Like most I drafted to Sydney in 1967 for three trips.  Posted from Sydney to Harman with most of the communicators while we waited for our right arm rate courses to start at Cerberus.

 

Some of us had a quick posting to Penguin when we were made guinea pigs for a typing course and when this was finished we went to Cerberus.

 

Posted from there to Kuttabul for a little while and then back to Sydney (with Steve Summers) for another six trips (2 years).  Then, for some stupid reason, I was posted to Platypus.  I could never figure out why a bunting tosser was posted to a sub base.

 

To cut a long story short, when Mr Whitlam said I could put my notice in, I did.  Got out in December 1973 after serving 7 years and 35 days.

 

Joined a consulting engineering firm as a typist and lasted 6 years, went to OTC after that lasted 8 years.  My last job at Garden Island for ADI was for 14 years.

 

Married Chan (from Vietnam) in 1996 and have a 7 year old son Robert who will tower over me in about three years but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

 

Currently unemployed due to a voluntary ("better to volunteer" than the boss decide) redundancy and doing the dance of 1000 steps with DVA.  Had a heart attack in 1992 which killed 30% of the heart muscle and a couple of bouts with the bottle. 

Put a claim in with DVA in 1992 and was accepted for alcohol dependence but because I wasn't drinking at the time I got no percentage.  They knocked back PTSD but now I have photos and a witness and my psych says with this new claim I should get something.  Recently received 100%.