Biv, rat packs and hutchies
Wenona Cadets may have been a bit anxious as to what to expect from their first time on a Cadet Bivouac, but this was quickly dispelled when they arrived at Singleton Army range during the last week of Term 3 and were taken off to their respective Coy (company). Each Coy was split into further platoons and then sections, which were led by their respective Cpl (Corporal).
Cadets were given instructions how to effectively use a Rat Pack (ration pack) before setting up their Hutchie in pairs. There was no rest between activities, which kept cadets on their toes and ensured that the night time infiltrations were completed effectively and silently in order to remain as concealed as possible from the opposing force.
This was just the beginning of a fun and engaging four days of continued exercise and skill development. Activities included an obstacle course to promote teamwork and communication, laser tag to represent a combat scenario and Rogaine, which is a cross country navigation exercise to utilise the cadets’ knowledge in grid reference to locate a variety of checkpoints.
Each day cadets rotated between campsites, setting up a harbour area in a formation that would best support the defense against opposing forces. During this time, the cadets enjoyed the scenery and wildlife - kangaroos, wallabies and the occasional snake! The temperatures also varied from 0 to 37 degrees, exposing the cadets to a variety of conditions to which they needed to adapt.
There were 3 awards given to Wenona Platoon Cadets at the end of the Biv with the entire body now looking forward to the annual AFX camp to be held in Week 8 this term.