Monivae College Newsletter

Cadets 

CAPT Sarah Byron

Cadet day – Full day

Last Friday, we had a fantastic full Cadet day. It was great to see the Cadets out enjoying activities such as archery, scuba diving, bush cooking, abseiling/rock climbing and navigation, as well as an introduction to Field and Game shooting. I would like to thank staff for the mammoth effort in organising these activities for the Cadets. The Cadets were in high spirits and reports coming in was that it was heaps of fun. Thank you to Scott and his team from the Coleraine Field and Game club for taking the time to facilitate the Clay target shooting.

 

Thank you to all the Cadets who participated enthusiastically in their chosen activity. It was fantastic to hear feedback from the facilitators stating that they were very impressed with how our Cadets conducted themselves.

 

Drum Corp Workshop

On Monday 5th September, 10 band members travelled to Ranger Barracks in Ballarat for an intensive band workshop. LT Kenny Stewart from Army Pipes and Drums instructed the Cadets in drumming as well as drill and staff training. All drummers have been issued new drumsticks and practice drum pads to ensure they continue to keep up their practice over the holidays. Although everyone was very tired by the end of the day, it was great to see the achievements they had made throughout this experience.

EX EMU, Puckapunyal

This Saturday, 16 cadets will head off to Puckapunyal to participate in Ex EMU. This is a large-scale Annual Field Exercise. Cadets from all over Victoria come together to enjoy the challenges of living in the bush and participating in various activities such as navigation, military experiences at the weapons training area, visiting the Tank Museum and many more great opportunities.

I wish them all the best and hope the weather is agreeable for the week.

 

Ceremonial Parade preparation

 With ceremonial parade coming up on 23rd October, we ask that all Cadets make a huge effort to try their best during drill sessions and during practice at the start of Term 4.  We have allocated sessions to ensure that the Cadets drill is spot on. During this practice, all cadets are asked to give 100% effort so that we are not required to add extra sessions. Cadets are to wear Ceremonial dress from the first Cadet day back in Term 4. This includes being correctly dressed, boots done up, trousers bloused at the bottom, uniform ironed, and hair tied back. I am sure that all Cadets will work hard leading up to this event and take pride in wearing the Australian Army Cadet uniform. This will ensure the Parade is great success, and one which all their families will very much enjoy to watch.

 

Cadet Ceremonial Parade, Sunday October 23

We celebrate the 60th Cadet Parade, this year, on Sunday 23 October. The day is a compulsory school day, it starts with a whole school Mass in the morning and the Parade in the afternoon. Parents, families, and friends are invited to spend the day with their children. We will have several Headquarter dignitaries and old Collegians return to the College to enjoy this important day with us. We ask that you put in every effort to ensure that this day is a fantastic representation of the hard work all Cadets and Staff have put in throughout the year.

 

Dress code for Ceremonial Parade:

  1. Uniform:

Boys will be wearing DPCU “ceremonial” with the “slouch hat.” Please make sure your uniform is crease-free and nice and ironed. 

Girls you will wear the slouch hat, poly shirt, blue lanyard (supplied on the day), black belt, school kilt, stockings and school shoes. Make sure this is all neat and tidy. The kilt and belt sit on your waist, not your hips. Easy life hack - tuck your shirt into your stockings, and then if you can, put some short leggings or bike shorts over top of the stockings. This will make sure your shirt stays perfectly tucked in, and your stockings don’t move around awkwardly.

  1. Brass: 

Your brass will need to be super shined for parade, this will need to be polished with Brasso, unless you have the new style buckles. These only need to be polished with a soft cloth. Make sure you take your brass off the belt so you don’t stain the belt.

A good indicator of it being shiny enough is when you can clearly see your 

reflection. Remember to cut your time in half, look for the better side of the rectangular bits and only polish one side and the top and bottom, and for the clips, only shine the side that does not have the arrow on it. That side is hidden.

