We wanted to get to know our board members a little better. Our board works so hard for AVCAT giving us their time, skills and experience. We asked them to tell us their stories and how that motivates them to give so much of themselves to AVCAT and the ex-service community. The first board member to answer our questions is Phil Badcock.
My name is Philip Badcock.
I served in the Australian Army for twenty five years. I served on operational service with 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in 1969-70, during the Vietnam War.
For the last thirty years I have been a member of Legacy. The spirit of Legacy is service in the care of dependants of those who served their country. Namely veterans who gave their lives or health on operational service and subsequently Australian Defence Force members who died in service, or as a result of their service. The focus of Legacy is in safeguarding the interests of dependants, especially children.
I first became interested in AVCAT through my late wife Diane, who was an Army nursing sister with the Vietnam War Service. We met in Vietnam and married in Australia. Diane was a member of the Education Selection Committee of the Australian Vietnam War Veterans Trust (the precursor to AVCAT) she was also the first female member of Legacy in Australia. I was firstly an Alternate Board member on the Board of AVCAT in September 2004, then a full Board member in September 2005 representing Sydney Legacy.
AVCAT, being a national independent charity, helps the children and grandchildren of Australian ex-service veterans to a better future through the provision of scholarships for tertiary education. I believe the experience and opportunity provided to recipients is truly life changing. For that reason I am proud to be a Board Director of such a worthwhile body as the Australian Veterans’ Children Assistance Trust.
Philip Badcock was recognised for his committed service to veterans and their families with the endowment of an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2018. He hosts a breakfast radio show two mornings a week.