206 ACU Adventure Training Program

by CUO Allan

Adventure Training is definitely one of the most exciting and enjoyable aspects of Cadet Training at 206 ACU. It’s the main reason I love cadets.

As the Senior Cadet of the Unit, I am proud to say that at 206, we provide cadets with the most challenging and exciting activities on possible in the Australian Army Cadets. Our specially designed adventure training courses cater for all experience and age levels, and provide cadets with the opportunity to learn skills as well as gain experiences, that cannot be found elsewhere in other organisations. Some outdoors groups and organisations do provide young people with an ‘Adventure Experience’, we aim to give cadets not only a thorough ‘hands-on’ experience but also to learn the full workings behind various adventurous activities. By covering this fun training in a more complete way the knowledge and skills can be passed on to future generations of unit members for years to come.

Adventure Training is arguably the most fun and most high-adrenaline part of unit training but as with all good things, we do not take our training lightly and the strictest safety procedures are in place at all levels, from cadets to officers, to ensure that cadets remain safe without compromising the thrill of the activity. The AAC is a very OH&S conscious organisation and this culture is reflected in our planning and staging of all our activities. Appropriate safety measures are taken to ensure cadets are kept safe by using items such as Army Lifejackets (PFDs) and communication Devices for Boating, helmets and gloves for roping. When ever a potentially dangerous situation is encountered qualified Personnel and adult staff staging the training/course deal with any issues promptly and efficiently

206 ACU was one of the first Cadet units after Gough Whitlam’s 1976 reformation of the AAC to adopt Adventure Training as a core part of the units identity. From that time, with the assistance of members of the Australian Special Forces community, courses and training programs designed/developed to give cadets the most military style adventure experience in the youth development sphere. Our Adventure Training is is staged in a military context to give cadets a taste of real Army skills and techniques that have been utilized for many years and hopefully for many more to.

Roping Course Module-1

by CUO Allan

This Roping and Rappelling Course is a thoroughly informative and

experiential weekend-long activity that gives cadets the Real Abseiling experience. Cadets not only get to rig up, scale up and down cliffs but are also taught the correct (and safe) way to setup abseils and roping rigs to cater for many different circumstances.

They also learn the skills and techniques involved in civilian and military roping activities including:

- Safe abseil Setups

- Understanding types and makes of ropes

- Basic Roping and Rappelling Knots

- Basic Abseiling and Rappelling Techniques (Descending)

- Basic Prussiking, Climbing and Scaling Techniques (Ascending)

- Application of skills in a Cadet environment

- Identification and use of Military and Civilian Roping and Rappelling equipment

- Belaying

- Safety Techniques and procedures

- Site and situation awareness and appreciation

303 Shoots

by CDTCPL Musster

Shooting has and will always be one of the highlights for me during my time at Cadets. Learning how to shoot service rifles and weapon systems that have been, or currently are in use gives me a sense of achievement that would be otherwise hard to attain in civilian life.

In the particular, the Lee-Enfield No. 1 Mk 3 * SMLE .303 shoot that the unit conducts annually is always an event that I look forward to. Learning the firing procedures on a rifle that was carried in the hands of ANZACs across 3 major wars, as well as many other conflicts instills a sense of Australian tradition and historic connection.

Boating Courses

by CUO de Kantzow

Since 2009, 206 ACU has been running Boating courses as part of our voluntary adventure training program. The Boating courses are open to senior cadets and has two modules. Module One is held near Berowra and is where all the essential skills are learnt and practiced.

Module Two is held in the April school holidays when we travel to Gloucester for three days of whitewater kayaking on the Barrington River. Those who have enjoyed the course once can attend again and frequently get the opportunity to become instructors on the next course.

These Boating courses are perfect if you love high-adrenaline activities and plenty of friendly competition!

Assault Boating

by CDTSSGT McDonnell

Here at 206 we run a wide variety of Adventure Training activities, one of them being the Assault Boating Courses. These courses are designed to teach you the skills and give you the experience that you need to be able to go and apply all the things that you have learnt into the real world.

The Module-1 Course covers all of the basic kayaking skills. We teach a wide variety of topics related to kayaking, laying the foundations that further training can be built upon; different kayaking equipment, common strokes and how to perform capsize rescues to name a few.

In the Module-2 Course, we take all the skills that you have learnt in Module-1, build on them and put them into use going down the fast flowing rapids of the Barrington River, a heart-pounding adrenaline filled experience that just gets better every time you do it.

Some of the fondest memories I have in my cadet career have come from these assault boating courses. On top of being heaps of fun, they’re also a great way to learn new skills, get outside and to get to know your mates better.

Kayaking

by CDTSGT Tran

The Boating courses at 206 ACU are one of the best courses I have ever been on.

If you enjoy kayaking, water sports or have never done a water activity before, I highly recommend doing this course. You learn techniques on paddling which will be used in the 2nd module where you go white water kayaking. It is an extremely fun course and you get to bond with the other cadets.