“RED RAT” NEWSLETTER NOVEMBER 2018 Hello to all members.What we must remember is that the main objective of our bi-annual reunions is to assist our Veterans in the ongoing healing process and welfare, achieved through the continual networking and also importantly with the cooperation of our partners and carers.With this in mind, the Reunion at Phillip Island was all that and more. The entertainment at our Commemorative dinner, by Mel and Kel (Carmel Chayne who entertained us at Luscombe Bowl in the late ‘60’s) was oh so good. We were still singing away the following morning.We had about 130 members and wives/partners present during the five days and the venue, food, tours, and the National Vietnam Veterans Museum (NVVM) were of the highest standard. Helen has finalised the accounting for the year and the summary is as follows: this year, we received nearly $25,000 in reunion fees, and the actual reunion expenses were nearly $35,000. The shortfall of approximately $10,000 was partly covered by donations and merchandise sales at the reunion, leaving a deficit overall of about $1,500. We decided that the funds raised through the reunion raffle sales and a special donation tin were to be donated to the NVVM building fund, rather than offsetting any reunion costs. Many members generously donated prizes for the donation, and members were told at the beginning of the Reunion that the funds raised were to be donated to the Museum. Normally, we raise about $1,000 from the raffle. However, this year, we raised $2,250. This was handed to Phil Dressing, GM of the Museum at the final Reunion dinner. Our group was so generous with donations to the Museum, raffle tickets and donations to HQ1ATF Association – all those at the Reunion are to be commended.The welcome dinner on Thursday 15 November was enjoyed by all and gave us the opportunity to reacquaint with each other after a two year absence, or in some case, even an absence of some 50 years. We do not forget our mates. After our meeting the following morning – (where it was decided to hold the next reunion in Canberra, 29 October to 2 November 2020) we spent some time at the National Vietnam Veterans Museum. For those members who have not yet visited the Museum, YOU NEED TO DO SO. A pity that our Federal Government has only contributed $5 million (average of $78 per Veteran) for a $35 million redevelopment of the new Museum. Again, the needs of Vietnam Veterans seems to be on the “low priority list” in Canberra. Hopefully this may change when we next have Federal elections in 2019!Also on the Friday evening we enjoyed an excellent dinner at the Phillip Island RSL Club in Cowes. On Sunday 18th, our commemorative service was held in the Museum’s Garden of Remembrance and was conducted by the Rev. Ian Turnnidge who spoke well of Veterans and the problems that we face today and since our return from Vietnam. We remembered those members (that we are aware of) who have moved on to the parade ground in the sky over the past two years: Ron Miffling, Larry Hayward, Roy Cosier, Ivan Bates, Mike Ball and John Ainsworth. And fittingly, given the 50 year anniversary, both Bob Sutton and Guy Hollaway gave moving accounts of their time during the Coral and Balmoral Battles.

During the Commemorative dinner following the memorial service, we thanked Phil Dressing, General Manager of the National Vietnam Veterans Museum, Sonia Hogg, the Marketing Manager, and their group of volunteers who worked tirelessly during the days of our visit.As mentioned at the Association meeting during the Reunion, this year was the first time in eight years that DVA regretted to assist in any funding. That’s life, but disappointing!Photos of the reunion will be on the website soon.From the Committee to all members and their families we wish you all the best for a peaceful Christmas season and a prosperous 2019.John Verhelst (President, Reunion Committee and RED RAT Editor)

VALEJOHN AINSWORTH.

Passed away at Epworth Hospital, Warne Ponds (Vic) on Friday 21 September 2018.

LEST WE FORGET

John Burrows reflects on John Ainsworth: John Ainsworth was Senior Catering Officer at Nui Dat from July 1970 to June 1971.About 150 people attended his funeral with a mixture of family, people from Torquay and ex-Military. It was lovely to see a number of ex-service people from a range of years with many from our era in Vietnam and the Army. A huge tribute by the Army was that the current Catering Corp Director, representing the Army, attended the funeral.The story of John’s life told of a man with great values, lots of motivation and a “do-it” person who was a great husband, father, grandfather and outstanding supporter of his local community. There were some lovely stories of John and his wife Ingrid and his ability to win the trust and friendship of all those that he associated with. The stories of his service life confirmed his ability to lead, listen and be a great mate.$100.00 was donated on behalf of the HQ 1ATF Association to the family’s preferred charity.

OPEN ARMS VETERANS & FAMILIES COUNCELLING The Veterans Line is open 24 hours a day across Australia for crisis support and free and confidential counselling. Phone 1800 011 046.

PENSION TYPES AND RATES. For updates and DVA services, see websites below:www.dva.gov.au/pensions_and_compensation/pensions_and_rates/Pages/index.aspx www.dva.gov.au/contact_us/dva_offices/Pages/index.aspx#

REUNION COMMENTSFROM CARMEL & KEL (our entertainers at the Commemorative dinner)What a lovely group of people you all are. It was a pleasure for us to play. We had a ball, it was easy because we have all been a part of that period. It felt like 50yrs ago when we were there. SAME SAME  Ha Ha .Coming to Canberra sounds absolutely fabulous. Doing this all over again would be brilliant.Could you please let everyone know how much we enjoyed being a part of the reunion, and hearing their stories. The Blue Dog band will dance again. Laugh again. !!!!!!

