Veterans Australia NT in Bees Creek | Non-profit organisation

Veterans Australia NT

Locality: Bees Creek

Phone: +61 414 511 952

Address: 135 Bees Creek Road 0835 Bees Creek, NT, Australia

Website: https://Www.veteransaustraliant.org.au

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• Non-profit organisation
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• Non-governmental organisation (NGO)

25.01.2022 More photos after the day - a big thanks again to all those involved

24.01.2022 Please share and pass around to any INTERFET veterans you may know - important to have numbers for luncheons on both 19th and 20th. Register your attendance at INTERFET 21 years on Facebook page

21.01.2022 #OTD - Corporal Reginald Hillier, MiD, KIA Today we pause to remember the life and service of 42774 Corporal Reginald Hedley Hillier, MiD, who was killed in act...ion on the 29th of November 1965 whilst serving in South Vietnam. Originally from the Northern Territory, Reg was the only Territorian to die in active service in the Vietnam War. In June 1965, Reg accompanied 1RAR to Vietnam as a section commander in B Company. On the 29th of November that year he was tragically killed in action whilst directing fire against three Vietcong machine-gunners and riflemen across a river. Reg was participating in a joint US-Australian operation search and destroy sweep near the Vo Xu Village, approximately 65 north east of Saigon. The village had been taken with little opposition, but towards the end of the operation a group of Vietcong, estimated at company size, on the opposite side of the river opened fire on Corporal Hillier and his section. Reg immediately directed his men to return fire but early in the exchange he was hit in the neck by several bullets. The enemy position was ultimately silenced by artillery fire but Reg was unfortunately killed during the exchange. Remembered as a popular and proud Territorian, Reg was only 26 at the time of his death. For his bravery that day he was subsequently Mentioned in Despatches. Lest we forget. --------------------------------------------------------------- If you spot an error, please send me a message. Join our group here: https://business.facebook.com/groups/2626189084317964

21.01.2022 'Support The Troops' Christmas care packages are in the post and on their way overseas!

21.01.2022 Unfortunately due to the current extreme weather conditions we won’t be having our FirePit this week.

21.01.2022 Some valuable resources here for anyone struggling Open Arms 24/7 1800 011 046

20.01.2022 Maybe something here you weren’t aware of....

17.01.2022 INTERFET commemoration this morning. Thank you for your service

15.01.2022 After hearing of another young man take his life yesterday, for some unknown reason, and having a very meaningful conversation with a long time mate, I have to ...tell you all this. I want you all to listen. Please just listen. For those of you who leave the military, particularly after many years’ service, who struggle to find your place, to feel complete, and for those of you who are worried about leaving, because it’s ‘who you are’, I give you this thought. The military is, by its very nature, designed to replace you in a heartbeat. You will leave today, and tomorrow, it will be like you were never there. You will be replaced. They will get the job done without you. That’s the nature of the job. While you no doubt make a difference, and your service is vitally important to this nation, you will soon be forgotten and no longer needed. You can and will be replaced. But do you know who cannot replace you? Your family. Your wife. Your sons and daughters. Your brothers and sisters. Your mother and father. Your FAMILY. To them, you cannot be replaced. There is no substitute for you as a father, a mother, a brother or sister. A daughter or son. If you are struggling after leaving the military, or struggling with the decision to leave, think about what really matters. Your family, and how much you mean to them. And how much they mean to you. And for those who think or feel they lose their identity when they leave the military, I can tell you now you’re wrong. You will always be a soldier, a sailor or an airman/woman. No one can take that away from you. But that’s not who you really are. Who you are is an essential part of a family; that is loved, and cherished, and cannot be replaced, by anyone, EVER. That is far more important than your military service. So if you’re struggling and need help, please reach out. Please talk to someone. Talk to your family and tell them how you feel. Please ask for help. I don't want to see another family lose someone they cannot replace. Please feel free to share far and wide.

15.01.2022 Posted from another site - Thanks Troy Simmonds for these reassuring words As WA State President of SAS Assoc, I was invited to the beret presentation at the SASR barracks yesterday. I went with a little apprehension after the previous days announcements.... The VIPs attending included Chief of Army Rick Burr, SOCAUST and Deputy SOCAUST, Brig Brett Chaloner Comd 13 Bde (former SASR Tp Commander) and Peter Fitzpatrick Nat Chairman of SAS Assoc. It was a very well run and moving event. It was held in the gym and the 13 new members were presented their berets by SASR veterans from selections from different decades. The audience including their families and the entire Regiment at the back. The mood was pride and moving forward, rather than focusing on less pleasant issues. For the first time, each bloke was presented with a hand made knife made by Ross Jones. It was a great initiative. After the presentation, Chief of Army and former CO SASR Rick Burr had a chat to me. He wanted to pass on his concern for the veterans and SAS Assoc members after the IGADF announcements. He was very conscious that for many SAS vets, the revelations are a great shock, very distressing and frustrating. I asked him about 2 SQN being struck off and he confirmed that it had been a compromise from even more extreme disbanding or restructure of the entire unit. The gravity of some of the allegations involving the SQN in 2012 demanded a public action such as this. He understood how much this would distress 2 SQN vets and said as a former 2SQN OC he felt the same. He did say that although it is hard now, the changes also presented great opportunity for the unit. Funds for restructure in the wake of this would flow in for the unit to expand capabilities in areas they have been wanted to go for a long time. The replacement for 2 SQn would be new capabilities and exciting career prospects for members. Speaking to the CO and operators left me with a feeling of optimism. There was no sense of deflation, but rather a focus on the future . They wanted this matter to be settled and for justice to be done so they could move on. I spoke to a lot of 2 SQN blokes and the majority were philosophical about losing 2 SQN and keen to explore opportunities in other SQNs. I left the event feeling uplifted and confident in the new generation and future directions of the unit. Mistakes may have been made by a few people 8 years ago but the focus was on operational focus, pursuit of excellence, humility and doing what the people of Australia pay for and expect SASR to do See more

