For former Army Chief David Morrison, this will be his first year commemorating Anzac Day as a civilian after giving 36 years of his life to active duty.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be a civilian, not in the complete sense of the word – I think I’m always going be a solider,” he said.
“You can’t give over your entire professional life to military service and service of a nation without being affected by it for the remainder of your life and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
This year the retired lieutenant general and the recipient of the Australian of the Year won’t be involved in the commemoration events in any official capacity. Instead, he will be joining millions of Australians – from major cities to small rural towns – to celebrate what he calls one of the most “quintessential” aspects of Australian life.
I don’t think I’ll ever be a civilian, not in the complete sense of the word – I think I’m always going be a solider.
- David Morrison AO
“ANZAC day is something almost unique to Australia – of course, New Zealand also commemorate its military service – but we are a country that has continued to pause on the day the landings of Gallipoli and reflect on the fact that millions of Australians over the course of the last century put service before self in the nation’s name.
“[They] sought to defend our democratic way of life. I think that’s a remarkable thing about Australia and I think no one who appreciates what Australia is would ever change the quintessential nature of what Anzac day is to this country.”
War is a result of a breakdown, perhaps even a failure, of diplomacy; the retired senior officer held no illusions about its ruinous effect.
“Anyone who’s been involved in military operation, including war, absolutely understands the catastrophic nature of what war is and the awful impact it has on human lives,” he said.
“When we commemorate Anzac Day we’re not celebrating the military coat of arms, we’re commemorating the courage and bravery of men and women who have, despite all of those terrible things that occur in war, have remained volunteers in service of the nation.”
Though Australia has not again been involved in a military operation like WWI or WWII, Mr Morrison said an overwhelming majority of service personnel were under 30-years-old. He added the role of the Australian military was not isolated to combat situations and highlighted the work done by ADF during disaster situations.
“I don’t think the younger generations are less prepared to contribute to the nation through military service than any of their preceding generations.”
Almost a hundred years has passed since the Great War ended and many of its veterans have passed away – yet the Australian military is still very much active. Today, both government and its people make every effort to resist being pulled into a conflict.
“Anyone who’s been involved in military operation, including war, absolutely understands the catastrophic nature of what war is and the awful impact it has on human lives."
- David Morrison AO
“Australia makes its decision to commit military forces to operations through a democratic process,” Mr Morrison said.
“We elect our governments and they make decisions they judge is best in which times they live. The nature of war is such that we’re engaged in multiple operations – Afghanistan, Iraq and a number of UN deployments – and I absolutely support the government in doing that, we need to remain engaged with the world.”
He pointed to operations in Timor and Afghanistan as examples of a positive application of the military.
“I think it is absolutely on a country like Australia to contribute to the community of nations to maintain a global order.”
On April 25, Mr Morrison said every Australian should commemorate Anzac Day in their own way whether its marching at dawn or simply stopping to reflect on the nature of those involved in military endeavours.