FROM PHILLIP ISLAND CARAVAN PARK (where we stayed)All of us here at Phillip Island have enjoyed having you all here. We thank you for the great response and the respect you gave us, and the park. We hope you all had a good time and you would all be welcome back anytime, including Charlie. (ED; my dog) Enjoy the rest of your stay, and if we can do anything else for you please let us know.FROM PHILLIP ISLAND CATERING SERVICES (our caterers for two nights)We just wanted to thank you again for the opportunity to cater for your functions. We really appreciate the chance to do something different.FROM NATIONAL VIETNAM VETERANS MUSEUMI hope you all recovered well from last night and had a lovely breakfast this morning. It was a great night and so good to see everyone enjoying themselves. Thank you again for the lovely bouquet of flowers and your kind words. I am so pleased that you all enjoyed Kel & Mel’s entertainment. I thought they were such fun.

I WAS ONLY NINETEENAt our Commemoration Dinner at this year’s reunion, we replayed the above song, initially performed for us at the at the Caloundra reunion in 2016. The performance of the song played by Alistair English (aged 16 in 2016) on cello and James English (aged 14 in 2016) on keyboard, was as great a hit this time as it was when they played it for us at the Caloundra reunion. Permission had been given by composer John Schumann.The performance is worth watching and can be downloaded on: https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=30t_6b9T5-c&feature=youtu.be

OR: www.hq1atf.org Go to “reunions”, scroll to the “2016 reunion”, then select: “dinner entertainment, I was only nineteen”.

CHARLIE: MY mindDog DOGThose of you who attended the Phillip Island Reunion this month would remember Charlie, my Labradoodle. What you may not know is that he is my mindDog. Take a look at www.minddog.org.au. Acute anxiety, agoraphobia, crippling depression, PTSD and Bi Polar are just some of the conditions that a mindDog can help its handler to manage.

Once you have your dog confirmed along with his/her coat and ID he /she is allowed into restaurants, clubs, hotels, buses, trains, etc. (except in the passenger part of aircraft). Should any person not allow him/her into their venue, it’s a $12,000 fine (Federal) – not only NSW but Australia wide.The article below, “The impact of service dogs on post-traumatic stress disorder in the veteran population”, by USA-based Holloway

Marston and Alicia Kopicki offers an interesting perspective on service dogs in clinical practice.More than 2 million veterans have deployed to combat zones during this most recent conflict, of whom 13–20 percent are believed to have developed post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; RAND Corporation, 2008; Sayer et al., 2010). Data suggest that only 50 percent of these returning veterans access care, and merely 40 percent of these treatment seekers experience significant improvement in their symptoms of PTSD. This suggests that only a fraction of those with symptoms is improving because only 20 percent of all returning veterans with PTSD are seeing a reduction in the frequency, intensity, and duration of their symptoms of PTSD (Hoge, 2011). This unfortunate reality is believed to be due to factors such as stigma, lack of trust in mental health providers, and the belief that available treatments are ineffective (Hoge, 2011; Sayer et al., 2010). For more information about service dogs in the military, access: www.apadivisions.org/division-19/publications/newsletters/military/2015/04/service-dogs.aspx.

AND, finally, some light humour.From Peter Boorman:

Paddy and Mick were walking along a street in London. Paddy looked in one of the shop windows and saw a sign that caught his eye. The sign read "Suits £5.00 each, Shirts £3.00 each, Trousers £4.50 per pair".Paddy said to his pal "Mick look at these prices! We could buy a whole lot of those and when we get back to Ireland we could make a fortune. Now when we go in, you stay quiet, okay? Let me do all da talking 'cause if they hear our accents, they might think we're thicko's from Ireland and try to screw us. I'll put on me best English accent.""Roight y'are Paddy, I'll keep me mout shut, so I will. You do all da business" said Mick.They go in and Paddy said in a posh voice "Hello my good man. I'll take 50 suits at £5.00 each, 100 shirts at £3.00 each and 50 pairs of trousers at £4.50 each. And oy’ll back up me truck ready to load 'em on, so I will." The owner of the shop said quietly "You're from Ireland, aren't you?""Well yes" said a surprised Paddy. "What gave it away?"The owner replied "This is a Dry Cleaners".

Meet the Reunion Committee for 2019-2020President : John Verhelst (also RED RAT Editor) PO Box 685, Merimbula, 25480437 212 121 john@jhconsult.com.au

Secretary: Brian Harper OAM 25 Charles St South, Sth Launceston, 7249

0417 074 616 vvaabchoam@gmail.com

Vice President: Bob Sutton 19 Correa Place, Inverloch, 39960400 825 386 bobhelen1969@gmail.com

Treasurer: Dr Helen Lange (wife of John V) 0412 089 224 helen@jhconsult.com.au

Committee SA: Graeme PulfordPO Box 174, Clare, SA 54530418 422 183rosemaryandgraeme@bigpond.com

VIC: Ian Palfery 11 Dunsterville Street, Sandringham, 31910404 040 343 palfery@iinet.net.au

NSW: Norm Austin PO Box 389, Moss Vale 2577 normanbaustin@yahoo.com.au 0427 854 141

WA: Rob Hepburn 140 Holland Street, Wembley, 6041Heppy1946@yahoo.com.au0408 096 971

QLD: Don Aldous OAM 4 Prunus Place, Caloundra, 45510417 766 628heather.aldous47@gmail.com

Webmaster: John Eller jnjeller@bigpond.com