Finding a new way to serve - how Bart changed his life story

From the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Bart has dedicated his life to helping others.

After leaving the RAAF, where he served as an Avionics Mechanic, Bart struggled to find direction, cycling through jobs. Then a turning point, through the RSL Employment Program, Bart discovered his passion wasn’t a technical job, it was about helping people.

Bart found a meaningful role at the NDIS and is forever grateful for RSL Queensland’s support.

“To all the supporters of Dream Home Art Union, thank you. Without you, these services wouldn’t be here.”

A career takes off

Bart’s passion for service began early. “As a kid, I was always in the Army Cadets,” he shares. That foundation eventually led him to the Army Reserves, and later, the RAAF, where he built a career that combined his technical skills with his desire to help people.

One of the most defining moments of Bart’s Air Force career was his deployment to East Timor in 1999-2000. As an Avionics Mechanic with 37 Squadron Hercules, he was part of a team managing logistical operations to support troops and cargo. “We stationed in Darwin and flew in and out of Dili several times a day,” Bart recalls. “It was a lot of refitting aircraft, changing configurations, or doing on-tarmac repairs to keep the aircraft flying.”

“East Timor was a highlight in my military experience - getting to put into practice what we trained for.”

While Bart valued the camaraderie of military life, being far from home eventually took a toll, and the pull to return home to family could not be ignored. “While the military community is very close-knit and there’s that feeling of pride, I really missed my family,” Bart explains. “Part and parcel of joining the military is moving to where they need you.”

Ultimately, Bart made the decision to leave the Air Force and return to his family and friends.

“That family separation started to weigh pretty heavily after some time."

Leaving the military was a challenging time for Bart. “In those very early days, straight after Defence, I went from one job to another, pay-the-bills sort of things,” he says. While focused on supporting his growing family, Bart still felt unsure about his future. “After doing that for a number of years, I decided to reach out to RSL Queensland.”

Help was at hand from RSL Queensland

Bart’s turning point came when he connected with the RSL Employment Program. Through personalised value seeking surveys, career exploration sessions and personal motivation assessments with his Employment Consultant Amy, Bart began to reflect on what truly motivated him.

“I’d always thought I wanted to work in a technical field, like I did in Defence,” he explains.

“But through the program, I found that my real drive is helping people and serving people.”

Bart’s Employment Consultant, Amy, helped guide him toward new career paths and also provided practical support through resume writing and interview skills. “Amy spoke to me fortnightly and got to know me very well,” Bart shares. “She was able to guide me to career opportunities I wouldn’t have looked at before.”

Finding purpose with the NDIS

Today, Bart works in disability support, where he’s found his drive again. “I’m really proud of that. It’s a great place to work,” he says. “There’s no focus on selling or making profits for anyone. It’s all focused on the participant and doing some good for the community, and those people that really need it.”

For Bart, his new role allows him to carry forward the values he embraced in the military - serving others and contributing to the community. “I’ve been very fortunate in that I can still serve the community in my current role,” he says.

Bart also benefited from a sense of community provided by the RSL Queensland Veteran & Family Wellbeing Centre. “The social events and the barbecues are really good,” he says. “It was great to see a lot of veterans of all ages coming together. It’s such a good community hub.”

Bart’s advice for fellow veterans

Bart knows it can be a challenge to navigate life after military service and his advice is simple. Don’t hesitate to ask for help.

“The RSL Employment Program is something definitely worth looking at,” Bart says. “They provided me with services and support I didn’t even realise I needed.”

Bart adds, “I would have pursued a completely different path. The guidance they provided helped me find a direction I wouldn’t have found on my own.”