What's Promotion Course like?

by CDTLCPL De Kantzow

Training Platoon as a Section 2IC for Training Cycle 1/2011

When the phone rang at about half past ten on the morning of the 8th of January I had know idea that I was being invited to a promotions course that would be so much fun or teach me quite so much. I got to the Barracks at about three in the afternoon and we had to wait around to be processed. While we where getting processed we got told what sections we were in, I was put in section 4. After getting processed I went to my room and met my room mate, LCPL Hill. After dinner, we met the rest of our sections and met our section commanders; mine was Warrant Officer Class 2 Rohloff.

On Sunday, reveille was called at quarter to six. We formed up in platoons and the platoon commanders marked the rolls, after the rolls were marked we went back to our rooms to get changed into our uniforms and get ready for breakfast. On Sunday we had lessons until dinner, and then we had a few more lessons then about an hour of personal admin time, then bed.

Monday heralded the start of our field phase, in which we had to complete a day NAVEX, a NIGHT NAV, a CASEVAC and platoon/section harbours. I still think that me and my hutchie buddies made the world’s best "Taj-ma-hutchie" but the officers seemed to disagree when we were told to take it down and make a ninverted-V hutchie like everyone else, even though we had one more person.

On Tuesday we took down camp and marched back to barracks. Then we settled down for more lessons, the most important of which was ‘How to Conduct a Drill Lesson’ as we had our assessments the next day.

Wednesday started bright and early with the usual five-forty-five reveille and kicked off with drill lesson assessments straight after breakfast. Drill lessons took all day and I think that the thought of sleep was what drove most of us through the seemingly endless salutes, turns at the halt and right dresses.

Thursday saw people having another crack at passing their drill assessments or orders with the rest of us as either their drill squads or their attentively listening sections.

After six days of the quarter to six reveille time, we were all up and ready for another day of drill and personal admin. After practicing for our march out parade, Friday was mostly taken up with polishing brass, ironing our polyester uniforms and the last few lessons of course.

On Friday night we received our course reports and packed up ready for the march out parade to following morning. We said good bye to our truly awesome section commanders and section adult staff.

Our last day was started with egg and bacon sandwiches made by the brilliant catering staff and ended with the sound of the band and the applause of the crowd. After the march out parade finished there were a few hugs and facebook names exchanged and then we set off on the three hour drive home.