Rachael Brown reported this story on Monday, November 10, 2014 07:25:53

CHRIS UHLMANN: Australians are being asked to pause for a second minute of silence on Remembrance Day tomorrow to honour those veterans who've committed suicide after returning from battle.



The support group Soldier On says 103 serving Defence personnel have killed themselves since 2001, nearly triple Australia's combat toll in Afghanistan.



Soldier On says more resources are needed to help veterans face their second war, the emotional and psychological one they battle on coming home.



Rachael Brown reports



RACHAEL BROWN: For Liam Haven, teaching himself guitar was an escape, a distraction from the trauma of having lost his sight on deployment in Iraq.



His black Labrador called Omen pads around at his feet, as he tells me he was a sentry when a roadside bomb exploded beside him.



LIAM HAVEN: It was just a big huge flash and everything went black; I thought it all went black because of the dust, I just assumed that I've copped an eyeful.



RACHAEL BROWN: Mr Haven says reintegration has been a struggle, and he's recently been diagnosed with type two bipolar.



LIAM HAVEN: A mood disorder stemming from trauma. It was more that I wasn't prepared to deal with the fact that I could be damaged psychologically upon my arrival back in Australia, I was on newspapers, it was on TV and all sorts of stuff and people we're saying I was a hero. I didn't do anything.



RACHAEL BROWN: He's leaving the army soon, and wants to help others deal with their invisible scars.



LIAM HAVEN: I was moved straight over to WA with my family, so i was quite lucky but I just know so many people that weren't as lucky as me, that were struggling and current organisations were just too far behind the needs of contemporary soldiers.



RACHAEL BROWN: One-hundred-and-three serving ADF members have killed themselves since 2001, that's close to triple Australia's combat deaths in Afghanistan.



There've been seven suicides already this year, and these grim statistics don't include veterans.



LIAM HAVEN: No one knows these numbers, which is very concerning because there's many men and women who are falling through the cracks and unfortunately taking their own lives.



RACHAEL BROWN: John Bale is part of the new breed of veterans. The 30-year-old is out of the force after two deployments to Afghanistan, and he founded Soldier On to help other returning soldiers.



He wants Australians to pause tomorrow for a second minute of silence.



LIAM HAVEN: To remember those who have come back and unfortunately succumbed to their wounds, especially in such a important period of time in our history being in the centenary of ANZAC.



RACHAEL BROWN: Australia's Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) has determined 13 claims where suicide was the cause of death for veterans from post 1999 conflicts.



But anecdotally the toll is far higher



DVA figures don't include unsuccessful compensation claims, nor cases families chose not to pursue, nor single motor vehicle accidents.



Its principal medical advisor, Dr Graeme Killer, says DVA is working on better understanding the size of the problem



GRAEME KILLER: We're attempting to see whether we can go through our own files to better determine whether someone has been the subject of suicide and we're also working with other databases, particularly in ComSuper to see whether their database will complement our own.



RACHAEL BROWN: The DVA and ADF are often quick to comment suicide is not the military's problem, but rather, society's as a whole.



Doctor Killer says clearer statistics will help target programs



GRAEME KILLER: We will do what we can at our end, but certainly the medical profession itself needs to be made aware that veterans may have a risk that they haven't taken into account.



Liam Haven says sometimes the best medicine is simply talking.



LIAM HAVEN: Sharing each other's stories is a big thing that helped me a lot, my injuries, I don't think they were that severe compared to the people who have lost limbs and stuff like that, so it's always good to ground myself listening to other people the way they've struggled, it helps me, I hope it helps them.



(Sound of guitar)



CHRIS UHLMANN: Soldier, Liam Haven, ending that report by Rachael Brown.