Tyler Redway
IN light of the recently announced Veterans’ Families Day from the State Government, a Mount Gambier/Berrin Australian Army veteran has expressed the importance of family in his own life after wartime.
The State Government announced as of 2024, the official day of recognition for veterans’ families would permanently fall on May 15 and would continue as an annual occurrence.
It was created not only to commemorate the spouses of former and current veterans, but also the parents, siblings and children of those who gave their lives to the ADF.
Australian Army veteran and Mount Gambier/Berrin local Laurie Mann looked back on the importance of family to himself, whether it was through blood relatives or the bond created during the wartime.
Mr Mann originally joined the ADF in 1978, following a long history of servicemen who enlisted during the Second World War and the Vietnam War.
“I belonged to a service family, my father served in WW2 as did my father-in-law however you only knew looking back as they would never talk about their time until later on,” Mr Mann said.
“I also had an elder brother in Vietnam, one little brother in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and me in the army for some 20 plus years.”
Mr Mann said one of his elder brothers managed to find a position as an army officer, which he said would have been difficult coming from a family of ten children.
In 1984, Mr Mann married his wife and raised four sons, as they continued to travel extensively across Australia.
He said his family helped him get through a tough time in his life after he returned from his time in the army.
Mr Mann said due to “service-related injuries”, he had to retire early to reduce the risk of his condition worsening.
He said his time in North Adelaide’s Calvary Hospital between 2016 and 2017 was his “lowest” point in his life before being supported by his family.
In 2017, Mr Mann was gifted Indy, his beloved service dog, by his family to help support him throughout his recovery process.
“My family and wife were dealing with my army career baggage and today I still suffer from this,” he said.
“I had to cease work and retire early due to service-related injuries that worsened over my civilian time and now I use mobility devices to get around.
“Without my family, I would not have been here today, so now it is my turn to worry about my wife who now has a blood disorder in her life.”
