Page 24 - Cadet Review Autumn 2021

HSY ACF
Ex-Cadet passes out from the
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
By Major Tim Troughton
Second Lieutenant (2Lt) Alfie Wilson passed out after his 44 weeks of dedication, perseverance and intensive training came to a climactic finale for the former B Company cadet as he marched on to the Old College parade square at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as part of the Sovereign’s Parade where the Prime Minister represented Her Majesty the Queen.
2Lt Wilson said:
“I felt very proud to be able to pass out and to break the stereotype of officership.” 2Lt Wilson will now move into training to qualify him as a Medical Support Officer
(MSO), where he will lead and manage a multi-disciplinary medical team and will be posted to 5 Armoured Medical Regiment
in Catterick. He will also provide medical
evacuation advice to Infantry and Armoured Corps commanders; and plan, deliver and maintain medical provision on exercises and operations.
Using the opportunities available to
him he will enrol on the Army Higher Education Programme and complete a Master of Science in Crisis and Disaster management, which will help with his role as MSO, while out on deployments across the world helping with emergencies where the British Army is called in to assist with crises.
He had this to say about his time with the Army Cadet Force: “The ACF gave me the drive and discipline from a young age to get to where I am today, I credit the hard graft of the adult instructors for making it as enjoyable as it was.”
Sergeant Instructor Michael Townend (Ex Humberside Signals Detachment) said: “I remember when I first saw 2Lt Wilson as
a Cadet Sergeant, the way he talked about becoming an officer in the British Army and carried himself, I knew he was going to do well. Hearing that he has passed out of Sandhurst is fantastic, it has been an honour and I wish you all the luck with your Army career.”
All the Cadets and Adult Volunteers from B Company wish 2Lt Wilson the best of luck with his future career.
COMMANDANT’S COIN AWARDED TO DESERVING VOLUNTEERS
The Commandants’ Award is made to members of the ACF including Adult Volunteers and Cadets for going above and beyond while demonstrating the ACF’s core values and standards.
Sergeant Major Instructor (SMI)
Kevin McDowall, who is the Company Sergeant Major of B Company, and Sergeant Instructor (SI) Rebecca Spicer, of Wolds Detachment, were recognized for their hard work over the last 18 months thought the COVID-19 Pandemic and have received the Commandants’ Coin from Colonel Steve Emerson, the Commandant.
SMI McDowall’s work on creating and delivering a virtual training programme has enabled B Company to continue engaging with our cadets as best as we possibly could. His participation in virtual social activities, positive attitude, and energy among others have shown that he has given this company more that we could ask.
Being a constant support and having maintained a visible presence despite the challenges we have all faced, and in addition, he took on the responsibility of producing a workable plan which would enable us to deliver Army Proficiency
Certificate training across all star levels via Zoom platform. Not only did he produce the plan, but he also signed in each week and delivered training every Monday evening until the Christmas stand down period.
In March 2020, the Detachment Commander of Cottingham Detachment moved to London for a couple of weeks initially for work, he then found himself
in a position where he could not travel back due to the National Health Crisis. As the virtual ACF progressed forward
SI Spicer stepped up and covered the engagement between Cottingham Cadets and the ACF, and, as the Detachment Commander was unable to return
SI Spicer was appointed as acting Commander. She rose to the challenge
and did so whilst continuing to support her original detachment in Market Weighton.
SI Spicer demonstrated selfless commitment by parading at Cottingham which is no mean feat considering she lives in Market Weighton, works in York and had to travel from York to Cottingham in order to open the Detachment doors. She kept in regular contact with the Company HQ team and without a doubt has resulted in the return of many of the cadets to the detachment.
SI Spicer said: “It was a bit of a surprise and all I could think of at the time was how I had to march out in front of everyone... But after this amazing week of annual camp, this it was a nice surprise to finish the week”.
24 CADET REVIEW AUTUMN 2021