For the past 12 years, veterans and current servicemen and women in the Central West have been seeking the advice of John Graham.
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Mr Graham, who is now the Bathurst RSL Sub-branch vice president, has been the pension officer in the city since 2014 and started his role back at Mudgee in 2006.
It’s an important job, one that helps hundreds of veterans and current servicemen and women all across the region.
“My job involves providing advice and assistance to veterans,” he said.
“Whether they be serving or ex-serving, I help with their claims that are submitted to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA), in recognition of injuries and illness and compensation and rehabilitation for them.”
His role can prove to be hectic at one time and quiet at another.
“How long’s a piece of string? Sometimes it keeps us flat chat and sometimes it’s quiet,” he said.
“At the moment, it’s fairly intense.
“We’ve got a certain number of cases that are in preparation or gone to DVA for consideration.”
Mr Graham said the role of a pension officer is extremely important for veterans and current servicemen and women, to make sure their claim is adequately prepared.
“I’ve had a number of cases where individuals have done it themselves and they haven’t really done themselves any justice,” he said.
“If everything is prepared and the information is there, then they’ve got a very good chance at being successful.
“One case can take up to six months or longer to be finalised.
“We might get one or two a week if we’re lucky and some weeks we don’t get any.”
Claims can vary from minor injuries such as broken bones, to more severe cases such as post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety disorders.
And while his role may be fulfilling, Mr Graham said it can prove to be challenging as well.
“It’s very rewarding most of the time but it can be really upsetting and distressing some of the time,” he said.
“We’re all volunteers and we give our time freely.
“We’re in the office three mornings a week giving advice to veterans and their families.
“At the moment, I’ve got a few veterans who have served in Afghanistan and have got post-traumatic stress disorder.”
Mr Graham came to Bathurst from Mudgee in November 2014, after previously volunteering as a pension officer at Mudgee since 2006.
The Bathurst RSL Sub-branch welcomes any veteran to come in and talk to them, if they believe they have just cause to submit a claim to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.