Why should you be a member of the OTU Association?  

The Association’s Vision Statement, as presented in the Constitution is as follows;-

The Association exists to provide a vehicle for the ongoing connection, networking and support for all those associated with OTU. The Association is dedicated to the commemoration and remembrance of the ‘Scheyville Experience’ and the contribution made to Australia by all those involved. The Association seeks to provide fellowship for its members. The Association also encourages and supports the development of leadership in young Australians.

This is best summarised as: ‘Let’s keep the blokes together’ (Ray Elder – 2010).

So how can we expect to benefit from being a member?

Firstly, it is perhaps worth exploring just what we all have in common – what we have to share together.

In Australia the mid sixties to early seventies was an era of enormous opportunity for young men. Well paying jobs with a real future were plentiful. The world was our oyster. Then came National Service and Scheyville. Although a good number of us volunteered to join, most had, by no means, included two years in the military as part of their life plan. Two years doing something you had never contemplated (nor

probably desired) was one thing but, on top of this, to end up doing the OTU course was altogether ‘way out there’.

Scheyville for most was difficult and trying. Moreover it was worlds away from the lifestyle we had left in civvie street. It tested us to our limits. It developed us. At times it made us wonder why we had ever decided to make this jump ‘out of the frying pan’ of recruit training ‘into the fire’ of OTU at all. Looking back over all these years it still seems such a radical, and unexpected, change in the course of our lives.

It really did make us feel unique. Moreover it is this unique experience that makes for a sense of brotherhood among Scheyvillians. It is this special brotherhood that the OTU Association seeks to celebrate. We have a common bond.

Just what can we gain through being a member of the OTU Association? Here are a few thoughts.

Business and other networking. Many of us, even if only working part-time these days, can cultivate and, participate in, business opportunities that arise from knowing what other members are involved in. In addition, with a good number of us retired (or near retired), we tend more and more to direct our energies towards charitable and other not-for-profit organisations. As well as being rewarding, these provide a stimulating opportunity to continue to practise the management and leadership skills we have learned – both at OTU and in our subsequent careers. The Association membership represents fertile ground firstly, for those keen to find suitable positions on business or not for profit boards and, secondly, for those seeking people to join such bodies..

Fellowship: Members can maintain their relationships with friends who have ‘shared the experience’. They can participate in group activities including luncheons, dinners, weekends away and tennis and golfing (we’re not quite up to bowls quite yet!) days. Several State Chapters now march in their city’s ANZAC Day parade under the OTU banner. Class reunions are becoming more and more popular and provide yet another avenue for catching up with old and special friends. It must be mentioned here that the wives/partners join in many of these functions and have become very good friends with each other.

Covering all of this is ‘The Scheyvillian’. This quarterly journal is always a fascinating read – reporting on functions that have been held, on what people are doing, on where they have been, and on military matters of interest to all. In a sense it is the ‘cement’ of the Association. It makes us feel a real part of our Association.

There is just something special in catching up with people who have gone through the life changing experience of Scheyville OTU. A splendid bond still exists between us all – a bond often not fully recognised until we get together.

Pride: Members attain recognition in the community because of who they are and what they achieved. They are a unique group in Australia’s history. They are committed to preserving the OTU history and the memorabilia associated with Scheyville. Membership of the Association makes us part of this.

Respect: Members respect and remember those who have passed on with the expectation that they too will be remembered as Scheyvillians.

Contribution to the community: Members actively support and foster youth leadership development programs that provide a similar experience to what they received at OTU. They believe that they benefited immensely from their leadership training and should now contribute to similar experiences for the young people who will enhance the future of Australia.

No other association or club offers a comparable set of benefits!

ANZAC Day March, Sydney 2013                

OTU ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA

Introduction

Welcome to the OTU Association Website. This is the principal and immediate contact point for all those interested in the activities of a group set up some thirty years ago to celebrate “The Scheyville Experience”. It provides contact details, notice of events, a wide range of memorabilia and general items of interest.

We Scheyvillians do share something unique in what we went through over four decades ago at a military establishment called then “1 OTU Scheyville”. This Website provides a window that enables us to find what is going on in the Association and, so much of what has passed.

The Beginning

In the mid 1960s the government of the day, led by Prime Minister Sir Robert Menzies, passed the National Service Act. With the war in Vietnam demanding ever-increasing manpower, this was a means by which the Australian Army could be rapidly expanded. Selection was through a marble drawn ballot whereby, every six months, a number of specific birthdays falling in that period of time, was drawn out. Those people whose birthdate “came out” were to complete two full years in the Army. In 1971 this was reduced to eighteen months.

