The light at the end of the tunnel: in sight

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 263, 15 November 1988, Page 16

The light at the end of the tunnel: in sight

A year in the life of five officer cadets Our five Officers are nearly through their year-long Officer Training course. Here they write about the year just past and the graduation to come in December.

With approximately five sixths of senior class behind us, the thought on everyone's minds is on graduation in mid- December. Junior class in relation to senior class is a holiday. The work and time pressures placed on cadets during senior term make sleep and free time a precious if little undertaken pleasure. Tactics is the subject which dominates the term. In it is the application of most of what has been learned all year. During the term there are also four major exercises which are physically and mentally demanding. Apart from the odd weekend day off and a four day break the rest of the time is spent in camp training. So all that is between us now is exercise Takrouna and Board of Study No. 6 which is the last formal assessment they do on you. To get through after doing so much will be an achievement which hasn't at all times been recognisable. It will certainly be a change for the better in terms of a more relaxed and enjoyable lifestyle which is challenging and interesting.

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Ocdt

Rankin

Life as a senior class member of O.C.S. is' not too different from junior class, although it has progressed. I think perhaps the difference for me is that now I can see the carrot at the end of the stick rather than just being told about it. Graduation is the culmination of a years work. For me a year's hard work. Because the end is in sight however, doesn't mean that

we have the time to stop, take a breath and congratulate ourselves. It isn't over yet. There is still a lot o f work to do. Even then graduation isn't a certainty. I will be certain of graduating after the fact. It has been an unusual year. Retaining some of yourself, but signing the rest over to the Army. Having your career rest in someone else's hands, not only your career but the rest of your life. We do our best, but the final decision is up to someone else. Sometimes best just isn't good enough. Firm friends have been made and will never be forgotten. This year so far has been the worst and best times of my life, hopefully it will continue to be so.

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Ocdt

Hunt

Well, life goes o n and so does Officer Cadet School. We are now well into our year of Officer Training, with in fact, only 36 days to go until graduation as I write this. The year in retrospect has passed very quickly, but with a great deal of pressure and late nights to look back on. Since commencing the Senior term (the year is broken into two six month terms, Junior and Senior) we have participated in three major field exercises totalling approximately four weeks and numerous minor exercises. To add to that w e have sat countless examinations and have been personally assessed nearly every hour of the day. This all amounts to a great

deal of pressure placed on the individual and a close camaraderie built around the corps. To date it has been a very rewarding but trying year where I have made several lasting friendships and accepted many new challenges. It has had its highs. For example, the sense of accomplishment after a demanding exercise and its lows. For example when classmates leave the course as a result of their own choice or the system's. However it all comes out on par again when the next day begins. With graduation so near, feelings are running high. Everyone is filled with anticipation

about the new corps they are to graduate into. For me, I a m graduating into the Royal New Zealand Corps of Transport, which I am very happy with after serving with them for seven years prior to attending the commissioning course. For others though it's going to be something entirely new and another challenge, as it will be for everyone, to look forward to.

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Ocdt .

Ivil

The first few weeks, days of junior term - life that had never been experienced before. New ways of doing things, new thoughts and ideas. Junior term had many new and

exciting activities to partake in. Everything was new, interesting and a challenge. There was a lot of hands-on work, as compared with the senior term which is more academically orientated, At the time, the junior class seemed difficult and taxing on occasions; but with the advantage of hindsight it is obvious that the junior term was comparatively easy. There was a lot of time to yourself. Even though senior term has a 1 a r g e r workload, it's made easier to bear with the fact that we are the seniors and the juniors are now going through what we did. The junior term had far less work and less pressure; but it doesn't have one thing that the senior term does: the commission at the end of the term. Once we found out the corps that we would graduate

into, the amount of work no longer worried us, as the light at the end of the tunnel was finally in sight. I will be graduating into the Royal New Zealand Corps o f Transport. I am now looking forward to graduating o n December 14 and a career in the New Zealand Army.

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Ocdt

Dunwoodie

An overseas students point of view; Almost a year ago at Officer Cadet School I did not believe that life here could be interesting and enjoyable. Coming to New Zealand was not m y choice but was really a good experience for me. Firstly to adapt to a new environment and life style. Secondly, being away from home, especially missing Malay food. Having done courses in England and having served almost nine years in the Royal

Brunei Armed Forces my whole stay in New Zealand has been one of observation, gaining into and making comparisons between three Armies. My view of New Zealand commissioning course is that it is a selective course for potential Officers as compared to Officer Training School at Duntroon, Sandhurst, West Point and OCS (Singapore). I see OCS (NZ) as a demanding, stimulating and very selective process that graduates the esoteric few. Since I arrived in New Zealand I have made many friends who I hope to work with in the near future. At OCS, honestly I felt that all the staff were very helpful. My final view of this course is it is demanding and interesting with joy, happiness, pain and frustration.

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Ocdt

Azahar