2nd June 2021
There has been understandable interest in the issue of respect for veterans over recent years and although there has been plenty of hollow rhetoric nothing tangible of significance has been addressed.
That has now changed and there are matters of significance actively under consideration by the CCP.
The first, likely to be subject of an announcement in due course and the second is unlikely to be broadly publicised to ensure its genuineness and the personal nature is protected and that is commendable.
The first a proposal as submitted by the CAA is to have an Officer, senior in rank to any Veteran who passes away, contact the family for permission to attend the Funeral and deliver the Police Ode. Further VicPol to supply a VicPol flag as a pall. At the completion of the service the flag is to be retrieved folded and placed in a suitably inscribed envelope and presented to the family as a mark of respect and appreciation for the deceased service to Vicpol and the State.
When the logistics are sorted an announcement is anticipated and although it may not be precisely as suggested by the CAA it will be similar., however we appreciate that at the moment there are other competing priorities, so we have to be patient.
The second matter also under active consideration is a protocol where every member who retires is thanked personally and privately for their service. The CCP has already undertaken some of these calls to retiring members who have contributed over 40+ years (rank irrelevant) and his intention is to extend this throughout the organisation with the rank of the retiring member irrelevant, but the rank of the Officer tasked to contact the retiree based on the length of service of the retiree or whether the retiree is personally known to a member of the executive.
The CCP has expressed the view that even a member who has only served a couple of years and is retiring (ill health) must be thanked.
As this is personal and private do not expect a high-profile announcement for this initiative and that is deliberate by the CCP to ensure that the genuineness of the thank you, is not compromised.
The CAA compliments the CCP on his initiatives in this area and also thanks the efforts of one of our members, Jo Donovan who has been at the forefront in promoting both initiatives.
Ivan W Ray
(For and on behalf of the CAA Inc.)
Chief Executive Officer CAA.