On November the 28th four NCOs took part in the Porirua Citizenship Ceremony (CPL Daniel Hawinkels, CPL Tere Ngaro, CPL Nikki Hurnen, and me)

I’ve been to a few citizen parades already. Normally held in Pataka Art and Museum, Citizenship Ceremonies are where new Citizens of New Zealand take an oath to finalise their process towards Citizenship. The ATC provide support for the official party which includes the Mayor of Porirua City (His Worship Nick Leggett) and other high profile distinguished guest. Our main role is to hand out native plants to each recipient and guard the official party.

My favorite part of the ceremony is seeing different recipients dress up in their native attire to showcase their culture to this widely diverse adopted country. After each ceremony, recipients and their families are invited to a buffet of finger foods and photos with the official party members.

Mr Leggett’s special words to the parade are recounted below:

“It is very significant that this year’s parade is held on Te Rauaprarha Park in the centre of Porirua. Your Units serve our communities with distinction and therefore you should parade in full view of everyone in the middle of the city of Porirua.

Next year we celebrate our 50th anniversary as a City and I invite each of the Units to think about how you can assist us celebrate. You have been and continue to be vital contributors and servers of the Porirua community so it’s only proper you take part in our City celebration.

The New Zealand Cadet Forces are celebrating 150 years and is the oldest youth organisation in NZ. It comprises of the Sea Cadet Corps, the NZ Cadet Corps and the Air Training Corps. It started in Otago in 1864 and today the organisation caters for secondary school aged children. There are currently 99 units around the country with over 3900 Officers & Cadets involved.

As part of the 150th Anniversary the NZCF have participated in a major camp for over 1200 Officers and Cadets at Waiouru in January 2014 where attendees enjoyed challenging activities such as flying, tramping & boating. In August His Excellency the Governor General hosted a Vice-Regal Reception at Government House for the youth leaders. The celebrations culminate with the Parade today which all Units around the country will be involved in within their communities.

Some brief information on the service of our Porirua Units:
- TS Taupo Sea Cadet Unit first paraded in October 1951 and received freedom of the city in 1979
- No. 41 (City of Porirua) Squadron Air Training Corps first paraded in May 1980 and received freedom of the city in 2005
- City of Porirua Cadet Corp Unit first paraded in October 1985 and received freedom of the city in 2014″

During the Parade Kadin Fowler was promoted from the rank of Warrant Officer to Under Officer.

The Honour Guard as the players ran onto the field included CDTs Berryman-Assemahli and Sahayam, and LAC Walker.

CPL Haenga-Sutton (NZ flag) and LAC Douglas (Australian flag) were the flag bearers, lining up with the players during the Ode and ceremony.

Other members of the Squadron at the event were LACs Hurnan and Rose, CDTs Woodsmith, Bain and Griffin.

The Hurricanes also won.

We assembled before 5.30am at the Porirua RSA for the Dawn Service, where the Squadron paraded as well as formed part of the NZCF Tri-service Catafalque Guard. The cadets then served breakfast to all who returned to the RSA prior to eating breakfast themselves.

At 9am the cadets then paraded in the Porirua City Civic Service. Those in the parade marched down Hagley Street to the Peace Memorial where a Tri-Service NZCF Catafalque Guard was mounted. NZCF Cadets also acted as Flag Bearers and read the Roll of the Fallen.

The ATC Catafalque Party, consisting of WO Fowler, UO Asbery, UO McLeod, SGT Eagle, SGT Robinson and CPL Mijares mounted the Guard at the Pauatahanui Service, which was attended by members of the Public as well as current and former NZDF members and Overseas Military Officers training in NZ.

The final service of the day for the Squadron was at Whenua Tapu, which included the parading of the Plimmerton Volunteer Fire Brigade, 41 Squadron as well as the Guard mounted by 41 Squadron.

On Monday 10th March, at the Wellington Cathedral of Saint Paul, No 41 SQN Colour Party (WO Fowler, CPL Mijares, CPL Haenga-Sutton and LAC Ngaro) attended the Commonwealth Day Service alongside head boys and girls from 27 or so colleges from around the Wellington region. Before we started we all practised together, walking the flags representing the 53 countries of the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Flag, up to the altar and back down the aisle in the church. Then we had a quick drink and snack before a final practice.

No 41 SQN was the guard for the Commonwealth Flag; we led the guests and dignitaries at a slow march (medium pace) down the Cathedral. Guests such as the Governor General, Members of Parliament, Commonwealth Diplomats, medal winning athletes etc were in attendance. The Commonwealth Flag was the first to be taken up to the altar where I handed the flag to the Dean of Wellington, the Very Reverend Digby Wilkinson. The team did a great job, and we received compliments on our drill and it was stated that “it was the best he’s seen” by Lieutenant General Tim Keating (Chief of Defence Force).

