Skip to main content
  • Get support
    The support you may be able to get depends on your circumstances.
    Currently serving
    While serving, the NZDF will take care of your health and wellbeing issues. If you have qualifying service, we may be able to provide you with home help. Register now with Veterans’ Affairs, and when you need some support, we’ll be ready to help you.
    Ex-serving
    We can provide you with health, rehabilitation and financial support if you have a condition related to your service. We can also provide home help assistance and financial support for you to commemorate your service.
    Family and whānau
    How we can support you, your family and whānau.
    Non-military personnel
    Non-military personnel can have Qualifying Operational Service in certain circumstances.
    A-Z list of services and entitlements
    View all of the services and entitlements available to qualifying veterans and their family and whānau.
  • Remembrance
    We're proud to honour the service of the veteran community.
    Services Cemeteries and plaques and headstones
    We help look after Services Cemeteries. We're also able to contribute towards plaques and headstones.
    Commemorative funding
    There are two types of financial contributions available from the Commemorative Fund.
    Medals and service records
    The NZ Defence Force's Personnel Archives and Medals team ​administer medals and hold most New Zealand military service records.
    ​When someone dies
    We may be able to provide support when someone who had Qualifying Service dies.
    Your family's military history
    Learning more about your family's military history is a great way to honour their service.
    Certificate of Appreciation and Veterans' Pins
    The Certificate of Appreciation and Veteran's Pin recognise operational service.
    NZ Post Stamps
    This series of stamps explores the stories of 6 veterans deployed after 1995. You can purchase the stamps on the NZ Post website.
  • Eligibility
    To be eligible to receive support from us, you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.
    Check your eligibility
    Check the support, services, or entitlements you may be able to get from us.
    Qualifying Service
    To get support from us you — or certain family members — need to have Qualifying Service.
    Living outside NZ
    You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.
    Eligibility criteria for family and dependants
    You may be able to get support if you're the spouse, partner, child or dependant of someone with Qualifying Service.
    Veterans of foreign militaries
    Veterans' Affairs New Zealand was established to support New Zealand veterans.
  • For clients
    We put veterans and our clients at the heart of everything we do.
    If you have a question at any stage, please contact us — we're here to help.
    How we'll work with you
    We'll work with you to help you get the best support available.
    Your treatment card
    Your treatment card helps you get no-cost treatment and medication for your approved conditions.
    Your rights and responsibilities
    ​We want to make sure you have the best possible experience when you deal with us.
    Payments
    Information on payment rates and dates.
    How we make decisions
    We use a number of tools and processes to make decisions. This helps ensure each decision we make is fair and treats our clients consistently.​
    Living outside NZ
    You can still get support from us even if you live outside NZ.
    Other benefits
    You may be able to access a range of discounts and benefits. Not only that, your family may get access too.
    Information about claims
    Information on processing times, how to make a claim, and what happens next.
  • For providers
    Information for providers of services to Veterans' Affairs and our clients.
    Treatment cards and letters
    To help you identify our clients, we issue treatment cards and letters.
    Invoicing us
    How to invoice us to ensure we pay you quickly and correctly.
    Treating our clients
    Information for healthcare professionals providing treatment to our clients.
    Councils and local authorities
    Guidance for councils and local authorities relating to services cemeteries and memorials
    Forms
    Forms for our clients, family and whānau, and our providers.
    Audiologists
    Schedules of fees, invoicing and application instructions, and information for treating hearing needs.
    How military service affects the health of veterans
    Veterans can experience physical and mental health conditions disproportionately compared to the general public. Different NZDF 'operations' may be linked to higher rates of specific conditions. Understanding a veteran's service can help you to understand their health.

Vietnam veterans’ health the focus at Christchurch Expo

More than 90 Vietnam veterans have attended a health expo in Christchurch organised for them by Veterans' Affairs New Zealand.

Working in partnership with Rannerdale Veterans' Trust, Veterans' Affairs brought together providers and support organisations so that Vietnam War veterans in the area could find information about support and services available to them.

The veterans were able to meet Veterans' Affairs case managers and local service providers, and were offered seminars and brief assessments to support independent daily living.

Head of Veterans' Affairs Bernadine Mackenzie said bringing together Veterans' Affairs and affiliated organisations was a great way for local Vietnam veterans to get information face to face.

"We know there's real value in sitting down with our veterans and talking to them about what they need," Ms Mackenzie said. "With our staff and local service providers at this sort of event veterans can get their questions answered on the spot, and can often get immediate access to specialist providers. It helps us to make sure that they are getting the support they need for independent daily living."

Veteran Bruce Young said the expo worked very well.

"When I was told I needed to see someone, they were already there," Mr Young said.

Donna Moore, from Aspire Canterbury, which has been providing support to Christchurch’s disabled community for more than 30 years, said it was a privilege to be part of the expo.

"We've been able to reach and help a wider range of people, who we will now be able to continue to support in their own communities."

Ms Mackenzie said the focus on Vietnam veterans was part of the commitment of Veterans' Affairs, and the Government, to support the group.

"We came to Christchurch because a number of Vietnam veterans live in the area, and we wanted to reach as many people as we could while we were here," she said.

"Given the success in Christchurch we'll be taking this format to other centres, with Auckland next."

Steve Shamy, from Rannerdale Veterans’ Trust, applauded the event.

"This is the power of collaboration," he said. "We’ve all come together, led by Veterans’ Affairs, with the common theme of supporting veterans to support themselves. We can see them reconnecting with old mates, and talking to their local support organisations together."

"We wouldn’t have had such a great turnout without having a local veteran on the ground, working with us to encourage veterans to participate."

That veteran was Ross Milne.

"As a Vietnam veteran myself I understand their background," Mr Milne said. :I want to make sure they have access to the support they need, not only from Veterans’ Affairs and the providers but also from each other."

Ms Mackenzie said the focus was on supporting the veterans in the way that best suited them.

"Veterans had told us that they wanted to be able to access information about services and support within their own community, and where possible, face-to-face. This weekend’s expo was a direct result of that feedback."

Organisations at the expo included Included: Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand, HealthCare New Zealand, Aspire Canterbury, Green Cross Health, Bay Audiology, Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association, Age Concern, Canterbury District Health Borad, Sport Canterbury, Pegasus Health, NZDF Force Financial Hub, and Perpetual Guardian.

Date

28 February 2019

Tags
Last Modified: 13 June 2019
Print