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LETTERS OF APPRECIATION (To our team at Leeuwin Advocacy Services) August 01 - September 01

Advocates: Kevin Gleeson; China Hammal; Sally Low; Ian McCutcheon; Trevor Robbins; John Sanderson; Philip Steele and special thanks for the 6 volunteers staffing the phone and doing a great job as a “T.O.W.” Mrs. Kay Phillips; Mrs. Val Gleeson, Mrs. Kerry Larson, Ian Dunn, Ernie Albrecht, Les Aisbett, Spike Jones, Anthony Samiotis, Mr. Patrick Peard and Grattan Shimmen. Also we must thank John Exley (due to work commitments); John Glass, John Jenkins (living too remote); Max Kellow, Ted Lincoln, Greg Smith; (sick bay) that they are unable to assist at the moment.

It is with great pleasure I write this letter, I was recently awarded a pension from Veteran Affairs through the effort and dedication of China Hammal. I served under the White Ensign for 25 years starting as an ERA Apprentice and leaving the service in Jan 97 as a Marine Engineering Officer. I valued my time in the RAN and the camaraderie that I experienced. However, one thing that has come to light since leaving the service, when you walk down that gangway for the last time the service doesn’t care. It took me some time before accepting advice from one of my mates to approach Veteran Affairs about some problems that had occurred during my service. We were all taught to ensure we kept good records of anything we did in the engineering world, but it doesn’t seem that way with the Sickbay Tiffs as my records (doesn’t) show. Key parts of my medical status were not kept, if it wasn’t for China and his vast experience in retrieving information and advising people on the correct avenue to go down, then I would still be sitting around in some pain. I made an appointment to see China for an hour, some 3 hours later I departed his office having my whole past relived. He then put together my application and made appointments for me the process then started. I did not realise the things you forget until someone with the right questions comes along. There are a lot of ex-serving members that do not understand their rights with regard to assistance that can be offered. I would have been one of them if it weren’t for old shipmates like China. Sir, you should be honoured to have such a dedicated and enthusiastic man as China working in your team. To China, thanks mate you are a credit to yourself and shipmates that you have helped. Please find enclosed my donation of $700.00 to the Association.

Yours sincerely. Peter H.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your colleagues for your assistance with my dealings with DVA, please accept this cheque for your association as a token of my appreciation for your efforts.

R2, what is half Pekinese and half British Bulldog? Why it’s a Chinaman of course. China took on a big job with my DVA applications and with dogged determination and that never give in attitude things have come to fruition. It’s taken four odd years but hey, never give up. Many thanks China will catch you shortly.

Thanks again for all the effort you put in to help me get TPI. As always your assistance was greatly appreciated. Please accept this donation of $500.00 to the Australian Navy in Vietnam Veterans Welfare Association as a token of my thanks.

On behalf of my wife Beryl and myself I would like to thank your association for your help in obtaining a TPI pension for me. Your Association is a vital organisation that works towards helping ex-service men and women. I would be very pleased if you would accept my donation of $500.00 to help the association continue helping more people.

Apart from a trip on the Vung Tau Ferry in 1968 I have had very little to do with the Navy. I am beginning to realise that this is my loss because since stumbling upon your organisation upon moving to W.A. the friendliness and professionalism have been outstanding. Thanks to your association. All TPI and Service Pension matters are finalised. Please accept the enclosed donation in appreciation of the great work you are doing.

Just a quick note to thank your team sincerely for the tremendous help you were with my claim. I have enclosed a cheque for $200.00 for your Association. Once again Thank You Very Much.

Thank you for helping me with the claim with DVA. The back pay from DVA came at an appropriate time and came in handy otherwise I may have had to call on your fund. Please find enclosed a cheque for $100.00 to “Your” fund being the Veterans’ Welfare Association. I’ll be in contact in the near future and will call on you when I plan to stop work. Thanks again.

Dear team, I am writing to let you know that my application for a disability pension with Veterans’ Affairs has been approved. I received the information on September 3rd, I must admit I got quite a shock to get it back so quickly. I am writing to say thank you for everything you did for me re this application, and I would like you to accept this cheque as a donation towards the association fund, and I hope it can assist another member who is looking for help. Once again thanks team.

Well done. My wife and I were two of the funeral party for the late, WOMTP Christopher Cunningham, yesterday at the Fremantle Cemetery. Your honesty, sincerity and organizational skills are to be applauded. It is quite evident that you are a very sincere gentleman and your dedication to helping others was on display during this funeral ceremony. You are to be congratulated; we unfortunately were unable to participate with you and others at your place for the wake. Once again well done.

