Recruit Camp Comes to a Close
Last saturday (28 Aug) saw the wrap up of Recruit Camp aka “Boot Camp”. Close to 250 newly minted Ocdts received the CF hat badge. The group and an impressive group they are covered basic military skills over the past two weeks.
All the staff involved are to be applauded for the tremendous work they accomplished in bring this 2010 Recruit Camp up to an accepted military standard in such a short period of time.
See the poster below for details regarding the “marching through the Arch” which is slated for this coming saturday – 4 September (Labour Day Weekend).
The majority of the new Ocdts will be staying at RMC and quickly started the transition into FYOP. This will run until Reunion Weekend – the obstacle course and the badging ceremony are the two main in events in the life of the cadets (1 & 2 Oct).
Caption: LCol Sue Wigg, Director of Cadets and Sergeant Major Andy Skinner enter the parade square just prior to the inspection, march past and the badging, signifying the end of 2010 Recruit Camp.
Nearing the end of Recruit Camp, many officer and naval cadets such as me have made drastic changes to routines to acquire the necessary military skills to complete all the day’s missions. My flight (“Hotel”) and surely all other flights can appreciate the progressions from week one to week two including dill, duties, teamwork, leadership and all military knowledge. One of the most challenging activities that all candidates participated in was the CF EXPRES test. In this event, cadets displayed personal athletics in reaching the minimum standards: it allowed all individuals to view the necessary goals that they need to obtain.
In-class lectures and briefings continue constantly throughout everyday with information to ensure all new officers understand the basic backbone of the military lifestyle and family atmosphere. This family atmosphere is what continues to unify all flights and new officer cadets in aiding the successful progress to the upcoming completion of Recruit Camp and the Badging Ceremony.
It remains in question for those staying at RMC what FYOP will contain in testing our improved physical and mental stamina. Through the fundamentals truth, duty, valour, we all will strive to carry out necessary tasks to the best of our abilities in the months to follow.
Ocdt Findlater
It happened earlier than I expected, and I am rather relieved.
Today (week 2) I feel like a pattern has emerged from chaos, and that a rhythm is returning to everyday life. 05h45 no longer seems like a ridiculously over-zealous wake up call, and our drill is starting to make us look like a single team.
But for me, and most of the first years, we don’t need drill to make us look like a team; we feel like a team, and are starting to act that way in everything we do. Sure, we all get a little frustrated when a flight-mate slips up, locks himself out of his room, causes the flight to miss a timing, and earn everyone pushups, but we move on. That is a very good thing. This is not only good for a guy who has done that to his flight, but this is a good thing for those perfect recruits too.
It has become more and more apparent to me in the last 10 days that everyone has their respective strengths and weaknesses. There simply isn’t time to compliment everyone on their strengths; instead, the staff has the unenviable task of pointing out and correcting our weaknesses, all of them.
Overall, I’m optimistic about the days ahead. Even when the sweat is pouring off my face as I try to do a single proper pushup. Even when some tough guy beside me calls out “50!” as I whimper “3…”, I don’t get discouraged. After all, that’s 53 pushups for our team.
Ocdt Conroy
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Family and friends are asked to be at the Memorial Arch NLT 10:30. The Cmdt will be there at 10:45 which is when the cadets will march through.
Spectators are asked to stay back from the Arch. From then they go on to the Parade Sq for the Cmdt’s address to the Cadet Wing.