A former Australian Army sniper who spent two decades on continuous service – including multiple deployments to Afghanistan – will share a powerful message about the unseen toll of modern warfare at this year’s Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service.
Sergeant Joel Forster, now living in Woodend with his young family, served 20 years in the Army with the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, deploying to East Timor, Afghanistan and the Philippines. Service runs in his family, with his grandad serving in the Navy in World War II, on HMS Shropshire, and his father volunteering for the draft for Vietnam, although his numbers weren’t called.
Australia’s involvement in Afghanistan and the broader Middle East conflict spanned more than two decades – a war fought largely by a generation of soldiers now in their 30s and 40s.
For Joel, Anzac Day goes beyond medals and marching. It’s about remembering and honouring the people.
“I’ve seen a lot of good guys break. Kind of towards the end it started to happen a lot more. Guys that were absolutely great at their job, incredibly mentally robust, resilient. Something would happen, it would be the final straw, and you’d see them change and become a completely different person.”
As a sniper, Joel operated in some of the most high-risk and isolated roles on the modern battlefield, responsible for reconnaissance, intelligence gathering and precision engagement in volatile environments.
One emotionally-charged memory that remains etched in his mind is responding after a young Afghan schoolgirl was attacked with acid by the Taliban on her walk to school.
“We responded by going there in force and putting an outer cordon on the school. We got the message out to the locals that we were staying at the school all day. We wanted the girls to know that they could come to school safely,” Joel said.
For many soldiers, he says, the hardest battle often begins after the uniform comes off.
Joel describes leaving the Army as losing not just a job, but an identity.
“I did all right for probably a year and a half, if that, and then I went downhill a little bit with the loss of identity and the lack of fulfilment in civilian life,” he said.
“You go from spending all day every day with hundreds of your best mates, to all of a sudden rarely seeing them; guys that you’ve done a lot of shared suffering with and really forged some good memories and a brotherhood, and you love them more than family in a lot of ways.”
Now settled in regional Victoria, Joel says being outdoors and focused on family has helped him find balance.
“Camping, four-wheel driving, being a dad and partner – that’s what makes me happy now.”
Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service Committee president Leona Latcham said Joel’s story gave an important voice to Australia’s younger veterans.
“Joel represents a generation of veterans whose service is recent, whose sacrifices are ongoing, and whose stories deserve to be heard,” Leona said.
“Younger veterans often feel their service is not as significant as those who served in previous conflicts. This is not the case.
“While the nature of warfare has changed, the psychological and physical impacts of service have not.
“Joel’s story reminds us that the legacy of service and sacrifice is not just distant history, it lives within our own community to this day and will continue to do so.”
The Mount Macedon Anzac Day Dawn Service begins at 6am at the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross and runs for about one hour.
Free town bus services will run from Gisborne, Woodend, Sunbury, Kyneton, Riddells Creek, Lancefield and Romsey – online bookings are required for these town buses. Free shuttle buses (no bookings required) will operate from Tony Clarke Reserve in Macedon from 4.15am, as roads to the Cross are closed to public traffic for safety. Parking is available at Tony Clarke Reserve.
Attendees are encouraged to dress warmly and bring a torch and water bottle. A sausage sizzle and tea/coffee will be available, with a gold coin donation appreciated.
For bus timetables, town bus bookings and more information visit: www.mtmacedondawnservice.org
