“Man Down” – Documentary about Veteran Suicide. Release Date: early 2020.
Australia, your Veteran community has created this second Trailer, a snapshot of a documentary called “Man Down,” about Veteran suicide. Our Veterans joined our Australian Defence Force, prepared to die for YOU. Well over 1000 of our Veterans however, have died in a war, a war waged on the mind, a war in which we were not trained to fight.
Every one of those who have died in this war deserve justice, a justice that can only be served by the Royal Commission for which Julie-Ann Finney, and the team at Change.org collected 266,000 signatures.
I ask you kindly to share this Trailer far and wide. I ask you to support Adella Beaini and Kate Banville in their journalistic bravery in representing this cause. I ask you to support George Koulakis and his ground-breaking Veteran Support group the Cameleers, and his undying support of this documentary “Man Down.”
Australia, please help us stop our Veterans from ending their lives… in return you have my promise I will give my devoted efforts to help stop ALL suicides… ALL homelessness… ALL addictions and ALL of the wars on our most vulnerable in this country.
Yours,
Dr Dan Mealey
Links:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnaxBo1znFLHGCHNCWLrSQA
https://www.elementfilmsuk.com/man-down-documentary
To Prime Minister Scott Morrison
.
This time last year, you promised five mothers of deceased veterans at the Save our Heroes Summit at NSW Parliament House, that you would very carefully consider announcing a Royal Commission into Veteran Suicide.
On February 5th you confused and fractured our veteran community by announcing a never-before tested Commission instead; to be tested upon a demographic that has already been sorely tested, being used by you in wars with ambiguous intent, where our minds were twisted by human drug trials and by horrors in which children were our enemy, our leaders were distracted by gender, our nation asleep, and our journalists on the side of our enemy.
In the months it took you to “carefully consider” crafting a corrupt and justice-avoidant alternative, 13 veterans (that we know of) killed themselves
“One suicide per week” is a statistic that no longer holds true. In the last 5 weeks alone, 14 veterans have taken their lives, on top of the scores of others this year while you have been WASTING OUR TIME.
There are enormous problems within our ADF, with a leadership intent upon blaming their criminal failures upon the soldiers they are destroying; and with greedy Australians cashing in on a multi-billion dollar PTSD therapy empire (treatment that largely does not work) reducing very serious ADF leadership failures to a psych problem of a voiceless Australian soldier.
Prime Minister Morrison, you have blood on your hands, as does every Australian who has leaned into your corruption instead of stamping it out.
Dan Mealey
Comments:
Wong Ban to Dr Dan Mealey
My psychiatrist diagnosis me got PTSD today….. I totally lost myself…
Dan Mealey to Wong Ban
well the good news is the worst of it is over (the events that led to the diagnosis, and then the confusion of not knowing what’s happening). I’m relieved you are receiving supportive care.
Wong FYI, please call me Dan (not Dr).. I thank you for the respect that you clearly intend there, but I have to be careful not to give any medical advice, nor to appear to be giving medical advice. I speak about veterans issues (in broad terms these days) pertaining to injustice, unhealthy military and medical practices and cultures etc
I think many who leave ADF often suffer varying degrees of PTSD from the nature of the organisation .
I want to stress that the problem Im communicating isn’t that there is a misdiagnosis of PTSD in every case, or even in many cases. I’m saying that there is a tendency for this diagnosis to be made in exclusion of all other conditions (including injuries of anything above the shoulders). And I’m also saying that there are many ex service organisations that set themselves up as a PTSD cure (with government funding quite often), resulting in a very confusing landscape when Veterans & Families try to source legitimate treatment.
The next chapter of your life has started Wong .. Try to focus on all of the happiest moments of your life so far… Surround yourself with the love and support of the people you love also.
Until you’re in a position to let go of all past trauma and injustices of your own, this fight for veterans rights, is very triggering to those who have experienced injustices in ADF like you have.
This fight is an important one, but at times I have had to pull back from it (and from everything on the Internet and media for that matter), because those of us with PTSD often have no “off button” when it comes to observing, experiencing, reliving the injustices of others, then engaging in conflict to find resolution.
You have to trust me here, this veterans fight is harmful, even when reading this stuff. Try not to expose yourself to these articles, but please know the fight continues on your behalf!
PTSD isn’t forever, if we engage in all of the mindfulness, prayer, or yoga etc … whilst re-connecting with valuable sources of love, life, and laughter.
Supplementing what your doctor tells you to do with gym, art, music, group sports and hobbies is the way to go.
Take some time out to get well Wong, We need help in this fight, but not from our wounded… please stay in touch though, and let me know how you’re faring ok ?
Ps My mum sent me the Christmas card you sent to her address… With the beautiful Lighthouse torch … I was very touched by your gift, it was a very thoughtful present!
Wong Ban to Dan Mealey
I am crying to see your message now and I actually feel the conflict pain u told me before. It is very hurt in my heart. Thank you you like the xmas card and lighthouse torch. U taught me let the love be my light lead me home.
Dan Mealey
Wong Ban where do your mum and dad live? From memory you’re from Hong Kong before joining ADF?
I bet covid 19 adds enormous distress to an already very distressing, devaluing and ultimately an isolating experience of psychological trauma in ADF.
Have you given any thoughts to returning to Journalism? It sounds like you’re a very motivated and justice-oriented lady ..I bet what’s been happening in Hong Kong and China has traumatised millions from the brutality of governments that value the “collective whole” over individual needs, hopes and human rights.
Given this is exactly what you’ve just experienced in ADF (on top of an injury that was met with bullying instead of treatment)… I wonder if your ADF experiences, and all the things you have learned about the absence of compassion when it’s needed, might give hope to those millions in Hong Kong and China who presently have no hope?
There are two journalists I really respect who might possibly point you in the right direction.
Kate Banville, like you and me, has served in ADF. She is a Journalist for the Townsville Bulletin, and understands veterans’ challenges.. as does Adella Beaini, multi-award winning Journalist for Daily Telegraph, who ran the ‘veteran suicide” campaign last year (from the perspective of the mothers of deceased veterans). Her journalism cornered the Prime Minister into discussing the issue – where none of us had been able to crack open the ceiling of corruption for years!
Perhaps they can point you in the right direction, towards utilising the skills you’re obviously very good at!
Mark Jamieson
Stand tall soldiers, the country supports you even if your own military and government don’t. Shame on the Australian government, DVA, and the Australian Defence Force.
Tom Webber
I am so sorry to our valiant vets. I do take notice it was a female academic who got into their head, and had them let their nightmares out who wrote the report to what we have today. So sorry for the harm on all.
Bev Fairweather
R.I.P. LEST WE FORGET 🌺🇦🇺
Noel Lythall
The evil of Government kills the honest.
Brent Lawrence
And yet 3 deaths from ‘pink bats’ got a Royal commission.
David Barker
I’m devastated that this is happening still, years of meetings , classes etc, but no firm solutions/ actions yet there are people with great knowledge who can devise a way forward if only the government would listen. Ex Vietnam grunt who spent time on those talkfest, without a real result and resigned in disgust.
Joe Jovic
This Federal Government should be very ashamed very very ashamed.
