More Than a Memorial: How Taskforce Veteran are Preserving Australia’s Legacy and Supporting its Veterans

As Australia approaches the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on 18 August 2026, we find ourselves reflecting on one of the most defining moments in our military history. On that day in 1966, in the pouring monsoonal rain of a rubber plantation in South Vietnam, 108 Australian soldiers stood their ground against a force of over 2,000 enemy troops. When the gunfire ceased, 18 Australians had been killed and 24 wounded — but they had not been defeated.

What gave these young men the courage to hold their position under impossible odds? The answer lies not just in their training, but in their shared identity — their shared belief in the values of their unit, their flag, and their country.

The Rebirth of Scheyville

In Scheyville, New South Wales, an Officer Training Unit (OTU) was first established in 1965 to train officers for service in Vietnam. Among those trained at Scheyville was Lieutenant Gordon Sharp, who fought at Long Tan and became the first OTU graduate to be killed in action.

Fast forward nearly six decades, and Scheyville is once again at the heart of Australia’s Military story. This time not as a training ground, but as a place of healing, remembrance, and renewal.

At the forefront of Scheyville’s transformation is Brett Wild, founder and chairman of Taskforce Veteran. Under Brett’s leadership, a once-forgotten military site is being reimagined into a Veterans Wellbeing Centre, where veterans and their families can access support services, mental health care, and community.

In April 2022, Taskforce Veteran secured a $5 million grant from the Australian Government to begin this transformation. The funding was part of a broader initiative to create Veteran Wellbeing Centres across the country, but the selection of Scheyville carried special significance. Scheyville’s military past, its connection to Vietnam, and its role in shaping leaders like Lt. Sharp made it a perfect choice for a new kind of service for veterans.

This project is not just about protecting a historic site. It’s about preserving dignity, identity, and a sense of belonging for Vietnam Veterans long after their active duty has ended.

The Symbolic Power of Flags

Central to this story — and to the historic site — are the flags that represent our Defence Force’s values, legacy, and unity.

At Carroll & Richardson Flagworld, we were deeply honoured to create hand-sewn ceremonial flags for the memorial. These flags are a symbolic presence, stitched with meaning and memory.

During the Battle of Long Tan, soldiers weren’t waving flags in combat, but they carried them in spirit. The Australian National Flag and the 6RAR unit colour patch were silent but powerful motivators. They reminded each man of what he was fighting for, and who stood beside him.

Flags gave the battle meaning. They gave the sacrifice purpose.

Even now, at commemorative events like ANZAC Day or Vietnam Veterans Day, flags connect veterans across generations, reminding the nation of service and sacrifice, and standing as a rallying point for unity and respect.

As Brett Wild and the Taskforce Veteran team continue their work, flags remain ever-present:

• Flying high above Scheyville
• Woven into ceremonies of remembrance
• Embraced as enduring symbols of Australia’s military pride

Looking Forward: Honouring the Past, Supporting the Present

Brett shared with us what the tireless work he dedicates to Taskforce Veteran is all about: 

“We are all about Past, Present and Future. If we don’t recognise the Past, then we don’t have a Future.

We fight for Vietnam Veterans as in the past they have been treated horribly.”

With the 60th anniversary of Long Tan on the horizon, the work of Taskforce Veteran is more relevant than ever. Support initiatives like Taskforce Veteran connect across time:

• The memory of those who fought and fell,
• Living veterans still carrying the weight of service, and
• Future generations who must understand and remember

We thank Brett Wild and the Taskforce Veteran team for not just preserving history, but for shaping a positive future for veterans. Your work ensures that veterans don’t just have a place to be remembered — they have a place to be supported, heard, and connected.

To those who have served, and those still serving, we salute you.

Lest We Forget.

Scheyville History

This recruitment video gives an insight to life at the Scheyville Officer Training Unit during the 1960s and 70s