The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has published its latest report into deaths by suicide of current and former serving ADF members who have served at least one day in the ADF since 1 January 1985.

The Serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force members who have served since 1985 suicide monitoring: 1997 to 2022 report found that there were 1763 certified deaths by suicide between January 1997 and December 2022.

DVA commissioned AIHW to undertake this research to improve our understanding of this complex issue and find ways to better support those in need.

Any veteran or Defence member’s death by suicide is a tragedy which the whole community feels deeply.

The Australian Government is committed to addressing the ongoing impact of service and preventing future deaths by suicide. The reports from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide are critical to understanding and addressing the causes of deaths by suicide.

There are a range of services and supports available to those who need them. All current and former serving members of the ADF who have completed one day of full-time service (and some reservists) are eligible for fully funded mental health treatment through the Non-Liability Health Care program. Proof your condition is related to military service isn’t required to access treatment.

If you’re a veteran, the immediate family member of a veteran or know someone in the veteran community struggling with their mental health, please encourage them to reach out for support:

• Defence personnel can contact their local health centre, the All Hours Support Line on 1800 628 036 or the Defence Member and Family Helpline on 1800 624 608.
• Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling Service provides free and confidential mental health support available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for veterans and their immediate families on 1800 011 046.

To read the findings of the report, visit AIHW suicide report

Veterans and families are encouraged to be on the lookout for third-party organisations making false or misleading claims that they are working on behalf of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), or any other Australian Government department. DVA is aware that some third-party organisations are trying to access funding via our clients.

As a DVA client you will have access to a range of health care services and programs designed to support your physical and mental health and wellbeing.

You may be contacted by people falsely claiming to represent a DVA approved service provider and suggesting you use their services.

We encourage all veterans and families to be wary of any advertisements or other representations made by third-party organisations – especially when they claim to be doing so on behalf of DVA, or with our approval.

Signs of a false or misleading representation

• Being offered vouchers, discounts or other gifts
  We will never directly send you unsolicited goods, such as retail vouchers or gifts.
• Being offered unsolicited health-related services
  We will never offer you or your family any health-related services without your consent.
• Being asked to call a random phone number to talk in more detail
  If someone contacts you claiming to be from DVA and asks you call a random number, you can call us direct on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) to check the validity of their claim.

If you suspect false or misleading representation

If you receive a phone call but are not sure if you’re speaking to a genuine DVA staff member, or if you suspect a third-party may be misrepresenting DVA – hang up and call us directly on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372). You can check the validity of any emails or letters you have received by phoning the same number.

You can also request a call back by using MyService or submit a general enquiry form at our website https://www.dva.gov.au/form/general-enquiries.

The Prime Minister proudly announced a drop in inflation for August, pointing to official figures as proof that the government is successfully tackling the cost of living crisis. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, annual headline inflation dropped from 3.5% to 2.7%, with underlying inflation falling from 3.8% to 3.4%. But this apparent victory comes with a significant caveat: the situation is far more nuanced than the Prime Minister is willing to admit.

Economists have been quick to point out that the much-touted 2.7% inflation figure doesn’t tell the full story. It’s largely an illusion, bolstered by temporary government measures such as energy rebates. When these one-off measures are stripped away, the real inflation rate remains closer to 3.5%. This indicates that the underlying economic pressures are still very much in play. The Prime Minister’s claim, while technically accurate, obscures the broader reality that Australians are still grappling with rising costs on essential goods and services.

What’s more troubling is the Prime Minister’s apparent disregard for the cautionary tone set by economic experts and the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). The RBA has made it clear that a sustainable reduction in inflation within the target range of 2% to 3% is necessary before any relief in interest rates can be expected. Governor Michele Bullock emphasized on Tuesday that the central bank remains firm on its inflation target, choosing to hold the cash rate at 4.35%. Yet, when asked directly whether he believed the RBA governor was wrong in her approach, the Prime Minister sidestepped the question, offering little insight into whether his government sees eye to eye with the central bank on monetary policy.

Instead, the Prime Minister reverted to well-worn talking points about the government’s actions to ease cost-of-living pressures: energy bill relief, tax cuts, fee-free TAFE, and cheaper childcare. While these initiatives might offer short-term relief, they fail to address the underlying inflationary pressures. This lack of substantive engagement with the issue leaves Australians wondering if the Prime Minister truly understands the complexity of the problem. His unwillingness to engage with the nuanced realities of inflation risks creating a false sense of security, when in fact the economy remains under considerable strain.

Moreover, the government’s focus on feel-good measures like wage increases and tax cuts does little to address the structural challenges driving inflation. The real test lies in achieving sustainable growth while keeping inflation within the RBA’s target range. Until that is achieved, any celebration of lower inflation numbers is premature and misleading.

In essence, the Prime Minister’s attitude reflects a concerning lack of depth in addressing one of the most pressing economic issues facing the country today. By downplaying the complexities and ignoring the voices of economic experts, he risks painting an overly rosy picture of a situation that is far from resolved. Australians deserve transparency and genuine solutions, not half-truths and political spin.

