New head announced for veterans group

THE Bendigo District RSL Sub-Branch has new leadership with Glenn Ludeman named as the new president, replacing Peter Swandale in the top job.

Mr Ludeman has a long history with the group, having served as vice-president and in other roles and he said he’s humbled to take on the position.

“It’s a privilege and it’s also an honour,” he said. “There is a long legacy of people who have served in this capacity before me and I honour them.

“It’s a privilege to be able to serve the community, especially our vulnerable people, which includes veterans and their dependents.”

Outgoing president Mr Swandale was leaving big shoes to fill, Mr Ludeman said.

“Peter had what one would call a very testing time during the global pandemic,” he said. “We had bushfires, we had floods, we had a whole range of opportunities, but also challenges that Peter navigated aptly.

“He has done a lot of work in the RSL veterans’ space, across many ex-service organisations furthering the cause of veterans and their dependents.

“I’ll take that forward as a new high watermark and try and take it to another level.”

Mr Ludeman said a focus of his tenure at the top will be the RSL’s legacy while also focusing on the welfare of ex-service members and their networks.

“My particular ambition is to veterans but also their families,” he said “They can be forgotten. With veterans in parades and at commemorative events the families can be left in the shadows.

“Families are part of it, they’re affected by not knowing, by being separated from a veteran who’s deployed, they are left wondering how their loved one is going, it’s a tyranny of distance overseas.

“It’s a long time waiting and worrying, the veteran may be away having a decent break while they are deployed but the family believes they are in harm’s way 24/7 and we don’t know those emotions.”

Mr Swandale will remain on the Bendigo District RSL Sub-Branch committee as the immediate past president.