Corporal Lewis James, who hails from Tasmania, joined the Army as a quartermaster after finishing school in 2016 and found the ADF community extremely supportive when faced with personal tragedy.
In 2021, while Corporal James was doing a period of reserve service in Brisbane, his youngest brother took his own life.
“That absolutely shattered me and it’s something I still can’t get out of my mind,” Corporal James said.
Living in Brisbane at the time, his colleagues raised several thousand dollars to allow him to attend the funeral in Hobart and even buy a suit to wear.
“In the years since his death I’ve done a number of courses focused on mental health and suicide prevention, always supported by my chain of command, including Mental Health First Aid and ASIST, as well as workshops with Open Arms, but most recently I completed the amazing ADF ARRTS program,” Corporal James said.
The ADF Arts for Recovery, Resilience, Teamwork and Skills (ARRTS) is a four-week program involving experienced mentors teaching music, writing and visual arts techniques to help participants discover new outlets and enhance their wellbeing.
As he’s played the guitar since the age of 13, Corporal James chose the music and rhythm stream, and decided to sing as well.
“It’s something I’d never really done before, believing my voice is too monotone, but with the guidance of the music mentors I gained the courage to sing in public,” he said.
During the showcase event at the end of the program, which was live-streamed and watched by his family and friends in Tasmania, Corporal James sang the Frank Sinatra classic Fly me to the moon, to an enthusiastic reception.
Corporal James said he was amazed by the transformations he saw in the 23 other participants.
“It was great to see people who were feeling nervous at the start finding the courage to come out of their shells and share their experiences and emotions; seeing that happen in front of you was pretty magical,” he said.
“A mistake I’ve made in the past is not being willing to tell people, even my chain of command, what was happening in my life, but the ADF ARRTS experience has given me a new perspective on things because we have communities of people who are willing to provide support.”
When comparing his recent artistic journey with his emotional journey, Corporal James said emotions were the key.
“I feel ADF ARRTS isn’t as much about learning a craft and mastering it within a month – because no-one can do that – as it is about coming in, being vulnerable, taking risks and learning,” he said.
“And coming out of this is a community that I’ll be staying in contact with through social media and occasional visits as I keep working on my singing.”
Corporal James is currently working in logistics with the 16th Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery, at Woodside Barracks in Adelaide, but he is now looking at a new career direction.
“After this experience I have a new long-term goal: to one day become part of the Army Band,” he said.
“Working with them and learning from them has been amazing and I’d strongly recommend the ARRTS program to anybody who needs rebuilding in a supportive and creative environment.”
The next ADF ARRTS program will be held in Canberra from May 5-31. Applications can be submitted until April 1.
