Veteran music group keeps on jiving
For the past eight years, 15 or so Canberra-based veterans have met every week to play all kinds of music – jazz, country, whatever takes their fancy. Some of them hadn’t played an instrument before and many of them now attend religiously.
Navy veteran Col Greef is a member of the Canberra Veterans Guitar Group (formerly the Canberra Soldier On Music Group).
‘For some of the veterans, it’s a Godsend,’ he says. ‘Some of them have PTSD, others anger issues. One tells us that he has absolutely nothing else in his life. So meeting once a week like this is a real outlet for them.’
DVA recently provided the group with a $2,000 Health and Wellbeing grant (see below) that has helped them get useful equipment like amps and microphones.
Vetaffairs went along to one of the group’s sessions and had a chat with a few members.
Peter Carter served in the Navy for five years, then as an airport firefighter for 33 years. He’s relatively new to the group but had been playing the guitar for quite a while beforehand. ‘I heard about it on Facebook and got in touch with Col,’ he says. ‘Everyone treats each other really well. It’s like being back in the armed forces where everyone’s a mate and helps each other out. And there’s no pressure. You can take the lead, or take it easy and just strum along.’
The camaraderie is what appeals to Steve Laughlin. He served with the RAAF as an airframe fitter for nine years, some of that time in Vietnam. When he transitioned, he worked for the Department of Defence.
‘I played band for years from when I started as an apprentice,’ he says. ‘When I retired I wanted to do something more. Then this came along. Some of the characters I knew from other social activities. I’ve been enjoying it ever since. It’s a bit of a debrief in some ways. You can come here and feel totally relaxed, because of the common backgrounds.’
Another Vietnam veteran in the group is Bill Kitto, who was a National Serviceman. He finds being part of the group is helpful from a mental health perspective. ‘I’m still dealing with [Vietnam] but the music’s great.’
It’s not only military veterans who are members. Hilary Fletcher served with the Australian Federal Police for 32 years, most of that time as a forensic examiner. She joined the group two years ago.
‘When you’ve had trauma in your work, there’s no one you can really talk to about it,’ she says. ‘But these guys just get it. You don’t have to tell them much. It’s a supportive, friendly, safe environment. And the guys are really lovely people. It’s really about the music and the friendships. I look forward to it.
‘I had a year’s guitar lessons first and my playing’s got better. I do a bit of singing and everyone’s very forgiving. There’s no judgement.’
Col says they’re always looking for new members, so any Defence or emergency services veteran in the Canberra / Queanbeyan area is welcome to get in touch. You don’t need to know how to play as Col and other members are happy to teach you.
You don’t even need an instrument as Col’s got plenty to spare. And if you’re a veteran and you think your child would like a guitar, Col can help you out with that too.
Over the last few years, he’s given away around 400 donated guitars to veterans, disadvantaged kids and the homeless. He often visits areas affected by natural disasters in regional NSW and hands out the instruments to those who might benefit.
‘I started doing it several years ago when I gave a veteran a spare guitar I had. Just the look on his face made me want to carry on,’ Col says. ‘Sometimes I go to schools in rough areas where the music teachers don’t have enough instruments, and help them out. I also give guitars to the kids themselves, and again the look on their faces is just brilliant. I love it.’
Ex-service organisations can apply for $2,000 grants as mentioned above by getting in touch with a DVA Community Support Adviser. See the Community Support Team page on the DVA website for more information.
If you are a Defence or emergency services veteran and you want to get involved with Canberra Veterans Guitar Group, get in touch with Col on 0455 143 581 or cagreef [at] gmail.com (cagreef[at]gmail[dot]com). He is also happy to give advice to anyone in Australia keen to set up a similar group.
If you live in the Nowra/Kiama area in NSW, you might want to join the Veteran Guitar Group there. Contact Craig McCorkell on 0408 711 966 and look for them on Facebook.
Penrith RSL runs guitar groups in the Sydney suburbs of Penrith, St Marys, Castle Hill and Windsor/Richmond. They also run a pipes and drums (marching band) group. You can find out more by emailing the RSL sub branch on subbranch [at] penrithrslsubbranch.org.au (subbranch[at]penrithrslsubbranch[dot]org[dot]au).
Below, from left: Bill Kitto, Gavin French, George Przybylak, Geoff Earley, Hilary Fletcher, Steve Laughlin, Col Greef
Bottom: performing at the Canberra Invictus Games earlier in 2023
