MEET THE CUOS
11 PLATOON COMMANDER CUO ARJUN RAMAN (left)
PATHFINDER TREK CUO ROGER XU (middle)
2020/21 | CDT (JLC) 2021/22 | CPL (SLC) 2022/23 | SGT (CWC) 2023/24 | CUO
2020/21 | CDT (JLC) 2021/22 | CPL (SLC) 2022/23 | SGT (CWC) 2023/24 | CUO
10 PLATOON COMMANDER CUO TOBY CAIRNS (left)
FOOD SECURITY CUO CALLUM WOOD (right)
2020/21 | CDT (JLC) 2021/22 | LCPL (SLC) 2022/23 | SGT (CWC) 2023/24 | CUO
2020/21 | CDT (JLC) 2021/22 | CPL (SLC) 2022/23 | SGT (CWC) 2023/24 | CUO
What responsibilities does your rank entail? CUO RAMAN “My responsibility is to lead my platoon and ensure each cadet gets the best out of the program and enjoys it.” CUO CAIRNS “My role is to train, assess and supervise 10 Platoon, working closely with my Chain of Command to ensure that our whole platoon has a productive, safe and enjoyable time at every training parade.” CUO XU “I command a highly skilled and demanded platoon who oversee trek up and around Trek Control at AFX. We train our boys to be adaptive, and fit and to work well as a team and in the heat of the moment. This will ensure the safety and quality of experiences of our cadets.” CUO WOOD “I work closely with my OIC's Mr Orellana and Ms Gandin to coordinate training parades in managing the little time we have to store food, organise equipment and serve PLT's in a timely fashion.”
What was your favourite experience during the training parade? CUO XU “In the last training parade, following with steaming hot start to the training parade involving lessons with 13PLT, the boys got down to the Senior Pool for a mix of team building and fitness. We played pool rugby and did laps of running and swimming to cap off our training day, and it just encapsulated the spirit of brotherhood that characterized the essence of the Corps.”
CUO WOOD “My favourite part of the training parades has to be eating the foods we prepare catering for other platoons. Getting the satisfaction of trying your own food and knowing that you have served up great meals to other cadets is a reward in itself.” CUO CAIRNS “My favourite experience during training parades was my first-year experience completing the Confidence Course. I feel it helped our platoon create a stronger bond and built the foundations of teamwork and camaraderie that lasted the whole Corps year.” CUO RAMAN “My favourite experience would definitely be how my platoon works as a team in various initiatives or activities that we undertake and seeing how they push themselves out of their comfort zones in each activity we do.”
What was your favourite experience during the AFX? CUO RAMAN “My favourite experience from AFX were sitting around the campfires, at dinners whether it was after a long trek or after a day at base. It was always great to share stories and have a laugh around the campfire while eating dinner.” CUO WOOD “I fell off a cliff once... But people in my platoon came and helped me immediately! It was such a touching moment to see the strong brotherhood between my mates. It also made me realize how powerful our cadet community is.” CUO XU “Last year trekking, we found 7PLT in the bottom of our 2nd valley crossing that day one of their cadets had a broken ankle, and one of mine was struggling to walk. We took an hour to make ourselves up the other side of the mountain when we were radioed to go back down to help 7PLT go the other way to a fire track where the CASEVAC had access. The challenge of helping both injured boys get to safety against the elements taught me to embrace difficulty and became a cherished experience for a lifetime.” CUO CAIRNS “My most memorable experiences from AFX were made at the campfires, eating dinner, and telling stories after a long day of trekking and completing initiatives. It made the nights all the more fun having mates around you sharing their experiences and having a good laugh.”
What is your advice to the cadets? CUO WOOD “Make the most of corps as it is a once-in-alifetime opportunity, and the skills and achievements you earn last forever.” CUO CAIRNS “My advice to cadets would be to always have a positive attitude. I assure you that you will enjoy the corps a lot more if you apply yourself and put 100% effort in to all the activities you take part in. Not everyone has the chance and privilege to be a part of the TKSCC.” CUO RAMAN “Give it everything you’ve got, enjoy it. In Corps, you get what you put in. On camp, stop and reflect on your experiences and the journey you’re on. Make sure you keep learning and asking questions because there is no stupid question, and you only have so many years at King’s. There are so many opportunities at King's embrace everyone and enjoy it.” CUO XU “Appreciate what you have before it's gone. It's probably been said many times, but that's because it's true. I've met many older people who tell me how when they look back, they realized that the time of their lives was actually in school, despite the repetitiveness and structure that we kids conform to hate. So look around, take moments to stop take it all in before those moments run out.”
