A Nation's Appreciation
Today, on National Servicemen's Day, Australia honours the thousands of men who served as National Servicemen, or "Nashos".
Whether stationed at home or deployed overseas to locations including Borneo, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and Korea, Nashos played a vital role in protecting the nation.
They put their lives on hold, and on the line, to bolster Australia's defence.
Between 1951 and 1972, more than 280,000 Australians participated in two National Service Schemes. In the 1950s Scheme, some 33,000 men were called up for annual training at 18 years old. In the 1964-1972 Scheme, more than 804,000 men registered and more than 63,000 were called up to serve through a birthday ballot.
More than 15,000 Nashos served in the Vietnam War, where some 200 lost their lives and more than 1,200 were wounded.
All national servicemen, even if they weren't deployed, are entitled to a White Card from the Department of Veterans' Affairs that includes mental health support.
The passage of the Veterans Entitlements, Treatment and Support (Harmonisation and Simplification) Bill 2024 through Parliament on 13 February means that all claims lodged by National Servicemen on or after 1 July 2026 would be investigated and determined under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004. This could result in up to 45,000 National Serviceman becoming eligible for benefits such as Gold Cards, Special Rate Disability Pension, and access the Veterans' Review Board, which has not been available to them under previous legislation.
Today we honour all Nashos and pay tribute to those who lost their lives. We owe them all a debt of gratitude for their service to the nation.
