Veterans and defence personnel have been abandoned and let down by a system that left many on their last legs, an independent senator says.
Better training to help veterans, and a clear-out of the "old guard" and top brass at the Defence department, was needed before the culture could change, Jacqui Lambie said.
Her office is contacted by two veterans or their family and friends on average each day, the Tasmanian senator told a royal commission into veteran suicides on Tuesday.
The main issues raised were the time taken to process complaints, the department's handling of physical and mental abuse, and a lack of access to mental health services.
"Usually, when a veteran comes to our office or a family member, it means that that member, whether they're a member of defence at the time or they are under Veterans' Affairs, they are on their last legs," she said on Tuesday.
"We are the last point of contact because if we don't do something we will probably lose them."
In the past two years Senator Lambie has had more than 200 people contact her office about suicide or related behaviours, more than 430 on claims, 380 about the department's approval process and almost 350 on financial problems.
Her office has also received more than 280 complaints on access to appropriate mental health services, more than 330 on mental health, more than 360 on medical issues, more than 60 on homelessness and 155 on bastardisation while serving.
"You think when you've served your country, that if you've been physically or psychologically injured that you are going to get that help when you are removed from defence and they're not getting that," she said.
"We do not have enough beds out there for mental health when it comes to our veterans, there is not nearly enough and they're not getting dealt with quick enough."
Department officials need to be honest and open about past failings and "start taking responsibility for their actions or lack thereof" if they hoped to build trust with veterans, the senator said.
People also had to be appropriately trained to handle the complex needs of distressed veterans, she said.
"The problem is with these veterans too, sometimes because they're on their last legs, they are difficult to deal with, they do get abusive because they've just had enough," she said.
"It's making sure that (the staff) have the training that is necessary, first of all to deal with the veterans and then to deal with the claims."
Keeping people on the defence force's payroll and sorting out claims before discharging them would also help efficiency, as would enforceable time limits for claims, she said.
"That punishment for the veteran is that they will take their own lives, why shouldn't you be held accountable?"
She also called for independent oversight to implement the royal commission's recommendations.
The commission's final report will be handed down in early September.
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