My name is Gary Bogaart and I live in the East Gippsland town of Lakes Entrance. Prior to living in East Gippsland, I was in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), for nine years as an engineering mechanic. After leaving the service, I worked in cool rooms for two large warehouse companies for a combined thirty years. After retiring from the workforce early, due to service related injuries, I was having problems settling down to an unrestricted life. PTSD was setting in. I was asked by another veteran, who was with BDI, if I would like to join the Beyond Disability Inc (BDI) team, as he wished to stand down and do some travelling, and it would possibly help me, as it had helped him. In about 2020, after thinking about it for a short while, I joined BDI and am still there today. I believe in what they do, and support the clients needs as best I can. I love the challenges it gives me at times, and I learn from the clients as well.

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