Heat
on over attitude to film
I
AM somewhat bemused about the recent ban on the screening of Michael
Moore’s film Fahrenheit 9/11 at ADF military bases.
Can I seek clarification from the unnamed Defence Department
spokesman who provided comment to the Sydney Morning Herald (July
27) that “it is not appropriate for Defence to be seen to be supporting
any film of an overtly political nature ... ADF members are free
to choose whether to see the film in their free time”.
A few issues here: How does screening a film such as this relate
to supporting its content? Does this mean that Defence supports
every film that is or has been screened on a Defence base? What
about other politically attuned movies such as Gandhi, Salvador,
The Candidate, Dave, JFK and Michael Collins – would Defence disallow
the screening of these films for the same reason?
The Defence spokesman’s comment that ADF members are free to view
Fahrenheit 9/11 in “their free time” is odd. I thought the aim
of having cinemas on bases was to entertain ADF members and families
in their free time.
The ADF prides itself on attracting and maintaining personnel
with key qualities and abilities such as flexibility, knowledge,
common sense and the ability to critically reflect.
In order to make an informed decision on any issue, consideration
is required from all available sources. Whether or not this film may lack critical analysis to support its conclusions, it nevertheless
may contribute to individuals forming a comprehensive assessment
on the issue.
Is the banning of films such as Fahrenheit 9/11 at ADF bases
contributing to ADF personnel’s inability to make a comprehensive
assessment on this issue?
MAJ
Damian Cox
TC-A, Vic
Official
Response
MAJOR
Cox shouldn’t believe everything he reads in the paper (the Service
newspapers excepted). Selection of films for Defence’s 13 on-base
theatres is done under local arrangements. There is no central
policy to govern it and there has been no direction given in relation
to Fahrenheit 9/11.
What
did happen was that the distributor sought our agreement to show
the film for free on Defence bases. To accept the offer and therefore
promote a highly political film such as this would be to involve
Defence in the political debate.
For this reason I rejected the distributor’s offer of free showings.
If MAJ Cox wants to see the film, he should pay his money at
the local cinema or request his cinema committee show it on base
under the usual commercial arrangements.
BRIG
Mike Hannan
Director General
Military Public Affairs
Barrel
of fun
Barrel
of fun WHEN the history of the “Queen of the Skies” (Air Force
News, July 15) is written I wonder whether the historian will
find in archives mention of the time a “Draggie” was barrel-rolled
at low level to the north of the then SAN Flying Flight crew room
at RAAF Base East Sale.
The feat was witnessed by a number of people, including a visiting
USA Air Attache.
GPCAPT
Ken McPhan (ret’d)
Spence, ACT
Draggie
memories
YOUR
front page story of July 15 triggered lots of nostalgia for me
in relation to the “Queen of the Skies” and my two years at East
Sale from 1970-72.
I arrived at East Sale as a new wing commander with the daunting
prospect of being the Admin XO on a busy flying base, where I
immediately recognised the important need to establish a rapport
with the aircrews.
In discussing this with the OC I suggested I fly with them as
often as possible as “supernumerary crew”. The easiest way to
do this would be in flights with SAN’s HS748s.
To avoid interruption with my day-today duties, I selected night
“nav-exes” such as East Sale to Swan Hill and return; not known
for any particular excitement or for viewing the countryside.
I did earn the respect of the flying personnel owing to my interest
in “night nav-ex non-jolly” flying. This culminated in a daytime
flight just before my posting out to Butterworth in what I believe
was an historic occasion of a complete squadron of eight aircraft
being airborne at the same time.
I was invited to “come for the ride”. Taxiing clearances required
tower confirmation of the number of people on board (POB).
Each aircraft commander responded to the tower “POB 2”, ie pilot
and co-pilot. I was in the jump seat in the leading aircraft (clutching
my movie camera) when the aircraft captain, Flight Lieutenant
Gary Beck (later AVM) responded “POB 3”.
This prompted the rather laconic voice of the ATC officer, Flight
Lieutenant “Blue” Prain (now deceased) to query, “Say again, POB.”
When the confirmation “POB 3” came back, he said, “Who’s the
stupid b------ who would want to fly in that eight aircraft gaggle?”
(I did manage to capture some rather spectacular in-air movie
of the occasion.)
WGCDR
A. E Ilton (ret’d)
Gold Coast, Queensland
