Extending in Vietnam

I'm aware that a number of people helped get the Army out of a fix by extending their national service obligation to serve in Vietnam. What I don't have much of a feel for, is how many people applied to extend in Vietnam, and, of those, how many were able to do so.

I have an idea that the Forward Delivery Troop system was such that, unless a person wanting to extend had qualifications which were in very short supply, most applications would've been knocked back. If I'm right, national servicemen would be the least likely to be extended, because their skills were needed back in the nation's workforce. Can anyone comment?

Many thanks, bruce

Bruce, My brother extended in Inf and from memory peter best did also.

Bruce
Jim De Turt will be able to help or Danny Brooks on Sitrep.
Maxi

Bruce, As you know I was a regular senior NCO who extended and I think that the circumstances and subsequent events may be of interest.
Should one contact you on private email.
Regards.

Thanks Rip...I have a bit of an idea as to the circumstances, but it would be great if you could fill in the blanks. Cheers, Bruce

Bruce, If my memory serves me correctly, I was asked to extend. I was a Nasho on the Beasts
Cheers

Hi Bruce

I have related my story on a previous occasion but basically I tried to extend my NS while I was insitu in SVN. I filled out the form, had the interview with the CO and Troop Leader. Two months later I was handed back my application with a verbal "the new CO doesn't want any C Sqn blokes". Obviously that wasn't true because most of the blokes had commenced their tour with C Sqn.

I think the non-acceptance of my application was more to do with maintaining the "no more than 50% NS' criterion, which was well and truly stretched during late '68.

I know of a couple of Nashos who extended their NS obligation while still in Australia to allow them to go to SVN - that seemed to be a different matter.

Cheers

Barry D

Noel, I think Craig had to stay back to pay for all the vehicles he had blown up under him.

Good friend of mine, an ex 3 Cav. vet volunteered to extend after his initial tour in 1968, which would have lengthened his N/S obligation by some months. His extension was approved, but they sent him home at his normal RTA date, then tried to make him serve the extra time anyway, raking leaves at ECPD. After complaining bitterly, he was freed from this , and discharged at his normal time. If you want more info on this incident I'll put you in touch with the vet. in question, who would be happy to verify this.

Thanks Bish,

I won't follow up just a the moment, but you and the others who have posted messages have confirmed for me that this is an example of something which is all too easy to 'miss' in the scheme of things. I often ask myself why 'such and such' is important...in this case, it's important because it directly affects the way that some people might feel that their willingness to serve was valued.

Cheers, Bruce

Hi Bruce - Im not sure if you are only after NS that extended - As you know I was a reg and I extended for a bit over 5 months taking me up to my discharge date allowing for a couple of weeks leave back home and formalities. I finished my time out at Duc Thanh with Noel Lowes and I think we were the last LOs there??? - Regards and best wishes to all for the coming New Year

Hi Pete,

No....not just NS, but everyone's experience in applying to extend. Mike Cecil from the AWM is doing the listing of everyone's time in-country and I'll be going through that in due course. I'm not sure where this topic is leading, but I know that it's complex and that I have to be careful to acknowledge that the implementation of Army's policy (as it was) affected people in different ways.

Re Duc Thanh...yours wasn't the last LO team. At one stage in 1971 I was going there as LO, but the withdrawal planning was changed and Ian Farrant went there in my sted.

Cheers, Bruce

I was ARA and obtained a three month extension in 1970. I applied for six months but only three were granted. I recall Jack Chipman saying he had done his best but three months were all that he could get me, what with many in Aust hoping to get trip before things scaled down (or words to that effect). I was pretty happy with the three months as it allowed me to spend a full 12 months with my original squadron (A Sqn) having come up as a replacement into B Sqn in Sep 69.

My gunner James (Nicko) Nicholson was granted a similar extension.

Bruce Scott