SPECIALIST PLATOON SPOTLIGHT Pathfinders CUO ROGER XU CUO RUPERT BEGG
What’s Pathfinders’ role in TKSCC? “As CUOs of Pathfinder Trek and Roping, formerly Recon, we command a highly skilled and demanded platoon who oversee trek up and around Trek Control at AFX. We train our boys to be adaptive, fit and to work well as a team and in the heat of the moment, as an individual. We are also often called to attend to CASEVACs in the area before professional help can arrive, and supervise trek control in the chaos of night, so that the TKSCC can conduct AFX balancing safety, and the quality of experiences of its cadets.”
What does Pathfinders do during training parades and AFX? “Every week both pathfinder platoons train 2nd year platoons for 2 periods, teaching them the skills of camouflage and concealment whilst mixing in fitness and endurance, both mental and physical. In remaining periods, we variate physically gruelling activities and tests such as circuits and 2ks that ensure the team are physically and mentally fit to operate as a single, cohesive unit at AFX and beyond.”
Why should people join Pathfinders? “Every year, the pathfinder/recon platoons have been statistically one of the highly demanded platoons in the corps. And there is good reason for that. Aside from the distinctive webbing and camouflage we wear; our platoon offers you the truest representation of what it means to be in the army. Both mental and physical strength are developed like no other platoon in the corps, and our freedom to target specific aspects of training and use technology like night vision goggles is unparalleled.”
A Trip into the Past
Brian Templar Barton (TKS 1907-08) GREAT SWIMMER
By May 15, 1915, he was headed to Gallipoli, where he contracted jaundice and enteric fever at Anzac Cove on September 29, 1915. After treatment at the 21st General Hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, he was sent back to Australia on December 13, 1915. Born on October 12, 1887 in Wellington, Brian attended The King's School from 1907 to 1908, earning the 1st XV Rugby Honour Cap in 1908. The school awards annually the Brian Barton Cup for football and the Nanima Barton Cup for swimming, both in honour of his family. Before enlisting on December 7, 1914, at Holdsworthy, he worked as a grazier and had some surveyor training. He embarked on the Troopship 'Suevic' from Sydney on December 21, 1914, to join the 6th Light Horse in Egypt.
Once recovered, he returned to Egypt, joining the 2nd Light Horse at Tel-elKebir on June 21, 1916, and later returned to his original unit, participating in Palestine operations, including Beersheba. In November 1917, while near Jaffa for an attack on 'Ypres Salient' near Bald Hill, a delayed artillery barrage resulted in his and another officer's death. He is buried at Ramleh War Cemetery.
Lest we forget.
Tips for AFX Advices from cadets about AFX to 1st year cadets
CUO WILL ROGERS “Take thick ropes, that will make you sleep better throughout the camp.”
CUO ALEX PELLIZZON
“Enjoy.”
CPL JEREMY BLATCHFROD
“AFX is my favourite part of my life. Come to me if y’all need help.
PADRE'S WEEKLY BIBLE VERSE
MESSAGE FROM RSM MASON
"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." – Philippians 4:13
The Bible passage Philippians 4:13 provides cadets with a compass, endowing them with steadfast faith and resolve. It builds courage and perseverance by building resilience and reminding them that they can conquer any difficulty they face during their training and beyond with God's strength.
Provided by CPL Deenan Navaratnam
"1st Year cadets tend to believe some false rumours about AFX and a lot worry about these rumours before AFX and during AFX. Ignore these rumours that the older cadets make. AFX is one of the best experiences you can have in high school life. Ignore all of those and have fun during AFX. I am sure that it will be great”
MOMENTS FROM TODAY'S PARADE
MEDIA AND DESIGN 2023-2024 CUO Peter Wang WO2 Marcus Madrid NEWSLETTER TEAM SGT Justin Cho CPL Yiming Bai VIDEOGRAPHY TEAM SGT James Harrison SCPL Vikram Goel SCPL Chris Jaensch SCPL William Giorgione CPL Athithan Vignakaran CDT Prangan Das
PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM SGT Christian Teo SCPL John Awakian SCPL Edward Huang CPL Charmin Abhayawickrama CDT Edward Wong EDITING TEAM SGT Kevin Xiong SCPL Caden Anbu CPL Tom Tang