Thirty senior Cadets along with five AAFC Instructors undertook the challenging Adventure Training Award Course which was held in the Walpole/Nornalup State Wilderness Forest in the South-West of WA. The Course was the first conducted in WA for nearly 15 years and the Wing used the company Outward Bound to conduct the ten day course.
Challenging, life changing, spectacular were all words that described the Course that commenced immediately the contingent landed in Walpole. The thirty Cadets were divided into two flights (Alpha nad Bravo) and dropped off at two different locations to commence their Courses. Then it was under canvas for the entire period, carrying everything with them the cadets trekked close to 100kms through spectacular Tinglewood Forests, along isolated beaches, paddled isolated water ways, climbed mountains and were challenged through on the amazing high ropes courses located in the forest areas.
Every day presented itself with a new challenge commencing with breakfast preparation by the Cadets then briefings and plotting courses for the next camp site that were up to 20 kms away through dense growth and virgin bushlands. When you thought that it was all over for the day it was setting up camp or a night march to a surprise location. If it wasn’t the bush that challenged it was the weather which threw hail storms, blistering winds and constant rain for the forst four days of the Course.
During the entire 10 days in the bush it was not until the last day that the two flight (Alpha and Bravo) finally met to undertake the management of a fully fledged ‘critical’ incident and later that day the graduation parade.
Of the 30 Cadets who participated 27 met the essential competencies to be awarded their Adventure Training Badges. The Course was described by all as outstanding and one that pushed everyone to their physical, emotional and psychological limits. Everyone who participated in the Course commented that it was a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity.
The next Adventure Training Course is now being planned for April of 2014.
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