Helping veterans navigate life beyond service

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When people ask how we’re doing, 'fine' is often the answer given – both to loved ones to keep them from scratching too far under the surface and something we tell ourselves to keep going. 

As ex-service personnel transition to civilian life, it can also be a word used to avoid having conversations that feel like you’re speaking a language others don’t understand. 

For veteran Tim Thomas, who served six years with the Australian Special Forces Commandos, including deployments to Afghanistan and East Timor, a new online program developed in partnership with RSL Queensland and Gallipoli Medical Research Foundation (GMRF) has ensured he no longer feels like his experiences are being lost in translation and that veterans can finally feel more than just ‘fine’. 

Go Beyond is a national program designed to help Australian veterans adjust and succeed in their civilian life. The program officially launched in Canberra on 24 May and is now available online to all ex-serving ADF personnel. 

Tim says the Go Beyond program is different because it understands and speaks the ‘Defence language’. 

“They [GMRF] understand the learning style of Defence. The way that Go Beyond is structured, it helps you absorb the information in a way that’s easy and effortless.”

FEELING EQUIPPED TO CARRY ON

Veteran Tim Thomas 

‘Fine’ is how Tim figured his transition to civilian life would play out.

“When I left Defence, I thought if I got a job, everything would be fine,” he says.

“It couldn’t have been further from the truth. I tried keeping busy but couldn’t ignore there were things missing. 

“I felt like I couldn’t talk about it, and I didn’t realise my connection with Defence meant more than I was admitting. Things were starting to fall apart for me, and I didn’t know how to express that.” 

RSL Queensland Acting Chief Executive Officer Robert Skoda says easing the adjustment to civilian life after service is at the heart of this first-of-its-kind program. 

“We want to get to a point where every ex-serving ADF member is registered and going through the Go Beyond program in their own time,” he says. 

“It is our duty to support them with research-informed services and programs that include the tools and resources to ensure they have a healthy transition to civilian life.” 

For Tim, seeing a confidential and personalised online program offering real advice on how to move forward was powerful. 

“We can deal with anything, but we can’t deal with loneliness. We don’t want to think we’re the only ones going through it. This program breaks the isolation and that’s where the real power is.” 

“It’s a 1, 2, 3-step process. You don’t have to learn everything, and it is specific to you. It gives you exactly the information you need to take action. The program gave me the stuff I didn’t know I needed to know, and that I couldn’t get anywhere else.” 

RESEARCH DESIGNED FOR ACTION

GMRF CEO Miriam Dwyer, ADF Chief General Angus Campbell, and RSL Queensland State President Tony Ferris at the official launch of Go Beyond

GMRF CEO Miriam Dwyer says the research carried out over six years for the Service to Civilian Life study became one of the largest studies of military transitions in the world. 

“We are proud of the research and have great expectations for the positive impact the Go Beyond program will have in helping veterans,” she says. 

To get started with Go beyond, Australian veterans first complete the M-CARM (Military-Civilian Adjustment and Reintegration Measure). It’s a self-reporting questionnaire that takes about five minutes to complete online, allowing veterans to identify how they’re adjusting and where they may need additional support. 

After completing the survey, veterans are provided with a personalised needs assessment profile that starts their free tailored Go Beyond online training program. 

Focusing on five key domains of a veteran’s transition, including purpose and connection, help seeking, beliefs about civilians, regimentation and resentment and regret, Go Beyond’s modules are self-directed and can be completed online when a veteran is ready. 

THE STATISTICS HAVE TO IMPROVE

Previous studies, including the ‘Transition and Wellbeing Research Program’ undertaken by the Departments of Veterans’ Affairs and Defence, highlight that almost half of all veterans who transitioned to civilian life were diagnosed with a mental health condition within the first five years of leaving service. 

It’s a statistic that RSL Queensland State President Tony Ferris says must change. 

“The development of Go Beyond is another way we’re showing up to better veterans’ mental health initiatives and research,” he says.  

“We have committed an ongoing $14 million to valuable research to ensure that our Defence family are leading meaningful and fulfilling lives after they leave service.” 

GMRF Associate Director of Mental Health Research Dr Madeline Romaniuk agrees and says the translation of scientific knowledge into real world support is what gives Go Beyond the power to create positive change in veterans’ lives. 

“For so long there was no weight given to the profound adjustment veterans go through when they separate from Defence,” she says. 

“The research GMRF carried out stressed the importance of developing a deep understanding of the learned and lived experience of veterans so that we could provide them and their families with the support needed to navigate the unique challenges to transitioning to civilian life.” 

KERRI-ANN WOODBURY

Veteran Kerri-Ann Woodbury

Former Defence Nursing Officer Kerri-Ann Woodbury took nine months to find a position she was happy to leave Defence for that was meaningful and helped her provide for her family, but she knows this isn’t always the case for everyone. 

“For some, a difficult transition can have all sorts of impacts, including not being able to find a sense of purpose or that you’re contributing meaningfully,” she says. 

When you’re in that frame of mind, admitting you need help can be, as Kerri-Ann describes, “very, very, scary.” 

“It can be a big roadblock to accessing help. One of the reasons Go Beyond is great is that you don’t have to say those things for the first time in front of anyone. You can take the first steps to get help, confidentially and for where you’re at in your journey.” 

To learn more about the Go Beyond program, please visit gobeyond.org.au.

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