Latest Think Tank Program
Following the success of the 2007-2008 Futures in Military and Veterans' Health Service Delivery Think Tank series, CMVH is currently developing a strategic Think Tank program for 2009-2010.
The topic for this year’s Think Tank event is ‘Readjustment to “normal” – how can DVA and Defence help?’
The Think Tank will explore two questions:
1. what are serving members’ (and their families’) actual experiences of adjustment (characteristics of adjustment, challenges faced, mechanisms and behaviours used to cope) during the three stages of pre-deployment, deployment and post-deployment; and
2. how well are Defence/DVA dealing with and assisting in these adjustment experiences?
Discussion of these issues will lead to two key outcomes:
1. understanding what challenges are faced and what coping mechanisms are currently used by serving members and their families to assist in coping during each stage of deployment; and
2. identifying strategies (or additional strategies) that Defence and DVA can implement to improve the support they give to members/ex-members, and their families.
Participants will listen to the views on adjustment of Defence personnel from all three Services at the organizational/management level; expert speakers (eg psychologists and those involved in service delivery and advocacy); a review of the literature on adjustment; and a keynote speaker from the Canadian military, psychiatrist Dr Rakesh Jetly.
The Think Tank will also, crucially, hear the adjustment experiences of serving personnel at more junior levels across the three Services and their families. Possible scenarios to be explored include
1. From operational tempo to supermarket queue;
2. From civilian workforce to reservist on deployment to civilian workforce;
3. From Service personnel partner with own career (or course of “professional” study) living in the community to re-posted partner living on base;
4. From parent sharing child raising and household management with a partner to sole parent during deployment
A facilitator with a wealth of experience in adjustment issues, Brigadier Bill Rolfe AO (ret’d) will chair the discussions and provide overarching leadership of the event.
The approach for Day One will be based on panel discussions in which the views of managers, experts and those experiencing adjustment issues will be elicited. There will be opportunities for cross-discussions between these participants, and for questions and comments from the floor.
On Day Two, the facilitator will ask small working groups to focus in depth on the key issues identified as priorities during Day One, to develop suggestions for improving the approach taken by Defence and DVA to these issues, and to specify follow-up action.
For more information, please contact us.
