Jeff Jackson – A life of service to Veterans, the RSL and Australia
On the evening of April 25, a Vietnam veteran walked behind and a younger, recently discharged, Army veteran who bore a flaming torch onto AAMI Park before the start of the Melbourne Storm match. The younger veteran was Stacey Bernardin, a veteran of the Australian Army and active member of Wodonga RSL, who used the torch to light a cauldron and begin commemorations for the annual ANZAC Day game.
The Vietnam veteran, who stood patiently behind Stacey, was RSL Victoria’s Jeff Jackson. He has been part of the ceremony for fifteen years, lighting the cauldron every year before reciting the Ode. In this, his last appearance, the plan had always been for the two veterans to light the cauldron together, Jeff symbolically passing on the responsibility to the next generation.
But Jeff, big hearted as ever, was happy to let someone else stand tall in front of the packed stadium.
It was a small moment in Jeff’s long career, but one that spoke volumes about the man.
Jeff had first joined the Army in 1970 and soon found himself in Vietnam with 4RAR. While the Australian commitment to Vietnam was winding down when he arrived in May 1971 he was involved in one of Australia’s final great engagements of the war.
On 21 September he was part of the Battle of Nui Le against the 33rd Regiment of the North Vietnamese Army. While Jeff came out physically unscathed five Australians were killed in the battle.
Jeff stayed in the Army after returning home and over the following decades he served with the Royal Australian Corps of Military Police (RACMP) full time until 1997. In 1994/95 he spent a year as a United Nations Military Observer in the UN Truce Supervision Organisation in Israel and Syria.
In 1998 he left full-time service but stayed on with RACMP as a reservist. Having developed a connection with the RSL while stationed at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne he was asked if he would like to work as an Advocate by then State Secretary of RSL Victoria, Brigadier John Deighton MC.
It was a suggestion that would go on to benefit thousands of veterans across Victoria.
Jeff joined as an Advocate, providing assistance to veterans navigating the notoriously complex Department of Veterans Affairs system to obtain their rightful benefits.
In the early years, though he worked for the RSL, he was based at the Department of Veterans Affairs offices and quickly demonstrated not only a deep knowledge base, but the kind of compassion needed to guide sometimes vulnerable veterans through a complex system.
After returning to ANZAC House, he went on to become Senior Advocate and Mentor and was known to go well beyond what was required of him in the role. He provided the kind of personal support to veterans that kept many from sleeping rough, going without food or facing outcomes that were much worse.
It was never merely a 9-to-5 job for Jeff. He personally visited veterans on weekends who were in a crisis, hand delivered food staples or vouchers and facilitated emergency access to mental health services.
Jeff not only provided logistical support to veterans, but he also physically assisted some move into emergency accommodation. Jeff’s support extended beyond the grave for some as he worked to ensure veterans who passed away without families received a dignified funeral.
Over the last 28 years Jeff has been not only an example of what good advocacy looks like but acted as a mentor to others, passing on his knowledge and skills to his colleagues across Victoria.
He was a major contributor to the Training Information Program (TIP), a partnership of ex-service organisations and DVA which provided training to Welfare Officers and Advocates. Within the RSL he was the lead contact for Sub-Branch Welfare Officers looking for guidance in their work and he helped establish Regional Veteran Centres so that veterans could get assistance in their local communities rather than travel to Melbourne.
Such is Jeff’s commitment that even in retirement his work goes on. Jeff is coming back as a volunteer to work one day a week as he continues to mentor the next generation of Advocates at RSL Victoria.
Just as he was happy to stand back and let Stacey Bernardin light the flame at the Melbourne Storm ANZAC Day match, so Jeff stands in the wings now, ready to assist Advocates and the veterans they support.
Australia, RSL Victoria and the veteran community owe Jeff a debt of gratitude and we thank him for all of his service.