12.01.2022 Today in #DarwinNT we commemorated 21 years since INTERFET. A short video to mark the occasion.

10.01.2022 *****CRIME IN THE RURAL AREA***** Don't forget to attend the Community meeting this Saturday 21st November at the Vietnam Vets Hall, 135 Bees Creek Road, 9.30am.... Like others within our community I have been vocal about the increased criminal activity in our area and I'll keep fighting for our community. I've written to the two responsible Minister's, and spoken with Police, who advised they would increase patrols in the rural area. I've invited the Minister's to the meeting organised at the Vietnam Vets Hall. I understand that other rural MLA's have invited Council and I thank all involved for arranging this second community meeting. @Donna Roos The Government need to deal seriously with youth crime across the Territory and I won't stop standing up for the community and working to hold the Government to account. I've also been making myself available roadside, where several residents have stopped and provided me with information to try to address the issue. I am happy to meet with anyone to hear their concerns and welcome a call anytime on 0407 806 819 or drop in to my electorate office at the Howard Springs shops. See you all on Saturday.

10.01.2022 We’ve merged all our Nominal Rolls into one website, making it easier to search for information on those Australians who served during the Second World War, Kor...ean War, Vietnam War and Gulf War. There is also a newly created research activity to encourage students to discover their family connections to Australian war service and learn more about those who served for their country. Check out the Nominal Rolls and research activity here https://www.dva.gov.au//record/nominal-rolls/nominal-rolls

08.01.2022 Applications for the 2021 Long Tan Bursary open today, on Vietnam Veterans’ Day! If you are a child or grandchild of a Vietnam veteran, you may be eligible to a...pply for a Long Tan Bursary. The Bursary is to help while you study full-time so you can gain the skills and qualifications needed in your chosen career. We provide funding to AVCAT - Australian Veterans' Children Assistance Trust to administer bursaries every year across Australia. Each Bursary is worth up to $12,000 over three years of continuous full-time study. The Bursary opens every year on Vietnam Veterans’ Day, today, 18 August, to help recognise those who served in the Battle of Long Tan, the best-known battle fought by Australians during the Vietnam War. Applications open today and close on 31st October. Submit your application on the AVCAT website: avcat.org.au/scholarships/ To learn more about support through our Education Schemes including the Long Tan Bursary, visit: dva.gov.au//consulta/grants-and-bursaries/long-tan-bursary

07.01.2022 Neil Bond presented with a Medal Frame for his uncle - Reg Hillier - by President Bob Shewring

06.01.2022 Veteran Card holders can access benefits and concessions at no cost from participating businesses across the country who are showing their support for the Austr...alian Defence Veterans’ Covenant. Over 800 brands accept the Veteran Card thanks to our partnership with APOD, and 30% of all new business partners are owned by veterans. When you’ve got your Veteran Card, head to the APOD website to register and access the complete listing of offers. There are no fees to access these offers, as long as you are a Veteran Card holder. Over 100,000 veterans have applied for the Covenant, submit your application today via MyService www.dva.gov.au/myservice Read more www.recognition.dva.gov.au #TYFYS

05.01.2022 Thank you to everyone who attended our service on Vietnam Veterans Day. Around 100 people made very special our first service at Reg Hillier House and the blessing of our replica of the Long Tan Cross. Look forward to seeing you all again next year. Schools around Darwin will soon be receiving the books donated at the service. LEST WE FORGET

