Reserve Force Graduation

By Sergeant Caroline Williams

Challenged physically, mentally and emotionally, the six week course changed their outlook on life and set in motion habits, friendships and memories that would remain with them for a lifetime.

PTE Anthony Lensen, year 10 Dean at Marcellin College in Auckland, has encouraged many of his students to look at the Defence Force as a career option but thought he needed to walk the talk and signed up to get a firsthand experience to share with his students.

“If you are going to lead others you must lead by example,” he says, on reflection of joining.

“Some of them thought it was pretty cool I was doing this, and I think others were just glad I wasn’t at school for a few weeks,” he laughs. There’s no denying his experience has been life changing though and he comments that, “Oh, how much you could pack into life if you applied the same discipline and ethics into your everyday life.”

Reserve Force recruit training consists of two modules. Module one (MOD 1), normally run from a Reserve Force unit prior to commencing initial training, gives the recruit an insight to the army battle rhythm and also where they learn the basic structure of the NZ Army, rank structure, and parade skills. This gives the recruit a unique opportunity to stay in a military environment, build friendships with fellow recruits, and confirm if the Reserve Force is what they envisaged.

Module two (MOD 2) is the main part of a recruit’s initial training and is based at TAD. This is the foundation course where soldiers are taught basic soldiering skills including drill, leadership, learning management systems (LMS), first aid, weapons training, navigation, radio communication, and fieldcraft. The training culminates in a five day field exercise in the Waiouru training area where a large part of the course is put into action. Training is blended, face-to-face learning and student online learning.

MAJ Nigel Cole, Officer Commanding KRITHIA Company