Service Is Service — Every Contribution Matters
- Shane Warren
- Jan 24
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE / PUBLIC RESPONSE
For Immediate Release
24 January 2026
The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) acknowledges the hurt and concern expressed by veterans, service families, and allied nations following recent public comments by Donald Trump that appeared to diminish the role of non-US NATO troops in Afghanistan.
From our perspective as an organisation representing frontline mental health practitioners, many of whom work directly with veterans, first responders, and their families we wish to be clear:
Service is service.
There is no hierarchy of sacrifice. There is no lesser role when a person is called to serve. Every individual deployed contributes to the collective outcome of a mission through what they do, what they see, what they endure, and what they carry with them long after they return home.
For many, that service comes at a profound personal cost. Some pay with their lives. Others live with visible and invisible injuries that shape the rest of their days. These experiences are real, valid, and deserving of respect, regardless of nationality, unit, or role.
Diminishing one group’s contribution does not elevate another. It risks reopening wounds for those who already carry the heavy psychological burden of service, and it undermines the shared responsibility we hold to honour all who served.
“Never forget that service is not measured by proximity to command or scale of recognition,” said Shane Warren, Chair of VMHPAA.“It is measured by commitment, exposure, and the human cost paid by individuals and families. We must never ignore all that all gave.”
VMHPAA stands in solidarity with veterans and service personnel from all allied nations. We reaffirm the importance of respectful public discourse and the responsibility of leaders to recognise the full human impact of military service, not only in history books, but in the lives of those still living with its consequences.
As a community, and as a nation, our duty is simple: honour every contribution, support every return, and never diminish the service of others to validate our own.
If you have served, supported someone who has served, or are feeling impacted by recent public commentary, please remember: you don’t have to carry it alone. Reach out, talk it through, and seek support early, connection and care are essential parts of healing.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
Philip Armstrong, CEO
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