Ted Diro discusses his role in avoiding military trouble at independence and his view that the military prepare a country for democracy as outlined in his Portsea thesis on the significance of the defence force in an independent Papua New Guinea. He discusses his troubles over the Rumkorem affair.
Ted Diro relates how in 1963 he was the first Papua New Guinean to attend Portsea. He describes Portsea as everything he wanted - uniform, and training to be fighters and warriors. He describes how he made friends with Australians who would stand up against mistreatment, especially of Asians.
Ted Diro relates how he did well enough at Sogeri to get a scholarship to Queensland where he attended Slade School (Warwick, Qld) for one year before joining Officer Cadet School at Portsea, Victoria.
