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VETAFFAIRS
Fix this textVol. 34 No. 3 SPRING 2018 ISSN 0819-8934
Fix this textDVA’S FREE NEWSPAPER FOR AUSTRALIA’S VETERAN COMMUNITY
Fix this textA new name for VVCS: Open Arms
Fix this textCENTENARY OR
Fix this textARMISTICE SM
Fix this textBlooms, bagpipes
Fix this textand bells
Fix this textPAGE 17
Fix this textINVICTUS GAMES
Fix this textSYDNEY 2018 1
Fix this textYour lift-out guide
Fix this textPAGES 9-12
Fix this textThe Veterans and Veterans Fami-
Fix this textlies Counselling Service - known
Fix this textto many as WCS - will be officially
Fix this textrelaunched as ‘Open Arms - Veter-
Fix this textans and Families Counselling’ by
Fix this textthe Minister for Veterans’ Affairs,
Fix this textDarren Chester, ahead of the Invic-
Fix this texttus Games Sydney 2018.
Fix this textFollowing strong advocacy by
Fix this textVietnam veterans, the service was
Fix this textestablished in 1982 as the Vietnam
Fix this textVeterans Counselling Service. In
Fix this text2007, it was renamed WCS (the
Fix this textVeterans and Veterans Families
Fix this textCounselling Service) to reflect the
Fix this textfact that the expanded service was
Fix this textnow available to all Australian
Fix this textcombat veterans, including peace-
Fix this textkeepers, and their families.
Fix this textThe rebranding as ‘Open Arms
Fix this text- Veterans and Families Counsel-
Fix this textling’ reflects that eligibility has
Fix this textagain significantly expanded. The
Fix this textservice is now available to anyone
Fix this textwho has served a day in the ADF,
Fix this textand their family.
Fix this textThe rebranding was led by the
Fix this textindependent WCS National Advi-
Fix this textsory Committee (NAC), which
Fix this textunanimously agreed to the new
Fix this textname and tagline. The NAC
Fix this textincludes representatives of all
Fix this textof WCS’s client cohorts, includ-
Fix this texting Vietnam veterans, veterans
Fix this textand families, as well as other key
Fix this textstakeholders.
Fix this textThe Open Arms brand was co-
Fix this textdesigned with Vietnam veterans,
Fix this textcurrently serving ADF personnel,
Fix this textReservists, partners and families,
Fix this textcontemporary veterans and WCS
Fix this textpeer network advisers.
Fix this textOpen arms are a powerful sym-
Fix this textbol of support, safety and security
Fix this textto the veteran community, par-
Fix this textticularly for Vietnam veterans.
Fix this textDuring the Vietnam War, many
Fix this textAustralian soldiers saw the Bell
Fix this textUH-i Iroquois ‘Huey’ helicopter as
Fix this texta lifeline as it provided critical sup-
Fix this textplies to them during an operation,
Fix this textand carried them to safety after-
Fix this textwards. To let the pilot know where
Fix this textto land, a soldier had to stand in a
Fix this textfield with open arms, completely
Fix this textvulnerable. The Open Arms logo
Fix this textreminds us of those brave soldiers.
Fix this textIt also represents families wel-
Fix this textcoming soldiers home, ground
Fix this textcrew directing planes and the
Fix this textcounselling service’s policy of wel-
Fix this textcoming those who need support
Fix this textwith open arms.
Fix this textMembers of the veteran commu-
Fix this textnity who took part in focus group
Fix this texttesting found Open Arms posi-
Fix this texttive, welcoming and memorable.
Fix this textThe name resonated with person-
Fix this textnel in all three services, while also
Fix this textappealing to partners and families.
Fix this textThe renamed organisation will
Fix this textprovide the same professional
Fix this textservice through the same tele-
Fix this textphone number, but under a more
Fix this textrecognisable and memorable
Fix this textbrand.
Fix this textTo gain access to Open Arms’s free
Fix this textand confidential support 24/7, call
Fix this text1800011046.
Fix this textSee also ‘Rebrand will extend
Fix this textWCS’s reach: advocate’ on page 4.
Fix this textSharing the news
Fix this textabout DVA in Iraq
Fix this textDVA has in recent weeks for the
Fix this textfirst time taken the message about
Fix this textits services and support directly
Fix this textto Australian Defence Force (ADF)
Fix this textpersonnel on deployment in Iraq.
Fix this textMajor Lance Johnson OAM, a
Fix this textsenior member of DVA’s trans-
Fix this textformation team, has presented
Fix this texta series of briefings to ADF col-
Fix this textleagues while on deployment
Fix this textas an Australian Army Reservist
Fix this textwith Task Group Taji-7, north of
Fix this textBaghdad.
Fix this textTask Group Taji-7 is training Iraqi
Fix this textSecurity Forces as part of Opera-
Fix this texttion Okra - the ADF’s contribution
Fix this textto the US-led Global Coalition to
Fix this textcombat the Daesh terrorist threat
Fix this textin Iraq and Syria.
