The Returned and Services League, Australia (RSL)
The Returned and Services League, Australia (RSL) is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Defence Force.
The RSL’s mission is to ensure that programs are in place for the well-being, care, compensation and commemoration of serving and ex-service Defence Force members and their dependents; and promote Government and community awareness of the need for a secure, stable and progressive Australia.
The RSL was formed in June 1916 by troops returning from WWI with the purpose of preserving the spirit of mateship formed amidst the carnage and horror of battle, to honour the memory of the fallen and to help each other whenever required.
RSL Network
The Victorian RSL network has Sub Branches located in every Local Government Area in the State. These RSL Sub Branches range in size from large licensed Club operations providing a wide range of hospitality options including food, beverage and entertainment through to smaller non-licensed Sub Branches providing traditional welfare support to RSL members.
This ethos of compassion and service remains today as the motivating influence of the League. The core mission has not changed and has continued to evolve to meet the needs of each generation of servicemen and women in Australia.
We advocate for the best possible conditions for our serving men and women and for those who have served the Nation in the past. We foster respect and thanks from the Nation for all those who have made sacrifices in Australia’s name and we provide a strong voice on issues of national unity and security.
What We Do
The RSL was founded in 1916 to provide comradeship and support to Australia’s veterans and their families
Our Mission: To provide the best possible support & services to all generations of Veterans in Victoria.
Our Vision: Every Veteran in Victoria is respected & supported, together with their families.
Our Values: Empathy, Tradition, Integrity, Mateship, Transparency, Compassion, Respect
Our Role:
- Policy development and public advocacy on behalf of the League,
- Promote, protect and shape the reputation and public perceptions of the League,
- Communications,
- Deliver and lead Veteran services,
- Commemoration,
- Governance, compliance and risk management leadership,
- Fundraising,
- Sub-Branch and member support and advice,
- Authorise the establishment and dis-establishment of Victorian Sub-Branches
- Leadership in living the values and culture of the League.
We are a community organisation and our community support is wide and varied including:
- Local sporting groups and clubs
- Educational institutions with grants and scholarships
- Emergency services with equipment and funding
- Health and aged care
- Kindred organisations such as Legacy
- Other mainstream charities doing great work across Victoria.