Families ask ADF to act on suicides as 10 Diggers die in three weeks

Soldiers and their families are calling on the Australian Defence Force to ‘do better’ at supporting troubled troops after 10 suicides in a horror three weeks.

Soldiers and their families are calling on the Australian Defence Force to “do better” at supporting troubled troops after 10 suicides in three weeks.

Kylie Phillips, whose husband Robert died on November 1, said there was a stigma around members not wanting to speak up for fear it could cost them their job.

Leading Aircraftman Robert Phillips, 33, died by suicide on November 1 this year. He is pictured here with his wife Kylie Phillips and their children Danny, 10, and Isla, 7.

“Due to speaking up you could possibly get medically downgraded, and your pay may decrease as you’re on lighter duties … you may be deemed unfit to stay in your current role or you may be medically discharged as the worst outcome,” she said.

“All of this can be highly damaging to the defence member. All for speaking up and trying to seek help.

“Then if they are discharged, what help and support is there to assist in their integration back into civic life?”

Robert, a Leading Aircraftman who was based in Ipswich, Queensland, died on November 1 at the age of 33 and leaves behind two children, Danny, 10, and Isla, seven.

Five defence personnel from Queensland and one from NSW were among the 10 to take their own lives recently.

Private Braiden Russell died by suicide on October 31.

Private Shane Holt died by suicide on November 20.

A serving soldier, who asked not to be named, said there were many factors that would contribute to soldiers committing suicide, but a significant factor was that the ADF’s internal systems and policies required an overhaul.

“Anyone needing real care can tell when the response is not sincere and the mental health support may be robust but it’s not individualised and it doesn’t extend outside of your treating clinicians or programs,” he said.

“Soldiers are afraid to ask for help in the ADF. Why? Because if they get diagnosed with a mental health injury, they will either lose their ­security clearance, and in turn lose their position at their unit, or worst case, they will be medically discharged and lose their career,” he said.

“I know personally that this has happened. Soldiers ask for help, they then end up losing their identity, being a soldier, and are jobless.

“All of this while the ADF promotes mental health awareness.”

The soldier with 15 years’ service is an administrator of Pineapple Express, a Facebook page that advocates for veterans mental health programs.

“It’s our opinion that there is a ‘harden up’ or ‘shut up when spoken to’ mentality that is instilled in the minds of impressionable trainees that would inevitably flow onto their careers,” the soldier said.