When the clock strikes 11am on November 11, Jeremy Satchell hopes people will pause and reflect for a moment on service and sacrifice.
That moment of reflection, the Afghanistan veteran who spent 14 years in the Regular Army says, will look different for everyone – and that’s fine.
“Remembrance Day is very personal, and I think everyone needs to reflect on what that means to them, and how they go about living their life,” Mr Satchell says.
“Whether that's a veteran reflecting on the good times during their service, the friendships and camaraderie that they enjoyed and potentially still do, or perhaps it's the civilian that has no understanding of what service is but just wants to say thank you.
“That's the most important thing – mark the day, pay your respects, and please do that in your own individual way that makes you feel comfortable.”
For Mr Satchell, chair of BAE Systems Veteran Advisory Committee, Remembrance Day is an opportunity to look back on his own service and how that has shaped his life.
“I served in Afghanistan in 2010 and 2011 and during that time I was responsible as a troop commander for the base protection through the provision of counter-rocket artillery and mortar capability,” he says.
“So, we provided incoming alerts of hostile, indirect fire to keep the troops safe.
"I often say it was 95 per cent boredom and five per cent excitement, but the best part of that deployment was leading 20-odd soldiers that conducted themselves professionally, day in day out, through those times of boredom.
“And when they were called upon, they delivered every time extremely well. And we brought them all home, and that is what really matters.”
In his role with BAE Systems Veteran Advisory Committee, Mr Satchell helps to provide support to veterans, whether it be through recruitment and retention into the organisation, or through delivery of a culture which supports veterans already in the company.
And it’s working, with 700 veterans now part of BAE’s 6000-strong workforce.
“I'm very passionate about veteran employment and providing opportunities because veterans bring a unique skill set,” Mr Satchell says.
“They have some exceptional soft skills that can add value to any organisation when they're given a chance, even though they might not have the perfect resume for that particular job.”
Mr Satchell says he believes the wider community is very much behind Australia’s veterans, and that support is only increasing.
“Since I left full-time service in 2018, I think it's changed remarkably quickly,” he says.
“I think, through the passion and hard work of many veterans, there has been a raising of the profile of the contemporary veteran.
"Those veterans’ experiences are vastly different to those that served in World War I and II, but certainly no less significant in terms of the value the nation puts on that.
"Recent conflicts have certainly highlighted the issues that some veterans face, sadly, however I think society has moved with the times and has recognised that they need to provide an opportunity to provide support and mobilise around them.”
