As Mat explains, his wife Renee was significantly impacted by his thirteen years in the Australian Army.
“During my deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, my wife found the experiences far more challenging than I did.”
“I felt that I was in control and knew the danger that I faced. Renee felt that I was always under threat and constantly worried. This is a very common issue faced by Defence families and is not widely understood.”
Mat says that Legacy’s support of families like his, date back to World War II when his grandfather served in the Air Force in the Pacific.
“Like many other Australians impacted by war, my grandmother was left to raise my mother and her siblings, when my grandfather passed away from an illness contracted in the war.”
To this day, Legacy continues to support veteran families including the families of several friends Mat has lost along the way.
“I’ve watched Legacy support the partners and families of many close friends. Obviously, families today are very different to what they were like back in my grandparents’ era and Legacy has evolved to accommodate the modern family.”
Mat says he was touched when BAE Systems Australia elected to support the organisation that has stood behind him and his loved ones for generations.
“It’s important BAE Systems support veterans and their families. Legacy is the most notable organisation that supports veterans’ families and it is a wonderful alignment for our company to support them.”
On 28 August, Mat will carry the Legacy centenary torch through the streets of Canberra. When asked what he was most looking forward to, he said:
“It’s talking to the other participants – to hear their stories about how they’ve been supported by Legacy. I’ll walk with pride being able to represent Legacy in such a positive way.”