Vice President Trish and Secretary Michael attended a luncheon hosted by the Currumbin RSL sub-Branch where three women shared their journeys of life after service. Afterwards, the networked with members of the Currumbin sub-Branch and ex-services organisations, picking up some valuable contacts and ideas on for services we can deliver at the Ballina sub-Branch.

Jennifer Jefferies

The first speaker was Jennifer Jefferies, who shared her experience growing up and wanting nothing more than to be a mechanic in the Army. She told of how this dream was shattered when the closest she could get was as a Transport driver and of more heartbreak when she was pressured about her sexual identity. She vowed never to hide her true self after this and has since moved on to publish multiple best sellers, become a naturopath and create a charity that helps kids in Thailand live their dreams

Sarah Watson

The second speaker was Sarah Watson, a signals intelligence officer who told of her harrowing experience of war and how it left her with post traumatic stress disorder and depression. She turned to sport to recover, entering triathlons and becoming a world class athlete.

Matina Jewell

Matina is a former Army officer who told her story of receiving serious injuries as a peace keeper in Lebanon, literally caught in the crossfire between Israel and the Hezbollah. She spoke of the split-second decisions needed to keep her convoy alive during a two-day trip to safety that would have taken two hours when not avoiding heavy shelling and the tragic consequences of war on peace-keeping forces.