Honouring their sacrifice

ON ANZAC Day, we honour the many men and women who have served our country and made the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today.

This morning, I will attend my first Anzac Day services as a councillor at Lara and Norlane RSLs.

As a former serviceman, Anzac Day has always held great significance to me.

It is always humbling to attend the Anzac Day services around Geelong and see our community coming together to remember those who have served since the Gallipoli landings in 1915.

For me, this national day of commemoration is an opportunity to reflect on my experiences and the mates I’ve served alongside, as well as those who came before us and those who continue to serve.

I joined the Australian Army in 2002 and first served as a combat engineer.

After a couple of years as an engineer, I relocated to Victoria as a combat clerk, where I was stationed for almost three years.

I returned up north to Queensland to attend the School of Army Aviation in Oakey to become a loadmaster before I was posted to Sydney working on Blackhawks.

I was deployed twice to Timor Leste, where I took part in air medical evacuations, troop and VIP transport missions, and search and rescue operations.

After I left the army in 2011, I still had a strong desire to serve my community, so I enlisted in the police force.

I worked with Victoria Police for 11 years and found it incredibly rewarding helping to protect communities in Geelong and Melbourne.

When I retired from the force in 2022, I felt a responsibility to support my fellow veterans, which is why I now work as state manager for the Invictus Games.

The games give wounded, injured and sick armed forces personnel – both serving and veterans – the chance to compete on the world stage.

But, more than this, the games offer a recovery pathway for these men and women who have sacrificed so much for their countries.

The games’ mission is to provide opportunities for post-traumatic growth and promote a sense of identity and purpose beyond their injuries.

My fellow councillors, Rowan Story AM, RFD and Mayor Stretch Kontelj OAM, have also served their country, and I am proud to serve alongside them as a councillor and as chair of Council’s Veteran Affairs portfolio.

I look forward to seeing our community band together today to honour those who have served, whose sacrifices and resilience embody the ANZAC spirit that has been part of our nation’s identity for more than a century.

I encourage everyone to attend a service today and take time to reflect on the sacrifices made for us to live peacefully in our great nation.

Cr Chris Burson

You Yangs Ward, City of Greater Geelong