The Department of Veterans' Affairs commissioned the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to identify and synthesise existing research on older veterans, and their families’ experiences and needs in aged care. The project was commissioned to inform any future improvements to the way aged care is delivered to veterans and to identify gaps in understanding of the needs of older veterans and their families in aged care settings.

The Defence and Veteran Family Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2030 has been developed to recognise the pivotal role families play in supporting current and former serving Australian Defence Force members. 

The Department of Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs worked closely together to develop the Strategy and First Action Plan. This coordinated approach ensures that the impacts of service and related life events on families are managed, both during and after service, with appropriate fit-for-purpose policies, programs and support – now and in the future.

Over the next 5 years, this Strategy will guide how the Department of Defence (Defence) and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) provide targeted support to Defence and veteran families. 

The Strategy outlines how families will be supported, reaffirms a commitment to understanding their needs, and prioritises stronger engagement and ongoing support to enhance their wellbeing.

The First Action Plan outlines the actions that Defence and DVA will initially take to achieve the Strategy’s objectives. Defence and DVA will update the Action Plan as actions progress, with the most current version available here.

The Vietnam Veterans Family Study (VVFS) is the most significant research program ever undertaken by the Australian Government into the health of the families of Australia’s Vietnam veterans. The four volumes, released in 2014, examine the effect of Vietnam War service on the physical, mental and social health of the sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans. 

Over 27,000 people participated in the studies, including Vietnam veterans, partners and their children. Defence Force personnel of the same era who did not deploy to Vietnam, and their families, participated in the study as a control group.

A further report, titled Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study, was commissioned following consultation with the veteran community through the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table (ESORT). Feedback from stakeholders highlighted the importance of including spouses and partners in the VVFS analysis. 

Information about the consultation process, ESORT’s recommendations, and the Government Response can be found below.

• ESORT Feedback Paper (PDF 784 KB)
  ESORT Feedback Paper (DOCX 604 KB)
• Government Response to the Vietnam Veterans Family Study

Findings

The VVFS found that the majority of sons and daughters born to Vietnam veterans are leading healthy and productive lives. However, analysis found that the families of Australia’s Vietnam veterans are more likely to have considerable emotional, physical, and social issues when compared to families of those who served in that era but did not deploy to Vietnam.

When examining mortality amongst the children of Vietnam veterans, the research found that the children of Vietnam veterans and Vietnam-era personnel had lower mortality rates when compared to the general Australian population and that there were no significant differences in deaths from cancer. Sons of Vietnam veterans deployed had a higher mortality rate compared with Vietnam-era personnel from late teenage years to adulthood, largely due to external causes which include car accidents, misadventure and suicide.

To see the full reports released in 2014 please follow these links:

• Volume 1: Introduction and Summary of the Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families (PDF 614 KB)
  Volume 1: Introduction and Summary of the Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families (DOCX 2.92 MB)
• Volume 2: A Study of Health and Social Issues in Vietnam Veteran Sons and Daughters (PDF 748 KB)
  Volume 2: A Study of Health and Social Issues in Vietnam Veteran Sons and Daughters (DOCX 2.30 MB)
• Volume 3: A Study of Mortality Patterns of Vietnam Veteran Families (PDF 901 KB)
  Volume 3: A Study of Mortality Patterns of Vietnam Veteran Families (DOCX 2.84 MB)
• Volume 4: Supplementary Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families' Experiences (PDF 2.09 MB)
  Volume 4: Supplementary Studies of Vietnam Veteran Families' Experiences (DOCX 7.41 MB)

The report Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study confirms the long-term impact of Vietnam War service on family members. The two main areas that partners were faring less well in were mental health and couple relationships, though significant results were also found for perceptions of general physical health, perceptions of family relationships and socio-economic disadvantage.

The study confirms that veteran partners should continue to be considered in the design of early intervention supports to help reduce the long term impact of military service on families.

• Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study
• Spouses and Partners of Vietnam Veterans – Summary of findings from the Vietnam Veterans Family Study

Support services

The research shows that operational service affects more than just the person who serves. It can also impact on family members which is why DVA has services to help families adjust and cope. Studies such as these help inform support programs and services.

For veterans and their families, support is available through Open Arms — Veterans & Families Counselling. Open Arms provides 24 hour, free and confidential counselling and support to veterans and their families. For more information, call 1800 011 046 or visit the Open Arms website.

