Wagga veteran struggles for DVA support 20 years after discharge
Stewart Oliver is a Timor-Leste veteran. He says the Department of Veterans' Affairs has failed to support his PTSD and physical injuries.
Stewart Oliver joined the Australian military in 1998. He served in an airborne artillery unit.
He was deployed to Timor-Leste in 1999. Oliver was medically discharged in 2005 after suffering knee and back injuries during service.
Oliver was not diagnosed with PTSD until 2012. Since his discharge more than 20 years ago, Oliver says the DVA has offered only temporary solutions.
His permanent impairment claim remains unresolved. The DVA has given no timeframe for when it will be resolved.
He has struggled with suicidal thoughts because he cannot provide for his family. Oliver says the DVA focuses on band-aid fixes rather than genuine support.
He believes many other veterans face the same struggle.
- 1998
- Military service start
- September 1999
- Deployment to Timor-Leste
- 2005
- Medical discharge
- More than 20
- Years since discharge
Why it mattersMany veterans struggle to get proper support from the Department of Veterans' Affairs. They face long delays and temporary fixes. They need real solutions for lasting injuries, not temporary ones.
AustraliaThousands of Australian veterans depend on DVA support; slow claim processing and limited services can leave them without the help they need to rebuild after service.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 5 d ago
