Commando Heston Russell names the one group that is “most marginalized” in society

A former commando that served four tours in Afghanistan says Special Forces veterans are “the most marginalized minority” in Australia.

Heston Russell spent 16 years in the army and retired with the rank of major after deploying to East Timor and Iraq and fighting the Taliban.

In recent years he has championed the welfare of his returned comrades, founding the Voice of a Veteran in 2020 and the 2021 Veteran Support Force.

On Tuesday, Mr Russell targeted what he called “the most shameful and shameful treatment of our modern-day heroes” in a social media post.

“Arguably the most marginalized minority in our Australian society today are those who are willing to make the best of our country,” he wrote.

Former commando Heston Russell says Special Forces veterans are “the most marginalized minority” in Australia. Mr. Russell spent 16 years in the Army and retired with the rank of Major after four deployments to Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor

Mr Russell targeted “the most shameful and shameful treatment of our modern day heroes” in an Instagram post. Australian Special Forces soldiers are pictured in Afghanistan in 2013

“Unfortunately, identification as a Special Forces veteran in Australia today brings with it designations you might not expect, including ‘war criminal’ and ‘murderer’.

“These are men who know what real courage is. They gave their lives, livelihoods and families to serve on the front lines for our country – they were the spearhead of the Australian Armed Forces.”

A 2020 report by the Inspector General of the Australian Armed Forces (IGADF) found evidence of 39 unlawful killings of civilians and prisoners by or at the behest of Special Forces soldiers in Afghanistan.

The report, written by NSW Supreme Court Justice Paul Brereton, found evidence that 25 Australian staffers were involved in the killings, most of which are said to have taken place in 2012 and 2013.

In the wake of that report, ADF chief General Angus Campbell proceeded to evade unit summonses from about 3,000 Special Forces soldiers who had served in Afghanistan.

In November last year, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that at least 1,600 active and former ADF members died by suicide between 1997 and 2020.

Mr. Russell, who served with the 2nd Commando Regiment, wrote in his post that Special Forces veterans should be “honored and respected” for their service in Australia, rather than face libel.

The Royal Commission into Defense and Veteran Suicide has received more than 3,000 submissions and heard from nearly 250 witnesses in public hearings.

More than 26,000 Australians served in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2021. Four Victoria Crosses were awarded, 41 soldiers killed and 261 wounded.

Mr. Russell, who served with the 2nd Commando Regiment, wrote in his post that Special Forces veterans should be “honored and respected” for their service in Australia, rather than face libel.

“At their best, these men are role models who can inspire the young men and women who will be the future leaders of our great nation,” he wrote.

“Instead, these men are willingly put down and told that their physical courage, fighting prowess and patriotic faith are no longer values ​​that are important or even acceptable to some in today’s society.

“Unfortunately, identification as a Special Forces veteran in Australia today brings with it labels you might not expect, including ‘war criminal’ and ‘murderer,'” wrote Mr. Russell

“At their best, these men are role models who can inspire the young men and women who will be the future leaders of our great nation,” wrote Mr. Russell (above).

“The reality is that our offensive military power will only be deployed when politicians and bureaucrats can no longer do their jobs, when diplomacy fails, or when words and documents no longer deter those who seek to harm our nation.”

In February, the federal court ruled that ABC had defamed Mr Russell in a series of articles and programs linking him to alleged war crimes in Afghanistan in 2012.

The stories relayed about Mr Russell were “the subject of an active criminal investigation into his conduct as a commando in Afghanistan” and “reasonable suspicion…of committing a crime or crimes while he was a commando in Afghanistan”.

Judge Michael Lee also found that the ABC stories implied that Mr. Russell habitually and knowingly crossed the line of ethical conduct and behaved so immorally that the United States Armed Forces refused to cooperate with him.

Justice Lee has since scrapped the national broadcaster’s truth defense in the case, which returns to court on April 24.