Townsville Bulletin

Sky’s the limit for air force cadets

- LYDIA KELLNER

I MMI G R A T I O N Mi n i s t e r Peter Dutton has warned any other internatio­nal fugitives hiding out in Far North Queensland, “you will be caught”.

His comments follow the discovery of US man Kenneth Rodman ( right), 60, who is to be deported after police found him in Cairns on Saturday.

It is understood Rodman’s ex- wife and daughter were only made aware of the discovery after five years of believing he was possibly dead.

He is the second US national revealed to have been hiding out in the region in recent days, after Daintree tour operator Dennis “Lee” Lafferty, who died in a car crash on May 27, was unveiled as drug smuggler Raymond Grady Stansel Jr, who allegedly faked his death in the Caribbean 40 years ago before fleeing Down Under.

Mr Dutton said Rodman’s capture showed “crime does not pay”.

“You will be caught, and ( you) will face the full force of the law, either here or in ( your) country of origin. He said the North appeared an attractive place for fugitives to lie low. THE next generation of Australian air force cadets have arrived in Townsville for their first taste of life in the defence forces.

More than 200 cadets, aged 13 to 15, are this week participat­ing in Junior General Service Training, a camp for newly recruited cadets to gain an appreciati­on for the Australian Defence Force and to be introduced to the Australian Air Force Cadets.

For the first time, the annual event includes youth from Weipa and Mount Isa, with the cadet program recently introduced to those regions.

Detachment Commander, Flying Officer Dave Pringle, said this year’s intake had been the largest in the history of the air force cadets.

“During the camp, cadets will come together as a team, forming new friendship­s and bonds as they learn,” he said. “The cadets will learn how to wear their uniforms correctly, how to march in formation as well as taking part in an array of instructio­nal lessons.”

Mr Pringle said cadets would spend a large part of their week conducting activities at RAAF Base Townsville, including a half- hour powered flight in a C172, tours of RAAF KA350 King Air aircraft, firearms experience and a visit to the RAAF military working dog section.

 ?? Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS ?? HIGH AMBITION: RAAF Mount Isa cadets Ryan Hardie, 15, and Byron Sloman, 13, are in training.
Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS HIGH AMBITION: RAAF Mount Isa cadets Ryan Hardie, 15, and Byron Sloman, 13, are in training.
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