PORIRUA CADETS ON THE RISE

In recent years the unit has won the RNZRSA award for top cadet unit for community service and has been finalist for two consecutive years in the Wellington Airport awards. The unit has supported many causes, such as raising money for the Cancer Society, the local food bank, and the RSA, and have aided their community in activities such as recycling events, and working bees for veterans.

Cadet Warrant Officer Class Two Pyper Adams, CSM for CPorCU says the unit has even registered with the Student Volunteer Army award program so that the cadets can track and record their service hours, as well as being registered with the Duke of Edinburgh awards which has resulted in two cadets being presented with their Gold award this year.

“The community engagement is one of my favourite things about my unit – and the cadets love it too!” says WO2 Adams. “It’s not always easy, but it really brings us together as a unit, and the results we see in the community are truly humbling”.

In 2023, the unit decided to again put their mahi back into the community and raise the money to purchase a mobility scooter for the RSA.

That was their goal, and it has been achieved. After much hard work, the cadets presented the scooter to Roger Kingsford (president of the Porirua RSA), recently alongside Jack Steer, National Vice president RNZRSA and former Chief of Navy, and John Hannan, RSA welfare officer.

Being army cadets, they of course had to make the scooter black and red., said WO2 Adams.

In thanks for the work of the cadets, the RSA presented the unit with a certificate of appreciation, and LT Jackie Adams (Unit commander, CPorCU) was presented with an RSA Merit award for his years of support and mahi to the RSA.

The cadet unit is proud to have been able to give back to those who have served, and looks forward to continuing their work in the community.

Wars, and there were certainly many parallels highlighted. Presentations followed on the Governors and government, the Commandants and the volunteers and militias they commanded, together with the lasting impact of the military structures which were established then have to this day. Māori participation was discussed in terms of the successes achieved, but also the different interpretations of what that has on our understanding today, and that was amplified when considered in relation to the new history curriculum for schools.

Over the next twenty years Project 200 will be developing works on the Divisional Years of the NZ Army (1914–1984), and a final time based volume for 1985 to 2045 which currently looks like it may about peacekeeping, but who can tell? The plan is also to have specific studies about important themes completed, the two already confirmed being one about Māori, and Women in the NZ Army, but with army art, photographic imagery and others being considered. CA’s Military History Seminar 2023 was a first for the NZ Army, but it is hoped to hold similar events to help expand the understanding of New Zealand’s military history and assist the project’s development of those future works.

COL Colin Richardson.