Author: Loraine House
House, Loraine, 2025 What are the experiences of peer support for Veterans within a military-style motorcycle club? , Flinders University, College of Medicine and Public Health
Terms of Use: This electronic version is (or will be) made publicly available by Flinders University in accordance with its open access policy for student theses. Copyright in this thesis remains with the author. You may use this material for uses permitted under the Copyright Act 1968. If you are the owner of any included third party copyright material and/or you believe that any material has been made available without permission of the copyright owner please contact copyright@flinders.edu.au with the details.
Aim: This study aimed to understand the experience of peer support within a unique closed group of war veterans who are members of the Veterans Motorcycle Club (VMC). Furthermore, what protective factors for wellbeing may be derived from their experience within their club.
Background: Many Defence Force members return from war a different person. Devastatingly, a high number of veterans’ lives are cut short by suicide in the aftermath of service. When veterans are no longer serving, they lose their military identity and for some the very essence of who they are. Camaraderie, structure and connection to others who shared a similar experience has gone. This can leave them in a precarious position with their mental health.
Previous research has shown that veterans experience a range of mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality and substance misuse. Peer support programs have proved to be helpful for some. However, the suicide figures leave no doubt, veterans continue to be a high-risk category. The published evidence for peer support and the potential protective factors for war veterans’ mental health is lacking in current empirical research. Potentially this is because veterans do not readily trust the health care system and do not engage or adhere to recommended treatment programs. This research offers an original contribution to knowledge by exploring the lived experiences of peer support of the members of the VMC.
Methods: Eleven VMC members were recruited through the National Secretary of the VMC. They each participated with an in-depth interview. A qualitative phenomenological methodology was used as the framework. The data was thematically analysed to explore and identify key themes from the interview transcripts.
Findings: Three major themes emerged; trust, identity and connection. The themes indicate that being a member of the VMC provides protective factors for their mental health and wellbeing. The first theme: trust, describes how they are bound together and maintain a strong fraternal bond. The second theme: is about image and identity. Their unique patches sewn on their vests (colours), rough exterior and roaring motorcycles keep outsiders out. The final theme: is the connection to each other through peer support. These themes reveal the altruistic desire of the members’ motivation to protect their unique sub-culture and each other, they are ‘brothers’ by choice.
Conclusion: The findings demonstrate the significance of the VMC members fraternal bond, which is akin to their experience within the military. It is because of this bond that their peer support provides major protective factors for their mental health. The VMC has its own unique hierarchy, processes of joining and accepted behaviours. For veterans who are disillusioned and not engaging with mental health services, the club could represent a positive alternative to traditional treatment interventions. These findings have important implications for community-based clinicians working with at-risk veterans and first responders. The members of the VMC are altruistically motivated to help their like-peers move forward with their lives. Their motivation stems from experiencing the same support from the group and a desire to give back and continue the cycle of helping and supporting their fellow brothers.
Keywords: Veteran Motorcycle Club (VMC), VMC, Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club (VVMC), Veteran peer support, Combat veterans', Tranisition from the military, Veterans' and post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Austraian Defence Force, Veterans of War, Vietnam Veterans, Mental health veterans, Peer support military, Peer support Defence Force
Subject: Psychology thesis
Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2025
School: College of Medicine and Public Health
Supervisor: Dr Louise Roberts