Veterans are getting plenty of air time.....

[weeds]

I wonder if Invictus and Remembrance Day around the corner has stimulated the activity......

- I enjoyed watching Invictus but I wonder how the ones that missed out are feeling.....be good if the government put on an annual games like the US does in house.

- discount card......I’ll take it

- I fly virgin for work.......I would assume the initiative would be voluntary, I.e. tick a box...this would suit a small percentage but I doubt many would tick the box....I wouldn’t. Sure virgin didn’t quite get the announcement right but at least they gave it a go.

[NavyDiver]

I wonder if Invictus and Remembrance Day around the corner has stimulated the activity......

- I enjoyed watching Invictus but I wonder how the ones that missed out are feeling.....be good if the government put on an annual games like the US does in house.

- discount card......I’ll take it

- I fly virgin for work.......I would assume the initiative would be voluntary, I.e. tick a box...this would suit a small percentage but I doubt many would tick the box....I wouldn’t. Sure virgin didn’t quite get the announcement right but at least they gave it a go.

Take a discount on the fares over a faster sit and wait and a small (case of [tonguewink]) the clap

The Discount card will probably be a lot like Fly Buys which is used for marketing and does little to nothing for all the people who trot them out at the supermarkets "
Loyalty cards ‘change our brain chemistry’ and make us less rational shoppers" Have to chuckle about that headline - Its on a pay walled site so I wast going to link it till I noticed I am in the 18% who don't have one of those cards. Link (https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/loyalty-cards-change-our-brain-chemistry-and-make-us-less-rational-shoppers/news-story/69881f2ccf9326ac02897ae074af533a)

Nice of the Government to announce a Discount card that doesn't have any discounts. Thats being a bit cruel as a few have offered some."Already Woolworths, Coles, Kmart, Bunnings, Target, NRMA and Clubs Australia have signed up, while Westpac has expressed support for the idea."

We get a "Australian Veterans' Lapel Pin." to stab our selves with as well. Veterans to save with new discount card | SBS News (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/veterans-to-save-with-new-discount-card)

[weeds]

I have priority boarding.....sometimes I don’t use it just for a giggle. It’s pretty good chance that the first 8-10 rows is full of priority boarders......nothing better than seeing the dills that select an isle seats, they get nice and comfy and settled than have to get up whiles other are trying to find a spot for the bags to let me over to the window seat......although when I have an isle seat I wait and be on of the last onto the plane....kinda makes sense.

Discount card, I still make sure I’m getting value for money.......be interesting to see how it goes.

Like you I don’t have a loyalty card....

[Bigbjorn]

Take a discount on the fares over a faster sit and wait and a small (case of [tonguewink]) the clap

The Discount card will probably be a lot like Fly Buys which is used for marketing and does little to nothing for all the people who trot them out at the supermarkets "
Loyalty cards ‘change our brain chemistry’ and make us less rational shoppers" Have to chuckle about that headline - Its on a pay walled site so I wast going to link it till I noticed I am in the 18% who don't have one of those cards. Link (https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/loyalty-cards-change-our-brain-chemistry-and-make-us-less-rational-shoppers/news-story/69881f2ccf9326ac02897ae074af533a)

Nice of the Government to announce a Discount card that doesn't have any discounts. Thats being a bit cruel as a few have offered some."Already Woolworths, Coles, Kmart, Bunnings, Target, NRMA and Clubs Australia have signed up, while Westpac has expressed support for the idea."

We get a "Australian Veterans' Lapel Pin." to stab our selves with as well. Veterans to save with new discount card | SBS News (https://www.sbs.com.au/news/veterans-to-save-with-new-discount-card)

I thought a Returned from Active Service badge (RAS badge) was issued.

[dirvine]

I am not against the people in our defence forces. But as there is no conscription it is a vocation they choose. So why should they get special treatment over any other profession? Why not add firemen ambulance, nurses and doctors,garbage collectors cleaners? Those are also very important jobs.They save lives not possibly killing people for a living! Why not teachers? If we didnt have them then no one would know how to do anything? If you want priority seating pay for it like everybody else does. (except politicians of course they are sooooo important)The armed force personnel already get special deals and benefits long after they leave the forces. So whilst I respect they do a very important job and keep our borders safe, they should be treated like anybody else in any profession and just take their turn. No job is more important than another. They are all needed or else our social fabric and the society we live in would be not as good as it is. We are all equal. (although as George Orwell said some are more equal than others?)

