AUSTRALIA'S TOP CADETS
Unit named top group in Australia
TOOWOOMBA’S navy cadets have been crowned as the best in Australia, nearly 10 years after they first won the top prize.
About 50 training ship (TS) cadets ranging in age from 13 to 20 years old took out the Navy League Shield at the 2016 National Assessment, beating 80 other units from across Australia.
The cadets, who were awarded the prize by Navy Deputy Chief Rear Admiral Michael Noonan last night, were assessed in October last year for their training, discipline, teamwork and community involvement.
Co-founder of the unit Lieutenant Penny Gardner said she was proud of the group after coming close to winning in 2015.
“I’m a bit passionate about the Toowoomba Unit because my husband and I started it in 2003,” she said.
“For us, it’s just the absolute best, to think that Toowoomba’s group has the opportunity to have some excellent staff in their unit.
“(The unit) certainly gives our cadets a good grounding and the fact that they get outside their comfort zone.
“I think you would find between the three cadet groups (army, navy and air force), there are 300 young people in Toowoomba who are part of the tri-service cadets.”
Lt Gardner said cadets got to learn valuable skills that would be useful later in life.
“We base ourselves on the traditions and principles of the Navy, so we do drills,
learn how to tie knots, and occasionally we give them the opportunity to go on warships when they arrive in Brisbane,” she said.
“We do water-based activities, and all the staff are highly qualified to guide them.
“It builds teamwork, teaches them skills they may not have originally had.”