04.01.2022 Yes, have tested this as an advocate and response was less than a minute to talk to a human.

03.01.2022 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, between 24 May 1966 and 16 October 1971. It kind of gives you a sense of what it was ...like living and working at the Nui Dat base and in and around the Phuoc Tuy Province. Once Phuoc Tuy in South Vietnam had been selected as the provincial site for the 1st Australian Task Force (1ATF), a location for its base had to be chosen. There were three possibilities: Ba Ria, Phuoc Tuy’s capital; the port of Vung Tau; and an area in the province’s central region known as Nui Dat, Vietnamese for ‘small hill’. Nui Dat (‘small hill’) was an ideal location for the new Australian Task Force base. It was on a main highway, Route 2, approximately 30 kilometres from the port of Vung Tau which was the new Australian logistic support base. Nui Dat was some distance from Phuoc Tuy’s provincial capital, Ba Ria, and was sufficiently isolated to enable the Australians to manage their own operations. However, the area around Nui Dat had been a well-known Viet Cong stronghold and many of the residents in nearby villages had family members in the Viet Cong. Removed from population centres but close to Viet Cong base areas, Nui Dat was considered ideal for the type of counter-insurgency warfare that Australians waged in Phuoc Tuy. Its location in the centre of the province meant that Nui Dat was in the middle of Viet Cong territory. Therefore, security was of prime importance. The villages nearest Nui Dat Long Tan and Long Phuoc were both considered Viet Cong strongholds and the Australian task force’s first commander, Brigadier O.D. Jackson, with the agreement of the Province Chief, had the people and livestock of the two villages forcibly resettled. The removal of the local people from the vicinity meant that the chances of the Viet Cong gathering information about the base and the movement of Australian troops were significantly reduced. However, attempts to win the support of Phuoc Tuy’s people were compromised by the decision to remove people from their homes without compensation. The base was established by members of the United States 173rd Airborne, the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) and the newly arrived 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (5RAR) on 24 May 1966. This effort was called 'Operation Hardihood'. More details here - http://bit.ly/1TXKQUO The first soldiers to occupy it lived in tents and worked to establish defences. Every soldier at Nui Dat had a fighting pit. Elevated bunkers, manned 24 hours a day, were constructed around the base’s perimeter which was further defended by wire obstacles and belts of anti-personnel mines. Vegetation was cleared from a 500-metre wide area outside the wire to provide fields of fire and a clear view of approaching Viet Cong. At its peak the base at Nui Dat was home to some 5,000 Australian, New Zealand, and American personnel, but for much of the time most of them were deployed on operations outside the base. Most Australian units and individual soldiers served in Vietnam for a 12-month tour of duty but most combat soldiers saw little of Nui Dat. The Australian style of counter-insurgency operations kept troops away from the base for long periods and many men only returned for a few days between ‘ops’. After ten years of war every Australian infantry battalion except 8RAR and 9RAR had served two tours of duty in Vietnam. The Australian withdrawal effectively commenced in November 1970. As a consequence of the overall US strategy of Vietnamization and with the Australian government keen to reduce its own commitment to the war, 8 RAR was not replaced at the end of its tour of duty. 1 ATF was again reduced to just two infantry battalions, albeit with significant armour, artillery and aviation support remaining. One of the New Zealand infantry companiesW Companywas also withdrawn at this time. Australian combat forces were further reduced during 1971 as part of a phased withdrawal. The Battle of Nui Le on 21 September proved to be the last major battle fought by Australian and New Zealand forces in the war, and resulted in five Australians being killed and 30 wounded. Meanwhile, the New Zealand SAS troop was withdrawn in February and the artillery battery in May. Finally, on 16 October Australian forces handed over control of the base at Nui Dat to South Vietnamese forces, while 4 RAR, the last Australian infantry battalion in South Vietnam, sailed for Australia on board HMAS Sydney on 9 December 1971. V Company and the New Zealand medical team were also withdrawn at this time. Meanwhile, D Company, 4 RAR with an assault pioneer and mortar section and a detachment of APCs remained in Vung Tau protect the task force headquarters and 1 ALSG until the final withdrawal of stores and equipment could be completed, finally returning to Australia on 12 March 1972. Between June 1966 and December 1971, 1 ATF recorded at least 3,370 Viet Cong killed, the majority in Phuoc Tuy, while an unknown number were wounded. Total Australian casualties during the Vietnam War were 521 killed and 3,025 wounded, the bulk of which were sustained by 1 ATF. New Zealand casualties during the war were 37 killed and 187 wounded.

03.01.2022 Just received this notification via NT Govt channels - Riding for the Disabled Alice Springs is starting an equine therapy program for Veterans and their families beginning in term 4, after the September/October school holidays. Veterans and their families can access 10 riding sessions with Riding for the Disabled that is fully funded by Veterans Affairs. Equine Therapy helps promote physical and mental well-being. It’s also great to just get out and go for a ride!... Anyone interested in participating in the program should contact RDA Alice Springs by email on [email protected] . Or phone the centre manager, Tiffany (seen above riding Lilly) on 8952 3838 or you can contact Matthew McKinlay, in the Youth Diversion Unit Office at the Alice Springs Police Station. Karyn Clark

03.01.2022 Calling all Timor Veterans - you are invited to a commemoration ceremony of the 21st anniversary of the deployment of INTERFET troops. Saturday 19th September at the Darwin Cenotaph 1030 for 1100hrs start Get together following... And Sunday 20th September lunch at Reg Hillier House, 135 Bees Creek Road, Bees Creek. Softies and water available, BYOG See you there!!

02.01.2022 Some of the books donated to schools on Vietnam Veterans Day. Some delivered already, remainder to be in the coming week. So much more significance than wreaths we believe. Thank you again everybody who came along.

02.01.2022 Coffee morning this week - Open Arms Peer Support co-ordinations will be down for a coffee and a chat.

01.01.2022 Looks like the weather has our FirePit Friday’s done for this year 2021 Dry Season - here we come!!