[weeds]

I thought a Returned from Active Service badge (RAS badge) was issued.

In relation to??

Invictus and discount card are not dependent on active service.....

[Bigbjorn]

In relation to??

Invictus and discount card are not dependent on active service.....

In relation to this.

We get a "Australian Veterans' Lapel Pin." to stab our selves with as well.

[101RRS]

The armed force personnel already get special deals and benefits long after they leave the forces.

Not quite sure what these are for the average ex serviceman.

[Eevo]

Why not add firemen ambulance, nurses and doctors,garbage collectors cleaners?

this is what Qantas said.
americans are very big on their service men an women. free drinks on flights, etc.

[weeds]

I am not against the people in our defence forces. But as there is no conscription it is a vocation they choose. So why should they get special treatment over any other profession? Why not add firemen ambulance, nurses and doctors,garbage collectors cleaners? Those are also very important jobs.They save lives not possibly killing people for a living! Why not teachers? If we didnt have them then no one would know how to do anything? If you want priority seating pay for it like everybody else does. (except politicians of course they are sooooo important)The armed force personnel already get special deals and benefits long after they leave the forces. So whilst I respect they do a very important job and keep our borders safe, they should be treated like anybody else in any profession and just take their turn. No job is more important than another. They are all needed or else our social fabric and the society we live in would be not as good as it is. We are all equal. (although as George Orwell said some are more equal than others?)

I don’t think virgin were offering any better seating...I think it was priority boarding only which is a pain if you have a middle or isle seat anyways.

Can you outline the special deals and benefits ex-service personal get??

The pension scheme was stopped in 1990......I choose to opt out, other than that I’m compensated for my workplace injury.....don’t think I get anything else.

[superquag]

I heard recently that Virgin is (significant %) owned by Chinese interests, - anyone else in a position to verify that ?
IF that's true, then I would have reservations about ticking that box... why "donate" information etc to the government of China ?

[dirvine]

Not quite sure what these are for the average ex serviceman.
Benefits and payments | Department of Veterans' Affairs (https://www.dva.gov.au/benefits-and-payments)

[weeds]

Benefits and payments | Department of Veterans' Affairs (https://www.dva.gov.au/benefits-and-payments)

Umm, as I said.....compensation for workplace injury for the most of it, which employees across Australia get to varying degrees..

I’m a DVA White holder, it ain’t as flash as you might think.

[101RRS]

Benefits and payments | Department of Veterans' Affairs (https://www.dva.gov.au/benefits-and-payments)

You got to jump through the same hoops as any civvy with similar issues - you get similar benefits and in some cases it is harder than the civilian system.

[dirvine]

All I can say is my son and his wife (both were in the Army) were and post leaving well looked after by the DVA. Maybe they joined in a different era than others making comments here, but the perks they got while in and now out of the force are things I can only dream about. They do not suffer any long term health issues (thank god) but cheap loans, housing, dental etc were all available to them. I have not spoken to him about this for a while so it might have changed.

[101RRS]

but cheap loans, housing, dental etc were all available to them.

Not when you no longer serve - and if you use the medical system too much while serving it is held against you.

[lyonsy]

Not when you no longer serve - and if you use the medical system too much while serving it is held against you.

That's the same anywhere esp if management is older, I work for a council and management over the last 2/3 years has lost about 20 years in age in the more powerful and positions and it is amazing how things have changed, (and how the older managers complain about it as well)

Sick days are the best example before even if you where full of the flu and contagious if you did not come to work and give it to everyone it would be held against you, since this the management change if you come to work in the same condition they will send you home because they realize its better to have one person home sick then everyone at work doing bugger all as they are all crook as a dog.
Prior to this they basically saw sick days as a way to continue to be paid and employed while you retired with bogus claims of ill health etc (one grader driver was still employed 2 years after retiring on sick leave because he never took sick days when he was actually sick)

incident reporting has changed some what the same if you reported something it would be held over you as a grounds to try and get rid of you now it is used to make the work place safer and encouraged to be reported.

