‘Getting Away With It’ – What it means to me.

26/8/2021

Yesterday I read the article by Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson titled “Inside the drinking culture of the SAS”.

Since the beginning of time when nomadic families came together to form tribes for their survival and prosperity, cultures have emerged, those behaviors, values and beliefs that a group accepts, generally without thinking about them.

Waxing lyrical as to ‘the broken, arrogant culture of the SAS, a culture of elitism where the rules did not apply’, the story depicts images of wild parties artfully pieced to song lyrics of James’s ‘Getting away with it’.

To suggest that a song sung in an army boozer was an anthem condoning murder is not only presumptuous but insulting to those who risked their lives on a daily basis.

Combat is a chaotic and complex environment, one that can easily take your life if you’re not on your game. When you work, live and lead in an environment outside your control it creates stress.

A beer and a song has more to do with relieving stress and surviving in the lethal chaos of war than breaking any rules.

Every time we flew into Afghanistan we didn't know if we would be coming home again. Every time we went out the gate to face the enemy, we didn't know if we would be back; if we would see our wives, children or families again. We were accepting that we might die for our country. The thing we were trying to ‘get away with’ was our lives.

An SAS culture did exist, a culture of excellence and it was necessary. So that we could face our enemy suppressing our fear. To do our job and survive, because in a combat zone, defeat can mean you or one of your mates is dead.

To me, these lyrics signify mateship, courage and sacrifice. It represents the mates I fought with and surviving in the messed up world where we lived.

And if you watch Afghanistan on the news today you will see it’s still messed up.

Were errors in judgment made, yes. However as humans, not one of us is without flaws and one of life’s greatest lessons is learning from your experience. And I will proudly play that song on ANZAC day and toast my mates who didn't ‘get away with it’ for the rest of my life.

11 Comments

Tony McKay

26/8/2021 20:58:38

Great article mate. A few home truths there for the readers about the actual reality you, and other soldiers, faced every time you entered into a war zone or stepped "outside the wire". I agree, Getting away with it.....doesn't mean what you did on the ground, getting away with it means you made it back. Unfortunately not all of us did.

Point Assist

31/8/2021 18:31:37

Absolutely Tony. It's not that veterans need to be thanked constantly but its hard when your sacrifices are called into question by those without shared experiences.

Gloria

27/8/2021 05:33:37

Well written. We must stand with those we send to defend our values even if it is "not our war" as we are often told.
Being human and standing for what is right is part of life and celebrating a fallen mate or just the fact you made it another day is what we do.
Hats off to you all

31/8/2021 18:31:25

Thanks Gloria. Your support is much appreciated.

Ray

27/8/2021 09:57:24

Hey Mark thanks for your insights here. More importantly thank you for your sacrifice and dedication to our country. As we look at the recent events in Afghanistan I think more Australians are starting to get a very basic idea of the extreme complexity and relentless danger that you and your team face.

31/8/2021 18:31:12

Thanks Ray. Having done my first tour in 2002 and my last in 2013, it was indeed a constantly evolving landscape with much complexity.

Smithy

27/8/2021 11:13:18

Good article Mark. There are many reasons why I don’t watch or listen to the ABC anymore. If I had a choice I would not be giving them public money. All ADF pers serve their nation with pride and SF more than most, we all need to support our ADF instead of trying to find issues and problems that don’t exist. Thank you Mark and your mates for service this once great country.

31/8/2021 18:34:35

While we don't advocate full defunding of the ABC because we believe in the value of news from a variety of sources, we do wish there was a little more objectivity and inclusion of all perspectives in their work.

Bill Cochrane

27/8/2021 14:17:23

Thanks for the insight I’m just a infantryman 28 years ARA got a few mates in SASR & Cdo bought this book and paged through it yesterday and understand your use of this song for “Beating the Clock” in Brit SAS parlance. You will always be “Warriors without equal” to me.

31/8/2021 19:02:34

There's no such thing as 'just an infantryman" Bill and 28 years is an impressive achievement in itself.

Peter Evans link

4/9/2021 20:32:12

Onya Dig.
Haven't watched the ABC in years.
Country ABC is great for obvious reasons but the rest are oxygen thieves.

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‘Getting Away With It’ – What it means to me.

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