26 August 2007
by Gary Parkes
Ambitions of a career in the military racked up a few notches for secondary school students after a day around the traps at Linton Camp in mid-July.
The 65 young men and women were drawn from schools around the southern North Island from New Plymouth to Napier south. Their Linton experience took place toward the end of the annual “Wellington Region Army Career Expo, based mainly at Trentham Camp.
Rotating in groups around bases, they got to handle the “big guns” with 16 Field Regiment, with a lucky few getting to fire blank rounds after their teams won setting-up competitions.
All enjoyed being taken for a few spins around the lagoon in assault craft as Sappers of 2 Engineer Regiment outlined some of their many tasks in the field.
At 2 Signals Squadron they were shown a typical field communications layout, with detailed explanations of the role of the various elements and equipment used.
An insight was given into the various trades and equipment embraced by 2 Logistics Coy, with some taking a look at the work of the petroleum operators. Interest in the hardware varied according to technical inclination, but a hot favourite with all was the Karcher field kitchen, where adolescent hunger pangs were satisfied.
How battle casualties are treated was explained at the 2 Health Support Battalion stand, where a first aid post was set up and students got to help load “a “battle casualty into an ambulance in the correct manner.
Weapons clattered and bodies swarmed over LAVs as they were shown the “sharp end”” of the Army by 1 RNZIR soldiers.
Staff Sergeant Wayne Lewis, of the Wellington recruiting cell, said the students had been selected from about 90-100 nominated by school careers advisors. The expo was aimed at recruiting for all corps.
"I must say I’ve been pretty impressed with this bunch. They have been taking a genuine interest in what the Army really is about and I think we’ll see about 80% of them going on to apply for officer or soldier entry.”
Comments from participants seem to underline comments made by Staff Sergeant Wayne Lewis:
"I thought the Army could be an interesting job, but now I think it’s awesome!” said one student. " I didn’t realise there were so many different things you could do.”
Ends