Royal Victoria Regiment Association
Representative Colonel: Her Excellency Professor the Honorable Margaret Gardner AC Govenor of Victoria.
Patron: Major General The Honourable Justice Greg Garde AO RFD (Retd)
News from 2019
Operation Bushfire Assist 19-20
5/6RVR pers on callout to support fires. MAJ Ed Harris, SGT Brad Costello
As you may be aware the Reserve forces of Victoria have been called out to support the community in the current Fire situation. The association believes the initial call out is for 28 days and the indications are the units will be required to provide ongoing support for months ahead. The RVRA along with the 8/7 & 2 RVR Association has contacted the units and are offering support to the deployed members families. As we know being away from families is hard, and as it is also school holidays and the usual time families spend time on holidays it makes it a greater burden on the family unit.
The associations have already contacted various venues for support to the families with positive feedback from numerous organisations. Our support effort to the families will be co-ordinated by the unit welfare staff and any request they have for our assistance will be relayed to you. We are aware some of our members are in fire affected areas and trust you are all safe. Please advise the association if you require any assistance or advise.
National Welfare Co-Ordination Centre number – 1800 801 026 https://www.defence.gov.au/NWCC/
Defence Community Organisation - 1800 624 608 https://www.defence.gov.au/dco/
The following avenues of assistance have been provided by the RSL.
If you are a veteran caught up in these fires and need hardship assistance in the coming days please contact your local RSL Sub-Branch or RSL Victoria on 9655 5555.
The RSL is aiding veterans and their families who have been affected by the bushfires and have grants of up to $1,500 available to those who have lost their belongings or suffered damage to their homes as a result of the fires. Food and fuel vouchers are also available. We can also help connect veterans and their families with emergency accommodation.
Other resources available
The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment – provides one-off financial assistance to eligible Australians adversely affected by the bushfires.
For more information on eligibility, and how to claim, visit the Department of Human Services website.
Defence Service Homes Insurance – To lodge a claim or for assistance please contact 1300 552 662 or visit the Defence Service HomesInsurance website.
Open Arms counselling support (24/7) – veterans and their families requiring emergency counselling support can call 1800 011 046.
Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) Crisis payments – a one-off payment to financially assist eligible people following a range of defined circumstances. For information about the
crisis payments and eligibility please read Factsheet IS121 - Crisis Payments.
Other assistance – DVA’s Veterans’ Access Network (VAN) can be contacted on 1800 555 254 to assist with a wide range of issues, including replacement of aids and appliances, ensuring the availability of pharmaceuticals, and arranging transportation to medical appointments.
Monetary donations to the bushfire relief effort are an effective way to help support communities affected by the bushfires. If you have money to give, please consider donating to the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.
Anyone in need of help can also call the Victorian Government Contact Centre on 1300 366 356 or email BushFireRecoveryVictoria@dpc.vic.gov.au.
For information on the bushfires please refer to emergency.vic.gov.au or call 1800 226 226.
If you are looking for a way to assist and can help the following is a veteran run group who are currently assisting in the Gippsland area with recovery from the fires.
Operation Veteran Assist
A veteran-led disaster response to the bushfire disasters, Operation Veteran Assist is a veteran-led response to the bushfires that have ravaged Australia over the 2019/2020 summer. Veterans are a natural fit to lead disaster response operations. We are used to, comfortable with and experienced at dealing with extreme adversity. Veterans are natural leaders in the community and are trained for disasters like this.
At this stage, Operation Veteran Assist is relying purely on the generosity of veterans and their families to fund their operation. Their chainsaws will eventually need more fuel/chains/oil, and will need more food/water/supplies and those communities impacted already need all the support they can give them.
They ask that you consider donating to this veteran community so that we can support as many of the communities that have been impacted by these devastating bushfires as possible. Every little bit counts and your donation will directly benefit the communities impacted and the veterans who will be working alongside them.
All donations to Operation Veteran Assist will be via the Hawthorn RSL Sub-Branch who have generously provided Operation Veteran Assist with a $750 donation to get them going. They will ensure that 100% of your donation is spent on veterans, veteran families and in communities impacted by these bushfires.
For more information follow his link
https://mailchi.mp/rslvic.com/legal2-432233?e=3be78ed5c4
https://www.facebook.com/pg/HAWRSL/posts
To assist with wildlife rescue and support
https://www.wildlifevictoria.org.au/donate/donate-to-wildlife-victoria
Or:
The call out has ended and the deployed members on OP Bush Fire Assist are getting back into their routines. A job well done, and we acknowledge their efforts.
The RVRA has let the deployed members know the Family Welfare Initiative offer is closing soon. The initiative has generated over $30,000 in support from various venues and RSL’s.
The RVRA thanks all the venues and RSL’s who supported the initiative and the committee would like to thank Peter Baird for all his work with asking venues to support the initiative and then coordinating the distribution of venue and RSL tickets and vouchers
The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
Sydney 2019
ANZAC Day 2019
Ballarat Ranger Military Museum
When in Ballarat organise a trip to the Ballarat Ranger Military Museum! You will find it worthwhile as there is an extensive collection from country Victorian infantry units. The Ranger Museum, at 8/7 RVR’s Ranger Barracks, is run by a small band of dedicated volunteers who wish to preserve the military heritage of Ballarat and District and the history of the volunteers/militia/Citizens Military Force/Army Reserve members who have trained with the units which form the rich history of the current Ballarat Army Reserve unit the 8th/7th Battalion, The Royal Victoria Regiment.
The museum’s manager Major Neil Leckie, RFD (Ret'd), commenced his military service in 1968 as a National Serviceman at the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion at Puckapunyal, followed by officer training at the Officer Training Unit at Scheyville, NSW. Commissioned into the Infantry Corps, he saw more than 33 years of service with the Corps. Neil Leckie is an avid military historian with publications to his credit including The Bushmen’s Rifles, a History of 22 RVR (1999), Country Victoria’s Own, The 150-Year history of the 8/7 RVR (2008) and Creswick’s War Through the War Letters of Driver Gordon Spittle MM (2019). Neil served 10 years as the Executive Officer of 8/7 RVR and Museum Manager before retiring in 2011. After retirement he has maintained the position of Manager of the Ballarat Ranger Military Museum.
www.ballaratmilitarymuseum.org.au
Location: 1812 Sturt Street, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Directions: Drive two kilometres along Sturt Street from the Arch of Victory, turn right into Ring Road and right into the carpark. Enter the Museum through the pedestrian gate from the car park.