Australia has become a land where rights replace the selfless values of our Diggers, writes Special Forces veteran HESTON RUSSELL. Anzac Day should remind us what true sacrifice looks like before that spirit is lost
- Heston Russell is a veteran of the Special Forces
- He was deployed to Afghanistan four times
- Russell established Veteran Support Force in 2021
Retired Special Forces Major Heston Russell served four tours of Afghanistan
Anzac Day and Remembrance Day hold a special place in the hearts of most Australians as we take a moment to remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
While both days are equally important, Anzac Day has a unique meaning that dates back to the birthplace of the Anzac spirit in Gallipoli.
It was the actions of young Australians on those shores that not only earned the respect of our allies, but instilled a deep sense of reverence in our former enemies that day, and forever more.
We live in a time when rights are easily replacing meritocracy in Australia and the culture of earning one’s achievement is slipping away. For me, as a fifth-generation Australian veteran, this is the day to honor the legacy of our Anzacs who valued service and responsibility over self-righteousness.
Anzac Day reminds us of the courage and dedication nearly half a million young Australians showed as they willingly left to fight on the other side of the world in a country they had probably never known before reading about the war, now more than 100 years ago.
Retired Special Forces Major Heston Russell wants Australians to remember the legacy of all our veterans who risked their lives serving their country above all else. Corporal Leslie ‘Bull’ Allen is pictured with an American comrade in New Guinea in 1943
This is the legacy we must carry on today as keepers of the Anzac spirit. We must uphold the values that our forefathers held so dear – to serve our nation and all its people before ourselves.
It is through their personal example and the strength of their character that the Anzacs have shown us just how pure and authentic our nation’s inspiration can be.
As veterans living today, we must remember the perspective our service and experiences provide. We must encourage all Australians to realize the common values we share – to strive to be like the Anzacs who set the standard of what it means to be Australian.
While some may dismiss the Anzac spirit as mere propaganda, those of us who have served in battle know the true inspiration that comes from placing others and a goal for yourself.
“We live at a time when rights are easily replacing meritocracy in Australia and the culture of earning one’s achievement is slipping away,” writes Heston Russell. A girl is pictured holding an Australian flag as sailors march past in Melbourne on Anzac Day in 2018
Fighting with those you would call family with a love that is still hard to explain. It is this sense of duty to our country and all our Australian people, regardless of any labels that may be applied, that still drives us forward today, especially in times of adversity.
Therefore, it is up to us, today’s veterans, to carry on the flame forged by our Anzacs. Leading by example of strength and resilience where and when it is needed. Because only through personal example and actions, not just by raising voices and words, can we uphold the values and standards that define us as a nation.
So, while we pause to reflect on Anzac Day, let’s dip our cups back into the cauldron that holds the eternal Anzac flame. Let us be reminded of the sacrifices made by those who came before us, and the standards they set for what it means to be Australian.
Today, let’s renew our commitment to continue this legacy and serve as custodians of the lessons and values that can inspire us all once again.
Heston Russell founded Veterans support force and the Australian Values Party in 2021.
Russell urges his compatriots to “carry on the flame forged by our Anzacs.” Braxton Joes of the 1/15th Royal NSW Lancers playing the Last Post on Anzac Day in 2020