Vietnam Veterans
Association of Australia St Marys Outpost
Sub-Branch Inc.
Veteran Matters
VIETNAM VETERANS ASSOCIATION ST MARYS OUTPOST SUB BRANCH - EDUCATION TEAM PROJECT Four years ago a group of ten or so interested and willing members from St Marys Outpost began the Education Team (E-Team) Project. The aim of this initiative was, through proactive endeavours, to link veterans with school communities to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. To achieve this goal, the E-Team contacted Education Authorities to address a range of issues relevant to productive school visits. An information flyer was documented for distribution to Metropolitan Western Sydney secondary schools advertising the Team Program. Team dress standards and a Code of Conduct were also established. Four years on the project has achieved unqualified success with ongoing links to over fifty schools and an audience in 2007 of around fifteen thousand students. The objective of this project was greatly enhanced in 2006 by the Vietnam War being made a compulsory and examinable unit of work for students studying History for the Year 10 School Certificate and an elective study area for Year 12 students doing the Higher School Certificate. (Note: Australia’s involvement in other wars and conflicts is also studied.) Veterans involved in this project are required to have the appropriate personal skills necessary for public speaking and educational interaction with students. An in depth knowledge of the Vietnam War Era is also beneficial. Specific outcomes being attained through veteran/student links are that students benefit by being involved with veterans, the people who were personally involved in the war, and are considered very valuable primary resources. Equally veterans benefit through recognition for their service, raised self esteem and enhanced feelings of personal worth. Although the E-Team program has been sanctioned by State, Catholic and Independent School Systems, the strict supervision of students involved in a presentation always remains a school duty of care. The E-Team Project has developed over four years into a rather professional unit with an ever increasing client base in both government and non-government schools. These schools now invite the E-Team to present their program annually as a component of their school unit of work or revision study on the Vietnam War. This program is offered free to schools, however the quality of the presentation prompts many schools to make a donation towards the management and administration of the project. The Outpost E-Team delivers a two hour presentation on Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War. The content of the presentation follows the NSW Government Board of Studies Syllabus and has been given the ‘thumbs up’ by members of the NSW History Teacher’s Association as well as being highly evaluated by participating school staff and students. Briefly the school presentation focuses on: - Why Australia went to Vietnam; - National Service/Conscription; - Role Play/Dress up segments focussed on the experiences of soldiers; - Information and discussion on Agent Orange and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; - The history, politics, moratorium movement and major events of the war from an Australian perspective; - Photos, resources, memorabilia and music from the era; and Concludes with a question/answer session. Throughout 2007 E-Teams of three to five members presented sixty nine school sessions and additionally provided guest speakers for twenty one school Anzac and Commemorative Services. As well as visiting local schools the E-Team is linked to two country areas, namely the Monaro District in Southern NSW and Gilgandra in Central NSW. Visits to these area schools have been very well received and are now a yearly event. Another location linked to the E-Team is Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre. This Centre contains errant youths who are awaiting court appearances. The team visits this centre four times throughout the year working with small groups of youths and also joins with them for an Anzac Service each April. No judgement is made on why these young lads are detained but rather the hope that veteran involvement with them may help redirect at least some down the path veterans would choose for their own children. The E-Team enjoys the support and encouragement of the Outpost membership but equally it brings much credit and recognition to that Veteran community and therefore helps to promote veterans and their role in Australia’s history. It is also noteworthy that team members see this project as an opportunity to continue making a contribution to our society, or more precisely the younger generation, the future stakeholders of our country. Vin Cosgrove, Education Team Co-ordinator. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear President, Australian War Memorial Agrees to Change Wording on Agent Orange Text
Panel Here are the new words: AGENT ORANGE Both the United States and Australia used defoliants in Vietnam to destroy the jungle which sheltered the Viet Cong. Agent Orange, containing the poisonous substance dioxin, was the most widely used of several herbicides. After the war, numbers of Australian veterans became concerned about mounting evidence of possible health effects of their exposure to these chemicals. Vietnam Veterans’ organisations agitated for government recognition of their case. The Evatt Royal Commission reported in 1985, absolving chemical agents from responsibility for veterans’ health problems. Veterans strongly disagreed and continued to pursue the issue. Subsequent studies found links between exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam and some cancers and other diseases. As a result, veterans have successfully pursued claims for compensation, and continue to do so. The Vietnam Veterans Federation, on behalf of Vietnam veterans, thanks the Australian War Memorial for agreeing to implement these changes in the coming months. Tim McCombe -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't let the old soldiers just fade away.
