QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY HONOURS
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It wasn't the laid-back lifestyle or the gorgeous scenery that compelled John Kaehler to move to the Illawarra 12 years ago - it was that he simply felt safe at the beach for a change.
"We were living in Cairns, and came down here on a caravan holiday," he said from his Kiama home.
"We saw Kendalls Beach, thought it was good, and there weren't any crocodiles or stingers. Nice and safe."
The Vietnam veteran is today being recognised with an OAM for his services to veterans and their families. Mr Kaehler, currently president of the Gerringong Returned and Services League, has been a member of the RSL for 15 years, spending much of that time as a pensions officer.
"I became a member of the RSL after they helped me with my pensions claims, so I thought I owed it to them," he said.
"The thing I've enjoyed most is helping veterans gain the entitlements they deserve."
In addition to service periods in Vietnam, the Malay area and the China Sea, Mr Kaehler's OAM also recognises his years in public service. He says he spent most of that time as an executive officer with the Queensland government, administering remote Aboriginal communities in Cape York.
"I feel quite humbled by this," he said. "There's a lot of people who deserve it more than I do, but I feel very honoured."