Sue Weeks
~ On the Canvas Of Service, 2021
I wasn’t treated as that’s the girls’ army, and that’s the boys’ army…
Content Advisory:
The following story contains personal reflections from an Australian veteran that may include themes of trauma, war-related experiences, mental health struggles, and suicide. These narratives are shared with deep respect and the intent to honour service, foster understanding, and offer hope to those facing similar challenges.
If you are feeling distressed or need support, we encourage you to reach out. Help is available.
-
Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support)
-
Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling: 1800 011 046 (24/7 support for veterans and their families)
Please proceed with care and compassion.
Meeting Sue felt different.
Of Service was still in its early days—just beginning to take shape. But Sue brought a kind of grounding with her. She was the first servicewoman I met, and photographed, the first to sit across from me and speak from a place I had not yet heard. I didn’t know it then, but something settled in me that day. Something quiet, but clear.
She shared her memories openly, and I listened—closely. There was no drama in her voice. No need to frame anything. She simply remembered. “Only 10 years prior to that, when a girl got married, they were discharged automatically,” she said. Her tone wasn’t bitter. Just honest. A reminder of how close things had been to being different for her.
Signalwoman (SIG) Ret’d
Australian Army
And yet, she told me, “I was always treated as an equal. I have never had a situation where I wasn’t treated as ‘that’s the girls’ army and that’s the boys’ army.’” She said it with calm certainty—nothing added, nothing performed.
But when she spoke about embroidery, something softened.
“It is like the army,” she said. “We speak a language that no one else understands. It is the art of the needle, it is an artistic use of a needle.”
Her eyes lit up—not just with interest, but with familiarity. It felt like she hadn’t left the rhythm of service at all—just found another way to keep moving in it.
She told me she hadn’t always called herself a veteran. “I don’t think I ever referred to myself as a ‘veteran’ until maybe ten years ago… somebody said, ‘You are a veteran,’ and I would say, ‘Nah, I was just in the army.’”
Sue didn’t ask to be seen.
But in the stillness of her story, she made it impossible not to.
© All rights reserved. Based on extracts from: Jenani Therone, Of Service, Australia: Harvest Publishing by House of JT, 2024, pages 585 – 590.
© Copyright Notice
The content featured here is extracted from Of Service, the original fine-art publication by Jenani Therone. It is reproduced with permission from both the author and the publisher. All rights are reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without explicit permission.