Families can find out about support available from DVA on the website.

More information about mental health support is also available here.

Further information

For further information, see also:

• Media backgrounder (PDF 167 KB)
  Media backgrounder (DOCX 79 KB)
• Ministerial media release — Important research studies released
• Government response to the Vietnam Veterans Family Study 2014 (PDF 113 KB)

This report overviews and contextualises the Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study methodology, describes the study populations and presents the key findings from the first two technical reports of the Study, Mental Health Prevalence and Pathways to Care. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study is one of three studies that comprise the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme.

This literature review examines the evidence for the prevalence of risk-taking behavior by children of former or current military personnel. Risk-taking behavior is examined by focusing on the evidence for high-risk drinking, illicit drug use and pharmaceutical misuse, dangerous driving, unsafe sex, crime, delinquency and school absenteeism.

The Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme Key Findings is the final of eight reports and two papers comprising the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme. It summarises and consolidates the overall key findings from each of the three interrelated studies that make up the Programme: the Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study, the Impact of Combat Study and the Family Wellbeing Study.

This Programme constitutes a unique and valuable source of information about those who have recently transitioned from Regular ADF service (between 2010 and 2014), those who were still serving in the Regular (full-time) ADF in 2015, and those who have served on contemporary operations.

A further unique component of this Programme is its examination of the mental and physical health of ADF Reservists, in particular Abinitio Reservists who have never served in the Regular ADF.

It is also the first Australian study to specifically examine the impact of military service (not operation specific) and transition on ADF family members (partners, parents and children), whereby data were collected on both the serving member and their nominated family members contemporaneously.

The key findings presented in this report represent an overall summary of the Programme findings and should be considered in the context of prior Australian and international reports on mental health and wellbeing in both military and veteran populations.

The Impact of Combat Report examines the changes over time in the mental, physical and neurocognitive health and wellbeing of participants of the Middle East Area of Operations (MEAO) Prospective Health Study who deployed to the MEAO between 2010 and 2012. It represents the third wave of data collection for this cohort.

This report is part of the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme, which is the most comprehensive study undertaken in Australia on the impact of military service on the mental, physical and social health of serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families. The Programme is made up of three studies, with this report being the sole report under the Impact of Combat Study. The other two studies are the Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study and the Family Wellbeing Study.

The Government greatly appreciates the contribution of the serving and ex-serving members who took the time to participate in the study. Overall, results of the study suggest that the majority of the MEAO deployed cohort is healthy. Rates of psychological and physical symptoms and disorder increased over time in the cohort, however, the substantial majority remained below screening thresholds. 

The Mental health changes over time: a longitudinal perspective report examines the shifts in mental health status over a five-year period (2010–2014) in those who have transitioned out of regular, full-time military service compared with those who remain in the Regular Australian Defence Force (ADF).

This report is part of the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme, which is the most comprehensive study undertaken in Australia on the impact of military service on the mental, physical and social health of serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families. The Programme is made up of three studies, with this report comprising part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study. The other two studies are Impact of combat and Family wellbeing.

This report investigates technology and its use for physical and mental health programs.

The Technology Use and Wellbeing Report is one of the first studies worldwide to investigate the use of the internet and new and emerging programs and technologies that support the wellbeing and mental health of serving and ex-serving military members. Specifically, this report investigates technology and its use for physical and mental health programs, including implications for future health-service delivery in the ADF and veteran community.

This report is part of the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme, which is the most comprehensive study undertaken in Australia on the impact of military service on the mental, physical and social health of serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families. The Programme is made up of three studies, with this report comprising part of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Transition Study. The other two studies are Impact of Combat and Family Wellbeing.

This Mental Health Prevalence Report is the first of eight reports and two papers that comprise the Transition and Wellbeing Research Programme (the Programme). The Programme is the most comprehensive study undertaken in Australia on the impact of military service on the mental, physical and social health of Transitioned and 2015 Regular Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families (the study populations).

This report investigates the prevalence of 12-month and lifetime mental disorders, trauma exposure, suicidal ideation and self-reported mental health symptoms among Transitioned ADF members. Comparisons are also made between the self-reported mental health symptoms in Transitioned ADF with 2015 Regular ADF members and where possible, with the Australian Community.

The second report in the Programme, Pathways to Care, tells the next phase in the ADF mental health story by investigating how Transitioned ADF and 2015 Regular ADF members access, use and value mental health care services.