Commission won’t be the saviour most expect, says SAS veteran Harry Moffitt

SAS team commander Harry Moffitt suffered more than just physical wounds when he was seriously hurt after a vehicle he was driving in Afghanistan was blown up by a roadside bomb.

Harry Moffitt. Picture: Daryl Wright

SAS team commander Harry Moffitt suffered more than just physical wounds when he was seriously hurt after a vehicle he was driving in Afghanistan was blown up by a roadside bomb.

He plunged into a six-month-long bout of depression, suffering “survivor guilt” over the death of one of his passengers and the injuries suffered by others in the vehicle.

Mr Moffitt, who had long had a keen interest in psychology, approached his mental recovery in the same way he approached his physical rehabilitation. “I sat down with my psychologist and developed a psychological gym, a mental gym to work back to full strength,” he said.

“That worked for me, that was my way back.”

Now a registered psychologist, Mr Moffitt continues to work closely with other former army veterans still grappling with their feelings and emotions in the aftermath of their military careers.

But he had a mixed response to the announcement on Monday of a royal commission into veteran and serving Defence personnel suicides.

His immediate concern is that the spotlight could add to anxieties being experienced by veterans.

He also fears the royal commission may not be the cure-all many who have been calling for it may have hoped.

“It’s why I don’t sit there with all the people screaming for a royal commission as if it’s the saviour. It won’t be the saviour; war is an inherently unethical and immoral pursuit and we are always going to suffer the consequences of that,” he said.

The situation, he said, was far more complex than a higher rate of suicide among veterans. The mental health and suicide rates among veterans vary significantly across a host of factors, with those who are discharged due to injury early in their military career having a far higher rate of issues than personnel who serve in the armed forces for longer.

“It’s a lot more complex than just the veterans suiciding at a higher rate than the rest of the population. There are some parts of the veterans community that has far lower rates of mental health and suicide issues. It’s a very nuanced area,” Mr Moffitt said.

“I’m a foot in both camps. I welcome the investigation into mental health and suicide in the veteran populations, but I’m also a little bit wary about the bureaucratisation and politicisation of this stuff.”

He said the military should focus earlier on preparing Defence personnel for their life beyond the armed forces.

Mr Moffitt was a founder of the Wanderers Education Program, which focuses on providing education opportunities for ADF members. The program, which had been running in Western Australia for several years, had contributed to the lower rates of mental health issues among veterans there, he said.

“We need to prepare Defence members for separation way earlier in their careers. Transition is way too late,” he said. “By that stage, behavioural and emotional aspects of soldiers are already well set in train.”