One beneficiary of Legacy, the advocacy group for defence force families which have experienced trauma or loss, is Kellie Dadds.

Kellie Dadds served in the Australian army for 22 years, having joined as a 17 year old straight out of school. She undertook eight deployments before being medically discharged in 2018.

"I had a breakdown in 2015," Ms Dadds said.

"The army was great; they gave me every opportunity to get well. We eventually came to the conclusion that I needed to move out of that job; it wasn't going to be great for me in the long run."

Ms Dadds' condition did not stem from any single catastrophic event during her military tenure.

"They called mine 'cumulative trauma', initially stemming from the Solomon Islands," Ms Dadds said, recalling a number of tumltuous experiences.

"Iraq in particular was quite damning because it was every day.

"Afghanistan was different by that stage. I was oversaturated and I lost awareness of what society was like. It felt like a war zone all the time."

The effects of Ms Dadds' breakdown have been extensive.

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"When I had my breakdown, I drove to the hospital and didn't come home for a month," Ms Dadds said.

"I was pregnant with my second child when it happened. It was really tricky to treat. They don't have many servicewomen who experience the complex PTSD that I had, let alone a pregnant one. It was a real challenge for them to give me the great medical care that they did.

"Ever since then, I've been receiving medical treatment.

"It's not as bad now. It's been six years since I was in a very acute state. (I am) surviving which is great."

Ms Dadds is enormously appreciative of the help she has been provided.

Her husband, Karl, himself an army officer, has been a rock.

"(He has been) so wonderful," Ms Dadds said.

"I couldn't have done it without him. To have someone who is naturally empathetic has been a massive support."

Essential backing has also come from other services.

"Legacy and the RSL have given me a new family and great opportunities for the kids as well," Ms Dadds said.

"(My children) suffer as a result of my service.

"Institutions, like Legacy, if you need help, you can just give them a call and they'll help you out.

"The Department of Veterans' Affairs has been fantastic."

The latter organisation recently bestowed an assistance dog, Kiran, on Ms Dadds.

"She's trained to wake me up at nighttime when I have nightmares," Ms Dadds said.

"She knows before it happens; she comes over and licks me on the face or on the hand and wakes me up so I don't have to experience that. She's really made a difference to my life. Now, I actually get some sleep and I feel happy again. She helps me with panic attacks; she'll come up to me and knock my leg. She'll try to pull me away and say, 'Come on, you need to get out of here'. She's trained to search for the kids as well if I go into a state."

Ms Dadds, Karl, and her children - Jobe 7, Angus 5, Tilly 4 - are currently enjoying Legacy's annual camp for families affected by military service.

The camp, stretching from Wednesday until Saturday, entails a multitude of activities and has been aided by the generosity of many within the community. The Ballarat Wildlife Park, the Lake Wendouree paddle steamer, classic Holdens, the Sovereign Hill barracks, the Robin Hood Hotel, the Ballarat Yacht Club, rock climbing, a maze, and mini golf are all on the agenda.

Ballarat Legacy president Jeremy Bannister is proud of what his body has achieved.

"We're the only camp in Australia like this. All the rest, the kids go off on their own," Mr Bannister said.

"We provide all the accommodation, all the meals, all the activities. (The families) don't pay a cent for anything.

"This year, all the clubs responded and got the message out to the widows, saying there's a camp in Ballarat. We've got a waiting list now.

"It's taken a decade, but it's now got traction where it's recognised as one of the major camps throughout Australia."

Mr Bannister believes an inclusive program is important.

"We're the only camp that brings mums and, in some cases, dads," Mr Bannister said. "Why leave the mothers out? That's our core business. The widows need the help as they do everything on their own."

Mr Bannister is supportive of Legacy's move to accept surviving veterans who face psychological challenges.

"Legacy Australia had to change its constitution to allow (surviving veterans) to be a part of this," he said. "They're as much at risk as anyone else."

The camp focuses on fostering connections between different families which have faced similarly difficult circumstances.

"(The aim is to) maintain contact with them so they know they're not alone," Mr Bannister said.

"It's a friendship thing, a lifelong thing. That's the whole point of it, to try and create that unity with someone in the same position."

There is no doubt in Mr Bannister's mind of the significant role Legacy plays.

"We had a kid who had come down from Sydney with his mum," Mr Bannister said, referring to a previous camp.

"She was delightful, really gentle, and he was a bit of a tearaway. He thought he was the only kid in the world without a father.

"Suddenly, with every other kid, he's not the centre of attention. At the end of it, he came up and said, 'Thank you so much'.

"It changed his life. He realised that every other kid here was going through the same as he was and he wasn't the only one who needed attention."

The necessity of supporting veterans and veterans' families is unlikely to fade.

"Legacy is still very much relevant," Mr Bannister said.

"The need is as great as ever."

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