9.2.4 Observations

The National Service Act 1971 reduced the statutory period of national service from two years to eighteen months but made provision for a national serviceman to elect to continue to serve as if the reduction did not apply.  In this case the period the national serviceman is deemed to have been engaged to serve shall be deemed to extend up to and include the date of his discharge if he is discharged before the end of the extra six months period.  A person who normally would have completed his national service prior to 7 December 1972 but continued to serve in pursuance of this provision in the National Service Act and, on or after that date, was discharged or his appointment terminated on other than medical grounds before completing the additional period of service, therefore comes within the definition of National serviceman in s.4AAB of the Act.