Fix this textMajor Johnson is serving as a
Fix this textUnit Safety Officer and Health
Fix this textAdviser during his six-month
Fix this textdeployment. The DVA briefings
Fix this texthave been a ‘bonus’ with the
Fix this textsupport of the Task Group’s Com-
Fix this textmander rather than a planned part
Fix this textof his deployment, and have been
Fix this textwelcomed by Major Johnson’s
Fix this textcolleagues.
Fix this text‘They love it, they absolutely
Fix this textlove it,’ he says.
Fix this text‘Because we’re on a war-like
Fix this textoperation, every single person has
Fix this textan entitlement from the start of
Fix this textthe deployment, so they’re very
Fix this textkeyed into the presentation.’
Fix this textMajor Lance
Fix this textJohnson
Fix this textOAM
Fix this textMajor Johnson has, during
Fix this textinitial longer briefings, offered
Fix this textattendees a broad overview of DVA
Fix this textentitlements and how these tie in
Fix this textwith relevant legislation. Shorter
Fix this textfollow-up sessions will remind
Fix this textADF members to cover off with
Fix this texttheir doctor any issues they’ve had
Fix this textwhile deployed.
Fix this textAttendees at the sessions have
Fix this textappreciated hearing the informa-
Fix this texttion from a current serving/veteran
Fix this textpoint of view, according to Major
Fix this textJohnson.
Fix this text‘When they get spoken to by an
Fix this textADF person, talking in their lan-
Fix this textguage back to them, they s re always
Fix this textvery keen to listen,’ he says.
Fix this text‘lt helps to have that lived experi-
Fix this textence to be actually able to reinforce
Fix this textthose messages.’
Fix this textContinued page 3
Fix this textEvents to honour women
Fix this textunite defence community
Fix this textAttendees at the Last Post
Fix this textCeremony outside the
Fix this textAustralian War Memorial.
Fix this textHundreds of women connected
Fix this textby their own or a family member’s
Fix this textAustralian Defence Force (ADF)
Fix this textservice attended unprecedented
Fix this textevents in Canberra in September
Fix this textrecognising their contribution.
Fix this textOrganised by the Honouring
Fix this textWomen United by Defence Service
Fix this textcommittee (with members from
Fix this textthe War Widows’ Guild of Australia
Fix this textNSW, Legacy, RSL NSW, TPI Fed-
Fix this texteration of Australia, the Women
Fix this textVeterans Network Australia, the
Fix this textADF and DVA), the historic Last
Fix this textPost Ceremony and sold-out din-
Fix this textner on 11 September 2018 marked
Fix this textthe first occasion at which all
Fix this textof these organisations worked
Fix this texttogether.
Fix this textThey were also the first significant
Fix this textevents at which mothers, daughters,
Fix this textsisters and grandmothers of ADF
Fix this textmembers were recognised alongside
Fix this textwidows, wives, partners and cur-
Fix this textrenffy and former serving women.
Fix this textTimed to coincide with the
Fix this textevents was DVA’s third Female Vet-
Fix this texterans and Veterans’ Families Policy
Fix this textFomm, which provided an oppor-
Fix this texttunity for attendees to influence
Fix this textand inform current DVA projects.
Fix this textChair of the Honouring Women
Fix this textinitiative, War Widows’ Guild of
Fix this textAustralia NSW President Rhondda
Fix this textVanzella OAM, said it was fitting in
Fix this textthe final year of the Centenary of
Fix this textAnzac 2014-18 to recognise women,
Fix this textwho were often overshadowed in
Fix this textnational campaigns related to mili-
Fix this texttary service.
Fix this textShe believes the connections
Fix this textmade through the initiative and
Fix this textthe resulting momentum have the
Fix this textpotential to make a real difference.
Fix this text‘By working together, we can
Fix this textbring about a stronger voice, better
Fix this textsupport and better understanding
Fix this textfor all women united by defence
Fix this textservice/ Mrs Vanzella said.
Fix this textPlanning is under way for further
Fix this textevents, including a function hon-
Fix this textouring families united by defence
Fix this textservice during the Invictus Games
Fix this textSydney 2018.
Fix this textTo learn more, visit facebook.
Fix this textcom/honouringwomen.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168560012
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. (). Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, Retrieved May 22, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168560012
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [Canberra]: [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs], . Web. 22 May 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168560012>
Australia. Department of Veterans' Affairs. , Vetaffairs / Department of Veterans' Affairs, [Dept. of Veterans' Affairs], [Canberra] viewed 22 May 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168560012
{{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. 34 No. 3 Spring (September - November 2018)
| location=[Canberra]
| publisher=[Dept. of Veterans' Affairs]
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1168560012
| id=nla.obj-1168560012
| access-date=22 May 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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