Ben Dullroy, chair of Suncorp's Servus Employee Resource Group (ERG) and a veteran who joined the army when he was 18 and then spent over a decade in uniform before moving to the corporate world, said transitioning from the ADF to the “real world” has always been challenging for men and women.
“Serving in the Defence Forces comes with such a clear purpose and a strong sense of identity that disappears the moment you no longer pull on a uniform,” he said.
“For me, the transition was challenging but rewarding. I recognise that I have been fortunate in the life and career I've been able to build after my full-time military service, and I do feel a huge sense of responsibility to give back to my fellow veterans and their families as a result.”
The Servus ERG held and hosted a Veterans Roundtable at Suncorp Brisbane.
During the event, Dullroy and the other Servus ERG members met with Department of Veteran Affairs representatives, fellow veterans, and other key stakeholders in the defence community to discuss the actions being taken to mitigate employment issues for former defence personnel.
Members from the Prime Minister's Veterans Employment Program joined the discussion, highlighting the growth of the program's participation rate since its inception in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Servus team celebrated the significant number of businesses that have officially signed up for the Veterans Employment Commitment, a pledge which Suncorp has held since 2019. It also celebrated the impact of its annual Veteran Employment Awards, which Suncorp Servus co-chair Davor Strbac was awarded in 2020.
“Suncorp is definitely playing a large role in encouraging other businesses and organisations to better support our veterans and Defence families,” Dullroy said. “We are also exploring opportunities with the Department of Veteran Affairs and the RSL to better design their employment to suit business and get a better return on investment for veterans and Defence families. What Suncorp learns, we share to assist other businesses and organisations enhance their own veterans' programs and initiatives.”
