Youngster troops on in military

TEEN SOLDIER GRADUATES FROM ARMY COLLEGE

A TYNESIDE teenager is proudly gearing up to serve his country after passing a major milestone in his military career.

Josh Smith, 17, of Wallsend, is among hundreds of junior soldiers who have graduated with a passing out parade at the Army Foundation College, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

The parade marked the completion of the soldiers’ British Army junior entry training at Uniacke Barracks.

The prestigious ceremony was the culmination of months of hard work and determination.

Their final training exercise involved an intense seven-day battle camp encompassing the skills they picked up at AFC Harrogate.

They will now go on to serve in various corps and regiments to begin the next part of their specialist training, where they will learn how to do their jobs at home and abroad.

Junior entry soldiers go on to become engineers, IT specialists, infantry soldiers, as well as more technical specialists.

Smith, who studied at Churchill Community College, will go on to serve with the Coldstream Guards.

He said: “Graduating from AFC Harrogate in front of my friends and family is something that I am very proud of doing.

“As a junior soldier you learn core life skills such as leadership, teamwork and determination. I have made loads of friends and met new people, and

have become much more confident in my own ability. I’ve been paid really well for someone of my age and I’ve got some really useful qualifications. I’m now really looking forward to the next stage of my Army career.”

Lieutenant Colonel Will Strickland, commanding officer at AFC Harrogate, said: “All the junior soldiers passing out should be proud of all that they have achieved during their time at AFC Harrogate. The training these junior soldiers go through is tough, but undeniably leads to excellent opportunities for personal and career development and allows people’s talents and skills to shine through. “In choosing an Army career you will belong to one of the most respected organisations in the world.” Every year, AFC Harrogate takes in up to 1,632 school-leavers. The Army pays junior soldiers a full salary to train, worth more than £1,000 per month. Once they graduate they can expect regular pay reviews and clear promotion paths and 38 days’ leave a year. Josh Smith, from Wallsend, has graduated from the Army Foundation College