Friday, 17 November is the final Home Training for our recruits for this year.
It can be difficult as we approach the Christmas holidays to remain focussed on warm Friday afternoons and to treat Cadets and the members of our Cadet Unit with courtesy and respect. Last Friday, I spoke to the recruits about this very topic, following weeks of continual disrespect towards rank and staff.
Friday afternoons are about practising and preparing for the culminating activity of the recruit year, the Annual Field Exercise (AFX). Continual disrespectful behaviour from some of our recruits on Fridays is indicative, then, of the kind of behaviour we predict on AFX. Such behaviour on a military base poses a real safety concern and is not something I will tolerate.
Cadets is a vastly different context to the rest of the school week, and provides an excellent opportunity for growth, for tolerance, and for learning how to conduct oneself in a respectful and professional way. Our core tenets reflect those of the AAC and encourage Service, Courage, Integrity and Excellence, but it is Respect which must underpin everything we do to foster an inclusive, collaborative and positive experience in Cadets. I would encourage all to be mindful of keeping their interactions respectful at all times.
It takes courage for young people to check their behaviour, to think twice before acting and speaking, and it is not something that the instant, modern world facilitates. I ask all cadets to be vigilant with their own conduct, to ensure our platoons and companies are exhibiting behaviour of which we can all be proud.
While the recruits are on their Year 8 Camp, Cadets on Friday, 24 November will be for senior cadets only.
Various activities are planned for the day, including a CPX for Senior Rank, a CPL session and an excursion to the Sydney Indoor Climbing Gym for our Pioneers, Engineers and X Platoons. Please keep an eye on your emails and the Routine Orders for more information.
Remembrance Day is an opportunity for our College community to come together and reflect on the blessings of our lives; blessings that are possible because of the altruism of our servicemen and women in the defence of our country.
On Friday, 10 November, the Cadet Unit is proud to conduct Ceremonial Parades for both Waverley College and St Catherine’s School at 10:45am, and on Saturday, 11 November, our Catafalque Party and Flag Bearers will be assisting Waverley Council with their service in Waverley Park.
We thank the following cadets for their service to the community and for their many hours of rehearsal.
| Rohan | BAKER |
| Kimmi | BILMON |
| James | BIRBAS |
| Patrick | BLACKALL |
| Oliver | BRACIC |
| Anika | BRADFORD |
| Daniela | COMINO |
| Ruby | CONGDON |
| Cate | DARLING |
| Toby | FERNANDES |
| Remy | FRAMPTON |
| James | GRANT |
| Natalie | HA |
| Emma | HARTWIG |
| Yannick | HOTT |
| Lachlan | HOY |
| Lachlan | JONES |
| Lara | KARLOVSKY |
| Blake | KHOR |
| Georgina | KIMPTON |
| Julia | MALLAM |
| Chiara | MARSHALL |
| Declan | MCAULIFFE |
| Finnian | MCCARTHY |
| Zoe | NGU |
| Meg | O’CONNOR |
| Ethan | OOI |
| Luca | PATRICK-WATKINS |
| Renato | ROVACCHI |
| Abigail | SALEM |
| Amelie | SALEM |
| Lauren | SHEEHAN |
| Fox | STAPLETON |
| Jamie | VANDERKEMP |
| Benjamin | WEBB |
| Zara | WISEMAN |
Cadets is an inclusive and varied co-curricular activity providing many different experiences and opportunities in which our cadets can develop leadership, initiative, service and excellence.
This Term will see our leaders serving the community with three Remembrance Day Ceremonial Parades – for Waverley College, for St Catherine’s School and for Waverley Council.
Some of our lucky cadets will travel to Holsworthy Barracks tomorrow for a Live Fire activity and in December we are holding our inaugural WEC Trek Camp. This exciting initiative is a camp to extend some of our seniors in field skills and teamwork as they compete in a scenario-based activity for the Silver Award. Next year, a Gold Award will also be on offer. This camp is designed as a pre-cursor to the National Adventure Training Award (ATA) and is also excellent preparation for AFX.
