Mr O,

Correct, Indy did skite on the Forum that as a young bloke he was able to dodge national service. Like the Vietnam War itself, the biggest supporters of conscription were women over 60, followed by men over 60. The biggest group opposed were young men aged around 20. Why was that?

Hi o sung wu, I don't think military discipline can be all that horrifying, it wasn't in my school days.

In the mid 50s Young High school had a cadet core, I wonder if it has one today? The school population at the time was 330 kids. Of these 100 kids were under the eligible age for joining, leaving 230 prospective cadets. Half of these were girls, who in that more genteel age did not do such bistros stuff, leaving 115 eligible.

We were just a few short of 3 platoons strong, so just under 90 of the 115 eligible, about 75% volunteered to submit themselves to a slightly toned down military discipline.

I don't know if schools still have cadet cores today, I know none of the local schools around here do. If they did, I wonder what percentage of todays somewhat softer brats would volunteer.

Hassy, the lads of today are ripe for enlistment. They are at the ready to follow good old General 'Blood and Guts' Hasbeen to hell and back! Just a couple of questions from the lads; When they are out on manoeuvres will you be providing WiFi and Netflicks? If they have to bivouac out there in the bushie stuff, can it be close to a Macca's so they can pick up essential rations such as Big Mac's and fries?

Hi there, HASBEEN...

We never had a Cadet Corps at my High School; I dare say I would've joined it if we did. My best mate who lived directly across the road from us went to Newington College, a private school, and he was in the School Cadets becoming a sergeant. I realise the discipline and training they did in the school cadets wasn't quite as demanding as that in the ARA, but it did give them a good basic grounding in the military environment.

HASBEEN you would've copped your fair share of Naval authority and regimen when you were in the Fleet Air Arm, learning to operate A/C from the pitching deck of an A/C carrier? As you know, I did my (Restricted) Private Pilot's Licence, allowing me to fly pax in and around the training area and was well on the way to obtaining my unrestricted endorsement. But the costs just became too much for me, trying to do the required (minimum) cross country nav. Exercises, that back then (the mid-1960s), was nearly 100 Aussie pounds per hour, in a Cessna 172! Even the two-place Cessna 150, cost nearly ninety pounds per hour if you could book a C.150 that is?

I'd be grateful if there's anybody on this Site who's in touch with FOXY if they would be kind enough to pass on my best wishes to her and her ill husband. She must be doing it tough looking after her hubby, while not being very well herself?

Take care please FOXY, if you happen to be reading this. And you take care as well please HASBEEN!

Didn't suffer navy discipline o sung wu. There were only 6 of us doing an "officer introductory course" at Flinders navy depot, & we had a really great CPO instructor. We all wanted to excel, so not much discipline was required. I did see the way recruits were treated & wondered if that was really necessary.

We were joined by 4 general service officers then went to the RAAF to learn to fly, & that was more like a bunch of high school kids playing soldier. I don't recall any discipline there at all.

We then went off to the Royal Navy to do our carrier training. They had real discipline, but there were only 3 of us left then, & apart from our training, we were almost totally ignored.

Yes, all the best, Foxy !

Love,

Joe