Page 86 - Wish Stream Year of 2016

Junior Term – a Burma Company Perspective
OCdt Knight
It has been a busy term so far for CC163; for some it has meant the rst exposure to mili- tary life whilst for others it has built on previous
military experience gained in the Of cer Train- ing Corps (OTC), Army Reserves or as serving soldiers. The Of cer Cadets have been intro- duced to the key components of Of cership, known as the three pillars – com-
major milestone for Of cer Cadets in the Junior Term, not just because it proved that they could now march, but because it also marks the rst weekend off! The rst ve weeks were vital in establishing a key element of the ethos; mutual trust and respect for one another. The late nights spent preparing for inspections together, per-
mand, example and responsibility.
These three pillars are linked and
mutually supporting, and building
upon them is key to developing
the qualities required of a British
Army Of cer. The foundation of
these pillars is the ethos, values
and standards of the British Army,
which Burma Company, CC163, have been developing over the course of this term.
The rst few weeks of the term were spent introducing the essentials of military skills, iron- ing clothes and polishing shoes into the early hours of the morning. Exercise SELF RELIANCE in week four was an introduction to living in the eld, and taught the basics of conduct out on exercise. For those with previous experience, this was merely a refresher, whereas for those without, it was completely new, and this inevi- tably led to people helping each other, whether that was showing the best way to eat a ration pack, or how to put up a basha. After Ex SELF RELIANCE came the passing off the square, a
22 Platoon after Passing Off The Square
fecting the basics of drill, and sharing the moments of despair when some- one irons the wrong crease into their trousers at 0100hrs, just before an inspection, brought Burma together, fostering that sense of mutual trust, cohesion and a common goal.
Soon after week ve, the Of cer Cadets got a chance to unwind slightly with a company dinner night. Not only was this a chance to relax, but it was also an excellent opportunity to get to know each other and the staff a little better, learn about mess etiquette, and learn how to host effectively. Learning to conduct oneself in this manner has helped to shape the 'example' pillar of Of cership.
Later the opportunity arose for Burma to really come together and develop our competitive side during the inter-company sports. Although we won the cross country, we unfortunately did not win overall, but nevertheless we had learnt even more how to come together as a team and strive for a common goal.
Of cer Cadets host WO2 (CSM) Gibson at the Company Dinner Night
The rst ve
weeks were vital in establishing a key element of the ethos
84 SANDHURST