The WCACU community will be pleased to hear of a recent appointment at HQ AAC 2nd Brigade. Anthony Evans, Waverley Old Boy and long serving member of our Cadet Unit, has just been appointed the Assistant Commander of 2nd Brigade at Holsworthy. We congratulate LTCOL(AAC) Evans on his new appointment and look forward to working closely with him in all our endeavours.
On Saturday, 28 October 2023, 40 lucky cadets are travelling to Holsworthy Army Base for a Live Shoot run by HQ AAC 2nd Brigade. I know all our candidates are really looking forward to this extraordinary opportunity. Earlier in the day, Randwick Barracks are holding an Open Day for the general public from 9am-12pm which would be a great adjunct to the afternoon’s activity. Please see the details below.
Over the course of this Term, all cadets will be swim tested in their DPCU cadet uniform in preparation for AFX. This is a pre-requisite to being able to participate in any water activities on camp. Please keep an eye on the Routine Orders from week to week to see when your son needs to complete this and ensure they come to school with their PE uniform and towel in a plastic bag.
Term 4 is a short term in the Cadet Calendar – just six Fridays for the Recruits! Dress Code for recruits will be 4B Summer Field Dress which means the DPCU shirt with shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused and the field hat. In warmer weather, recruits chose not to wear an undershirt but the DPCU shirt must always be worn. Under no circumstances should the undershirt be worn alone.
As of next week, we have a number of exciting external activities including Archery, Laser Tag, Snake Man and Swim Testing. Please keep an eye on the Waverley App and the Routine Orders from week to week to know what to bring.
Tomorrow, Saturday 14 October, our CAS Milskills Team will compete against Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity for the coveted Military Skills Trophy. Our team has been diligently training for weeks to bring their skills up to speed, and we are very proud of their dedication and teamwork.
A big thank you to WO2 Lachlan Isaac and SGT Rohan Baker for their initiative and leadership. We wish the Team all the best for the competition.
| BAKER | Rohan |
| BALLESTY | Harry |
| COFFEY | Alexandra |
| COMINO | Daniela |
| DIMOPOULOS | Anna |
| GRANT | James |
| HA | Natalie |
| HOTT | Yannick |
| HOY | Lachlan |
| ISAAC | Lachlan |
| ROVACCHI | Renato |
| SALEM | Amelie |
| STAPLETON | Fox |
| VANDERKEMP | Jamie |
| WEBB | Benjamin |
| BRACIC | Oliver |
| FERNANDES | Toby |
| LYNN | Taj |
| SIMCOCKS | Lucas |
| CONGDON | Ruby |
| KIMPTON | Georgina |
| MCCARTHY | Campbell |
| RIZOS-PARKER | Eve-Jasmine |
| TRUSTRUM | Jasmine |
Friday, 8 September is the final Unit Training for Term 3. We thank our recruits for an excellent start to their Cadet journey and for their enthusiasm for Bivouac, which will give some context to their training between now and AFX in 2024.
The first training back in Term 4 will be Friday, 13 October. Dress for recruits will be Summer Field – DPCU shirt sleeves down, DPCU trousers bloused, field hat (essential), undershirt (optional).
We wish our CAS Milskills Team all the best for their final preparations and for their competition against Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity on Saturday, 14 October. Thank you to WO2 Lachlan Isaac and SGT Rohan Baker for their excellent leadership in running the Milskills training sessions.
Those who were invited to express interest in the AAC Live Fire on Saturday, 28 October will receive a permission slip this week. Please ensure these are returned quickly to lock in our numbers for this exciting opportunity.
Thank you to the WCACU community for supporting our Legacy Day fundraising. The boys raised over $900 to this worthy cause and we thank them for their service in the cold wind tunnels around Bondi and Waverley on Friday morning.
Bivouac is fast approaching, and we are looking forward to taking our recruits on their first Cadet adventure.
On Friday, 25 August, cadets are asked to come to school in their DPCU Field Dress, complete with field hat, and their backpack labelled and packed with their gear. There will be designated areas on the lower tennis courts to store bags in Company locations until lunchtime.
