"It's really important that people show Australians care."
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
This is the message of RSL Ambassador and veteran Pete Rudland on why it means so much for the public to turn up on April 25.
"If you walk down the street and there's nobody there to watch it, what's really the point?"
"We do this to create a better society not for personal gain, it's always been about putting the country first," he said.
Pete Rudland joined the Australian Defence Force in 1989, spending 28 years in the Royal Australian Infantry and serving in Cambodia, Iraq, East Timor, Timor Leste and Afghanistan.
He said the values and sacrifices of the ANZACs were still relevant to Australia today.
"Anzac Day was the first time that Australians fought as one nation, before that in the Baur War we fought as colonies," he said.
"This huge country came together with the same ideals, the same values to fight for the mother country and Australia - it's such a huge thing."
But the day was also an opportunity to reflect on all the involvement of Australians in the military, he said.
"It's all of the things that our soldiers have done that we can reflect upon and go, this has made us who we are and those people gave a lot to sacrifice for us," Mr Rudland said.
"And it's not just soldiers, it's families who lose loved ones, if someone's wounded it's those years of looking after somebody who's been injured in war.
"We need to remember what we've learned in our past to continue to push us into a brighter future and a stronger future."
Since leaving the ADF, Mr Rudland has been involved in counselling soldiers and emergency service workers and said commemorations such as Anzac Day could be difficult.
"There's a lot of triggers that come up on Anzac Day - there's a lot to remember across the whole battle space so some people will struggle," he said.
He said a great thing about the day was the opportunity to get together with like-minded people and the open doors at RSLs.
"If you're struggling, reach out to a friend, and that goes the other way too - for the guys and girls who are doing well, they should be reaching out to their mates and making sure they're travelling okay."
READ MORE: What time shops open on Anzac Day
