Helping the community one conversation at a time

With a 28 year career in healthcare, and an impressive service history under his belt, Jock wanted to use his unique set of skills to help others.   

Now he’s part of a dedicated group of veterans at Kilcoy RSL Sub Branch committed to changing the narrative around mental health, ensuring no one is left behind.   

Transition to civilian life 

At 15 years old Jock began his military career in the United Kingdom as a Junior Leader in the British Army, then Royal Navy, before transferring to the New Zealand forces in 1997. During his time in service, Jock was deployed to the Gulf, Former Yugoslavia and Fishery and Border protection duties around the UK and Ireland. 

In 1999, Jock, now settled in New Zealand, transitioned out of Defence, working as a firefighter and paramedic. 

Despite finding employment after resettlement training, Jock, like many other veterans, found it difficult to adjust to civilian life; finding housing, navigating relationships and adopting a ‘new normal’ without the security of military life and routine.

“... you're coming from a secure environment where everything's provided and then next minute you get nothing provided and it's all up to you,” Jock says.  

Finding a renewed purpose 

Upon moving to Kilcoy in 2023, Jock reconnected with his local RSL Sub Branch, bringing with him a sense of duty, and a passion for mental health. 

“I’ve always been a member of the RSL, and when I came to Kilcoy, I knew a couple of diggers here. I started off mowing the grass around the monuments. On my days off I’d go up and clean, and eventually that transitioned to doing bingo on Sundays,” Jock says. 

“At the same time, I was still seeing so many veterans in crisis through my work [as a paramedic]. I wanted to find a way to help address the problem and help our community.

“I had spoken to a few service people in the area who weren’t mentally well, or something just wasn’t right. So, we went right, this is what we're going to do. We'll put this mental health support in place so we can actually do things.” 

Small community, big heart 

Though Kilcoy only has a population of just over 2000 people, at its heart, are 217 Sub Branch members who are all working towards a better, brighter future for their community.  

Jock and his RSL comrades now run a fortnightly service, offering mental health education and hands-on support for members and their families. The service focuses on breaking cycles, challenging addiction, and self-motivation, with members like Jock using their lived experience to enable veterans on their recovery journey. 

“It's about the love of the people, isn't it? I've been a paramedic for 28 years because I enjoy my job and I enjoy engaging with the community,” Jock says.  

“When you're helping someone out of a dark period, I know what to do because I’ve been there myself.”

Though still in its infancy, the program at Kilcoy RSL Sub Branch has already seen success and partnered with a number of local organisations to ensure veterans receive ongoing support.

“I’ve had people come in with PTSD and other issues, and now I see them engaging in the community, being social and attending the gym. In short, breaking the cycle and taking full advantage of what life has to offer," Jock says.  

Stay the course – it gets better 

In the future, Jock hopes to see this model extended to other Sub Branches, to provide ‘on the ground’, practical support for those in need. 

His message to veterans who might be struggling is simple – “Stick to it. It gets better; it always gets better. And if you ever need a hand with anything, then reach out to someone. There’s plenty of people around who will help.”