One of the band’s frontmen, Chris Rieger, began writing the song after a conversation on Cruisin’ Country 2016 with a Vietnam War veteran.

“We’d just finished playing Raise Your Glass and he came up to me and said he was blown away by the song and started to cry and spoke about how he was a vet and how they’d been treated so badly when they returned,” he said.

“He said ‘what about me’, which is why that started the song.”

The song has been a journey for the singer-songwriter because he said he now realised that his grandfather suffered from post traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD), but it was not recognised when the men and women returned from World War II.

“I just hope it raises awareness of PTSD,” Chris said.

“Simply Bushed has always had that close affinity with the military and we have been involved with a PTSD clinic in South Australia.

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“The kind of sacrifices these girls and guys make, you can’t be prepared for it.

“They’re old men, but they’re still living it and it’s our generation’s job to help them.”

Fellow front man, Paul Grierson, co-wrote the track and said he was moved when Chris came to him with the guitar riff and the first verse.

“It always strikes me how significant the events of 40 or 50 years ago still are to these returned servicemen,” Paul said.

“When we play Raise Your Glass or other songs about returned service personnel, people don’t talk about their family, children, grandchildren.

“They tell me about the brothers that they lost.

“These are proud 70-year-old men, but this event shaped their lives, and that’s why they need to have their own song.”

 “This song is more about the message than the messengers and this issue is something we need to be aware of.

“I hope there is a spirit of acknowledgement and can give these men some peace.”