Latest crop of officers celebrate

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 442, 30 June 1992, Page 7

Latest crop of officers celebrate

BY

JAN

SAVELL

Major General Tony Birks (OBE) reviewed the Graduation Day Parade for the 14th class of The Officer Cadet School of New Zealand (OCS(NZ)) on 17 June 1992. Twenty-four Officer Cadets were presented with graduation certificates by Maj Gen Birks at the ceremony which is the climax of 12 months intensive training. Brigadier Brett Bestic, Commander Land Force Command and Col Clive Sinclair, Commander Army Training Group were the official guests. They were welcomed by Lt Col Warren Whiting, the Commandant of OCS (NZ) and received on parade by the Corps of Officer Cadets and the NZ Army Band. After reviewing the parade Maj Gen Birks formally passed responsibility for the protection of the colours and the upkeeping of the Corps of Officer Cadet traditions to the new Senior Class. The Officer Cadets then marched off the parade ground leaving the graduates to receive their graduation parchments. Major General Birks urged them to read the parchment again and again to remind themselves of the obligations and responsibilities of being an officer. "Success takes competence and compdtence takes hard work" advised Maj Gen Birks. "Build on the base you have now to master the art of soldiering." Maj Gen Birks also

presented the major prizes to the graduates. The prize-winners were: Sword of Honour (for leadership, initiative, integrity, motivation and academic ability, physical fitness), Governor General's Medal (for highest aggregate marks in all subjects), Commander Army Training Group Waiouru's Prize (for communication skills) and The Australian Chief of General Staff's Prize for Tactics were all awarded to Officer Cadet David Hannagan. Chief of General Staff's Prize (for highest marks in leadership): Officer Major Glen King. Overseas Prize (for overseas Officer Cadet most worthy of recognition); Officer Cadet Haji Damit Bin Haji Bakar. Commandant's Prize (for Officer Cadet most worthy of recognition); Officer Cadet Robert Giller. Sergeant Major of the Army's Prize (for highest aggregate marks in fieldcraft and weapon training); Officer Cadet Selwyn Bennett. In keeping with tradition there was much celebration at the conclusion of the ceremony. As graduates were fallen out whoops of delight were heard as caps were thrown skyward. More formal celebrations continued at the Graduation Ball held in the OCS (NZ) Mess that night. These included the cutting of the graduation cake by the Corps of Officer Cadets Company Sergeant Major and the traditional commissioning ceremony of the Pinning of the Pips at midnight. New Zealand Army graduates who were formally commissioned at midnight were: RNZA 2Lt Michael Combs, 2 Lt Murray Lauder; RNZAC 2Lt Glenn King; RNZE 2Lt Robert Giller, 2Lt David Hannagan, 2Lt Paul Pfitzner; RNZSig 2Lt Patrick Beath, 2Lt Jason Guest; NZIC 2Lt Grant Fraser, 2Lt Miranda Stacy; RNZCT 2Lt

Marcus Linehan; RNZAMC 2Lt Charmaine Pene; RNZAOC 2Lt Selwyn Bennett, 2Lt Ruth Currie, 2Lt Michael Shannon; RNZEME 2Lt Rochelle Kington, 2Lt Rose Willemsen, 2Lt Aaron Wright; RNZMP 2Lt Michael Murray. Four overseas Officer Cadets training under the

Mutual Assistance Programme also graduated. They were: Australian Army Intelligence Corps, 2Lt Jonathan Surbeck; Papua New Guinea Defence Force, 2Lt Joe Dokup; Brunei Armed Forces - 2Lt Haji Damit Bin haji Bakar, 2Lt Haji Yuzaini Bin Haji Ynus.