About the Health of Veterans, Serving Personnel and Their Families Research Theme
The purpose of the theme is to provide high quality, interdisciplinary research focused on the health status and needs of veterans, serving personnel, and their families through the development of:
- Research collaborations with key partners
- Focused research proposals for funding (e.g. Health Research Council and Ministry of Science and Innovation)
- A research platform advocating for dedicated funding as part of the ANZAC Centenary Celebrations (2014–2018)
Formation of the research theme
The Health of Veterans, Serving Personnel and Their Families was formally recognised as a University of Otago Research Theme in December 2011.
Research theme aims
The aim of the Theme is to explore future ideas with the broadest possible grouping of researchers within the University, initially around the interface between civilian and military health, and post-conflict re-integration of service people back into their communities and families.
In the longer term we intend to use the evolving platform of research activities to develop an argument for Government funding as the ANZAC centenary approaches.
Upcoming centenaries
Many significant anniversaries will occur in the period 2014–18, including the 100th Anniversary of the Battle of the Somme. The Australian National Commission for the ANZAC Centenary has recommended an Anzac Centre for the Study of Peace, Conflict and War. The research theme intends to engage with this centre.