Veterans Affairs has reminded the Kaipara Memorial RSA that on Thursday the 11th of May it will be 50 years since the 182 Rifle Company (Victor One Company) from the 1st Battalion of the Royal NZ Infantry Regiment in Malaysia arrived in Vietnam. (Troops on the ground). Prior to this date, NZ had contributed engineers, medics and the 161 Artillery Battery to the Vietnam War.
The Kaipara Memorial RSA will be holding a commemorative ceremony at the flagpole outside the RSA at 49 Commercial Road, Helensville (in the centre of town) at 1800 hours on the 11th of May to commemorate all NZ personnel who served in the Vietnam War and remember the 37 service personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice and never returned. LEST WE FORGET. The ceremony will be followed by a short film in the RSA clubrooms titled, “ANZACS in Vietnam”.
The Kaipara RSA knows some of its members are returned servicemen from the Vietnam War but would like to invite any and all Vietnam Veterans, other returned Veterans, ex-service personnel and the general public to attend the ceremony. Veteran Affairs would also like to remind the Vietnam Veterans of their entitlement to an annual medical assessment (AMA) and all NZ Veterans of a welfare support group called “No Duff”. www.noduff.co.nz
The KMRSA can also refer Veterans to the RNZRSA and Veterans Affairs for assistance in the relief of social and medical hardship and advancement of their education. Veterans Affairs is finding that contemporary Veterans (Those who have served in the military, post-Vietnam) are also asking for assistance. The perception of the RSA only assisting older Veterans to get a walking stick are well and truly over. The contemporary Veterans create a whole new generation of current and ex-service personnel, who could be suffering from hardship with both mental and physical injuries and who could benefit from Veterans’ support. For more information, go to:www.veteransaffairs.mil.nz, or phone 0800 483 8372 or contact the KMRSA for help.
Rex Keane, KMRSA committee.
