Stephen
Navy made my sense of who I am.
Stephen joined the Royal Australian Navy at the age of 15. His favourite posting was with HMAS Stuart, which he describes as being the first ship that, for him, “had a soul”:
Very much a close community, great bosses, life-long friends. Camaraderie through adversity … A terrific ship!
You can see how much Stuart means to Stephen when you see the tattoo on his left arm, which is so detailed that he can almost conduct a tour from his forearm.
Stephen’s insight into the post-traumatic stress experienced by military veterans and first responders helps him support others through the Young Veterans Network, helping veterans work through their PTSD or transition out of the forces.
I like helping people … If you’ve done nothing else in your life, at least you’ve served your country and your community.
To hear more about Australian veterans’ stories, visit the Australian War Memorial’s touring exhibition Ink in the Lines, on display at Queensland Maritime Museum from 25/05/24 to 24/11/24.
#Inkinthelines #AWM
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