To me it's a bit unfair that Australian's serving in peacekeeping, piracy and policing roles OS aren't recognised equally with those who fight in wars. In some ways a clerk serving in a supply depot in Melbourne during WWII gets more recognition and benefits than a peacekeeper being shot at on a foreign continent.
I've a friend who has a son is currently deployed OS with operational groups, they are as actively involved in diplomacy as they are in other more "risky" duties. Being an officer he has to do both roles and that actually puts him at greater risk, just because we aren't at war at the moment doesn't mean they aren't at risk from rockets, drones, snipers, IEDs, mines, grenades, etc., etc..
On another note, in many ways those involved investigating drugs and organised crime policing are also at huge risk here and abroad.
I've a friend who has a son is currently deployed OS with operational groups, they are as actively involved in diplomacy as they are in other more "risky" duties. Being an officer he has to do both roles and that actually puts him at greater risk, just because we aren't at war at the moment doesn't mean they aren't at risk from rockets, drones, snipers, IEDs, mines, grenades, etc., etc..
On another note, in many ways those involved investigating drugs and organised crime policing are also at huge risk here and abroad.
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"