When Katie Reaper visited the Torquay RSL in January last year to make a financial contribution, she had no idea handing over a small sum of $35 to a group of retirees would leave her feeling inspired to drive change in the community.<\/p>\n
The ex-serving Royal Australian Air Force veteran moved to Torquay three years ago after a successful career in the defence force and later, a senior role at Netball Victoria.<\/p>\n
Katie was 20 when she was flown to Iraq shortly after the horrifying September 11 terror attacks that left the people of the United States in a state of shock and grief.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just a matter of time before Australia was called up,\u201d the 36-year-old Torquay mum recalls.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got the call up, went and did the training. You\u2019re sitting around with your clothes and your trunk ready to go and you get a call up and you know, you\u2019re going on Saturday \u2013 this is the Thursday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy dad came over to say goodbye, my mum couldn\u2019t do it, she was too upset. I went over to the Middle East for four months.\u201d<\/p>\n
Working as a communications and IT specialist in Iraq during a dangerous period of invasion, Katie remembers feeling \u201cvery comfortable\u201d.<\/p>\n
The determined and confident woman from Port Lincoln (South Australia) says she was most concerned about leaving the comforts of familiarity and entering the unknown.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re in the hype of the moment. \u201cI was young and I was excited. I think it\u2019s when you get a bit older and you
\neflect on the situation, and you go, you know at the eight-week mark I had to ring my parents and tell them \u2018I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m going to be able to ring you again\u2019,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Returning home without any signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) \u2013 a common mental health condition seen in veterans \u2013 Katie believes it was her age and complete trust in skillset that saw her cope with the perilous conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very fortunate in that I didn\u2019t see the awful things that the people saw in the army and some people in the air force as well. Being in communications, we were quite sheltered from it all, and away from all of the action, but I also served with people who had PTSD,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Katie made the decision to leave the defence force in 2007 after nearly seven years of service.<\/p>\n
With youth on her side, she went on to undertake a university degree in sport recreation and event management while volunteering at Netball South Australia. Katie says the transition from the fields of war to civilisation is an unpreventable catalyst for depression and anxiety in some people.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like going into a completely different world, from the only world you\u2019ve known since you were 18. It\u2019s such a hard transition,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Despite building a sustainable life for herself in sport, Katie couldn\u2019t let go of her ties to the RAAF.<\/p>\n
Katie\u2019s grandfather \u2013 who served in the British Army in World War II and was an active member of an RSL in Adelaide \u2013 prompted her to consider the benefits of becoming a member.<\/p>\n
Upon meeting with Torquay RSL treasurer Phil Pickering and forming an unlikely friendship, the youngest woman in the room couldn\u2019t resist listening to fears that the RSL is on the way out because of its aging membership.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t long before Phil suggested the idea of kickstarting a \u201cYoung Veterans initiative\u201d to encourage veterans aged 18-60 from the area and its surrounds to access the RSL and its support services, many of which fly under the radar.<\/p>\n
\u201cI felt like I was at home,\u201d smiles Katie. \u201cI hadn\u2019t had that for 10 years since I discharged. This little group of people who are wanting to get more young people involved, they understand that the RSL has to change their benefits and
\nwhat it offers and how it does things for this particular age group.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re quite worried it will die off.\u201d Motivated to help, Katie became a member of the committee and began working alongside Stewart Pritchard in the hope of spreading the word.<\/p>\n
On the days she isn\u2019t working or with her two-year-old daughter Harriet, Katie is on the phone with the Young Veterans Network (YVN) to gather ideas on how to keep the Torquay RSL alive.<\/p>\n
In speaking with Mathew Keene from the YVN, Katie learned the Warrnambool RSL kickstarted a young veterans group, which saw growth from one participant to 100 young people.<\/p>\n
The good news galvanised the Torquay RSL to organise a barbecue on Sunday May 19 to invite current and ex-serving men and women to consider the benefits of the RSL community without the pressure of becoming a member.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have to do things in a very respectful, quiet, informative, collaborative manner, but that\u2019s the way any committee should work,\u201d says Katie.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf this has one person rock up to it, that\u2019s great. If it has 20 people, even better. If it has more, then \u2018wow\u2019, but we aren\u2019t expecting anything. We\u2019re just putting it out there as an offering.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Young Veterans initiative is designed to help veterans meet new people with similar experiences, share ideas, build support circles and improve physical and mental health in an inclusive and safe environment.<\/p>\n
The free barbecue is being held at the Torquay RSL, 47 The Esplanade, Torquay, on Sunday May 19 from 12pm-2pm. Families are highly encouraged to attend.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When Katie Reaper visited the Torquay RSL in January last year to make a financial contribution, she had no idea handing over a small sum of $35 to a group of retirees would leave her feeling inspired to drive change in the community. The ex-serving Royal Australian Air Force veteran moved to Torquay three years […]<\/p>\n