Les McGaw and Lindsay Wright, from the Orange branch of the Returned and Services League (RSL), both had very different national service experiences more than a decade apart in the 1950s and 1960s but say it had a positive impact on their lives, and their days spent in the army are times they will never forget.

Mr McGaw was part of a 1953 compulsory intake of young men who were called up when they turned 18 in Australia.

“I was just a farm boy from Tomingley and going into the army opened up another world to me of mateship and experiences,” he said.

“Back then it was only for three months but it should have been for longer.

“Out on the farm we didn’t get to see many people,” he said.

The friends he made in the army he says are still his mates.

“I think for young people some time spent in the defence forces could open up possibilities for them,” he said.

Mr Wright echoed the sentiments of his RSL colleague saying the friends he made during his time in national service and deployment to Vietnam have remained lifelong.

“We still catch up on a regular basis and even have our holidays with our families together,” Mr Wright said.

In 1967 after his birthday was pulled from the conscription ballot Mr Wright went off for his obligatory medical examination.

“I failed so I thought that was it, he said.

So Mr Wright and his fiancee decided to marry.

“We arrived home from our honeymoon on the Friday night and there was a letter waiting for me saying to report on Sunday - it was that quick,” he said.

After basic training he was deployed overseas to fight in the Vietnam war.

Mr Wright says introducing a 12-month stint of national service for young men and women would give them time to decide on a career choice.

“They don’t know what they want to do at 18 and the way things are now a lot of young people take a year off working anyway after their HSC,” he said.

Mr McGaw said the discipline which is part of defence forces routine would benefit many young people.

“It would be good for a few of these larrikins that are getting around - to learn respect and discipline.”