ADF ‘ignored’ VC winner Ben Roberts-Smith’s anguish

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith has lashed out at defence chiefs for failing to back him as his reputation suffered sustained attacks.

Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The country’s most decorated soldier, Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith, has lashed out at the nation’s defence chiefs for failing to publicly back him as his reputation and military record suffered sustained attacks over allegations he committed war crimes during his service in Afghanistan.

Mr Roberts-Smith said he had recently been contacted by the Australian Defence Force to conduct a “welfare check”, seven years after he left the army and nearly two years after he first appeared in a series of media reports accusing him of war crimes.

The call came just days after he publicly criticised the leadership of the ADF for failing to look after soldiers after they left the military.

Mr Roberts-Smith confirmed he had been contacted by the ADF, telling The Weekend Australian: “While I appreciate the sentiment of a welfare check, it does highlight the issue at hand — it is a reactive step that occurred after my public comments.’’

Mr Roberts-Smith said the ADF culture “has always been this reactive self-protection from the senior leadership” and criticised the lack of support offered to transitioning Diggers, who were statistically at a higher risk of suicide after they left the military.

Mr Roberts-Smith is locked in a personal battle to clear his reputation after being accused of war crimes in a series of stories by Nine Media. He is also being investigated by the Australian Federal Police over a possible war crime committed in the Afghan village of Darwan in 2012.

Mr Roberts-Smith vehemently denies any wrongdoing and is suing Fairfax Media, now owned by Nine, over the stories.

He said he was loathe to compare his own troubles with those of struggling former soldiers, who he said were at greater risk.

But he noted that at no point had his former bosses offered any public comment of support, despite the allegations against him being unproven.

“Given the public scrutiny I’ve faced and the false accusations made against me, I would have assumed the Defence Force, which created my profile and placed me on a pedestal in the public arena, would have made some public comment about my good character and service given that at no stage have I ever been approached by law enforcement,’’ Mr Roberts-Smith said.

Mr Roberts-Smith clarified he was not calling for Defence chiefs to be sacked after being quoted on Friday morning saying he “absolutely” believed new leadership was needed at the top of the ADF.   

National president of the RSL Greg Melick said there was no need for ADF leadership to step down because of their treatment of veterans. Mr Melick said if this was the view of Mr Roberts-Smith, then: “I don’t agree with him”.

“The leadership of the Defence Force has recognised the problem with transitioning people from the forces into civilian life,” he said.

“Significant effort is being put into transition seminars co-­ordinated by Major General Natasha Fox. That’s how seriously they are taking it.”

Former NSW RSL president James Brown also did not agree with any call for ADF leadership to be replaced: “What I do agree with is Ben’s call for better leadership on veterans’ issues.”

Neil James, executive director of the Australia Defence Association, told The Weekend Australian he didn’t usually comment on matters relating to veterans’ affairs but he backed the need for a royal commission into veterans.

“On balance, though, we think there’s obviously grounds for a royal commission only because it’s likely to do more good than harm,” Mr James said.

“In terms of public confidence, there’s some advantages to a royal commission.”