School army cadets taste Waiouru liffe

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 623, 13 February 1996, Page 16

School army cadets taste Waiouru liffe

School cadets from Taumarunui and Turangi got together in Waiouru over the weekend for a taste of life army style. The 27 secondary school-aged children were taken through various activities including weapons training and range shooting, ration pack cooking and camouflage. The Airforce provided a short Iriquois ride for the 16 school cadets who had their identification cards. "That was a valuable lesson learned about carrying ID cards," Cadet Force Lieutenant Len Harwood said, because those without them missed out. The school cadets were supposed to spend a night in the field, but rain put a stop to that so it was back to barracks to a cooked ration pack dinner on the grass outside. Thanks were extended to Major Chris Plowright, Sergeant Teia Karauria, Corporals Peter Smith, Leon Whitelaw and Grant Pope. "They really went out of their way to help us," Mr Harwood said. An Army museum visit and a barbeque finished off the weekend for the cadets who are all looking forward to the RNZCT (Royal New Zealand Corps of T ransport) Freedom of the Borough charter parade in Taumarunui in April or May Mr Harwood said. It will be the 30th anniversary of the first charter parade to be held in Taumarunui and the school cadets are hoping to be involved in some way.