Understanding our veteran community and their needs 

Research is critical to helping RSL Queensland understand – and effectively meet – the needs of veterans, Defence members, and their families. Since 2012 we’ve committed over $20 million towards veteran-centric research that’s delivered real, measurable impact.

The transition from military to civilian life is associated with a range of psychosocial factors. Australian research* has found that:

• approximately 78% of Defence members experience a challenging transition out of military service 

• 50% of those report not reintegrating or adjusting to civilian life up to 10 years after leaving service.

Based on these findings, RSL Queensland’s research partnership with Gallipoli Medical Research is committed to understanding the physical and mental impact that military service has on veterans and their families.  

Our partnership delivers: 

• the development of new, evidence-based services for veterans and their families 
• continuous improvement of existing services, and the evaluation of peer-led programs, to ensure they remain beneficial and relevant to the veteran and Defence community 
• improved education for veteran support staff and healthcare practitioners regarding important issues faced by veterans and their families
• providing education and strategies in real time for veterans to proactively manage health conditions.  

About Gallipoli Medical Research (GMR)  

Established in 2005, GMR is dedicated to veteran health with a mission to deliver research with impact. GMR has completed many initiatives aimed at identifying needs and programs to increase the veteran and Defence community’s health and wellbeing.

RSL Queensland and GMR have worked together since 2012, with 42 research projects being delivered and 40 studies being published in that time. Work to date can be categorised into four streams, outlined below.

Research Streams

Veteran mental health initiative

Investigations into veterans’ mental and physical health status and treatment, including research focused on common health conditions and critical Defence journey phases

Defence family initiative (study launching soon)

Practical resources to support, and improve outcomes for, families during the military-to-civilian transition process. Projects aimed at providing evidence-based model of care recommendations for veteran service providers and ex-service organisations (ESOs) and assessing service planning priorities for the Defence community

Healthy Veteran Initiative

Evidence-based development and improvement of health and wellbeing-focused online learning resources for veterans; adjustment and reintegration training programs for current Defence members; and education for veteran support workers, healthcare practitioners, Defence bases, ESOs and high school students

Service evaluations

Evaluation of veteran services and peer-lead programs offered by RSL Queensland and its partners including RAEMUS Rover, Survive to Thrive Nation, RSL marquee services data evaluation, PTSD Resurrected, Trojans Trek, Mates4Mates Equine Therapy and the Unit Welfare Officer Program.

Research in action to date

*Romaniuk M, Fisher G, Kidd C, Batterham PJ. Assessing psychological adjustment and cultural reintegration after military service: development and psychometric evaluation of the post-separation military-civilian adjustment and reintegration measure (M-CARM). BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20(1):1–17.