MEMBER NEWS

RAAFA WA has announced the recipient of its inaugural Sugarbird Lady Award, dedicated to celebrating the remarkable legacy of Robin Miller, a pioneering nurse and aviator known affectionately as the ‘Sugarbird Lady’.

The Australian High Commission in London has hosted a ceremony to honour Flight Lieutenant Murray Adams, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) hero who flew with the RAF’s 80 and 250 Squadrons during World War II.

On a proud day at Torrens Parade Ground, Adelaide on 16 August 2025, No 9 Squadron serving members joined with 9 Squadron veterans for the No 9 Squadron Reformation and Vietnam War Legacy Commemoration Parade.

The Air Force Association (AFA) ACT Division celebrated a successful fundraising effort at the Royal Australian Air Force Band’s 80th Anniversary of Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day concerts held on 14 August 2025 at the Canberra Theatre Centre.

The Nambour Branch of the Royal Australian Air Force Association (RAAFA) has come together to celebrate the 100th birthday of their respected Branch Patron and Life Member, Graham Burgoyne, a World War II veteran who served with No 24 Squadron under No 82 Wing in the South West Pacific Theatre.

On Friday, 15 August 2025, Australians will mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Pacific (VP) Day, a historic moment that ended the Second World War in the Pacific.

A dedicated Veterans’ and Families Hub to service the Southwest Perth region is one step closer – with its new location confirmed at 65 Dixon Road, Rockingham, WA 6168.

Ms Annabelle Wilson has been appointed as the new Veteran Family Advocate Commissioner, commencing on 18 August 2025.

Efforts are underway to establish a memorial cairn and plaque at RAAF Park in Brighton, Queensland, to honour the six aircrew of No. 23 (City of Brisbane) Squadron’s Lockheed Hudson Bomber A16-27, which mysteriously vanished on 12 August 1940 during a navigational exercise off Brisbane’s coast.

The small coastal town of Cardwell, located 165 km north of Townsville, has held its annual Battle of the Coral Sea memorial, a heartfelt tradition organised in collaboration with the Cardwell and Cairns RSL branches.

The Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) has unveiled its 2025 inductees and the recipient of the esteemed Southern Cross Award, honouring extraordinary contributions to Australian aviation and aerospace.

In Australia, a ‘veteran means a person who has served, or is serving, as a member of the Permanent Forces or as a member of the Reserves’. This definition is found in the Australian Veterans’ Recognition (Putting Veterans and Their Families First) Act 2019. The extent of this definition provides for any person who has served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), which includes the Navy, Army and Air Force. It ensures that every person who has served in the ADF is recognised as a veteran, whether their ‘defence service means warlike service, non warlike service or peacetime service.’

The Department of Defence has launched a free mobile app designed to support Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and families as they navigate their transition to civilian life.

The Air Force Association (AFA) is pushing forward with fresh momentum, as National President Air Vice-Marshal Joe Iervasi (retd) shared updates from recent engagements in Melbourne, Russell and the Ex-Service Organisation Round Table (ESORT) in June.