Defence Force Members past & present

[PMC]

G’day folks,

I have been flat-out like a lizard drinking over the last month with Veterans claims, getting up at 4.30am taking my eldest daughter to swim club and also trying to set-up a coffee meet and greet place for ex-servicemen and women.

Finally, after reading about our story on the new Veterans’ coffee club in Saturday’s Woolgoolga Advertiser, I am now looking forward to seeing everyone who can make it tomorrow at 9.30am at the Rustic Mezedes in Market St, Woolgoolga. I had the idea to start a coffee club two years ago. It has only come around now has my health has now improved.

It has been a 3 and a half year journey with my own personal health issues. With so many of our Veterans suffering from various psychological illnesses in and around the Woolgoolga area, I just had to do something to help these folks! However, PTSD is not just confined to our ex-service personnel but also our Police, Ambulance and Firefighters as well. This is the main reason for why I decided I had to do something for my community.

The original idea came from two ex-army lads from Coffs Harbour. If all goes well, we should have the original ‘Lounge Lizards’, Craig Ellis and Scott Seccombe that started a similar venture in Coffs’s Harbour 2 years ago. Both lads decided that the Veteran community in the Coffs Harbour area needed an informal meeting place to help one another with various issues and advice (especially the young Afghanistan, east Timor, Iraq and the UN peacekeepers.)

The Coffs Harbour coffee club meets every Wednesday morning around 10am. Craig Ellis, is the owner of Piccolo espresso bar in Coffs Harbour. Craig also decided to give ex-service members discount on tea/coffee. I have been to their coffee club meetings on numerous occasions and that’s when I decided we should do something similar in Woolgoolga.

For those of you that do not know Scott Seccombe, Scott is a Balkan’s War veteran and one of Scott’s goals was to help post 1980’s servicemen and women to manage their post-traumatic stress disorders and other physical problems that they might be suffering from. Scotty recently competed for Australia in the 2014 Invictus games in the UK. For those of you who saw the TV coverage of the aussie larrikin chanting aussie, aussie, aussie, oy, oy, oy, whilst giving the Royal Prince “Harry”” a hug, well folks, that is our lad Scotty! lol

I am also looking forward for folks coming up with new ideas to help take our Veterans into a new era of social connection ie, fishing trips, 4x4 trips to local beautiful hot spots, cards/board games, book and movie discussions etc etc.

Most importantly, this is a about bringing your wife, husband and partner along, “should they wish to share company with our motley crew”!

Kind regards, your humble servant

PMC

[PMC]

G'day folks,

Finally got around to up-date everyone of Tuesday coffee club get together!

Firstly, I would like to thank everyone that turned up, secondly I was stunned by how many attended from 9.30 to 12.30pm. Just as I was about to leave at 11.45am 5 more folks turned up. If was fantastic to have 30 people attend our first causal social coffee club. I also received e-mails and phone calls from 10 other folks who had to pull out at the last minute, however advised that they will be in attendance in the future.

I was stunned by the generous offer made by one of our Veterans that gave me a cheque for $1,000. Has advised, those monies will be donated towards the coffee club members!

This is terrific that we now have another RSL social meeting place for ex-service personnel to gather, meet and rekindle camaraderie with one another! Yee Haa baby bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Geoff Morrow told me to say that. Typical Navy language! Lol

As a result of our first meeting, I have picked up 3 new DVA claims to be filed and processed for our ex-service men & women.

Folks can you please advise me if any of you are interested in participating in the following activities;

1. Book reading
2. Bush walking
3. Camping/caravanning
4. Computer learning
5. Diving/snorkelling
6. Exercising/fitness
7. Fishing (beach or offshore)
8. Four wheel driving in and around the local scenic hot spots in the Coffs Harbour area
9. Going to the movies
10. Hunting or target shooting
11. Military history discussions
12. scenic day trips and B/Q lunch in and around the Coffs Harbor area

PS, once again folks, a special thanks for your kind support! See you next Tuesday (28th October) kick-off 9.30am

Kind regards,

PMC

[oncedisturbed]

Top work there Paul, great to see.
Bit hard to attend for us sandgropers but am more than happy to help on some of those topics here in WA.

Feel free to pm me and will fling through my email.

[NP99]

Paul, wouldn't bringing our wife and partner along be a problem or can you manage that in loc?

[PMC]

Paul, wouldn't bringing our wife and partner along be a problem or can you manage that in loc?

For you sir!

I can make anything happen. lol

PS, I will give you a call soon!

Kind regards,

Paul

[Drift triker]

hi all i know its old but anyone seen this http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-...209-2z0db.html

[NP99]

hi all i know its old but anyone seen this http://www.canberratimes.com.au/act-...209-2z0db.html

Good post up mate......the law can be a funny thing sometimes!

[Stropp]

probably saw worse that that when he was a real soldier.

[PMC]

G'day folks,

Have a safe and prosperous New Year and all the best for 2015.

PS, I will be back on deck to help our service men and women with their pensions on 6th January 2015.

Regards,

PMC

[NP99]

Don't tell anyone, I have leaked pictures of the latest defence all terrain vehicle.....