Hello all!
Merry Christmas and Seasons greetings, joyful holidays = appropriate respectful salutations to all.
As we move into the final weeks of 2024, it’s worth reflecting on a wonderful year for the AC T branch. I would be as bold to offer the activities albeit modest, were typically well attended. We commemorated and told others of the warrior heritage and sacred sacrifice of our mates, we celebrated our Special shared service. We kept the flame bright building on the ethos and bonds of SAS comradery. We supported each other, shared our grievances, healed and grew stronger. We continue to offer authentic credible lived experience truthtelling in the context of the post-Afghanistan era.
Most importantly this year was a celebration of the SAS Regiment’s 60th Diamond anniversary highlighted by a superb week at Campbell barracks, generously and wonderfully hosted by the Commanding officer RSM and the brilliant team at Campbell barracks. Without question, it is a celebration of all the greatness that underpins the ethos of the SAS from its earliest inception through to its current modern-day heroes.
Most recently, a number of the ACT branch members attended the 2024 Beret presentation event on 6 December, which was another wonderful exemplar of the skillsets, dedication sacrifice and professional commitment required to earn the Sandy Beret. For me perhaps most strikingly, was the superb deeply authentic and respectful acknowledgement of unit member’s families and the wider network/community that's required to make those sacrifices and, in many ways, should celebrate the achievements that come with very Special Service.
It was magnificent to be there and ‘touch the magic’ as a number of us were also in location to celebrate the 1984 reinforcement cycle 40th anniversary in SASR folklore now known as the Battle of the Golden Road. Watch out for more detailed ‘Festival of 84 Reos = FIG JAM’ in an article in first up 2025 Rendezvous Magazine.
Going forward into the New Year, our efforts will be focused on the recent Veteran Royal Commission recommendations and how to support ‘SAS family’ members and their families through the challenges and or ongoing injustice that many continue to confront. On note, the Senate Inquiry into the Afghanistan Honours and Awards Fiasco is also due to hold public hearings in February 2025.
Spoiler alert I am looking forward to giving evidence as a witness...
My sign-off wishing you all the best to you and your family.
WDW
Dan Fortune
President, ACT Branch,
Australian SAS Association
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