Cadets will form up in bus lines on the Centenary Quad directly after lunch.
The Cadet Unit will be supporting local Legacy branches by selling badges and bears on Friday, 1 September to the local community. There will be cadets at Charing Cross and Bondi Junction, so please look out for them and support this worthy cause. Merchandise will also be available in the Staff Common Room and to students at recess. Cash only, I’m afraid, so please come prepared.
Image: courtesy Legacy website
The Cadet Bivouac is an important event on the Cadet calendar and requires all members of the Unit to attend. This is the first chance our recruits have to put their Friday afternoons into context, and it gives our new rank the chance to put into practice their newly-honed leadership skills in the field.
Bivouac takes place from 1:35pm Friday, 25 August – 4:30pm Sunday, 27 August 2023 at St Mary’s Towers, Douglas Park, and is a published event in the College calendar.
Please review the Joining Instruction emailed to all families on 25 July 2023. To ensure the best care for your son on this camp, it is vital that we have the most up-to-date contact information and medical and special dietary requirements on the Google Form below.
Click here to view and complete the Google form
Thank you to all the families who have completed the Google Form with these details.
The Cadet Unit will be supporting local Legacy branches by selling badges and bears on Friday, 1 September to the local community. There will be cadets at Charing Cross and Bondi Junction, so please look out for them and support this worthy cause. Merchandise will also be available in the Staff Common Room. Cash only, I’m afraid, so please come prepared.
Thank you to all who nominated to be part of the CAS Milskills Team. Your Milskills captains will be in touch with you shortly regarding the training schedule in preparation for the competition at Scheyville National Park on Saturday, 14 October 2023.
Thank you also to all who nominated to be part of the AAC Live Fire Activity at Holsworthy Army Base on Saturday, 28 October. We are fortunate to be one of the few NSW 2nd Brigade Units to be included in this exciting initiative. Please keep an eye on your emails for further information.
This week, we start the more practical aspects of Cadets with Alpha, Charlie and Echo Companies learning the art of a weatherproof hutchie, and Bravo and Delta concentrating on ration packs and how to efficiently pack their trek pack. In just three short weeks, they will put these lessons into practice in the field.
A reminder to all that the Bivouac Google Form below needs to be completed for all members of the Unit by this evening please.
Click here to complete the Bivouac Google Form
Special guests from HMAS Watson will be joining us at lunch time on Tuesday, 8 August to present career options in the Navy to our Years 10 and 11 boys. All are welcome to bring their lunch and interact with ADF members in the PAC.
Click here to view the HMAS Watson flyer
Expressions of Interest are called for the 2023 CAS Milskills Team. The team competes with Cadet Units from Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity across a range of field craft skills on Saturday, 14 October. For further information, please see the Commanding Officer.
During the school holidays, 116 cadets gave a week of their precious holiday time to attend the Waverley College Cadet Promotions Courses, learning valuable skills in leadership, team development, instruction and field skills, in order to lead the Unit in the 2023/2024 Cadet Year. Successful candidates have been posted to their new positions of responsibility across the Unit and on Friday we will celebrate the promotion of our successful candidates at the Rank Induction Ceremonial Parade.
We congratulate the new Senior Cadet Under Officer, CUO Oliver Malzard, as he leads the Unit into the coming year. In an exciting milestone in the Unit’s 110 year history, we are very proud to announce the first female Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) for the Unit.
The strength of candidature this year was such that we made the decision to commence a new Recruit Company (Echo Company with Platoons 13, 14 and 15) and a new Support Company Platoon with Engineers. These developments provide additional leadership opportunities from now into the future, and allow the Unit to grow as it continues to flourish.
It gives me great pleasure to announce the leadership team for the 2023/24 Cadet Year.
