Honouring our Nashos

Parliament House, Canberra

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we meet, the Ngunnawal people, and pay my respects to Elders past and present.

I also acknowledge all those who have served, or continue to serve, our nation in uniform and the families who support them.

As we know, service can take many forms and involve unique sacrifices.

That is certainly true for those we are gathered to honour today on this, the 75th anniversary of the inception of National Service.

National Service consisted of two schemes, the first from 1951 to 1959 and the second from 1965 to 1972.

Each scheme made different demands of our Nashos and involved different sacrifices.

But the 280,000 Nashos called up all have one thing in common.

You wore our uniform, served our country and you deserve our gratitude. So do the families who supported you then and continue to support you now.

National Service helped bolster our defence readiness as the Cold War escalated and our region faced increasingly volatile strategic circumstances.

The National Service Training Scheme ran from 1951 to 1959 and the National Service Scheme operated from 1965 to 1972.

The 1950s National Service Training Scheme required most 18-year-old men to undertake at least 14 weeks of full-time military training followed by up to 5 years of part-time service.

More than 220,000 men were called up to serve across all three services.

The National Service Scheme that began in 1965 required those who were called up to serve 2 years in the Regular Army followed by 3 years in the Reserve.

The scheme was selective and resulted in more than 60,000 young Australians conscripted through the controversial ‘birthday ballot’.

Significantly, these National Servicemen were liable to serve anywhere that Australia stationed or deployed military forces, places like Borneo and Vietnam.

Today we especially remember the more than 250 Nashos across both schemes who paid the ultimate price. Exact numbers are unclear, but some estimate that the number of lives lost may be significantly higher.

Men like Private Brian Beilken from my home state of Western Australia.

A boilermaker by trade, his number came up in a birthday ballot held in September 1970.

Posted to 4th Battalion RAR, he deployed to Vietnam in the closing stages of the war in August 1971.

He saw action in the following month in Operation Ivanhoe, part of a machine gun team during the battle of Nui Le on September 21, 1971.

Tragically, Private Beilken was killed by enemy fire as his company approached a series of occupied bunkers.

He was the last National Serviceman to be killed in action and, along with four other Australians killed in the battle, the last to die in Vietnam.

He was just 21.

His platoon commander in 4RAR Gary McKay MC OAM is present today.

Thank you for being here and helping us honour the sacrifice Private Beilken and other Nashos who lost their lives.

Our Nashos share a common bond, whatever the nature of their service.

We can see that represented today by the diverse range of veterans and their families who have joined us for today’s commemorations.

Veterans like Bob McGuire who hails from my electorate of Burt in Perth and who is here with us today.

To this day he’s active in WA’s Nasho’s network, making sure old comrades and their families always have a catch up pencilled into their calendars– a testament to the lifelong mateships National Service forged.

For Bob, the National service forged a legacy of friendship, new skills and respect for older generation – something I suspect everyone here can relate to.

Sometimes those bonds were not forged easily.

For some, compulsory military service came as a rude shock. This experience rang true for many in both schemes.

Harold Goodall who, recalling his introduction to National Service in 1959, quoted the words of his Regimental Sergeant Major:

‘Listen, you are now members of the 11th National Service Training Battalion, you will not smoke, you will not chew chewing gum, you will double everywhere and call officers ‘Sir’ and you will not wear Brill Cream.’

Regardless of whether service was voluntary or conscripted, in Australia or overseas, everyone who has served a day in our nation’s uniform is a veteran who deserves to be commemorated.

On this special milestone, on behalf the Government and the people of Australia, I offer all Nashos and their families our deep thanks for your service and sacrifice.

Whatever the nature of your service – at home or overseas - you should be proud.

You helped defend our nation.

And you served with distinction, in the best traditions of the ANZAC spirit.

For this we thank you.

Lest we forget.