According to Adam Stanton, the first permanent secretary and head of staff in 1919, AESC started as an ambitious program and little else.
ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tʊ ˈædəm stˈæntən, ðə fˈɜːst pˈɜːmənənt sˈɛkɹətɹi ænd hˈɛd ʌv stˈæf ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪntiːn, ˈiːsk stˈɑːɹɾᵻd æz ɐn æmbˈɪʃəs pɹˈoʊɡɹæm ænd lˈɪɾəl ˈɛls.