A PINE Mountain digger is fighting for the legacy of his military service and family benefits after an operational deployment to Malaysia 44 years ago.

Les Ray is a military veteran who served as a member of Rifle Company Butterworth between March 3 and June 4, 1974.

The company was tasked to protect RAAF assets, including personnel, aircraft and facilities, at Air Base Butterworth in Malaysia.

During his deployment the Malaysian Government and its armed forced were engaged in their second counter insurgency war against communist terrorists.

The Butterworth base was a forward operational base for the government, making it a target for the terrorists.

Mr Ray's deployment was classed as a peacetime garrison duty, but he said there was an enemy threat, an expectation of casualties, live ammunition carried and rules of engagement.

Mr Ray has written to several Australian politicians including the Prime Minister and Defence Minister, seeking a public inquiry into the service and classification of Rifle Company Butterworth.

"In my view, this is a shameful betrayal of the Rifle Company Butterworth's men and women who have served our nation in that deployment," he said.

"From a personal perspective, our preparation and our level of readiness in 1974 was equal to those servicemen who served in South Vietnam, and the conditions we experienced and the task we performed clearly indicates that we were operationally deployed."