Honour surprises Peter

AUSTRALIA Day produced the surprise of his life for Palmwoods’ Peter Henssler - an Order of Australia.

"I will wear it with honour," the veteran counsellor said. "You don’t do things to be recognised so it was a real surprise to find out that people had even noticed what I have been doing."

For the past 12 years, Peter, a former Vietnam veteran himself, has been working as a volunteer to help veterans of all wars and their families, with welfare and counselling.

His official title has been Welfare Officer of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia Sunshine Coast Branch, but he has set out to help veterans of any war.

The OAM come on top of a Veterans Affairs Award he received last year for his work as an area representative for the Veterans Counselling Service. It was the first of its kind in Queensland.

Unfortunately, ill health has recently forced Peter’s resignation as secretary of the Palmwoods branch of the RSL.

He will now head off to Government House in April or May where he will be given an official presentation by the Governor-General.