20/09/2026
Remembering matters…
Talking about service and deployment can be challenging. But the voices of veterans are important — they deserve to be shared, acknowledged and heard.
Twenty-five years on, Mark reflects on his service in Afghanistan.
“It was a significant part of my military service and my life. Across five deployments, I fought alongside some extraordinary Australians and Afghans, made lifelong friendships, lost mates, and saw both the best and worst of people.
The way the war ended had veterans question whether their service had been worthwhile. For me, the fact that we didn't ultimately achieve the mission in the timeframe we were given does not mean the service or sacrifice was for nothing.
We went there to protect our own people and values, but along the way we fought alongside Afghans who wanted something better for themselves and their families.
For twenty years, Australians stood against terrorism, oppression and fear, and gave many Afghan people an opportunity to live with freedoms they otherwise may never have experienced.
I am proud of my service in Afghanistan and incredibly proud of the people I served alongside.
Twenty-five years later, Afghanistan also reminds me that we have an obligation to learn from these experiences. Most Australians will thankfully never know what it is like to fight a war, lose friends in one, or make decisions where people's lives are at stake.
Those of us who experienced it have a responsibility, where we can, to tell those stories honestly so something can be learned from them.”
Veteran voices matter. Their stories matter. Remembering their service matters.
📅Sunday 11 October
🕚 11:00 am
📍Hobart Cenotaph or Launceston Cenotaph
📷 .direen
