Fix this text
VETAFFAIRS
Fix this textPage 7
Fix this textPage 12
Fix this textPage 14
Fix this textVol. 30 No. 2
Fix this textWinter 2014
Fix this textISSN 0819-8934
Fix this text70 th anniversary of the D-Day landings and
Fix this textNormandy Campaign
Fix this textAt the start of June, seven Austral-
Fix this textian Second World War veterans
Fix this textmade the emotional journey back
Fix this textto France to commemorate the 70th
Fix this textanniversary of the D-Day landings
Fix this textand the Normandy Campaign.
Fix this textTo this day, the D-Day landings
Fix this textremain the largest amphibious oper-
Fix this textation in the history of warfare. Close
Fix this textto 160,000 troops, predominately
Fix this textfrom the United States, Britain and
Fix this textCanada, landed on the Normandy
Fix this textbeaches on D-Day with 875,000
Fix this texthaving landed by the end of June.
Fix this textAlmost 3000 Australian servicemen
Fix this textand women supported the operation
Fix this text70 years ago. Tragically, eighteen
Fix this textAustralians died on D-Day, includ-
Fix this texting those airmen killed on the nights
Fix this textof 5 and 6 June, with many others
Fix this textwounded. Others never made the
Fix this textjourney back to Australia.
Fix this textAustralia’s contribution was
Fix this textprimarily aerial support, and the
Fix this textseven veterans attending the mission
Fix this textall served with the Royal Australian
Fix this textAir Force, some serving in Royal Air
Fix this textForce squadrons. While at times
Fix this textoverwhelming, the veterans had
Fix this textthe opportunity to view the French
Fix this textvillages and countryside that looked
Fix this textquite different to what it did back
Fix this textin 1944.
Fix this textIn France, the veterans were joined
Fix this texton 6 June by Prime Minister, the
Fix this textHon. Tony Abbott MP, at the Bayeux
Fix this textCathedral for a Commonwealth
Fix this textCommemorative service, a Com-
Fix this textmonwealth Memorial Service at the
Fix this textBayeux Cemetery, and an Interna-
Fix this texttional Service at Sword Beach, where
Fix this textAllies landed during the invasion.
Fix this textDuring the trip to France, the group
Fix this textalso visited memorials and military
Fix this textsites across Normandy, including the
Fix this textPegasus Museum and Bridge. This
Fix this textwas also an occasion for the veterans
Fix this textto reconnect with former comrades
Fix this textfrom other Commonwealth nations
Fix this textsuch as the United Kingdom, Can-
Fix this textada and New Zealand.
Fix this textThe French association “Nor-
Fix this textmandie Memoire” has announced
Fix this textthey are honouring all eligible Aus-
Fix this texttralian and New Zealand veterans
Fix this textwho served in Normandy, recog-
Fix this textnising them accordingly. While in
Fix this textFrance, the veterans were awarded
Fix this textAwarded the Legion of Honour at a ceremony in Caen, France. Veterans (l-r) Bill Purdy, Phillip
Fix this textEiger, Stuart ‘Snow’Davis, (PM Abbott), Bob Cowper, Bill Evans, Ron Houghton and Fred Riley.
Fix this textthe Legion of Honour, one of France’s high-
Fix this textest honours, by French Minister Kader Arif
Fix this textat a ceremony in Caen, France. Bob Cow-
Fix this textper had previously received the Legion of
Fix this textHonour in 2004, but was on hand to see
Fix this texthis mates receive the honour this time. The
Fix this textFrench Embassy in Australia is organising
Fix this textpresentation ceremonies later this year in
Fix this textlocations around Australia, to recognise
Fix this textthose veterans who were not part of the
Fix this textD-Day Mission party. The commemorative
Fix this textmedal is available to all Australian veter-
Fix this textans who served in Normandy. Veterans
Fix this textcan contact the French Embassy in Aus-
Fix this texttralia for more information on +6l (02)
Fix this text6216 0161 or email a copy of your current
Fix this textvalid identification and details, and a copy
Fix this textof your military record relating to ser-
Fix this textvice in Normandy, before 31 July 2014 to
Fix this textdefence@ambafrance-au.org
Fix this textPhotographs from the visit are available
Fix this textat www.flickr.com/dvaaus
Fix this textStrengthening access to mental
Fix this texthealth support
Fix this textTackling mental health challenges facing veter-
Fix this textans and their families, especially following the
Fix this textdrawdown of troops from Afghanistan, is one of
Fix this textthe pillars of the Government’s plan for veterans’
Fix this textaffairs.
