Drop in centre reaches out to veterans
Thu 24 April 2008
Carolyn Garner, Bachelor of Journalism
Cotton Tree is the home of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia on the Sunshine Coast, providing a haven of support for the 300 members of the centre.
It was initially a support group founded by Vietnam War veterans, but has since broadened its membership to any veteran seeking either financial or emotional assistance.
It endeavours to support veterans who are often still psychologi
cally traumatised by what they endured and witnessed in the War by offering counselling and a retreat to interact with men and women that can share their experiences.
The incidences of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were no more infamous than those instilled by the raw brutality of what was witnessed in the Vietnam War.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, is an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal and can be triggered at any time after the event, often after being repressed for so long.
Barry Rollason is a Vietnam War Veteran and has been a volunteer at the Centre for four and a half years. He served 22 years in the Australian Army and 12 months in the Vietnam War as an aircraft mechanic.
Mr Rollason is a volunteer at the Centre and refers to it as being a ‘self-funded’ centre. It continues to provide their services by selling badges and raffle tickets complemented with Government Grants.
Mr Rollason spoke candidly about the Vietnam War, yet admits that it is a sensitive topic for many of the men who were subjected to the harsh scenes that will be forever embedded into their minds.
“You’ll find a lot of people don’t want to talk about it,” Mr Rollason said.
The repressed emotions often escape later in life and can have psychologically damaging effects. He says it has taken years for their emotional conflict to come out and this is where the centre plays a large roll in trying to offer counselling.
“We are their first point of contact… When they come to us it now becomes our duty to get them counselling,” Mr Rollason said.
Mr Rollason admits his conception of the War was not nearly as graphic and confronting as that of the men on the ground.
“The people who really earned their money were the infantry…They really saw a lot,” Mr Rollason said.
The men who come back to their normal lives often find it hard to adapt after being so socialized and conformed to war.
“(They are) Conditioned to war not civil streets,” Mr Rollason said.
After realising the psychological effects of war on the men, The Australian Army offers counselling for the troops that are away in the Middle East presently. They are being treated for emotional trauma whilst over there in an effort to reduce the counts of PTSD, a lesson they have learnt since Vietnam.
“Now in Iraq and Afghanistan they are doing something about it before they come home…Since Vietnam they understand” Mr Rollason said.
The Centre is open during the weekdays and all visitors are welcomed and encouraged to meet and chat with the veterans.
Image(s) designed by Carolyn Garner