Thank you and all the crew at Leeuwin for all the assistance you gave me in obtaining my disability pension. I am sure without your help my claim would not be settled in anywhere the time in which it was. Your work is invaluable to people like me who are quite ignorant to the workings of the DVA. Please find enclosed a donation to help you and your association to carry on it’s great work.

Please find enclosed the first of my annual donations to your wonderful association. I had been with “Another” (to remain nameless) Defence Advocacy Service, for some 6 years and they achieved nothing! I was introduced to your Association some 6 months ago, and in that time, you have achieved “Far more than I would have expected”! You’re a diamond China (a rough diamond), but still a diamond. Please take care of your health, so that you can lead your Advocates for many years to come.

Just a quick one to express my thanks and appreciation for your hard work in my successful Veterans Affairs claim. The work of yourself and the association in WA is such a valuable tool for all ex-service men and women, that simple thanks hardly seem thanks enough. Please find enclosed a donation for the association as part of my expression of appreciation.

I made an application in 1999 for a claim to DVA for disabilities caused during the Vietnam conflict in which I was a serving RAN Engineer on board the Motor Vessel Jeparit. The claim was unsuccessful. At that time I was having a nervous breakdown and consequently my claim was not presented correctly. On February, I read a notice in the WA newspaper regarding RAN Veterans who meet at Hickeys Cine Cellar Tavern. I contacted a Ron Rowe and he invited me to attend which I did. At that meeting I was introduced to China. After a short discussion about my previous claim and my past medical problems caused in Vietnam in the Navy I set about putting in a new claim on the advice of China. I followed China’s direction and advice and put in the new claim. I had excellent support given to me by China over the period of the claim and his help was invaluable. The claim was submitted in the correct manner. The professionalism displayed by China is beyond words The staff working with him were a great help and the times I bothered his wife on the “phone”, which were to many to mention. I thank her for her patience and understanding. My appreciation cannot be put into words for this person called China, a Godsend. I hereby make a donation to the Association of $500.00 so this work can be continued to assist many more Veterans who need the correct advice and direction and care to achieve a successful result. I have been deemed to be TPI as from the 2nd August. I commend China to future Veterans needing advice and direction.

Just a few words to show my appreciation for the professional and friendly manner in which you helped me with my claim with DVA. It was a success. Please accept this cheque for the Welfare Association as a sign of my gratitude. Keep up the good work.

Thank you; your assistance has enabled me to receive the TPI pension. I have enclosed a $300.00 donation to the Welfare Association.

You have brought home the bacon plus the noodles!! My TPI is now through and my feet have yet to touch the ground. I deeply appreciate you and your advocates’ team support for the quality advice in the many phases of weaving through the DVA doors that sometimes opened and at other times closed firmly in my face. Please find enclosed my cheque for $250.00 to add to my previous one. I am interested in assisting the advocate team and remind you of my interest in doing a TIP course soon. Many thanks.

I am writing to express my sincere thanks for all of your efforts over the last couple of years in assisting me in my efforts to obtain a War Widows Pension. It has been a long and hard fought exercise by your patience and determination has won through for me. I want you to know that I really appreciate all of your efforts. I must admit that I had lost the desire to pursue the matter this year after having had so many set backs in previous times. As you know, I have been unwell for some time and I am only just beginning to feel anything like my old self once again. Through all of my illness you have tirelessly fought for this pension for me. I think I would have given up without your steely determination to pursue this and I have you to thank for all your effort and success. When I received the letter for DVA during the week I did not read it properly at first because I just assumed it was another rejection. It wasn’t until later on that same day that I actually read the whole letter in full and realized that the pension had possibly been awarded to me. I tried not to get too excited until I spoke with you later on that afternoon and heard confirmation from yourself that I was awarded the widows pension. You can imagine my surprise and relief when I realized that the battle was all over. For once in my life I was gob smacked! The pension could not have come at a better time for me because I have been off work, as you know, due to illness and I am only just about ready to go back to work now on a part time basis. The company who I work for have not been supportive to me and so I have had to exist on a much reduced monthly income for the last nine months. As my income will only be paid on a part time basis on my return to work the widows pension will be extremely helpful for my daughter and myself. During my long journey that I have found myself going through recently China, I have learnt some very important lessons from you. You have shown me how a human being cares for another fellow human and goes out of his way to help in every way that he can, no matter what the personal cost is to himself. You have also taught me patience and shown me your undying strength of not giving up. You once said to me. “I never give up, I just keep on trying”. I have carried this strength of yours over into my personal life and I thank you for all the lessons that you have silently taught me. The pension seems to be a bonus to me now. Your caring, understanding, compassion and relentless help to me during my desperate time of need had out weighed all else. I believe that during the most difficult times in our lives is when we become our strongest. Sometimes we need help and I thank you for being there for me. You have left footprint in my life. On behalf of my daughter and myself I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.