Fix this textThere is a comprehensive service system that
Fix this textstands ready to meet the mental health needs of
Fix this textthe veteran and ex-service community, and the
Fix this textGovernment spends around 5166 million a year on
Fix this textmeeting these mental health needs. This includes
Fix this textfunding for online mental health information and
Fix this textsupport, GP services, psychologist and social work
Fix this textservices, including the Veterans and Veterans
Fix this textFamilies Counselling Service (VVCS), specialist
Fix this textpsychiatric services, pharmaceuticals, posttrau-
Fix this textmatic stress disorder programmes, and in-patient
Fix this textand out-patient hospital treatment. The Gov-
Fix this texternment’s funding for this treatment is demand
Fix this textdriven, and it is not capped.
Fix this textA number of new mental health initiatives will
Fix this textbe introduced from 1 July 2014, to strengthen
Fix this textaccess to our service system. These initiatives will
Fix this textprovide:
Fix this text• greater access to the VVCS for current and for-
Fix this textmer members and their dependant family who
Fix this texthave been impacted by war and service-related
Fix this textmental health and wellbeing conditions;
Fix this text• greater access to existing arrangements whereby
Fix this textDVA will pay for mental health treatment for eli-
Fix this textgible veterans and peacetime members without
Fix this textthe need to establish that their mental health
Fix this textcondition is related to service. From 1 July 2014,
Fix this textDVA will also pay for treatment for diagnosed
Fix this textalcohol and substance use disorders, and an
Fix this textincreased number of individuals with peacetime
Fix this textservice will also become eligible; and
Fix this text• a new physical and mental health assessment
Fix this textfor ex-serving personnel from their GP, to be
Fix this textfunded under Medicare. The assessment will
Fix this texthelp GPs diagnose and identify early any men-
Fix this texttal and physical health concerns and to treat or
Fix this textrefer appropriately to other services.
Fix this textDVA has also been talking to clients who have
Fix this textexperienced mental health conditions in order to
Fix this textbetter understand their experiences. This impor-
Fix this texttant work will help improve how the Department
Fix this textdelivers services to these clients.
Fix this textRead more about these mental health initiatives
Fix this textwithin this issue of Vetaffairs.
Fix this textPAGE 4
Fix this textCHANGING AGED CARE
Fix this textSYSTEM
Fix this textPAGE 5
Fix this textIMPROVEMENTS TO
Fix this textVETAFFAIRS
Fix this textPAGE 6
Fix this textPENSIONER CONCESSION
Fix this textCARDS
Fix this text2014-15 DVA Budget
Fix this textOn Tuesday 13 May the 2014-15 Federal Budget was handed down
Fix this textby the Treasurer containing $12.3 billion for the Veterans’ Affairs
Fix this textportfolio.
Fix this textThis includes $6.7 billion in income support and compensation,
Fix this textand $5.5 billion in health services.
Fix this textThe funding will support DVA’s clients - approximately 310,000
Fix this textveterans, dependants and their families; and it will support the work
Fix this textof DVA in providing services to the veteran community.
Fix this textThe main measures for DVA include:
Fix this text• Aligning indexation for DVA funded services for dental and
Fix this textallied health care providers with arrangements under Medicare;
Fix this text• Amendments to the backdating of disability pension claims,
Fix this textwith payment to be made from date of lodgement of the claim,
Fix this textrather than from three months prior to lodgement, for claims
Fix this textreceived from 1 January 2015;
Fix this text• Increase the number of Enhanced Compliance Programme
Fix this textreviews of income support payments, from 12,000 per financial
Fix this textyear to 20,000 per financial year from 1 July 2014;
Fix this text• Reviews for clients who have been in continuous receipt of inca-
Fix this textpacity payments for 12 months or more to assess their level of
Fix this textmedical incapacity and their ability to work;
Fix this text• $6.9 million to develop a detailed business case for a major inter-
Fix this textpretive centre at Villers-Bretonneux in France to ensure the
Fix this textservice of Australians on the Western Front is appropriately rec-
Fix this textognised as part of the Anzac Centenary; and
Fix this text• $0.2 million to undertake a scoping study on the future manage-
Fix this textment and operations of the Defence Service Homes Insurance
Fix this textScheme (DSHIS).
Fix this textSee page 4 of Vetaffairs for further details.
Fix this textVetaffairs has increased to 16 pages. You said
Fix this textyou like it and we've listened!
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559397
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. (). Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, Retrieved May 25, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559397
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [Canberra]: [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs], . Web. 25 May 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559397>
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. , Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs], [Canberra] viewed 25 May 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559397
{{Citation
| author1=Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs.
| title=Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs
| year=
| section=v. : ill. ; 35-40 cm.
| issn=0819-8934
| issue=Vol. 30 No. 2 Winter (June - August 2014)
| location=[Canberra]
| publisher=[Dept. of Veterans' Affairs]
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168559397
| id=nla.obj-1168559397
| access-date=25 May 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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