Miriam Kent GAICD, CEO of Gallipoli Medical Research addresses a cohort of government departments, organisations and advocates committed to the mental wellbeing of veterans and their families
This week, Gallipoli Medical Research had the privilege of being hosted by The Hon Milton Dick MP for an event in The Speaker’s Courtyard of Parliament House, Canberra. This important event provided a platform to showcase the tangible impact of our veteran mental health research, and the tools and programs we have created in partnership with RSL Queensland.
“GMR and RSL Queensland have been leading veteran mental health research in my home state for 13 years and they are a strong voice for our defence members and their families.” said Speaker of The House, The Hon. Milton Dick MP.
GMR welcomed almost 80 guests, including: our Patrons, Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, former Governor-General of Australia and Emeritus Professor John Pearn, former Surgeon-General of the Australian Defence Force; Board Members; Executive; and Ambassadors. We also welcomed Ministers, representatives from the Department of Veteran Affairs, Department of Defence, veterans, and those from organisations with whom GMR partners, including clinical and research organisations.
The event highlighted the value of veteran mental health research and the importance of supporting our veterans and their families, particularly during their transition from Defence.
“Over the past 20 years, Gallipoli Medical Research has been steadfast in our commitment to veteran research and translating it into real-world outcomes. We know, from the Royal Commission, that on average there are three deaths of serving and ex-serving defence members by suicide every fortnight1” Miriam Kent, CEO of Gallipoli Medical Research, said.
“We have led extensive research on contemporary veterans and their families, and the challenges associated with reintegration into civilian life.
“We have also conducted ground-breaking research into PTSD in Vietnam veterans that revealed PTSD is not merely a mental health condition but a systemic disorder that impacts multiple organ systems, confirming the need for integrated healthcare that addresses psychological and physical health.”
GMR’s multi-phased Veterans Reintegration Study included one of the largest qualitative studies globally and gathered data from more than 1,000 veterans. The research provided significant insights into mental readiness, psychological adjustment, and cultural reintegration needs of current serving members and veterans. It directly shaped world-first evidence-based, psychosocial tools such as M-CARM and MT-Ready, which play a vital role in identifying and supporting those at risk of poor outcomes in transition.
“As a leader in our field, we continue to break new ground in military research that is informed by the lived experience of our veterans and their families.
“Our goal is to champion and embed these evidence-based, real-world impact measurement tools to all Defence members and veterans. This is an exciting time as the Royal Commission recommendations turn to action and where we can make a real difference,” Miriam said.
If you are a current serving Defence member or veteran, or a family member or caregiver we need your help. We would love you to participate in one of our many research studies here.
Speaker of The House, The Hon. Milton Dick MP addressing attendees at the Transition from Defence Speaker’s Courtyard event
Left to right: Air Commodore Kaarin Kooij, Mr Tim Thomas, Rear Admiral Letitia Van Stralen AM CSC RAN, Rear Admiral Sonya Bennett AM, Ms Gwen Cherne and Mr Kahlil Fegan DSC AM
Left to right: Miriam Kent GAICD, CEO of Gallipoli Medical Research with GMR Patron and former Governor-General of Australia, The Hon Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO, and GMR Patron, Emeritus Prof John Pearn AO AM, from University of Queensland
1 Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Final Report, 2024, Page 14, Volume 1: Executive summary, recommendations and the fundamentals: Final Report – Volume 1: Executive summary, recommendations and the fundamentals | Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide