Toowoomba army wife Justine Lugg is helping to connect local veterans with the healing power of sport.

Mrs Lugg is a Veteran Engagement specialist with Invictus Australia, which recently received funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs to branch out into the Darling Downs and South-West Queensland.

The charity aims to strengthen the physical and mental wellbeing of veterans and their families through the power of sport and recreation, whether on the international stage or in local communities.

Mrs Lugg’s husband is in the process of discharging from the Australian Defence Force after serving for 13 years as a helicopter pilot.

Mrs Lugg previously worked as the Toowoomba Defence Families Centre Coordinator and is passionate about connecting with fellow defence families.

“After being in a regimented life or job, we know it can be hard to leave and find your tribe again,” Mrs Lugg said.

“No matter how you engage in sport, whether it be playing, coaching, volunteering or officiating, sporting communities are powerful for the recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration of servicemen and women,” she said.

Member for Toowoomba South David Janetzki MP said the expansion of Invictus Australia into the region was welcome news.

"The Toowoomba region is home to more than 5,000 veterans, which is the second largest population of previous service members in Australia,” Mr Janetzki said.

“I look forward to watching Invictus Australia forge strong relationships with our local sporting groups to introduce veterans and their families into Toowoomba’s thriving sporting communities,” he said.

Toowoomba veteran Scott May, 39, developed PTSD following his tours of Iraq in 2007 and Afghanistan in 2008 with the Australian Defence Force as an Armoured Corps Crewman.

"After two seven-month tours with only a four-month (training) gap in between, I was exhausted and burnt out by the time I got home from Afghanistan,” Mr May said.

Mr May was discharged from the ADF in 2009, and spent the next 10 years privately battling undiagnosed PTSD, hypervigilance, anxiety and insomnia all while trying to be a successful provider, husband and father to two young boys.

On the outside, it appeared Mr May was achieving professional success. He joined the police force and later owned several successful small businesses with his wife.

But at the end of 2018 Mr May had a meltdown. In January 2019 he was formally diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and adjustment disorder.

“I am now four years into my recovery and know I have come a long way. I feel better in my home life and I am socially engaged,” Mr May said.

“There’s a lot of programs out there for veterans but personally, for me, the past times that I used to pursue before I was in defence are the most beneficial,” he said.

“I enjoy engaging activities such as target shooting, paintball skirmish, flying drones and car racing.”

“The Toowoomba RSL has a Ford Laser-turned-race-car and we love to get it on the race track where you have to get out of your head and concentrate on the task at hand.”

Mr May said there was a lot of stigma surrounding returned veterans.

“A lot of people associate certain activities, such as horse riding, with the ‘broken veteran’ and tend to view veterans as tightly wound springs ready to explode,” Mr May said.

“But they are the exact opposite, they want a healthy outlet because it is really cathartic,” he said.