The road to helping veterans

After losing his mate to suicide, Australian Defence Force Army Reserve veteran and northern Tasmanian Oliver Breeze wanted to take action to assist defence force veterans struggling with mental health challenges.

Oliver, who has served in the ADF for 26 years and recently commissioned from SGT to Lieutenant, served in East Timor in Operation Astute in 2007, returning to the region for some charity work with other volunteers for Operation Rescue Assist in 2011.

“I returned from operations with photos, medals and locally made souvenirs from my time in East Timor, some veterans return home with thoughts, emotions and horrific memories of the atrocities of war, mates they have lost- images that can’t be unseen and this changes their lives forever,” Oliver said.

Determined to do what he could to help veterans in need, Oliver banded together a group of six current serving ADF Ares (Army Reserve) members to form The Long Patrol who walked 96km - the length of the Kokoda Trail - in 2021 to raise money for Soldier On, a not-for-profit supporting more than 5,000 veterans and their families.

After walking from Launceston to Devonport in 2021, this year’s trek involved walking from Prospect Fire Station through to Deloraine and back into Launceston, finishing up at the Paterson St Barracks after 20 hours.

Of the 25 walkers and support crew on The Long Patrol for 2022, all know an ADF member that has committed suicide.

“The Long Patrol has veterans from Iraq, East Timor, Afghanistan, Solomon Islands, the recent Bush Fire Assist and Flood Operation and Op Resolute,” said Oliver.

“The team walk for 20 hours which requires some real mental toughness and determination. Our team being predominately serving or ex-serving Defence members have resilience and their moral compasses is very well calibrated, so we just keep walking to get the mission accomplished.

“It’s a great annual event and we get bigger and achieve more each year.

“We are very fortunate to have a great support crew of medical professionals to assist us along the way that also give up their long weekend.”

After signing up to walk the 96km over March, Federal Member for Bass Bridget Archer had originally planned to join Oliver and The Long Patrol team for their last leg of the walk but missed the opportunity after testing positive to COVID-19 just a few days prior.

“I was tremendously disappointed to miss the walk but kept up my walking efforts at home throughout the month and commend Oliver and his team for their fundraising efforts and for raising awareness about veterans and mental health,” Mrs Archer said.

“Nobody should ever battle these struggles alone.”

For more information and to donate visit https:// www.marchonchallenge.org.au/fundraisers/ TheLongPatrol/virtual