Senior Cadet Under Officer (SUO) – CUO Oliver Malzard
Adjutant – CUO Deuchar Dezarnaulds
Training Officer – CUO Mitchel Ho
Operations Officer – CUO Julia Mallam
Logistics Officer – CUO Lachlan Miranda
Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) – WO1 Hayley Paddock
A COY COMD – CUO Emma Hartwig
B COY COMD – CUO Marcus Kastrissios
C COY COMD – CUO Meg O’Connor
D COY COMD – CUO James Birbas
E COY COMD – CUO Remy Frampton
SPT COY COMD – CUO Luca Patrick-Watkins
A COY – WO2 Renato Rovacchi
B COY – WO2 Amelie Salem
C COY – WO2 Yannick Hott
D COY – WO2 Daniela Comino
E COY – WO2 Natalie Ha
SPT COY – WO2 Lachlan Hoy
JLC Course – CPL Ryan Murphy
SLC Course – WO2 Lachlan Isaac
CUO Course – CUO Lachlan Miranda
JLC Course – CPL Zac Jones
SLC Course – WO2 Natalie Ha
CUO Course – WO1 Hayley Paddock
The whole Unit will parade for the first time on Friday, 28 July, and we are looking forward to an engaging and dynamic year ahead.
Commanding Officer – WCCU, MAJ(AAC) Julie-Ann de Kantzow
All recruits should now be equipped with their Cadet uniform and gear. Any uniform issues or exchanges can be done from week to week at the Q Store under the Grange Building on Wednesdays – recess, lunch or after school.
We are looking forward to welcoming our new Year 8 recruits to the Cadet Unit in Term 3. A reminder to all parents/carers that this weekend is the Cadet Uniform Issue Weekend and 10-minute appointments are available to book for Saturday, 17 and Sunday, 18 June at by clicking the button below:
Click here to select a timeslot
Uniform and gear is provided on loan for the duration of your son’s involvement in the Cadet Unit, and is issued from the Q Store located behind the Grange Building on Carrington Road.
It has been a busy week in the Cadet Unit, with our CAS Drill Team performing brilliantly at the CAS Drill Competition on Wednesday, 31 May. Hosted by Waverley College at St Catherine’s School, we welcomed our friends from Barker, Knox, St Aloysius’ and Trinity, competing for the CAS Trophy with a challenging Drill routine.
While Trinity went home with the trophy, our team was exceptional in their preparation, their uniform, their team spirit and their drill execution. Expertly commanded by the RSM, WO1 Angus Birrell, they were deservedly proud of their performance.
Thank you and congratulations to: WO1 Angus Birrell, WO2 James Birbas, WO2 Emma Hartwig, WO2 Oliver Malzard, WO2 Meg O’Connor, WO2 Hayley Paddock, WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins, SGT Matthew Garrop, SGT Mitchel Ho, SGT Campbell Porteus, SGT Reuben Seroa, SGT Aodhan Williams, SGT Zara Wiseman, CPL Kimmi Bilmon, CPL Daniela Comino, CPL Toby Fernandez, CPL Yannick Hott, CPL Lachlan Isaac, CPL Lara Karlovsky, CPL Lachlan Marzol, CPL Renato Rovacchi, CPL Amelie Salem, CPL Abigail Salem, CPL Benjamin Webb.
Sunday was a very special day in the Cadet Calendar as we farewelled our graduating Year 12 Cadets at the conclusion of their years of service to the Unit. The Annual Passing Out Parade and Awards Ceremony is a wonderful opportunity to bring our parents and community together to celebrate the successes of the year.
Reviewed by COL Nicholas de Bont, Commander NSW AAC 2nd Brigade, our Unit paraded proudly for the last time under the command of the SUO, Kayla Heng. Our cadets were resplendent in their Ceremonial DPCU, demonstrating their respect for tradition, for the Cadet Unit, and for our Senior Ranks as they complete their leadership of the Unit.
