Cadets

Over the July holidays the cadets have opportunities to attend the AAC Cadets Courses camp, providing them with specialist and leadership courses.  Ten of our senior cadets attended these courses, braving the Puckapunyal weather.  I would also like to thank CAPT Claire Toffolon, who also attends these courses to ensure that our cadets are able to attend.

I would also like to congratulate the following cadets on their recent  promotions:

• CUO Ciaran Behrendt
• CUO Geneva Kamp
• SGT Alexander McAdam
• CPL Ben Peters
• CPL Zoe Withers
• CPL Ty Harrison
• CPL Sophie Dixon

Puckapunyal Courses Camp

Senior Leadership Course - Alexander McAdam

At SLC we learnt many senior leadership skills and visited the School of Artillery and School of Armour.   We had 4 major assessments throughout the week based on our leadership skills, ranging from teaching drill lessons to assessing theory lessons.  Overall it was a great week and we all made lots of friends.

Junior Leadership Course - Ben Peters

On a cold Sunday morning at 7:00am a group of cadets set off to JLC at Puckapunyal.  The start was rough but as the week progressed, we all had made a bunch of friends.  The assessments we had to complete on the course were leading a group of cadets, giving section level orders and teaching a lesson.  We all passed with flying colours, and all passed JLC.  Overall, even though it rained a lot and some parts were hard, it was a fun experience. It gave us heaps of skills to pass on to other cadets at Monivae. 

Field Engineering Report - Sean Bird

On the Field Engineering course, we helped to build multiple structures out of both large posts and smaller and thinner sticks, that we tied together using multiple types of rope. We built many things, including a flag pole with a stand, a swing-set, and also a large crane-like structure.  Due to some issues, we ended up out there in the morning, doing the activity, and then waiting around before being taken back to the lines as the weather was not good enough to stay out field for the night.  We had ration packs for 2 days, so breakfast Banjos (egg and bacon rolls) and eating at the Tobruk Mess was very welcome. One day, we also ended up visiting the School of Armour, where we got to see various types of combat vehicles and even sit in them.  A few soldiers come down and showed us multiple types of weaponry, like an anti-tank rocket launcher, a grenadier's standard infantry weapon, including an under-barrel grenade launcher.  Overall, it was very fun, but I was kind of sad, that we only got to stay out field for two nights.

First Aid - Sophie Dixon & Teyah Evans

During the holidays we travelled to Puckapunyal and participated in a 7-day first aid course.  The course involved many different aspects of first aid such as, theory components and practical scenarios including an incident where we had multiple people that needed help after a car crash and carried stretchers along a tricky course, which included going up a hill and over a lava river.  Overall, we enjoyed this course because it gave us the skills necessary to be able to assist in an emergency situation, we also developed our leadership skills in a fun and engaging manner.

MAJ (AAC) Sarah Byron