Information Booklets For Trainees

Chronicle (Levin), 29 December 1949, Page 4

Information Booklets For Trainees

\ Next May will see the "beginning of New Zealand 's greatest peacetime military training scheme. Thousands of 18-year-olds will be brought together in camps throughout the country for what will probably rank as the great advenjure of their young lives. Many of them are still wendering what it's all about. Most of them know why, but they are asking "where?", "how long?", "what happens?", and "what do I have to do?" The answer to these and many other pertinent questions is given in a hooklet at pjesent being vbstrtfcuted by the three services. The booK-. lets set" out the obligations of members of each of the services 1 and briefly outlines the training programme. After reading it recruits should he" able to decide which service they prefer. Those who are called will' be glven the chance of stating their choice of any particular service, but the Royai New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve and the Territorial Air Force take only a limited number of recruits each year. Moreover, except for aircrew, applieants for the Navy and Air Force will be eonsidered only 'if their homes are within reasonable distanee of the established training centres. Naval Training Compulsory service in the Royal New Zealand Navy is divided into three parts — 14 weeks of whole-time training in the first year, 20 days' part-time training in the second, third and fourth years, and six years on the inactive reserve, The initial period will be spent in H.M.N.Z.S. Tamaki, the naval training establishment on Motuihi Island at Auckland. The first six of the 14 weeks will be given to general introductory training. The rest of the time will include a week at sea and acquaintance courses in various suhjects. Aptitude will be noted and the recruit asked in which branch he would like to epecialise. Ti,©, nest year4 part-.tim© Iraiuing

with the recruit 's home division of the R.N.Z.V.R. will start. This will also include seven days at sea. Instruetional training, mostly in the form of twchonr night drills, will occupy 13 days. As a day is regarded as six hours, this will mean 39 parades a year. On eompletion of this part-time training recruits will be posted to a special inactive reserve, but they may volunteer for further service with the R.N.Z.V.R. For those entering the Army the^ Initial training will be at Papakura, Linton or Pahiatua, or Burnham Camp, depending on the military district in whieh the recruit lives. The course" will last 14 weeks, the first six being spent on basic soldier training, with the second eight devoted to specialist work in some cases away from the main camps. When the initial period is completel the trainee wil] be posted to one S the Territorial Force units in his home town. In each of the three years spenx in this unit lie will be required_ to put in 20 days' training, 14 of which will be spent in camp. The other six will be made up of week-end camps and day and half-dav periods during weekends. The man who wishes to qualify as an n.c.o. or as a specialist will generally have to attend voluntary evening class6S» After this four years of training unless he desires to contirtue serving with his unit, the recruit will be posted to the Army Reserve for six vears. Those wishing to seWe with the Territorial Air Force must be prepared to volunteer for some additional duties necessary for the success of the training nrogramme. The extent of the ^ Bo^.4 New Zealand Air Force 's part in the scheme will be governed bv the ability to train applicants within the organisation of the T.A.F. Therefore there will be onlv a limited number of vacancies available for either air or ground crew.