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Articles, Features and Events
This page will contain features and stories of interest to National Servicemen. In addition to this details of impending National Servicemen's Association events and downloadable information and forms will be available via this page.
National Council & AGM Meeting Minutes National Council Minutes March 2023 National Council Minutes September 2023
National Council Minutes March 2024 National Council Minutes September 2024 National AGM Minutes 2024
National Council Minutes March 2025
National Council Minutes March 2026
National President's Bulletin The National President regularly issues informational bulletins, all of which can be accessed below:
National Newsletters The National body also issues more indepth newsletters. National Newsletter Summer 2023-24 V06 National Newsletter Autumn 2024 V09 National Newsletter Winter 2024 V05 National Newsletter Spring 2024 V09 National Newsletter 1st Trimester 2025 V08 National Newsletter 2nd Trimester 2025 V07 National Newsletter 3rd Trimester 2025 V14 National Newsletter 1st Trimester 2026 V09.1 National Newsletter 2nd Trimester 2026 V12
National Servicemen's Association Merchandise We have a range of merchandise available through our partner The Military Shop. The available range may now be viewed via their website.
The National Pride Rose The National Pride rose was created exclusively for the National Servicemen's Association of Australia. It is available for purchase Australia-wide from rose stockists, but it may need to be ordered in for you. Google "National Pride Rose" for more information. Every rose sold generates a donation from Corporate Roses to the NSAA, so make sure you tell them you are a NASHO when you place your order.
Second Era National Service 50th Anniversary June 30, 2015 marked the 50th Anniversary of the commencement of the second (1965-1072) Australian National Service Scheme. Half a century ago, the first of the 63,735 young men called up for two years (later reduced to 18 months) service in the Regular Army marched into Recruit Training at Kapooka, Puckapunyal and later Singleton. Of these, 150 served in Borneo and 15,381 in Vietnam. 212 made the Ultimate Sacrifice. The era was most significant in Australian military history with the war in Vietnam and the rapid escalation in the size of the Australian Army. Although not part of their original life plan, most regarded their time in the Service favourably. It is proper that this milestone was appropriately acknowledged. Accordingly, the National Servicemen's Association of Australia, in conjunction with the O.T.U. Association planned a ceremony to pay the occasion the recognition it deserves. A commemorative service was held at the National Service Memorial in Canberra, ACT at 1000 hours on June 30, 2015. It took the form of a march from the National War Memorial to the site followed by the service itself.
Second Era National Service 60th Anniversary
The
annual commemoration sponsored by the NSAA is being
opened up for all National Servicemen, regardless of
what ex-service organisation they may belong to. Many
wreaths were laid by Nashos who are members of the NSAA
across all states and territories, the Officer Training
Unit (Scheyville) Association, the National Service and
Combined Forces Association of Australia, Nasho Fair Go,
the National Service Widows Association, the National
Servicemen Association and Affiliates of NSW, (apologies
if I have missed anyone).
There were many other wreaths laid by many other
dignitaries from the ACT and Australian governments, and
most importantly, by Matt Anderson PSM, Director of the
Australian War Memorial and Patron of the National
Servicemen’s Association of Australia. This year’s event was also celebrating the 15th anniversary of the 2010 dedication of National Service Memorial at the AWM Eastern Forecourt.
L-R:
NSAA National Patron and Director of the
Australian War Memorial Matt Anderson PSM and
NSAA National
Council Delegate Mike Lane representing Direct National
Members of the Northern Territory and Greg Mawson,
President of the National Servicemen’s Association of
NSW and Affiliates.
Derek Crawford Gosford City at rear.
Frank Miller,
Chairman of the Officer Training Unit (Scheyville)
Association and Ron Brandy NSAA National President
NSAA NSW Pastor
Wayne Lyons
Above and below:
Some of the guests invited by the NSAA to the AWM
15th Anniversary of the Dedication of the National
Service Memorial and the formal dinner the previous
night.
Photo credits: David Whittaker AWM and NSAA
Secretary Pete Norman
The National Servicemen’s Association of Australia –
Open and welcoming to all Nashos, families and
friends.
National Servicemen’s
Association Wreath laying Ceremony Friday 19 September
2025
Movement 1 Movement 2 Movement 2 Movement 3 Movement 4 Movement 5 Movement 6 Movement 7 Movement 8 Movement 9
The National
Servicemen’s Association of Australia – Open and
welcoming to all Nashos, families and friends.
Pete Norman and
Richard Tregear
Photo
credits: David Whittaker AWM
All photos taken by the AWM official photographer can be access by pointing your smartphone camer at the QR code.
Greg Mawson, President
President Ron Brandy's 15th Anniversary Commemoration Speech at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, 19 September 2025 |
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The First Student Pilot Jet-Trained by the RAAF was a NASHO
The very first of these was Colin Peck who was halfway through a
scholarship at Sydney Teachers College when he was called up for
National Service in the RAAF. He was selected for the air force (rather
than the army) based on a very unusual aviation experience. He lived in
Grafton NSW and its wide Clarence River which hosted occasional visits
of Catalina flying boats. Colin performed an unofficial, unpaid service
for the departing crews, by zig-zagging his uncle’s speedboat to create
waves in front of the departing Catalinas so that they could “unstick”
from the surface tension of the otherwise smooth surface. National
Serviceman Colin Peck was mustered to RAAF Signals, disappointingly not
to pilot training, but the pay was much better than it was as a trainee
teacher. After NS, when he returned to the Teachers College, he was
shocked when the Education Department demanded that he repay the
difference between his higher RAAF Nasho pay and his lower
trainee-teacher pay. He protested
unsuccessfully, because he had already spent it on beer, smokes, girls
and the good life, so he resigned as a teacher and joined the RAAF full
time instead, this time as a trainee pilot on DH Tiger Moths,
transitioning to Wirraways, and then to Vampire jets, Meteors and
Sabres. Click on the link for more of Colin Peck’s Nasho story. 20261019 The First Student Pilot Jet.pdf
The Last Navy National Servicemen Robert Stephenson was one of nearly 7,000 young Australians aged 18 who were called up for service in the Navy. It was the 1950s and world tensions were high and Communism was active close to Australia in Malaya, Vietnam, China and Korea. The Navy patrolled our sea lanes and helped transport Service personnel and their equipment to war zones in south-east Asia. The Menzies Government wanted to boost our three Services because of insufficient recruiting and National Service - named after the British scheme - was the result. Of the three Services, the Navy was the one with the longest link to Australia, beginning with the Royal Navy from Cook in 1770 until Federation in 1901. Each colony had its own naval force and gunboats which were transferred to the Commonwealth. The King granted Royal status in 1911. Able Seaman Stephenson, like us all, was transformed from a young man to whom the Services were something remote to a competent, self-sufficient Serviceman. His account of his training and his service makes good reading. Like all the 287,000 young men in the Navy, Army and Air Force he helped forge a new tradition that will stand Australia in good stead should National Service be needed again. (Foreword written by Earle Jennings AM RFD ED, former National President - National Servicemen’s Association of Australia.) Click on the link for more of his Robert Stevenson’s Nasho story. The Last Navy National Servicemen.pdf
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