For those who aren't familiar with Long Tan, it was Australia's most costly battle in Vietnam.

I once had the privilege of meeting a Vietnam Vet who fought in Long Tan. I had won a prize from the local RSL for a project on the Vietnam War and a few of the old boys came down to shake hands and congratulate me. Being a little history enthusiast, I asked a few questions about the war and the era. The bloke who was at the battle went on to talk about his experiences coming home where he was abused on many occasions.

He told this story that I will never forget. He had come home and wanted to put the war behind him. He attended a party that a friend invited him to and the word had gotten around that he just got back from Vietnam. A girl had walked up to him and spat on his face and he was then told to leave the party as he wasn't welcomed. He then said to me 'I was conscripted, the government sent me there and I did what I had to do, I just wanted to put it all behind me, I was just a kid'. The conversation ended as he went quiet with a blank stare and one of the other old boys jumped in and changed the conversation.

I will never forget that and despite my political views on the war and whether we should have been there or not, I will wake up for every dawn service to remember blokes like him.

Lest We Forget.