Dear all 2013 is drawing to a close and this is how it went or as far as we believe it to be last minute updates will be posted as it arrives.

Alliance of Defence Service Organisations:

The Voice of the Alliance of Defence Service Organisations (ADSO) in the fight for a FAIR GO for Australian Defence Personnel. Looking for news than click on the link below and follow what is happening today.

ADSO Link

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Your Pensions DVA:

More on your pension from DVA click on the link and find out for your self.

DVA Pensions 2013

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DVA Report July 2013:

More on the DVA updates click on the link below and find out what is happening and if it relates to you.

DVA FORUM REPORTS July no(2) 2013

More on the DVA Forum and a new minister takes up his new political appointment the link will enlighten you.

DVA FORUM REPORT OCT 2013

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Royal Australian Air Force Newest Badge

Dear members new to the RAAF EX and serving members, a new badge is available,

(AFGCB) Air Force Ground Combat Badge, click on the documentation link for more information and the application if it apply to you, below is a picture of the new badge.

Please click on this link for more information regarding this new badge the eligibility and application form.

Chief of Air Force Directive 19-13(AFGCB).PDF

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G’day fellow members by now you are all sitting on the edge of your chairs wondering what is next, well it is about time that we all update our contact details to assist our executives please on forward the following;

• Email address;
• Telephone NO; Land and mobile

this would be a tremendous help and from time to time up date as required, we thank you for your assistance.

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This is news and please proceeded to the DVA site for more on this subject or any other questions you may have.

DELEGATES REPORT QLD CONSULTATIVE FORUM MAY 2013

• DVA FEDERAL BUDGET: $12.5B HAS BEEN ALLOCATED FOR VETS. AFFAIRS TO SUPPORT 320,000 CLIENTS. $6.8B FOR INCOME SUPPORT AND COMPENSATION, $5.6B FOR HEALTH INITIATIVES AND $85M FOR COMMEMORATIVE ACTIVITIES.
• HEALTH INITIATIVES: $26.4M HAS BEEN ALLOCATED TO EXPAND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. THE AREAS TO BE EXPANDED INCLUDE:

- EXPANDED ACCESS TO SUCH SERVICES THAT PROVIDE IMMEDIATE TREATMENT AND PAYMENT UNDER NON LIABILITY HEALTH COVER FOR DIAGNOSED PTSD, OTHER ANXIETY DISORDERS AND DEPRESSION ALONG WITH ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE DISORDERS. THE SERVICE WILL ALSO COVER FORMER SERVING MEMBERS WITH ELIGIBLE PEACETIME SERVICE SINCE 1994, WITHOUT HAVING TO LODGE A COMPENSATION CLAIM.

- THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POST DISCHARGE GP HEALTH ASSESSMENTS FOR ALL FORMER ADF MEMBERS INCLUDING A SPECIALISED MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT.

- EXTENDED VVCS COVERAGE FOR CURRENT AND FORMER SERVING ADF PERSONNEL INCLUDING PARTNERS AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN TO AGE 26 ALONG WITH PARENTS OF VETS. KILLED IN SERVICE RELATED INCIDENTS. MEMBERS MEDICALLY DISCHARGED WILL ALSO BE INCLUDED.

- MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT WILL BE STRENGTHENED THROUGH THE USE OF ON LINE PROGRAMS AND WILL BE KNOWN AS ‘LIFE SMART’; SUPPORT TO RECOVERING VETS. THROUGH A NON CLINICAL PEER TO PEER NETWORK; TRAINED AND SUPERVISED PEERS WILL BE MATCHED TO INDIVIDUAL VETS. TO DEVELOP COPING AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES.

- IMPROVEMENT OF CLAIMS PROCESSING TIMES FOR VETS. WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AS WELL AS BETTER ARRANGEMENTS FOR VETS. ACCESSING DVA ARRANGEMENTS.