As for the priority boarding etc i have to ask why? its just WOFTAM imo,
I would rather see better services in regards to PTSD and mental health and a program to help people in the service integrate back into civ life better then get priority boarding on a plane least that would actually do something other then some press for a failing government

[weeds]

All I can say is my son and his wife (both were in the Army) were and post leaving well looked after by the DVA. Maybe they joined in a different era than others making comments here, but the perks they got while in and now out of the force are things I can only dream about. They do not suffer any long term health issues (thank god) but cheap loans, housing, dental etc were all available to them. I have not spoken to him about this for a while so it might have changed.

Agree the system changed over time and it all depends on when you enlisted as to what you may or may not get. ......if they joined before 1990 ish and elected to stay with DFRBT and served 20 years than they would be part of the pension system.

The house loan scheme isn’t quite a good as most think, I sign up initially as it was easy but I soon found out there were better packages available to tie general public.

Once one has left the system you loose access to medical and dental.....if your injured and on a white or gold card than medical expenses are covered...well kinda.

[weeds]

As for the priority boarding etc i have to ask why? its just WOFTAM imo,
I would rather see better services in regards to PTSD and mental health and a program to help people in the service integrate back into civ life better then get priority boarding on a plane least that would actually do something other then some press for a failing government

Priority boarding should be for those allocated to a window seat....pretty myth buster would support this based on there experiment

There seems to be a push to change PTSD to PTSI.

[DiscoMick]

I read somewhere that the suicide rate among veterans is about 5%, which seems high, so I think funding for support for troubled veterans should be a high priority, certainly higher than spending hundreds of millions on memorials.

[NavyDiver]

All I can say is my son and his wife (both were in the Army) were and post leaving well looked after by the DVA. Maybe they joined in a different era than others making comments here, but the perks they got while in and now out of the force are things I can only dream about. They do not suffer any long term health issues (thank god) but cheap loans, housing, dental etc were all available to them. I have not spoken to him about this for a while so it might have changed.


The cheap housing loan I had was capped at 25k at 9% interest rate. That was ok until interest rates went far below that (1990 version loan). Dental and Medical is covered fully while in the services. Only DVA gold or white card holders have any medical cover after discharge ( or war widows).

Happily I needed nothing more either as do about 70% of the crew who joined with me. A few died and a few did get hurt. The absurd differences in Pension for some of the injured guys would shock any reasonable person I think. As its not me I won't discuss specifics. My bet is your son and daughter in law both earned any perk they got. My best perk was 20+ countries traveled to before I turned 18 years old and a decade before I got a passport [thumbsupbig]

[ramblingboy42]

I read somewhere that the suicide rate among veterans is about 5%, which seems high, so I think funding for support for troubled veterans should be a high priority, certainly higher than spending hundreds of millions on memorials.

DVA are currently giving this issue plenty of priority.

[lyonsy]

Priority boarding should be for those allocated to a window seat....pretty myth buster would support this based on there experiment

There seems to be a push to change PTSD to PTSI.

That's kind of a no brainier really, But get general public to do it [bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf][bigrolf] (we need popcorn eating emoji)

PTSI is probably a better term and better description of what has actually occurred, first time i have herd it but :s

[hodgo]

As a returned soldier I have mixed feelings about what is happenings with these new benefits. I ask for very little from DVA and over the past 12 months thankful for what they have done for me, as my health took a big dive in more ways than one As for the new benefits be being talked about here I dont think they will be much more if any better than what you get on a seniors card As for priority booking with virgin I don't think I could use it. I get a bit cranky with people that you chose my path in life I joined it because i did not have the education to do what I wanted in civilian life. I learnt many skills that today are not known by a lot of civilians, like man management, mechanical skills, transport management, training skill that carried over into my civilian life I improved my education skills ? by courses and many others I do agree with most that the members have said on this subject I was involved in3 big bush fires in Vic during my service and yes the fires and ambos deserve recognition to for what they do too

[bob10]

In relation to??

Invictus and discount card are not dependent on active service.....

The returned from active service badge is awarded to members of Australian forces who returned from various conflicts involving active service during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 11. Should not be worn when medals are worn, worn on the left lapel in civilian clothing. The government has decreed all who signed up for service will be known as veterans. Those who wear the RAS badge that I have spoken to, regard the push to glorify service , a la Virgin, is over the top. Apart from the conscripts during Vietnam, all of whom served with distinction, we were volunteers, and would have gladly served any where , against anyone. And many did.