On 25th April Australians will commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Gallipoli landings during the First World War and honour the sacrifices of those service personnel who helped forge our national identity. This Anzac Day Australians are also being asked to spare a thought for our current serving personnel and recently returned veterans who have served on operational service overseas. As of 30 March 2015 there are currently more than 2,700 Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel deployed overseas on operations. These troops are providing support to Pacific Island nations, undertaking peacekeeping duties in Egypt and Lebanon and assisting the Iraqi people as they respond to the threat of Daesh. It is important to honour and support the current generation of Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and veterans who have served on our behalf in what are often complex, challenging and extremely dangerous environments. To support our deployed personnel, including those recently returned personnel in need of additional care, I encourage everyone to donate to Ex-Service Organisations such as the RSL and Legacy, and charities such as Soldier On. These organisations play an important role in supporting our troops, particularly those who have been wounded on operations and those family members who are suffering financially and emotionally from the death of a loved one. Donations can be made to Legacy (www.legacy.com.au) or Soldier On (www.soldieron.org.au) in support of those personnel who have been wounded on operations and those family members who are suffering financially and socially from the death of a loved one. Messages of support can also be emailed to serving personnel at supportthetroops@defence.gov.au. For those who would prefer to send a message in the traditional way, there is the option of sending a postcard. The address details for postcards are: Messages to the Troops Media Section 39 Personnel Support Battalion Building 217 Randwick Barracks NSW 2031 Another option to show support is to donate money to the RSL Australian Forces Overseas Fund. The RSL’s Australian Forces Overseas Fund enables the RSL to send biannual care packages to ADF members as well as Australian Federal Police personnel serving overseas. This is a great way to donate as the RSL is well equipped to provide care packages that troops not only want, but are also culturally sensitive and do not contain perishable or illegal material. More information about the RSL’s Australian Forces Overseas Fund can be found by going to www.rsl.org.au, selecting the “Our Services” tab, then the “Supporting ADF Personnel” link and then clicking on the “AFOF” link. This page also includes a link to a donation form. Donations over $2 are tax deductible and every donation is individually acknowledged by the RSL.