• ANZAC CENTENARY PROGRAM 2014-2018: AN ADDITIONAL $25M FOR 2013-14 FOR THE ANZAC CENTENARY TRAVELLING EXHIBITION, THE ALBANY CONVOY COMMEMORATIVE EVENT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ON THE HMAS AE2 SUB.,HISTORY GRANTS, DEVELOPMENT OF THE ‘AUSTRALIANS AT WAR’ ARCHIVE AND PRODUCTION OF ANZAC HISTORY DOCUMENTARIES.
• RECLASSIFICATION OF ADF SERVICE: SOME 330 PERSONNEL WILL HAVE THEIR SERVICE RECLASSIFIED AS ‘WAR LIKE’ WHEN SERVING IN THIRD COUNTRY DEPLOYMENTS IN AFGANISTAN.
• NEW DVA SECRETARY: SIMON LEWIS IS THE NEW DVA SEC.HE HAS SPENT A NUMBER OF YEARS IN THE FINANCE AND DEFENCE DEPARTMENTS.
• CLIENT AND COMMUNICATION REPORT: THE RECENTLY SIGNED MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) BETWEEN DVA AND DEFENCE IS AVAILABLE AT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SCHEDULES THAT SUPPORT SPECIFIC DVA/DEFENCE PROGRAMS AND JOINT INITATIVES INCLUDING EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF INFORMATION AND SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT. THE ON BASE ADVISORY SERVICE (OBAS) CONTINUES TO GROW WITH ADDITIONAL STAFF AT LAVARACK AND ENOGGERA BASES. QLD. HANDLE 70% OF OBAS ENQUIRIES ACROSS AUSTRALIA.
• NEW DVA SERVICE MODELS:THE DEPENDENTS SERVICE MODEL CONTINUES TO SUPPORT WIDOWS, WIDOWERS AND DEPENDENTS OF DECEASED ADF MEMBERS. ‘INFORMATION ABOUT DVA GOLD CARD’ ENTITLEMENTS BROCHURE HAS BEEN DEVELOPED ALONG WITH A ‘SUPPORT FOLLOWING BEREAVEMENT’ FOLDER PROVIDES INFORMATION FOLLOWING A DEATH. A POLICY FRAMEWORK THAT IS PROVIDING SERVICES FOR YOUNGER FAMILIES INCLUDING CHILD CARE , TRANSPORT ASSISTANCE AND SCHOOLING NEEDS IS BEING DEVELOPED UNDER AN ‘EARLY SUPPORT PROGRAM’THAT WILL LAST FOR SIX MONTHS. THE COMPLEX AND MULTIPLE NEEDS SERVICE MODEL HAS NOW BEEN IMPLEMENTED. IT PROVIDES INFORMATION AND SUPPORT BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE VETERAN.
• RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT REPORT: THE IN-HOME TELEMONITORING FOR CHRONICALLY ILL VETERANS COMMENCES IN JUNE IN ARMIDALE NSW USING THE NBN

SYSTEM. AROUND 300 VETS. WILL BE RECRUITED OVER TWO YEARS. THE VOLUNTARY

eHEALTH RECORD SYSTEM IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR ALL VETS WHOSE GP’S HAVE CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM. MEMBERS CAN ALSO REGISTER ONLINE, FACE TO FACE OR BY PHONE. ASSISTED REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE ON 1800 723 471.

VVCS CLIENTS WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE SUMMARY INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THEIR eHEALTH RECORDS IF THEY WISH. NO CLINICAL NOTES WILL BE HELD ON THE RECORD.

CO-ORDINATED VETS. CARE (CVC) 17,180 GOLD CARD HOLDERS HAVE ENROLLED AND EVALUATION OF THE PROGRAM IS UNDER WAY. GP’s, NURSES AND PRACTICE MANAGERS HAVE BEEN VERY POSITIVE ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND THE RESULTANT IMPROVED HEALTH OUTCOMES OF THE VETS.

• PRIMARY HEALTH CARE REPORT: THE FIRST VETS. PHARMACEUTICAL REIMBURSEMENT SCHEME PAYMENTS WERE SENT OUT IN APRIL. 68,881 VETS. WERE ELIGIBLE WITH 46,645 RECEIVING A PAYMENT. THE AVERAGE PAYMENT BEING $116.
• MENTAL AND SOCIAL HEALTH REPORT: A NUMBER OF ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR GP’s, NURSES AND MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. MIND THE GAP, vetAWARE, TRAUMA FOCUSSED TREATMENTS ,UNDERSTANDING THE MILITARY EXPERIENCE AND THE MENTAL HEALTH ADVICE BOOK HAVE OR WILL SOON BE MADE AVAILABLE. THE ‘AT EASE’ MENTAL HEALTH DVA WEBSITE HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED FOR VETS, THEIR FAMILIES AND FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO ACCESS.
• HOME AND COMMUNITY CARE PROGRAM: THE MEDIA REPORT THAT THE PROGRAM WILL NOT BE FUNDED IS INCORRECT. CURRENTLY 68,000 VETS. AND WAR WIDOWS ARE ACCESSING THE PROGRAM. THE DISCUSSION HAS BEEN OVER WHO WILL FUND THE PROGRAM IN FUTURE, STATE OR COMMONWEALTH GOVERNMENTS.
• VETERANS’ HEALTH WEEK: FROM THE 14^TH TO THE 20^TH OCT. HEALTH WEEK WILL BE ALL ABOUT “PHYSICAL ACTIVITY”.

• Want to find out more on this subject just click on the link below, you will be direct to the DVA Website and they will be extremely helpful and point you in the right direction.
• Veterans Mental-Health - Strategy 2013 - 2023

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