Learn about veteran experiences during and after service

 

The experiences of veterans are integral to understanding Australia’s military history. Their personal stories help us understand why Australians commemorates their service. Connect and engage with veterans’ recollections of their service in conflicts and peace operations, as well as their lives after service. Our teaching resources explore the diverse experiences of Australian veterans. Their stories will help you bring their perspectives to life in the classroom.

Extension resources

The extension category includes useful resources containing detailed content that may require more advanced literacy skills. These resources could be used for independent research tasks and extension activities or be modified to meet your teaching needs.

Stories of Service - our website section

Century of Service book series

Snapshots: Australians in War and Conflict book

Australian women in war teaching resource

Australian Women and War book

Forever yours: Stories of wartime love and friendship book

We'll Meet Again workbook

Chinese Anzacs book

Australian Prisoners of War workbook

Sandakan 1942-1945 book

Stolen years: Australian prisoners of war book

Veterans' Stories Vietnam book

Vietnam: our war - our peace book

Keeping the peace: Investigating Australia's contribution to peacekeeping workbook

World Wide Effort: Australia's Peacekeepers book

Reflections: Capturing Veterans' Stories book

About our resources

Our veteran experiences free educational resources for Australian schools include:

  • classroom activities and lessons
  • interactive online activities
  • printable worksheets to consolidate learning
  • source analysis for primary and secondary sources
  • short films and videos
  • workbooks and books.

Education specialists and qualified historians design our resources so they:

  • are historically accurate
  • build knowledge, understanding and skills
  • engage your students.

Primary and secondary resources have classroom-ready content. Adapt them to cover topics broadly or in detail.

Veteran experiences' topics include:

  • recollections of daily life in service
  • First Nations Australians' stories of service.

To bring history to life, we have included oral histories that capture veterans' stories and experiences in the following educational series.

Our In Their Own Words series is a collection of filmed interviews and student activities. Popular activities in the series include:

The Stories of Service short film series shares the unique stories of service people, including resistance and intelligence operatives, military leaders, nurses and other medical personnel, prisoners of war, war correspondents and photographers. Popular videos in the series include:

Our Century of Service book series consists of 14 books that honour the service and sacrifice of Australian service people. These commemorative publications contain unique stories of the qualities revealed by Australians in service. Based on the stained-glass windows in the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial, popular books include:

Get in touch

To ask about our teaching resources or request a copy of any of our free printed books, contact us.


Last updated:

Cite this page

DVA (Department of Veterans' Affairs) ( ), Learn about veteran experiences during and after service, DVA Anzac Portal, accessed 14 October 2025, https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/classroom/teaching/veteran-experiences
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