The Electronic Blue Beret

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Association,

This Association is not a lobby group and it is not normally the
policy of the Association to become involved in political lobby
activities, in fact we try to stay at arms length from the
machinations that go on in Canberra. However, there is a serious
matter that should rightly concern us all and that is an apparant
attack by the Government on superannuants from the DFRB and DFRDB
Schemes as well as superannuated Commonwealth Public Servants.

Rather than re-hash the story here, you are invited to have a look
at http://www.ozveteranforce.com/ where the whole sordid tale is
available for your perusal at your leisure.

Once you have read the detail, there is a petition that you can
sign to voice your disapproval of the government`s actions. This
petition is of great importance and signing it should be a matter
of priority if the government is to get the message therefore the
National Council urges all Association members to seriously
consider signing.

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, HE LIVED ALL ALONE, IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE, MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY, WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE, AND TO SEE JUST WHO, IN THIS HOME, DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT, A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE, NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS, NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE, JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND, ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES, OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES, AWARDS OF ALL KINDS, A SOBER THOUGHT, CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT, IT WAS DARK AND DREARY, I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER, ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING, SILENT, ALONE, CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR, IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE, THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER, NOT HOW I PICTURED, AN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER.

WAS THIS THE HERO, OF WHOM I'D JUST READ? CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALISED THE FAMILIES THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT, OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS, WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD, THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY, AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE, A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM, EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR, BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS, LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER, HOW MANY LAY ALONE, ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE, IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT, A TEAR TO MY EYE, I DROPPED TO MY KNEES, AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED, AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE, "SANTA, DON'T CRY, THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM; I DON'T ASK FOR MORE, MY LIFE IS MY GOD, MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP, I COULDN'T CONTROL IT, I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS, SO SILENT AND STILL, AND WE BOTH SHIVERED, FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE, ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT, THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOUR, SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER, WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE, WHISPERED,”CARRY ON SANTA, ITS CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT."

                    Just a short note to inform you of the tragic passing of Fred Ferry ex ADG.

           Fred passed away 17DEC06 at his farm at Nyabing WA. He was an Adgie   of

           No. 7 course 1967. He was a crewman with 5Sqn and 9 Sqn serving in

           Vietnam 1968/69 and was well known and well liked where ever he went.

            He leaves his widow Janet, son Robbie, daughters Sandra and Melissa

            and 3 grandchildren. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Now some good news I saw Dexter serveral months ago, and when I walked into his unit he was washing up, so someone got back at him for the mess duties he handed out. By the way his true name is William Dutton and Dexter is one of his middle names. So if you are passing through Newcastle here is his address and make it soon because he is 90 years old and very deaf from screaming at us.
His wife name is Margaret and she is well too.

His address Unit 9, 250 Park Ave Kotara NSW 2289 Phone 02 4952-3057

Pom ;

                    I am looking for a R.A.A.F FLAG APPROX SIZE IS 3FTX2FT (BLOTTING DESK PAPER SIZE)

WHY;

                    In Wodonga Victoria there is A Vietnam & Associated Veterans club with many an item from the Vietnam era what is missing is the R.A.A.F flag to off set the army and navy ones flying in the under covered beer garden I have hunted high and low for one of these but have come up empty handed.
                    If anyone can point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated that way our FLAG will fly along side the other two for many a year to come.

                   Please feel free to drop into the club if ever you are in Wodonga Vic Next to Albury( open 7 days a week)

                   If the flag is up the club is open. near the Police station

                 Warren Barclay

                 0415352796

                chopper1247@optusnet.com.au

MAY I TAKE THIS TIME TO PASS ON SEASONS GREETING TO ALL

Merry Xmas old fella.

Just a bit of a general winge to help finish the year off , i noticed in Decembers newsletter the mention of doing a mail out ( copying the SAS ) using email to those with the facility .... well this has been available for over 5 years via the web site so maybe we're a bit quicker than the SAS and the reason i don't email newsletters was for the fear of wiping people out with viruses and their associated problems.

Why doesn't the Association finally come on into the cyber age and forward whatever for inclusion and show the members we can work together hell i have been waiting since the web site was first put up to have whatever the Association had so i could post it this would speed up information to members instead of seeing events written up with very little time left to react if any.

Yes i feel sorry for those without the net maybe a mailout to those fellas is fine but the rest of the association more than likely have access to email at least.
Let's give the membership what it needs quick and efficent service.

A report on the Norfolk Island do would be nice for starters as i'm sure it would generate interest if there was to be another.

Sorry for having a winge Henri this is mainly aimed at our association but i would luv to see and read more from the ADGie State QLD.

The Pom.