Congratulations to our 2023 Prize Winners for their dedication and commitment to the Unit over the past year:
A COY CDT Dante Fearn and CDT Archie Campbell
B COY CDT James Grant
C COY CDT Ryan Murphy and CDT Finnian McCarthy
D COY CDT Ben Cromer
SPT COY CPL Jacques Dezarnaulds
A COY CPL Archie Godby and CPL Amelie Salem
B COY CPL Daniela Comino and CPL Yannick Hott
C COY CPL Taj Lynn and CPL Lachlan Marzol
D COY CPL Sophie Jasczyk
SPT COY CPL Jamie Vanderkemp
SGT Will Sweetman and CPL Will Priddis
WO2 James Birbas, WO2 Oliver Malzard, WO2 Hayley Paddock, WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins, SGT Kai Jones, SGT Marcus Kastrissios, SGT Alice Lee
CUO Hugh McDonald
CUO Alistair Isaac
CPL Lachlan Isaac
CUO Hugh McDonald
Year 10 Cadet Waverley College SGT Lachlan Miranda
Year 12 Cadet Waverley College CUO Zachary Straker
Year 10 Cadet St Catherine’s WO2 Emma Hartwig
Year 12 Cadet St Catherine’s CUO Vanessa Kimpton
Year 10 Cadet CPL Bailey Barker
Year 12 Cadet CUO Christopher Kallo
WO2 Luca Patrick-Watkins SGT Jack Ryan
SGT Jett O’Halloran SGT Charles Thompson-Owens
WO2 Meg O’Connor
CUO Max Van Buuren
WO2 Robert Muir
SIGS Platoon (Received by the RSO – CUO Paul Muir)
9 Platoon (Received by Platoon Sergeant – SGT Zara Wiseman)
A Company (Received by Company Commander – CUO Matteo Paolella)
CUO Thomas Gleeson
WO1 Angus Birrell
CUO Sarah Teitler
Senior CUO Kayla Heng
We thank the Old Boys’ Union for their generous donation of a further five ceremonial swords to the Unit. This year’s swords were:
The celebrations continued into the evening as our Year 10 and 11 Dining Stewards converted the gymnasium into a beautiful formal military mess, enjoyed by special guests from the AAC, St Catherine’s School, Waverley College and our Year 12 cadets, parents and carers.
As we end another Cadet Year, we thank the Year 12 cadets for their leadership, their commitment and their service:
CUO Christopher Armstrong, SGT Finn Backlund, WO1 Angus Birrell, CUO Tom Brenchley, CUO Mitchell Cahill, CPL Priscilla Chia, WO2 Bert Cottell, SGT Olivia Finn, CUP Catherine Fitzpatrick, CUP Thomas Gleeson, CUO Darius Hall, CUO Kayla Heng, CPL James Iatrou, CUO Alistair Isaac, SGT Kai Jones, CUO Lenny Jospeh, SGT Alice Lee, CUO Hugh McDonald, CUO Paul Muir, CUP Matteo Paolella, CUO Ruben Stock, SGT Declan Strong, CUO Sarah Teitler, SGT Caleb Urquhart, CUO Max Van Buuren.
Our attention now turns to developing our next leaders at the Promotions Courses from Monday, 26 June – Saturday, 1 July at Winbourne Conference Centre, Mulgoa. Registrations are now closed and we look forward to welcoming our largest ever contingent of future leaders on Course.
A preparation afternoon will be held from 3:30pm – 5pm on Friday, 16 June. All promotions candidates are required to attend this afternoon and form up will be on the Centenary Quad. During the afternoon, we are also conducting the X Platoon Barrier Testing for all Year 10 and 11 cadets interested in this special platoon.
For the rest of the Unit, I thank you for your commitment to Cadets over the past busy year and look forward to seeing you, along with our new recruits, at the Commanding Officer’s Welcome Parade on Friday, 21 July 2023.
On Thursday, 15 June, the Waverley College Cadet Unit is hosting a special Commemorative Parade to recognise the outstanding service and dedication to the Australian Army Cadets and Waverley College of LTCOL(AAC) Peter Frost and MAJ(AAC) Anthony Evans.
The parade will take place at 5:30pm in the Centenary Quadrangle, Waverley College and will be reviewed by General the Honourable Sir Peter Cosgrove AK AC (Mil) CVO MC (Retd). Following the Parade, cadets are released from their commitment, while light refreshments will be available for Old Boys and the adult Waverley Community.
We would like to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora nation who are the traditional Custodians of the land on which Waverley College is located. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We are committed to honouring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual connections to the land, waters, seas and sky and their rich contribution to society.
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