The objective of this note is to try to generate discussion on how ex-servicemen and women and their organizations can place a greater emphasis on welfare, particularly for aged veterans. It seems the level of ex-service community effectiveness in this area varies considerably from one place to another and needs to be reinvigorated.
Veterans in aged care facilities, those hospitalized, and those wanting to stay in the family home can easily lose contact with their mates and their representative organizations (ESOs). The recent closure of an aged care facility in Victoria revealed there were 17 veterans and war widows in residence and through the good work of ESOs in conjunction with the DVA, their issues are being resolved. I am not convinced this positive outcome is duplicated Australia wide. When veterans are placed in Residential Care they are administered jointly by DVA and the Department of Health and Ageing (DOHA). Evidence suggests that this placement can start a chain of disconnection with the veteran community. This disconnection must not result in a loss of the veteran’s entitlements. It is important that the veteran’s entitlements are honoured. Perhaps a system similar to that which coordinates hospital visits needs to be in place. Thereby the veteran would have optional access to ‘welfare’ visits from the ex-service community by way of designated hospital visitors.
Veterans and war widows who choose to stay in the family home can be particularly vulnerable to the devastating effects of social isolation, especially if they lose contact with friends and family. They need to be made aware of their entitlement to veterans’ home care and to use it. They need to be encouraged to welcome procedures like pharmaceutical reviews and assessments of the safety of their homes. There is very clear evidence that older veterans are seeing doctors less frequently than they should because of the lack of doctors able to undertake home visits.
I am also told, surprisingly, that in some areas there has been a reduction in ESO organized hospital visits. This is disappointing. We need a greater effort in the area of welfare. It is not hard for ESO sub-branches, members of any veterans’ group, or any list of volunteers to get their heads together and arrange home, aged care facility and hospital visits in their local area. Anybody who has a computer is well aware that many veterans have plenty of time on their hands and if they are willing and able, perhaps some of that time could be volunteered. Even a simple phone call can make a difference.
There is an important question that we need to address and it is, "how can ex-servicemen and their organisations work more constructively with health care providers whether they be doctors or residential care facilities etc in providing social and welfare support for older veterans and war widows". Bearing in mind 60% of our veterans and war widows are now over the age of 80 and 75% over the age of 70 with multiple health problems including visual, hearing and importantly major problems with mobility which means they have difficulty getting out of the home to shop, see their doctor or visit their friends. What we require are suggestions in relation to a range of matters that could be organised by ESOs that would support older veterans and war widows in hospital, in their home or in residential care.
Please let me know about any success stories from which we all can learn how to better deal with the problems facing aged care. I am interested in any ideas that may help to improve the present system.
Blue Ryan, TPI National President ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VIETNAM VETERANS’ REMEMBRANCE DAY 2008
As delivered by
The Hon Bob Baldwin MP, Member for Paterson Shadow Minister for Defence Science & Personnel Assistant Shadow Minister for Defence
18th August 2008, Medowie NSW
Each year, around this time, Vietnam veterans meet to remember and commemorate the longest conflict Australia was ever been involved with. Today, as I look around I note that the old saying: "age shall not weary them nor years condemn” is only too true.
The Vietnam conflict officially began for Australia some 46 years ago when on the morning of 31st July 1962, Colonel Ted Serong alighted from a civilian airliner onto the tarmac of Tan Son Nhut (pronounced: tan son njut) airport, Saigon. Three days later his unit arrived, a small group of 29 officers, warrant officers and sergeants. Most were Infantry, with an element of Engineers and Signals. Specially chosen for their task, more than half had served in Malaya and had been trained in the art of counter-guerilla warfare.
This was the beginning of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV), commonly known as the Team. It became the longest serving unit of any service in any theatre of war, remaining in Vietnam for more than ten years. On 8th December 1972 the Team, now 35 in numbers received orders to return to Australia ten days later, thus completing Australia's commitment to Vietnam.
In between those dates, some 59,000 Australians served in Vietnam. It turned out to be a very costly war, allow me to share some statistics with you which demonstrate this:
* An estimated total of 2,122,244 were killed and 3,650,946 wounded.
* 58,169 Americans were killed (11,465 of them were teenagers) and 304,000 wounded.
* More than 74,000 French had been killed before the first Americans arrived in 1956.
* 511 Australian military personnel and 7 civilians were killed; 2,069 were wounded and 6 more were missing in action at the time, All but 1 have been brought home.
* The average Australian soldier in Vietnam was 20 years old and saw 314 days of combat in a period of one year.
* The average World War 11 soldier in the South Pacific had been 26 years old and saw 40 days of combat in a period of four years.
