Noble Park Vietnam Veterans Group president John Meehan with a commemorative badge for sale to assist Vietnam veterans still suffering from the war.By Shaun Inguanzo
THE Vietnam War ended long ago but the personal conflict within Australia’s veterans still rages.
Had it not been for Noble Park RSL’s forward thinking then, the thousands of ‘Nashos’ who were manning guns one day and plunged back into civilian life the next could still be drinking, smoking and injecting their ways to an early grave.
The Vietnam Veterans Group of the Noble Park RSL is the largest in the state with more than 250 members and a pension and welfare office to provide support.
Group president John Meehan said this month marked the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, a bloody encounter between Vietcong and Australian forces.
“Forty years – it doesn’t seem that long ago,” he said.
“Blokes are still suffering.”
Mr Meehan said when he returned home he and fellow soldiers were expecting to be “treated like Anzacs” with a hero’s welcome.
But he said that changed when people involved in the anti-war movement spat on, beat up and disenfranchised soldiers from society.
Furthermore, Mr Meehan said the RSL did not welcome Vietnam veterans soon after the war.
But he said Noble Park’s contingency of Korean War veterans led an attitude change when it realised accepting the soldiers would ensure the survival of their sub-branch.
On top of RSL membership, Mr Meehan said Noble Park RSL allowed veterans to establish the pension and welfare office at the rear of the premises.
Mr Meehan said the office had been a hit with Vietnam veterans, attracting some from interstate.
He said the office helped veterans liaise with the Department of Veterans Affairs and sign up for benefits to which they were entitled, such as disability pensions for those wounded in combat.
“We’ve since encouraged other Vietnam veterans groups to start,” Mr Meehan said.
“We are all really close and socialise well.”
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on Friday, 18 August, Noble Park RSL’s Vietnam Veterans Group will hold a commemoration ceremony on Thursday, 17 August at Noble Park RSL.
Mr Meehan said children of Vietnam veterans would lay 18 white crosses and wreathes to commemorate the number of Australians killed at Long Tan alone.
The ceremony will start at 2pm and will include a prayer from the ceremony’s padre.
Badges commemorating the Battle of Long Tan – much akin to Anzac badges – are available to purchase this year with proceeds going towards veterans’ welfare.
