National Service and Combined Forces Association of Australia Maitland and District Branch

Ms JENNY AITCHISON (Maitland—Minister for Regional Transport and Roads)—To be asked by your country to serve in it's armed forces is the ultimate request. Chosen to serve, they did so with distinction during some of our most challenging conflicts. On Monday 20th May I was honoured to speak at the 25th Anniversary of The National Service and Combined Forces Association of Australia Maitland and District Branch. Some 287,000 young Australian men were called up in 2 separate schemes for compulsory training in the Navy, Army and Air Force between 1951 and 1972. Of them, 212 died on active service in Borneo and Vietnam. We are forever thankful for their service and so grateful that organisations such as theirs support those who gave so much. Whilst all service personnel are intrinsically impacted by their service to some degree, the Nashos—particularly those who served in Vietnam—sometimes felt under appreciated by their country. Today they are afforded the respect, support and acknowledgement that they earned and deserved. I thank them again for the honour of joining them for the celebration.