4 Field Regiment (SVN) 'Old Boys' Newsletter - April 2019 Edition

Comments on Productivity Commission Report into Compensation and Rehabilitation for Veterans Thank you to those who commented on the paper by Mac Wellar. The date for submissions has since passed but all comments and submissions may be viewed on their web site: www.pc.gov.au I notice that Hilton Lenard from 107 Battery has submitted a joint submission and makes some valid points. Their final report is due in June 2019. Brief summary of the Productivity Commission: ‘The Productivity Commission was created as an independent authority by an Act of Parliament in 1998, to replace the Industry Commission, Bureau of Industry Economics and the Economic Planning Advisory Commission. However, its roots go deeper, to the establishment of the Industries Assistance Commission in 1974 (which itself replaced the Australian Tariff Board) and, later, the Industry Commission in 1989.’ FYI: On Tuesday 15 January 2019, an extraordinary meeting of the Ex-Service Organisation Roundtable (ESORT) met in Canberra. The main focus of the ESORT workshop was the draft Productivity Commission Inquiry into compensation and rehabilitation for veterans. A summary document of the discussion and topics covered in the ESORT workshop is (ED: available on request from me if you can’t access it elsewhere). The next ESORT Meeting is scheduled for 1 April 2019. (NB. If any individual wishes to make comment they should contact their nearest ESO). From Ben Burrow on 11 March. Dear 106 Field Battery Veterans and associated unit friends. I went on a tour guided by Walter Pearson in 2005, it was fantastic mainly because of Walter Pearson's knowledge of the History of the Vietnam War and Australia's involvement is second to none. The knowledge I gained on this trip has allowed me to take two 106 Veterans and their children as well as my partner and her son to visit Vietnam and later on to go with a 106 Vet to Visit anther 106 Vet who lives in Dien Bien Phu where the French were defeated in 1954. Plus other solo visits. Walter was 19 year old Australian Regular soldier when he first went to Vietnam, he was injured in a mine blast and was med-vaced back to OZ, he then studied Vietnamese and went back as an Interpreter at Australian Army HQ Saigon. Most recently took a group of AWM Historians asked Walter to take them to Vietnam, there was only one who had been there. I definitely want to go on this tour and I recommend Walter's tour to you all even if you have been there before Walter will show you aspects that you will never see or hear about from anyone else as his overall knowledge of the War and every aspect of the Vietnamese people is Encyclopedic. Above all that Walter is an especially nice bloke. Please send me an e mail (creswickben20@gmail.com ) if you want to go on your own and are willing to share a room with me (I do not snore) but in Vietnam I need the air-con on in hotel rooms. Regards from Ben Burrow 106 Field Battery Vet 1967/68. P/s there is an amazing film taken from a Drone flying over Nui Dat and Long Tan as it looks now. Go to the