Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Veterans' Affairs, Warren Snowdon, today launched the Australian Government's commitment of $3.3 million towards a world-first education centre in Washington DC honouring Vietnam veterans.
The Prime Minister said the Vietnam Veterans Education Centre will be a state of the art digital education and exhibit facility located on the Mall in Washington, dedicated to educating visitors about the Vietnam War.
Our participation in this project is a powerful opportunity to explain the Australian contribution to the Vietnam War to the American people and to further strengthen our long-standing relationship with the United States.
Australia's funding commitment currently comprises:
* $1 million to ensure Australia's input in shaping the plans for the Centre including Australia's footprint within the facility;
* $0.52 million for a ‘Wall of Faces' - a photographic image display of 520 Australian War Dead from the Vietnam War alongside their US comrades;
* $1.5 million for interpretive material for permanent display and development of displays for special occasions such as Anzac Day, Long Tan Day and other commemorations.
The Government is pleased to be supporting this unique opportunity to honour the 60,000 Australian servicemen and women who served in the Vietnam War, more than 35 years ago.
In time the Centre will become a place of quiet pilgrimage for our veterans and their families, and for any Australian who wants to pay their respects.
To mark the announcement, three Vietnam veterans accompanied the Prime Minister and Minister Snowdon to Washington DC to visit the site of the Centre: Mrs Terrie Ross, the Hon Graham Edwards, and Mr Arthur Francis, CSC, OAM.
We cannot thank our Vietnam veterans enough for their courage and sacrifice. This remarkable undertaking will be a source of pride to them, and their families, and represent our ongoing commitment to recognising their service to Australia.
The Vietnam Veterans Education Centre is expected to cost US $80 million. Construction is planned to commence in 2012. For more information on the centre including a virtual tour visit www.buildthecenter.org. Artists' concepts of the Centre and images of the veterans travelling to Washington are available on the DVA Media Centre. Biographies of the veterans are below.
Australian Vietnam Veterans in Washington
The Hon. Graham Edwards (Perth, WA)
Mr Edwards served in the Army for three years (1968 - 1971) and saw service with the 7thBattalion, Royal Australian Regiment in 1970 as a Private. He was wounded twice in Vietnam, the second time losing his legs to a ‘jumping jack' anti personnel land mine.
After discharge from the Army and a period of rehabilitation, Mr Edwards spent ten years with the Department of Veterans' Affairs and Department of Defence. He was elected as a honorary Councillor with the City of Stirling in 1980 and in 1983 was elected to the West Australian Parliament, where he served for 14 years including seven years as a Minister. In 1998 Mr Edwards was elected to the House of Representatives until he retired in 2007. Mr Edwards was recognised by the RSL with the Anzac of the Year Award in 1991 for service to the veteran community. He has also been awarded the Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and the Lions Melvin Jones Fellow.
Mr Edwards is now a member of the Australian War Memorial Council and the Prime Ministerial Advisory Council on Ex-Service Matters. He was recently made a Freeman of the City on Wanneroo.
Mrs Terrie Ross (nee Roche) (Jerrabomberra, NSW)
Mrs Ross served in the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps in Vietnam between May 1967 and May 1968 as a Lieutenant. Before the War, she completed her nursing training at the local base hospital in Goulburn, NSW, and then her midwifery training in Sydney before returning to Goulburn to work as a midwife. She was among the first four nurses selected to go to Vietnam. During her time in Vietnam, she was primarily responsible for running an intensive care ward. She met her husband Michael in Vietnam while he was serving in the RAEME (Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).
After the War she was posted to Wagga Wagga, NSW, for a short time before leaving the Army in 1970. She then started up a private nursing home in Crookwell, which she ran until 1979 before Michael was posted to Canberra. She had two children and worked at the Canberra Hospital until her retirement in 2000. Mrs Ross currently volunteers for Karinya House, offering accommodation and support for disadvantaged new mothers and their babies.
Mr Arthur Francis, CSC, OAM (Singleton, NSW)
Mr Francis served in the Army from 1964 - 1997. He spent two years in Malaya and saw active service in Borneo during the Indonesian Confrontation. In 1967 he volunteered for service in South Vietnam and completed two tours of active service with the Royal Australian Regiment, first as a Corporal, Section Commander during 1967-68, the second as Platoon Sergeant during 1970-71. He also served overseas in Brunei, PNG and Singapore with trips to Cambodia, Rwanda, Somalia and the Western Sahara. In 1994 he was appointed as the Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army in 1994 until his discharge in 1997.
In 1987 he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal and in 1997, the Conspicuous Service Cross. On retirement from the service he spent 10 years working at the Infantry Centre Singleton under contract for the Department of Defence. He is on the board of the Royal Australian Infantry Corps Museum, he is the Secretary of the Singleton Legacy Group and is a regular volunteer for Meals on Wheels.