Viewbank College

ADF News

Dear Parents/Guardians,

 

It has been a challenging time with Lockdowns and Remote Learning but I hope everybody is well and staying in good spirits. Over recent weeks, I have been endeavouring to stay in touch with all ADF students and have been making calls to check on student wellbeing. I will continue to do this on a regular basis. Should your child miss a call, I usually follow this up with a message on Teams Chat, so I encourage students to stay in touch. For senior students can I remind them that the SEAS applications close on the 8th October, if you are considering this make sure you complete your VTAC FORM first. Finally there has been a lot of news coverage lately with the withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan. I have included below an extract of a statement released recently by the Minister for Defence Personnel, it reads in part…

 

Support available for Australians who served in Afghanistan

This is a distressing time for many of our Defence personnel and veterans who served our nation in Afghanistan with courage, dignity and honour, and made such a significant contribution to the allied military effort. We must never forget the 41 Australians who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Australia owes a great debt of gratitude to all our veterans who served with distinction and their families who supported them. Over the past 20 years our nation has been unwavering in the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan. I understand many of those who served our nation in Afghanistan may feel frustrated, concerned and distressed at what is unfolding there. 

 

My primary concern is the wellbeing of all of our veterans, Defence personnel, here at home and abroad, and their families. I have asked the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to contact the families of ADF members who lost their lives in Afghanistan, as well as any veterans the Department is aware of who could suffer adversely as a result of what is currently happening in Afghanistan. I encourage anyone who served in Afghanistan to reach out to support services available to them and their families if they need it. 

 

Please call DVA if you would like to access services or call Open Arms for counselling support. ADF personnel, veterans and their families can call Open Arms 24 hours a day on 1800 011 046. If you need to talk but don’t want to disclose your name, please call Safe Zone Support which offers anonymous counselling service for ADF personnel, veterans and their families. Its free and available 24/7. You can call 1800 142 072. 

 

Please also reach out to any mates and their families who you know may be finding it difficult at this time. Although COVID restrictions are keeping us apart, there has never been a more critical time to ensure we stay connected. 

Minister Gee’s office. 

 

  • All‐hours Support Line (for ADF members and their families) – call 1800 628 036 (available 24/7). This is a confidential telephone service that provides access to mental health advice and referral for ADF  members and their families.
  • Defence Member and Family Helpline (for ADF members and their families) – call 1800 624 608 (available 24/7); www.defence.gov.au/dmfs. The Helpline is available 24/7 for ADF members and their families, and is staffed by qualified human services professionals including social workers and psychologists. 
  • Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling (for current and former serving ADF members and their families) – 1800 011 046; https://www.openarms.gov.au. Open Arms provides counselling and support       programs to current and former serving ADF members and their families, and operates a free‐call all‐hours crisis telephone service as well as providing face to face support. Members can sometimes feel more comfortable reaching out to Open Arms in the first instance as Open Arms is not part of Defence. 
  • ADF Chaplaincy Services provide a 24/7 in person on call service that is regionally based. Call 1300 DEFENCE (1300 467 425) and ask to speak to the on-call Chaplain in your area. 
  • ADF Health and Wellbeing portal – www.defence.gov.au/health/healthportal. The ADF Health and Wellbeing Portal provides information on a wide range of Defence websites containing information on ADF      Health and Mental Health services and supports, as well as links to many useful external resources.
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - Confidential, free of charge counselling support is available Defence Australian Public Servants (APS), Australian Defence Force (ADF) Reservists, ADF Cadets, Officers and Instructors of ADF Cadets, and their immediate families. Phone: 1300 687 327.

 

Kind Regards

Michael Walton DSM, Viewbank College.