And more servicemen and women are likely to grapple with trauma in years to come, Paul Scott said.

The Australian Defence Force was preparing in case of more operations bringing members into conflict zones in years and decades to come, he said.

Post traumatic stress had become a major focus in the past two decades as the ADF worked at "a high tempo" throughout the world, Captain Scott said.

"Forty-one Australian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and 261 were wounded. Tragically this death toll from Afghanistan and other operations, through PTSD, continues (to climb) every year," he said.

The psychological scars of war could last for a lifetime.

Veteran Ken Dowling travelled to different services every year and sometimes ran into those he had met during his time in Vietnam in the late 1960s.

He also often spend time with veterans who had returned from more recent conflicts and peacekeeping operations, like Timor and Afghanistan.

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It was important to reach out to them through support services like Mates4Mates, Mr Dowling said.

"A lot of them (veterans) just don't like or can't get to grips with the way the RSLs work," he said.

"Some RSLs do it better than others - Bendigo is very good, I gather. Some RSLs just don't want anything to do with the newer generations."

Captain Scott said that society had come to a better understanding of post traumatic stress injuries.

"Undoubtedly, there is always more to be done to bring veterans home and provide them with the opportunity and means to resettle as civilians," he said.

For most of the 20th century many servicemen and their families struggled in silence with post traumatic stress, including those who served overseas in World War One, he said.

"When the marches were over and the bands had gone men went home to their families, who tried to understand their greatly changed brother, son or husband," Captain Scott said.

"The horror and trauma of the war continued to seriously affect many who survived.

"It also profoundly affected the women soldiers married and the children they raised.

If you are experiencing mental health difficulties, talk to your GP. Lifeline provides 24-hour counselling on 13 11 14. SANE Australia provides resources and information on where to seek help on 1800 187 263. In an emergency, call 000.

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