 

  1. Belt:

When putting your belt together, put on the rectangular bit first, and then the clip part. Make sure you have your shiny bit up the right way. Measure the belt so it sits tight around your waist, and then put the brass bits on. When you have it the right size, wedge

 the fold in a door to get it nice and tight, and then push the brass until it is touching. Put a 20c piece between the folded part of the belt to stop the brass from moving.

Remember: the ‘male’ part of the clip goes on the right.

  1. Slouch Hat:

Your slouch hat should fit your head, however the strap may not fit perfectly straight away. 

To fit the strap, start by having the buckles on the left side. There is a break in the stitching of the leather bit that the strap will fit through. The top buckle is meant to be in line with the corner of the eye, and the bottom buckle is meant to be in line with the corner of your mouth when the hat is slouched. Have someone else help you with the fitting of your hat – this makes it so much easier. 

Line up the top buckle with the corner of your left eye, and then secure the strap to the inside clip of the hat. There will be a slit cut into the strap, however you may need to cut another one so that it fits you. 

Once the top buckle is in place, move the bottom buckle unit it lines up with the corner of your mouth on the left side as well. 

Once you have adjusted the buckle, once again move the strap to be secured into the hat. Make sure that the strap is nice and tight on your chin – if it is a windy day, that is all that will keep your hat on your head. Double chins don’t matter, keeping your hat on does. You will most likely need to cut another slit into the leather strap, so that the hat fits on your head perfectly. 

Lastly, to slouch your hat, tilt the left side higher, and we use the 3,2,1 rule. The hat sits 3 fingers width above your left ear, 2 fingers about your left eyebrow, and then 1 finger above your right eyebrow. 

  1. Hair
  • Neatly groomed in accordance with school policy.
  • Styled in a manner that does not interfere with the proper wearing of military headdress. (ie – the Slouch hat.)
  • Long hair is to be tied up in a bun or braid securely on the head, not extending below the collar.
  •  No hair is to be touching the collar of your shirt. If it does, then it needs to be tied or pinned up.
  • Styled so that it does not fall below the eyebrows.
  • Hair combs, clips, nets and elastic bands are to be a similar colour to the hair.
  • Scrunchies are not to be worn.

No one is to wear watches or any other jewellery on ceremonial parade. Following the Mass on Sunday October 23rd, all Cadets will remain behind. All aspects of uniform will be inspected. If things are ‘not up to scratch” then you will be asked to stay behind until they are. From the stadium you will proceed to the main oval where platoon markers will be placed.

 

Reviewing Officer, 2022.

We are delighted to welcome back to the College, Old Collegian MAJ Shayne Sommerville, as our Reviewing Officer for this year.

 

Overview of the parade

  1. Unit forms up near the tennis court sat approx. 11.40am
  2. RSM WO Jasmine Young marches the “right markers” onto the parade ground
  3. RSM marches the unit and the officers onto the parade ground
  4. RSM hands over the parade to the Adjutant of the unit, CUO Ben Read
  5. The unit’s flags are marched onto the parade ground
  6. The arrival of the Official party – Mr. Rowe followed by the reviewing officer, MAJ Shayne Sommerville
  7. The adjutant invites the reviewing officer, the principal & the O.C. to inspect the parade
  8. The “March past” – the unit marches past the reviewing office’s stand.
  9. Address of welcome by the Principal 
  10. Reflection by the Reviewing Officer.
  11. Presentation of awards
  12. Handing over of the flags
  13. “Slow march” by the “old guard.”
  14. Advance in review order
  15. Sounding of Retreat; lowering of the national flag 
  16. Departure of the Official party
  17. The flags are marched off the parade ground.
  18. The unit marches off to the parade ground
  19. Unit dismissed

Running time = approx. 80 minutes.

 

Please do not hesitate to contact the OC of the unit MAJ Phil O’Keefe, should you have any queries - pokeefe@monivae.vic.edu.au

 

CAPT Sarah Byron

2IC, MCACU