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Saw this on 4wd action by Peter Aawen and thought yaeh that's the shit ,An Ex-Service person is someone who, at some stage in their life, thought enough about their country, how great it is, and how lucky we are to live here, to write a blank cheque made out to 'The People and Commonwealth of Australia' for an amount of 'Up to and including my Life!'
Thanks to all that have been there done that ,my lifes good .:bowdown:
That's me :) 71 to 75, best time of my life when I look back.
It's an even better place today. The equipment and clothing is superior to what we had back in the 70s Stropp :)
Same as me, 96-99 then went back as a 2LT cadet instructor from 03-07
I did over 21 years '71 to '92 and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
I can remember most of it and what I can't was Dr Tooheys fault.
The good times were great and the bad times were rare and fleeting.
The housing was total absolute shit back then so I dunno how the missus put up with it but she did.
Loved doing the national assistance tasking which doesn't happen nearly as much anymore, flood relief, drought relief, Bushfires, Tracy, etc.
Did things I'd never dreamed of,
Saw places only the local Aboriginals knew of,
Met Liz, Nelson Mandela but missed out on some Pope dude but got to drive his Popemobile around the Tarmac one night till the Duty Officer caught us.
Beat the Yanks in everything, War Games and Sports 'cept basketball and drinking spirits (can't remember much so relying on 3rd hand reports)
Drank 3 life times worth of beer.
Don't have words to describe the mateship.
P.S. you haven't done a recovery until you have had to get a C-130 out of the mud at Bullo River Station.
On K89 we stole every tac plate we could get from MP rovers and ditched them at Edith Falls. We also hid a mog in Kings cross one night doing a mystery mog tour.....I did 38 years and loved every second of it. Those MQs were something.....concrete blocks with grass growing through the floor boards.
what year and W.A or N.T ETQuote:
Originally Posted by the evil twin
Hey, we must have had the same MQ mate.
One of the MQ's I had at Richmond we had to mow the 3rd Bedroom every fortnight and the Missus and I slept under the stars every night in the Master. There was a 3 inch gap between the wall and the ceiling. Similar gap at the floor so that was OK 'cause when it rained the water just ran down the wall
Bullo River Station NT, out near Timber Creek. Jeez, that was around '78 or '79 I reckon
We were based in Wagga Wagga for K88 and Tattoo 88, what a display they were.
Outstanding displays and theatrics, I think dad still has K88 on VHS from memory.
Was never involved in either of them but did Spiderman 97 out the back of Kalgoorlie, we were non stop on the go for the whole 14 day exercise.
And timber fences with no timber..... :-)Quote:
Originally Posted by the evil twin
Served from 85 to 94 in NZ. Still have friends 30 years on....
A wee story from my time in Singapore...
Whilst on exercise in the middle of the Malaysian jungle, a group of Aussie Air Force were to join us. One of the illustrious Air Force personnel was a sergeant of rather impressive girth. The staff arrived at our harbour just on dusk and they proceeded to set up their hootchies while we were at 'Stand To'. The night progressed without incident. The next morning however, as the rather portly sergeant was packing up his gear, we were alerted to a rather loud exclamation of "Holy Sh!t".
It turned out that, during the night, as our rotund friend slept, a poor, cold Cobra had decided that the heat signature given off by the sergeant was too good to resist and proceeded to slither under his thermal mat, curl up and go to sleep. Sometime during the night, said sergeant has rolled onto his back and due to his impressive size, has proceeded to suffocate the poor defenseless creature. When he rolled up his thermal mat, and saw the cobra curled up and dead, I understand there was a request for a clean pair of undergarments!
Oh how I had of been close enough to see the look on his face! Would have been priceless!
hey mate there is no need to take the mickey out of us portly RAAF blokes lol, but it wasnrt me as i was skinny then lol.
Hey Gecko, I was on Golden Fleece 89....... Great time learning all about the country :)
I was an apprentice then at Linton, at the School of Military Engineering.... didn't get to go... :( although my, then to be, wife went. She was an accounts clerk! (It was a glorified piss trip for her!!!) ((come to think of it, I think that's why I married her...))Quote:
Originally Posted by NP99
In the RAAF from 75 to 95 & would do it again (though this time I would be single).
Can relate to some of the married quarters that have been mentioned.