has demanded urgent community attention to the report Give Me Shelter: Leave No Veteran Behind and the staggering incidence of veteran homelessness it exposes − an issue now costing Australia $344 million a year due to veterans not participating in the economy or employment, and veteran deaths by suicide. RSL Australia President, Greg Melick said the numbers and costs were unacceptable and called on Federal, State and Territory Governments to take urgent and immediate action.

The Australian College of Nursing (ACN) is raising money for scholarships, as well as funds to have a statue of a female nurse erected at the Australian War Memorial (AWM). This is known as the Bullwinkel Project, named after Vivian Bullwinkel AO MBE ARRC ED. The RSL encourages its members and the Australian community to support the ACN’s Bullwinkel Project.

Representatives from over 40 ex-service organisations (ESOs) attended the second National Forum for Ex-Service Organisations in Sydney on 30 May. The Forum was established by RSL Australia and its State Branches, in response to discussions across and outside of the ESO sector, to facilitate a process to enable representatives from across the sector to come together to address the emerging issues from the ongoing Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The RSL is supporting the commemoration of Australian veterans’ service in the Vietnam War through a Veterans’ Vigil and a National Commemorative Service in August. This year marks 60 years since the arrival of the Australian Army Training team in South Vietnam on August 3, 1962 and 50 years since the withdrawal of combat troops in 1972. The Vietnam Veterans’ Vigil to be held on August 3 aims to have services of remembrance conducted at the grave or commemorative plaque site of every Australian killed in the Vietnam conflict.

Representatives from more than 20 ex-service organisations will come together in Sydney for the second National Forum for Ex-Service Organisations (ESOs) hosted by the Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) and its State Branches.

A major canal construction project planned through the heart of the Somme battlefield in northern France is expected to unearth the remains of soldiers, including Australians, killed in the First World War. This provides a rare opportunity to recover the remains of some of the 100,000 soldiers from both sides, still missing in the area, which was the scene of many intense battles on the Western Front.

The RSL is concerned about this recent development from Defence to remove awards from commanders. Whilst the RSL believes that there must be command accountability for any wrongdoings on their watch the facts of allegations of wrongdoing in Afghanistan are untested and the truth not yet established by a court. It is expected that the legal processes underway at the moment may do that. The RSL believes that until those processes are complete no further action against commanders, or anyone else, should be taken.

The Federal Budget, handed down by Treasurer Dr Jim Chalmers MP on May 9 contained a number of important support measures for Australia’s veterans and their families, but much still remains to be done to improve the lives of those who have served our nation. 

The Ex-Service Organisation Round Table (ESORT) is the main body for consultation between ex-service organisations and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA). ESORT aims to address issues of strategic importance to the ex-service and defence communities and assist in setting directions for the medium to long term. Read the summary of the meeting on 9 May.

A recently launched Defence and Veteran Carers Network is providing valuable support, resources, and an advocacy platform for this unique group of carers. The web hub has been established by Carers of Australia with funding from the Department of Defence in recognition of the vital role carers play in supporting Australian Defence Force (ADF) members, veterans and their families who provide unpaid care.

The 2023-24 Federal Budget has been released, and we welcome the more than $328 million in funding for veterans and their families through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. While it is encouraging to see this commitment of funding for DVA, we remain committed to our pre-budget calls for the establishment of an implementation body to oversee the recommendations of the Royal Commission. We will continue to advocate to the Federal Government to ensure this remains a priority.

The RSL has congratulated His Majesty King Charles III on his Coronation in London’s Westminster Abbey. RSL has had a long association with the Monarchy, and this would continue under His Majesty King Charles III.

The Lest We Forget Anzac Day Tribute Concert held in Sydney on Anzac Day in the Town Hall was a great success and raised almost $5,000 for RSL LifeCare Veteran Services. This very special commemoration featured over one hundred of Australia’s best military, veteran and civilian artists all coming together to honour the Fallen.