Chairman’s Report: 2023 Wrap Up

I am very proud to present to you the Chairman’s Report which wraps up a successful year of support for the Commando Welfare Trust (CWT).

We have had a record-breaking year in terms of fundraising, which has been critical to this year’s success and has been driven by a real need for support.

One of our primary focuses is financing the education of 33 children. We believe every child from our Special Forces family deserves access to a quality education, regardless of their financial circumstances.

I would like to thank our donors, notably Roy Hill, Omni Executive, Sitzler Constructions, Provactus, and Next Peak, whose generosity allowed us to fulfil our mission of providing emergency and long-term financial assistance to Special Forces soldiers, veterans, and their families where the system cannot.

It is also important to thank our Board of Trustees who volunteer their time to give the CWT strategic guidance and ensure we are heading in the right direction.

Finally, I would like to thank our small, but effective, operational team led by Major Paul Dunbavin OAM (Retired) the Trust Executive Officer and Major Steve Pilmore OAM RFD (Retired) as the Deputy. They play a crucial role in ensuring the support and well-being of our beneficiaries.

On 28th July 2023, our community was met with one of the biggest tragedies since 2010, which saw the loss of four brave soldiers from the 6th Aviation Regiment. On this day, during a training exercise for Exercise Talisman Sabre, the MRH-90 helicopter carrying Captain Daniel Lyon, Lieutenant Maxwell Nugent, Warrant Officer Class Two Joseph Laycock, and Corporal Alexander Naggs crashed into the waters near Hamilton Island.

These courageous men made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country, leaving behind devastated family members who have lost their loved ones. The families of these fallen soldiers are now grappling with grief, emotional pain, and financial uncertainty. The loss of a loved one can be an overwhelming burden, especially when it comes to managing immediate expenses and planning for the future.

We remain dedicated to helping these families throughout their long journey and ensuring the five children receive the education needed to overcome the challenges associated with growing up without a father.

If there are any silver linings to this tragedy, it is how quickly Australians banded together to support the family members of these soldiers. The generosity we saw was enormous and it makes me proud to know Australians are always willing to help those who have served our country.

As Christmas time draws near, we are now sending out back-to-school and Christmas payments to our beneficiaries. Given this, the recent funding will play a critical role in supporting this increase. For this reason, we will look to build upon our strong platform in 2024 to ensure we can better serve our Special Forces community.

The MRH-90 Crash served as a timely reminder of the dangers Special Forces soldiers face; even when there is no conflict. The Special Operations Command train under extremely dangerous conditions, are disproportionately deployed into combat and are 50% more likely to experience a casualty.

Due to this, in 2024, we will continue to increase our fundraising efforts, so we are prepared to support our people who sit under the umbrella of the CWT. A key element has been our strategy to increase our public presence, which is allowing us to meet the needs of our rapidly growing base of beneficiaries.

Through this endeavour, we have organised two successful events, secured significant media coverage and led a major fundraising campaign. This increased visibility has played a pivotal role in securing additional funding and major sponsors, which are crucial. We plan to build upon that momentum in 2024.

In the New Year, we will also focus on delivering more events and programs that will support our community. Following the success of the Krait Foundation, a career readiness course, and our canine program, which connects retired military dogs with Special Forces soldiers so they can live a fulfilling life as a pet, we are looking to deliver more initiatives.

If you know of any areas where there are shortfalls in our Special Forces community or have any ideas on how we can serve them, please reach out to us. We welcome any assistance you can offer in our mission to provide essential support to those who have devoted their lives to serving our country.

Alternatively, if you require support, or know someone who does, please contact us or pass this message on to them.