Getting back into your comfort zone at 140kmh

As I zip up my overalls, fit the helmet and get strapped safely into the race car – with a headset and microphone so I can communicate with Ian during the drive – my heart is beating fast with nervous excitement.

Sitting in the car, I know I’m trusting Ian with my life, and he immediately puts me at ease with calm reassurance. He hits the starter button and takes off along the dirt track. As the speedometer rises, the trees speed by faster, and the turns get increasingly sharper, my squeals get louder (sorry Ian!).

A highly experienced driver, Ian has complete control of the car the entire time, and if something were to go wrong (which it never has), the car is fitted with roll bars and a plethora of safety equipment.

“You ready for the jump?” Ian asks, as he pushes his foot down on the accelerator. “YES!” I yelp, over the noise of the revving engine.

But I’m not quite prepared for how my stomach drops as the car hits the jump and we hurtle through the air. I’m also not prepared for how insanely fun it is and how much I wish we could do a second lap.

At the end of the circuit, the crew helps me out of the car via the roof. I’m exhilarated and can’t stop babbling excitedly about what an incredible experience it was. I now fully understand why this program is so successful.

ADRENALINE RUSH FORGES A POSITIVE FRAME OF MIND

The unique nature of the RSL RAEMUS Rover program is based on the idea of adrenaline therapy.

Adrenaline is a powerful hormone that increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure, and boosts your energy. The RAEMUS Rover experience helps create a mindset that is positive, open and trusting and leaves you ready to listen and communicate in a deeper way.

Participants are placed in a situation where teamwork and trust are essential to success.

“In off-road racing, the teamwork between the driver and the navigator needs to be very good, because the trees come up rather quickly!” Ian laughs.

“The incentive of teamwork for self-preservation is very similar to the high reliance on your mates when you're in the military service. And the adrenaline rush excites them and puts them in a very positive frame of mind.”

After speeding around the track, Ian and his crew share stories from their own lives and what they’ve learnt along the way. They find that participants are more open to suggestions and guidance thanks to their changed mindset.

“They're more likely to trust you and be honest about what's really going on in their life,” Ian says.

“We talk with honesty and in military language, which makes them feel comfortable. We help them recognise where they need to adjust their own health and wellbeing pathways in a straight up language. And everyone has their own path, so we are non-judgmental.”

COMBATTING NIGHT TERRORS

There have been many success stories over the years, but one stands out for Ian. This veteran suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, which manifested itself in anxiety tremors that caused him to lash out during the night.

As a result, his assistance dog slept in between he and his wife in bed to ensure he wouldn’t accidentally hurt her during the night.

“At the end of the program, his dog slept at the end of the bed and he cuddled his wife for the first time in three years,” Ian says.

“When they’re leaving, people have quietly told me ‘I’m glad I came and did this, because if not I wouldn’t have been here long’,” Ian reflects.

HIS REASON TO KEEP GOING

Ian was just 15 when he joined the Army as an apprentice in 1983 and served 33 years as a mechanical engineer. During that time, he was part of 15 different units, including cavalry, infantry and armour, and was posted to Iraq and East Timor.

Part of his job was to maintain the equipment for a bomb disposal unit – a challenging job which saw several members of his team suffer physical and psychological injuries.

“For about 12 months, the whole group was subjected to some of the most sustained indirect fire that Australians had been subjected to for a very long time. That developed a whole heap of guys with mental health issues,” Ian says.

He established RSL RAEMUS Rover in 2012, while he was still serving.

When he discharged at the end of 2015 in the rank of Regimental Artificer Sergeant-Major (ASM), Ian had a host of injuries himself. He had a missing vertebra, blown apart knees, crushed discs, only 50 per cent of contact in his right shoulder, and ankles that had been dislocated and torn seven times.

The joy of helping other veterans through the program provides him with the motivation to keep going through the physical and mental pain.

“RAEMUS Rover gives me direction – a reason to get up and stay fit and healthy myself so I can deliver the program,” Ian explains.

HELPING HUNDREDS OF VETERANS

Each year, the 18-member RAEMUS Rover crew helps hundreds of veterans, with various track programs held at Willowbank Raceway and races around Queensland. They also operate monthly workshop days, where participants can learn welding, fitting and vehicle mechanics, or simply drop in for a chat.

The program is designed for younger veterans who may need a more active form of therapy to feel genuinely engaged and examine their own situations.

“It’s for those people who are still very dynamic and can’t just sit there and talk. They need to be challenged,” Ian says.

“And we couldn’t deliver this program without the financial support of RSL Queensland.”

The team also makes veterans aware of other support pathways available, such as other RSL Queensland programs, ex-service organisations, or Department of Veterans’ Affairs entitlements.

“A lot of people have very little idea about the expanse of support that is available, and they come away saying, ‘It was brilliant – you opened my eyes to things I’d never thought of before’,” Ian says.

If you’re looking for mateship, camaraderie and excitement in a team that knows what you’re going through, get in touch with the RSL RAEMUS Rover team. 

Images courtesy of Tryg Helander.