Be all you can be: 512 Army Cadet Unit Narrogin puts out a call for recruits

Narrogin army cadet unit 512 is on the hunt for new recruits to join its ranks and learn the ropes of leadership. With personal development and confidence in mind, Australian Army Cadet Captain Jarrod Hales is kept busy in Narrogin and Katanning overseeing operations and helping youths aged 13 to 17 be all they can be. “We’re aligned with the Defence Force, the army specifically, and we use a lot of their traditions and customs,” Capt. Hales said. “We’re not part of the Defence Force but we share some similarities. “We use those values to teach drills, ceremony, wearing the uniform and field activities, things like hygiene in the field, engineering, rope tying, a whole bunch of skills.” To rise through the ranks, cadets undertake promotional courses that run for about six days, learning about the role they are aiming for before being assessed. “Some cadets are happy to stay at certain ranks, that’s where they’re comfortable,” AAC Capt. Hales said said. “Some of them fly through. “There’s a Cadet Under Officer at a unit that’s just turned 16, that’s the highest rank in the unit; she knows her stuff and she’s flown through in a matter of three years.” Capt. Hales is also on the lookout for a few good men and women to provide voluntary support to the young unit. “You don’t need military experience, there’s a lot of opportunity here,” he said. “We’re not generally involved in the training, we oversee. “We’re here to help with activities, make sure everything is safe and sort out logistics.” Within the unit, senior cadets take the lead, teaching younger recruits and leading activities and one of the highlights of the year is the WA Australian Army Cadet Brigade’s annual field exercise at Bindoon Training Area. “When you see kids come in at 12 or 13, they can be very timid and shy,” Capt. Hales said. “They might have a dream of joining the army, you watch them on their first day of camp at the end of term three in Bindoon, there’s shooting and abseiling, engineering; after they’ve gone on that, you see a whole new confidence and spark in their eyes. “It’s a great organisation to be part of, there are a lot of skills to be learnt whether you plan on joining the Defence Force afterwards or not.” Information on how to join Unit 512 can be found on the Australian Army Cadets website.