The face of an Aussie Veteran 2017

I had another post planned for tonight but this morning I read a couple of comments from previous posts that quite frankly made me really sad and cranky.

In the last couple of days I have read and shared posts about female veterans being told they are wearing their medals on the wrong side, or being questioned about whose medals they are wearing.

Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan has launched a campaign to shine a light on the service and sacrifice of Australia's female veterans.   You can check it out here    

Now I must apologise to the blokes as I have since had a few friends contact me, male friends, and they have related stories about themselves being challenged and told they are wearing their medals on the wrong side.   One fellow was on his way to an ANZAC March in a suit having come home from Iraq a few months before.

I am saddened to read of veterans who no longer wear their medals as they are sick of being challenged, or worse, no longer attend ANZAC Day parades because they are tired of being challenged or corrected. 

Veterans come in all age groups. The youngest quilt recipient I know of was 19 years old when he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012 and the oldest was 70 years old. 

I think it is time for us to do something about it.  Everyone can make a difference. If all of you who read this page share this post, take the photo and make it your cover picture (it looks pretty darn good if you ask me) or print it out and put it up on a notice board somewhere then gradually the word will spread. If each of us gets the message across to one person who was previously uneducated... if there is one veteran who is not questioned this ANZAC Day when he or she is proudly wearing their medals on the lift side, then we will have made a difference. 

Please take this photo ( I can email it to you if you like) and use it as your cover photo on Facebook.  Please print it out and pin it up on notice boards where it will be seen. Please share this post with your friends and family, especially those who have not connection to defence. 

Till next time..... keep spreading the word, please keep spreading the word and on ANZAC Day.... if you earned them then you wear them on the left side, worn with pride.

Jan-Maree xx