Australia’s new UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters have undertaken flight trials and procedures on board Royal Australian Navy vessels on the South Coast of NSW.

During the testing, an Australian Army UH-60M Black Hawk was carried aboard multi-role aircraft training vessel MV Sycamore in Jervis Bay during late August this year.

The first-of-class flight trials included deck operations, refuelling, stowage via deck lashing, deck take-off and landings.

“Defence has completed first-of-class flight trials for Australian Army’s new UH-60M utility helicopters to develop and confirm procedures required for a new type of aircraft to operate to and from an Australian Navy ship,” Defence said.

“The trial includes assessments of the aircraft’s suitability for operating off the deck, its integration with ship’s aviation facilities, and determining the limitations placed on an aircraft for shipboard operations.

“Forty UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters are being delivered to the Australian Army under Project Land 4507 UH-60M Black Hawk Utility Helicopter.

“Defence anticipates initial operating capability for the UH-60M Black Hawk will be achieved by the end of 2024. All 40 [Black Hawk] aircraft are scheduled for delivery by 2029.”

Earlier this year, the latest pair of new UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters arrived in Sydney aboard a United States Air Force C17 Globemaster III aircraft at RAAF Base Richmond.

Australia will acquire 40 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters for the Australian Army, under a 2023 foreign military sales case with the United States.

Each UH-60M utility helicopter can reportedly support 9,979 kilograms in maximum gross weight and 12 fully equipped, seated troops. Other versions include combat assault, medical evacuation, aerial firefighting, search and rescue, special operations, and VIP transport.

1. Light travels faster than sound.  This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

2. A fine is a tax for doing wrong.  A tax is a fine for doing well.

3. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.

4.  A day without sunshine is like, well, night.

5.  Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.

6. Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don’t.

8. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of getting something right, there’s a 90% probability you’ll get it wrong. 

9. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world end-to-end, someone from Florida would be stupid enough to try to pass them.

10. If the shoe fits, get another one just like it.

11. The things that come to those who wait, may be the things left by those who got there first.

12. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

13. Flashlight: A case for holding dead batteries.

14. God gave you toes as a device for finding furniture in the dark.

15. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the hands of twelve people, who weren’t smart enough to get out of jury duty.  

Sorry about the security message and action that blocked you all from Frontline … our security certificate expired due to a simple mix up in the payment date … all paid and fixed and totally secure.

If you missed any posts, you can go to the website www.frontline.asn.au and hit news and they’ll be there to read.

Cheers

Ray

Copied from 1RAR Facebook

The Champion Shots Medal was established on the 13th September 1988 to build on an extended history of rewarding skill in military marksmanship. Since pre Federation, informal and formal shooting awards were given across military units for local and international competitions. The creation of the Champion Shot Medal sought to standardise the recognition of these awards, bringing together the legacy of marksmanship excellence under one prestigious medal.

The Governor-General makes the awards on the recommendation of the Chief of the Defence Force or the Chief’s delegate. No more than three medals can be awarded in each calendar year. If the same person receives a further Champion Shots award it is in the form of a date bar, which is attached to the ribbon of the original award.

The medal may be awarded to only 1 person from each of the service branches after competing in the Australian Army Skill At Arms Meeting (ASSAM).

ASSAM:

The Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) is a combat focused skill at arms competition that encompasses current in-service small arms systems, competed at individual and unit levels. The competition is designed to allow for the assessment of current in-service small arms system capabilities, equipment and targetry, and training analysis of combat shooting techniques, weapon training doctrine, and small arms practices. AASAM identifies the best combat marksmen for selection in the Australian Army Combat Shooting Team (AACST), to represent the Australian Army at overseas international skill at arms competitions. The Champion Shot of the Army, Navy and Airforce is also contested.

AASAM consists of four major components:

– An Open Sniper Competition, where Army and International sniper pairs compete against each other,

– The Champion Shot of the Army, Navy and Air Force, where Top marksmen compete to be recognised as the top shot,

– Individual and Team events, where up to 14 teams from Forces Command, and unit teams across the Army, Navy and Air Force compete against each other,

– The international competition where up to 20 International Teams compete.

A number of 1 RAR soldiers have competed and won the champion shot medal, along with the 1 RAR team often dominating the shooting competition.

Tony Irwin is a nuclear engineer and technical director at SMR Nuclear Technology, an Australian company. He spent three decades in the UK commissioning and operating nuclear reactors for British Energy, before emigrating to Australia in 1999. Irwin joined the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), where he worked for ten years. He currently chairs the Nuclear Engineering Panel of Engineers Australia and lectures on nuclear science at both the Australian National University and the University of Sydney.

He has a solid understanding of nuclear power, including its underlying science, safety measures, and its potential as a sustainable energy source. He’s knowledgeable about how nuclear reactors work, the types of reactors, the challenges of waste management, and the advancements in nuclear technology. He recognizes nuclear energy as a viable solution to reduce carbon emissions and believes in its potential to provide a reliable, large-scale power supply, while acknowledging public concerns and the importance of stringent safety protocols.