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The Returned & Services League of Australia (RSL) has received the final report of its specially commissioned Scoping Study on the impacts on veterans and their families as a result of service in the Australian Defence Force (ADF) since 2002, particularly in conflicts in the Middle East.
The Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) Scoping Study, launched exactly one year ago, was funded by the RSL to identify and better understand the needs and concerns of contemporary veterans and their families and to ensure that they are provided with the support and services they require and deserve.
RSL Australia National President Peter Tinley said the RSL had recognised the need for a study to examine the long-term health and well-being of veterans and their families.
“Indications from the Royal Commission and other sources are highlighting mental and physical health issues that some MEAO veterans are facing, but there hasn’t been an official study on this cohort for over ten years,” Peter Tinley said.
“We were involved in the War in Afghanistan for twenty years. Many personnel were deployed multiple times. And, undoubtedly, those who served in the MEAO faced very different circumstances in a modern age.
“I served in Afghanistan and Iraq. I've seen the extraordinary professionalism of our Defence Force members operating in conditions most Australians will thankfully never experience. I've also seen them return home, carrying experiences that fundamentally alter their relationship with civilian life.
“It is essential that we understand their unique needs so that we can provide evidence-based services and support for contemporary veterans.
“The RSL’s MEAO Scoping Study has identified a range of critical impacts on our veterans and their families that require more intensive investigation and study,” he said.
The Scoping Study was the first part of this ground-breaking project, undertaken by an experienced, multidisciplinary consortium headed by Gallipoli Medical Research. It is a prelude to a planned broader study which may take two to three years.
“The Study report and recommendations will now be thoroughly reviewed by RSL Australia to establish the next steps and to enhance and inform future policies, guide service delivery and ultimately generate meaningful benefits and outcomes for MEAO veterans and their families.
“The veteran community will be fully informed and engaged from early 2026 as this work progresses,” Peter Tinley said.
