Wagga's Wiradjuri elder Uncle Hewitt Whyman reflects on his experience of the Vietnam War

The oldest of 14 children, Uncle Hewitt grew up in Deniliquin where he had no running water or electricity on a river bank.

His family were subjected to the Stolen Generation, with his siblings being taken away in 1964, and he left town when he was 17.

He chose to enlist in the army at the age of 19, a decision which he recalled changed his entire life.

"And from that (The Australian Army) I've gained my knowledge, it has been my university," he said.

"As a young 17-year-old teenager I become very strong as a young man really quickly to look after myself."

After spending two years in national service, Uncle Hewitt was sent to Vietnam for several months to provide combat support.

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During his time, his First Nations identity wasn't seen as an issue and celebrated the camaraderie in his unit which treated him as another soldier.

"Army is mateship, mateship in the army is very, very strong," Uncle Hewitt said.

"When I meet my soldiers irrespective if they're black or white, it's acknowledgement from the beginning, come here embrace me, shake my hand."

In spite of this he did recall how First Nations soldiers were sometimes referred to as the dark greens and white soldiers as the light greens.

Despite the slight separation, he did mention how the army allowed him to connect to his culture and country as it pushed for gathering together especially with other First Nations individuals.

When Uncle Hewitt and his unit returned from Vietnam he was subjected to a hostile custom search, told not to inform anyone they were soldiers and to leave the airport immediately and discreetly.

This secrecy extended to his unit, where they were told not to discuss their experiences in Vietnam amongst fellow soldiers.

The stigma continued long after the war.

Uncle Hewitt struggled to be accepted as a member of the sub-branch of the Wagga RSL and weren't considered soldiers by the early WWII veterans.

"We were treated bad, people didn't want to talk to us, the moratorium marches were still active in the streets," he said.

Uncle Hewitt believes that Vietnam veterans deserve an apology and that they were just as equal as any soldier whether it be WWII, Iraq or Afghanistan.

He highlighted soldiers both First Nations and Torres Strait Islander played a vital contribution to serving Australia in wars in both the past and present.

"Significantly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have served their country in all theatres of war ... from the Boer War," Uncle Hewitt said.

"Aboriginal and Torres people have served country and notably in areas, and they are still serving country like North Force in the north of Australia."

With the recent apology issued by the RSL to Vietnam soldiers, Uncle Hewitt is hopeful both for Vietnam veterans and First Nations veterans.

He recalls the 1987 march in Sydney where his unit was welcomed, with chants of welcome home moving his him and his unit to tears.

"It was a moment that dawned on me and other veterans at the time that this was the welcome parade that Australia forgot about for us," he said.

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