It was recognised that such large numbers would demand a raising of the levels of manpower in the commissioned ranks. Accordingly, the Officer Training Unit was established at Scheyville to the West of Sydney. Its purpose was to “create a junior officer capable of leading an infantry platoon in tropical warfare”. It was to take twenty two weeks from start to finish to achieve this remarkable transformation in young men – men who had virtually come in directly from civilian life.

With so much to be taught over such a short period of time the course was, by necessity, highly demanding. Both physical and mental strengths were tested to their near limits. It has since been described as a “living in a pressure cooker situation”. OTU was also used to train Air Cadets who sought a career in Army Aviation. Furthermore, towards the end “overflow” cadets from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea did their course there.

History has proven what was first viewed by many as an experiment, to have been a great success. Graduates proved themselves more than up to it in Vietnam with nine being awarded the Military Cross, one the Australian Medal for Gallantry and six the Distinguished Flying Cross. Seventeen were Mentioned in Dispatches. Eight made the ultimate sacrifice.

On completion of National Service many Scheyvillians elected to serve on in the Army. Another group continued in the Reserve Forces. Altogether they made an important contribution with some thirteen reaching the rank of Brigadier and one, Major General.

Others went on to make a name for themselves in industry, commerce, the law and public service . One became Deputy Prime Minister (The Honorable Tim Fischer AC) and another, Premier of Victoria (The Honorable Jeff Kennett AC).

OTU Scheyville closed in 1973 following the election of the Whitlam Government and the winding down of the war in Vietnam.

The OTU Association

In the mid-1980s a group of people who had spent time at OTU got together and identified that there was indeed a special bond between those young men who had been through “the Scheyville Experience”. This bond seemed to over ride which class or intake you were in – just that you’d been there. As a consequence the “OTU Association” was formed.

Chapters were established in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT.

A constitution was drawn up with the principle goals of the organisation being to promote fellowship, to maintain the history of OTU, to preserve the memory of members who have died or been injured in the course of their duty for Australia, and to promote youth leadership and development training.

Membership is open to all who attended OTU Scheyville be they Directing Staff or Officer Cadet. No distinction is made between those who graduated or did not. It is the Scheyville experience that counts.

The Present

Altogether there are over four hundred and seventy financial members with an even larger number participating in the different functions held from time to time. These functions include regular dinners, luncheons, golf days, weekends away and other such activities. Some State Chapters march in their capital city ANZAC Day Parade under the OTU banner. There are many Class reunions where those who experienced such a unique time together in days long past, share reminiscences in the company of their often disbelieving wives/partners.

Years 1993, 2003 and 2013 each saw a national reunion held in Sydney to commemorate the closure of OTU Scheyville. These have been wonderful functions, all of which have involved a return to the Scheyville site. For 2013, a contingent of four hundred and ten marched in the Sydney ANZAC Day Parade on the Thursday. This was followed by a dinner on the Saturday with six hundred seated. On the Sunday there was a Church Parade to St Mathew’s where we marched with a full Police Band and escort. After the service came a picnic lunch at Scheyville. For the latter we assembled, by class, on the Parade Ground where the former Chief Instructor, Col Stan Maizey MID, took the salute. The standard of drill wasn’t too bad – but had deteriorated a little over the intervening forty years or so.

The OTU Association is affiliated with the National Servicemen’s Association of Australia. Through that body’s involvement, a monument commemorating all those National Servicemen who served in the Armed Forces has been erected. This is located adjacent to the National War Memorial in Canberra, ACT. Also through their efforts, the Anniversary of National Service Medal has been made available.

A National Executive, which is based in Melbourne, manages the Association. This body meets on a mostly monthly basis to ensure the organisation runs effectively. A National Council meeting whereby delegates from each of the States/Territories have their formal input is held annually.

Much has been done over the years in the field of youth leadership and development. Our prime effort here has been sponsoring young 16 to 17 year – old men and women to attend the annual Lord and Lady Somers camps. Here they go through a week’s intensive activity that promotes leadership, teamwork and self understanding. In a sense, it is a small encapsulation of what was so important at OTU. Other opportunities to help better the future of youth are also encouraged and pursued.

Three times a year and edition of “The Scheyvillian” is published. This is always a fascinating read covering past and future activities,” what are they doing now?” articles, critiques of recent military publications and items of general interest to us all.

As said previously, this Website is the OTU Association’s window. We would encourage any one who spent time at Scheyville to join. It was a unique experience and had a special impact on our lives. You would be made most welcome indeed.

I welcome you to the OTU Website.

Frank Miller. National Chairman. OTU Association