Vin and Nancy Cosgrove will present on a selection of experiences from the Vietnam War.
Richmond resident Vincent Cosgrove is a Vietnam veteran, was an educator in western Sydney schools, and is the developer of the Vietnam Veterans education program and is now the recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division.
Beginning his degree at Armidale Teachers College, Mr Cosgrove was soon told he was going to complete a two-year long National Service stint in the Vietnam War.
Eight months of his service was spent completing intense training in parts of NSW and QLD. He went on to spend the compulsory 365 days in the thick of the war as an infantry soldier.
Returning to his teaching career, Mr Cosgrove taught for 36 years, 13 of which were spent as the principal of Whalan High School as well as various stints at other local schools.
‘‘My time as a teacher and a principal was both a challenging and rewarding experience,’’ he said.
Mr Cosgrove and his wife Nancy now spend their retirement running the Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia’s education program, which they developed together and now deliver at schools across the country.
‘‘It’s rewarding to be able to tell the students about the Vietnam War with a depth that teachers don’t necessarily have,’’ Mr Cosgrove said.
‘‘In the 10 or so years we have been doing these two-hour talks, we have done about 530 of them to around 50,000 Year 10 students.’’
‘‘My wife has been a close support to me through everything and I was lucky enough to meet a woman who was ready and willing to support me in my endeavours for the past 45 years,’’ Mr Cosgrove said.
