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The Forum > Article Comments > Scheyville graduates an unintended benefit of the Vietnam War > Comments

Scheyville graduates an unintended benefit of the Vietnam War : Comments

By Stephen Barton, published 29/4/2005

Stephen Barton argues Scheyville was no sinecure for privileged sons but produced a formidable cohort of men.

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Skipper. You obviously didn't read my posts correctly. I didn't fail anything or even apply for Sheyville. I refused to even apply because I had an objection to invading somebody elses country and blowing their heads off. I recognise my mistake in saying the course was 90 days. I thought this because we used to call you guys "90 day wonders" because of the general pretentiousness, ineptitude and the poor leadership skills of the graduates. I'm glad you had a good time there and found the experience rewarding. Some of the Sheyville graduates I met actually thought killing stangers in their own land was actually a good idea. As then, I still don't share this view....Sir.
Posted by Priscillian, Monday, 30 May 2005 10:01:24 AM
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Just clearing up a few more MYTH-conceptions by someone who was there.

Quote "Scheyville was designed to break the officer cadets and then remould them. It placed the cadets under horrendous time constraints and they were harassed - and bastardised - by both other cadets and staff. Extra duty parades, the standard punishment, were handed out for the most minor infractions. Cadets that failed to reach the required standard were ruthlessly removed from the course, sometimes sinisterly via helicopter mid-exercise." Unquote

I can't recall being broken at any stage, let alone remoulded ! The time facotr was hardly "horrendous" It was however too tight to allow any spare time for any real "bastardisation" in the true sense of the word. Extra duty parades were in fact extra TRAINING parades, so poor me who ended up with more extra training parades than most ended up fitter, stronger and better trained. As for being sinisterly removed ,those who were failing were counselled on at least 3 occasions prior to posted out (removed). It was not a surprise to those concerned.
Also no one was there against their will, any of us could have requested our removal at any stage.

As for the selection process I can recall five separate and different tests we were put through.

The course was tough and our remaining National Service was not made any easier by the fact that we were officers, the responsiblity was enourmous butI doubt that you will hear any complaints or major criticisms from those graduated from the course.

Almost all of us were National Servicemen, NOT polititians, law or policy makers. If you disagree with the politics of the day don't blame the soldiers, although this seemed to be the oppositions tactic at the time.

Scheyville should also be looked at in the context of the time, it was an ARMY training course during a WAR!

Hope this clears up more misconceptions.

I also hope this makes more sense than the name calling, rash generalisations and wild accusations by some of the previous contributors.

Skipper
Posted by Skipper, Monday, 30 May 2005 8:59:10 PM
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Skipper, They obviously got the right guy in you. A marriage made in heaven!
Did at any stage of your military career have a doubt about what they had you doing?

I had the distinction of being the only person to (unsuccessfully) apply for discharge due to conscientious objection to the war while actually in the army. There may have been others but I'm the only one I know about. The story is rather entertainig and if I had more than 350 words I could entertain everybody for quite a while. Stuff like the anti war article I wrote for the Sunday Australian that got me charged with "Conduct contrary to the predjudice of good order and military discipline" ... remember that one? 10 days CB and $100 fine (2 weeks pay)
There was the reg. corporal chasing me all over the camp at Canungra with half a brick swearing he was going to "kill the commie bastard", he was a pathetic runner and stupid to boot.
I remember standing in the mess kitchen washing dishes in Enoggera with a "nintety day wonder" abusing me for not being "patriotic" by requesting a transfer to a battalion that was not going to Vietnam.
What a load of fun it was! too bad about those 500 dead diggers and god knows how many brave Vietnamese patriots/civilians we killed.

The American war on Vietnam is over and we lost.
Did we learn anything Skipper...Sir?
Posted by Priscillian, Monday, 30 May 2005 10:21:03 PM
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Hi all

I know of another soldier that tried to get a discharge because he was a conshy, but they were pretty rare. I can’t recall his name but the digs called him “the Grub” cos he didn’t wash. This poor bloke was a genuine conshy ( or so he said). But didn’t have the street smarts to avoid his NS obligation. There were several ways to fail on med grounds and these were all well known at the time, but not to the poor ol Grub. He also coulda joined the CMF and seen out his time there cos the chocos couldn’t be sent overseas or get called up could they, but he was just unaware, you know. He was definatenly too thick for Uni so deferring was outa the Q for him, But if he was a real martyr of course he coulda burnt his draft card and gone to jail instead, but he didn’t have the guts for that. The digs all reckoned he shoulda volunterred for Vietnam as a non combatant an yer shouda seen the commotion. Anyow he tried to get a discharge on conshy grounds and failed.

So unless Prikillian is actually the Grub then their may have been two of em.

Gaz389
Posted by Skipper, Wednesday, 1 June 2005 8:52:35 PM
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QED
Posted by Priscillian, Wednesday, 1 June 2005 10:32:39 PM
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[Deleted for attempted profanity and breaching site rules]
Posted by maltesenosher, Saturday, 16 July 2005 5:39:03 AM
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