Veterans’ Covenant available for RFSU members

Current and former serving members of a Regional Force Surveillance Unit (RFSU) are encouraged to apply for the Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant, DVA’s service recognition and support program.

Our vision is to honour veterans, and empower them and their families to continue life after service within a society that understands and values their military service and their ongoing contribution to the community. We do this through enabling self-sufficiency post-service, recognition of service and respect within the community, and maintaining veterans’ health in body and mind.

A Lapel Pin, Oath and Veteran Card are items issued under the Covenant. The specific items issued depend on the applicant’s type of service. You are eligible for all Covenant items, following one day of continuous full-time service in a RFSU or if you have engaged in Disaster Relief or Border Protection Service, or have been involved in a serious service-related training accident.

The Lapel Pin encourages respect for current and former members of the Australian Defence Force and their families. It is intended to be worn proudly on days of commemoration, or any day. The Lapel Pin is a way to show you have served, when you’re not in uniform or wearing your medals. It helps people in the community to identify you so they can offer respect to you and your family.

There are two types of Lapel Pin issued under the Covenant – a Veteran Lapel Pin and a Reservist Lapel Pin. The type of Lapel Pin issued depends on your type of service.

The Veteran Card (formerly known as the Health Card) is available for anyone who has served even one day of continuous full-time service. The Veteran Card provides access to certain health services, including free mental health care.

With a Veteran Card you can also access offers and discounts from businesses across Australia that support the Covenant through Australian Partners of Defence (APOD). Use your Veteran Card to register your free APOD membership online at www.apod.com.au.

The Covenant Oath is a declaration on behalf of the Australian people to give enduring and formal recognition of the valued contribution you have made to the defence of the nation. The Oath’s key pledge is: ‘For what they have done, this we will do’.

Depending on your type of service, you may be eligible for all, or some, of the Covenant items. Once your application is approved, these will be sent in the mail, noting that the Lapel Pin and Oath will be sent separately to the Veteran Card.

Veterans and Reservists can apply for the Australian Defence Veterans’ Covenant via MyService, which can now be accessed through the myGov app.

Further information on the Covenant, including eligibility criteria, and how to access business discounts, can be found at recognition.dva.gov.au.