* 444,000 North Vietnamese and 220,557 South Vietnamese military personnel and 587,000 civilians were killed. * 2,590,000 Americans and 59,520 Australians served in Vietnam
* 6,727,084 tons of bombs were dropped (compared with 2,700,000 tons dropped on Germany during World War II.)
What was it like to serve in Vietnam - when you, as young men arrived to hear the wise words of those who were already there: "Welcome to Vietnam, no one has 365 days and a wakey to go…?"
What was it like to serve in a country which was hostile to you, and where: "Every step you made could be your last one on earth?"
What was it like to see your brothers in arms cut up or be vaporised by "Jumping Jack" mines?
What was it like to be drenched in Agent Orange and not knowing what effects it would have on you and your next of kin?
What was it like to come home and be told not to wear your uniform and not to mention you had just finished a tour of duty in Vietnam, because there were Australians who hated you and blamed you for this terrible war??
I cannot begin to imagine it. Neither can many of us who did not serve there. We have read the books, seen the movies, and heard your stories. Yet, now, it seems all so long ago and perhaps best forgotten because we really did not win that war, or did we?
A lot of you came home, threw your medals away and got on with life, only to find as you grew older that Post Traumatic Stress started to take its toll.
Most of you were mis-understood, left alone and had to fend for yourselves. This in turn led to the formation of strong Vietnam Veterans organisations, who lobbied and fought with the Federal Government of the day to produce better conditions and recognition of the many adverse conditions the veterans were suffering from as a result of their service.
Thankfully, our repatriation service is the best in the world and Australians have always valued their ex-servicemen, specially those with active service. Most Vietnam veterans now have access to medical and psychological assistance. More importantly, you have been recognised by Australians.
We have indeed come a long way since 1972 when it all ended. We have had several "Welcome Home" parades, unveiled and rededicated a Magnificent Vietnam Memorial in Canberra, issued an unique Australian Service medal and have seen the RSL become a safe haven for many Vietnam veterans who took on the office bearer roles when the WW2 diggers became too old to carry on.
Australians are now proud of you and have recognised you for the incredible service you rendered. Days like today, give all of us an opportunity to honour that service and sacrifice all of you made and to pause and reflect on those who did not return.
Names like "Long Tan", "Nui Dat", and "The Horseshoe" “Fire Support Bases Coral & Balmoral” have found their way into the classrooms and Australia's history. Perhaps wisely "Saigon Tea" and "Cheap Charlie" are lesser known.
What is truly acknowledged today is the bravery and Anzac spirit which prevailed, even under the unhappy circumstances many of you faced on your return home. Can you remember your slogans: "Punch a Postie" and "Wallop a Wharfie" when these organisations in protest against the Vietnam War, stopped the mail and goody parcels coming to you from Australia. Despite this light-hearted and typical digger's approach I am sure that issues like these hurt and wounded you perhaps more than a Vietcong AK 47 bullet would.
Today we also recognise the Battle of Long Tan, when a single company of Australian Soldiers, D Company, 6th Battalion, in the afternoon of 18th August walked into a much larger and stronger Viet Cong ambush. It turned out to be a decisive victory for the Australians, even if it cost us 18 dead and 24 wounded.
It is estimated that the enemy force lost at least 245, with as many as 500 wounded. The story of Long Tan demonstrates the courage and tenacity of our Australian Service personnel in the face of overwhelming adversity.
It again tells the storey of the "Aussies being able to punch above their weight"
Even as I speak now, Australians are serving at the sharp end against an enemy, which knows no bounds, and who will use any force against unprotected and innocent people.
Australians have an awesome reputation, forged over many conflicts of being the best and most reliable in action. No matter what age, the ethos of Anzac is written all over our service personnel and wherever there is a need for protective action or a show of force against oppression you can always count the Aussies in.
I know that a lot of you threw your medals away and refused to meet your mates on ANZAC Day. The nightmares, flashbacks, guilt, and feeling of despair never left and even now as I speak, I can see that those memories are still holding you bound to that unseen link of mateship which you share only with other Vietnam veterans.
"Together then, together again".
Your contribution in the Vietnam War has therefore not been in vain. We have learned invaluable lessons from your experiences, such as honouring our returning service personnel, recognising the need for early counselling and treatment. Improving our rehabilitation and treatment regimes, but above by allowing you to share your history with us on this special day.
Today is your day, enjoy it, share it, live it and talk to us "pogos", so that we too for a small moment can step back in time, when you were young, strong and in uniform, serving your country with pride and esteem.
I salute you and may God bless you and allow your living soles to be at peace
|
||