Air Vice-Marshal Kevin Short (Commander Joint Forces NZ) also commended us on our performance, as did members of the Clergy and the public.

Before heading back to T.S. Taupo, we finished the night at the Beehive where we enjoyed delicious snacks and beverages whilst talking to all the high ranking Officers, Student Representatives and others who were involved in the event.

Over-all for my first time experience of being involved in this type of event I felt nervous at first but as the event continued I began to feel more comfortable and thought this was a great experience for a lower ranked Cadet. I look forward to participating in similar events again.

On the 24th February, 41 Squadron representatives (SGT Cane, SGT Robinson, CPL Haenga-Sutton, and CPL Gordon, with Pilot Officer Brown supervising) participated in the Citizenship Ceremony being conducted that day at Pataka museum. The event marking the final step undertaken by those born in another country in becoming a New Zealand citizen.

We arrived at 1830hrs (6:30 PM), with the ceremony starting at 1900hrs (7:00 PM). Marching on with the official party, SGT Robinson and CPL Gordon where tasked with passing the plants up to the official, who would pass it on the new citizen, to mark their citizenship. SGT Cane and CPL Haenga-Sutton were given the job of watching over the official party, standing on either side of the raised platform.

The ceremony finished in less than 45 minutes, and we went to another room with all the officials and the new citizens to mingle over food and drink before returning to the Unit for the remainder of the normal parade night.

Aside from a few technical difficulties and photographers getting in the way, the ceremony went off without a problem and was very rewarding for all those involved. This was in fact the fifth Citizenship Ceremony I have had the privilege of attending with the Cadets, and is a good experience to do at least once whilst in Cadets.

Today stories were run on both TVNZ and TV3. The link to the TVNZ story is here.

Leading Air Cadet Grace O’Neill reports on the Sea Elective:

On the 24th of January one of the biggest cadet camps of all time took place, this camp was called Exercise Cadet 150. Around 10 cadets and I gathered at the Squadron HQ for a bag check (I was very proud that I didn’t forget anything) but somehow getting from the unit to the bus station I managed to lose my rank slides and hat, I managed to find them just in time to hope in the bus. After one of the longest bus rides ever we turned up in Waiouru. We got allocated our groups and tents and we got some time to mingle with our new team members.

One of the hardest things at this camp was getting up at 4.30 in the morning and trying to tie our shoelaces with very numb fingers. All week we did many fun activities including shooting, sports and a lot more, but the best one was the water activities. We were very lucky to be able to do the water activities because the weather was not the best, but on my groups’ day the weather was very sunny and we were able to participate. I did raft building, sailing, jet boating and kayaking. Exercise Cadet 150 was a very enjoyable camp and I learnt lots of new things and met lots of new friends.

Pictured: 1) & 2) LAC Koroheke shooting a Styre rifle, 3) Chauferred to breakfast in style, 4) Unimog’s lined up ready for the trip back from breakfast, 5) Pilot Officer Asbery demonstrates abseiling, 6) & 7) 41 Sqn continguent at the Waiouru museum

Here the cadets from No. 41 (City of Porirua) Squadron Air Training Corps, TS Taupo Sea Cadets and the City of Porirua Cadet Corps Unit gathered to parade in front of a number of VIP guest, including Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett.

A number of promotions, awards and trophies were awarded (including a number of national and area awards that the units had won in 2013) in front of a large audience of family and friends of the cadets, after which everyone enjoyed some drinks and nibbles.

Pictured – 1) On parade, 2) Tri-corp group photo, 3) No. 41 Sqn

On the 11th of March myself along with CPL Haenga-Sutton, CPL Eagle and LAC Gordon were selected to bear the Commonwealth Flag for the Commonwealth Day ceremony held at the Cathedral of St Paul’s in Wellington. Also there were students from schools around the region flag bearing Commonwealth countries flags, as well as special guests, such as the Governor General. It was interesting to find more about what Commonwealth Day is about and what it means it to us as New Zealanders. I also enjoyed listening to the speeches given by people from other cultures and as a highlight I enjoyed the dance given by the Sri Lankan dance academy.

Bearing the Commonwealth Flag was a big responsibility as it was the main flag and so as a result was the last to go up. 41 Squadron ATC has a long and proud history of attending this event and carrying the Commonwealth Flag. Taking on the responsibility however made me feel honored but also nervous. To add to the nerves I was made Guard Commander which was a challenge I gratefully took on.

Taking the flag up and down the middle of the ceremony went really well and we made no noticeable mistakes, however we all found it a little difficult keeping balance at times during the slow march.

After the ceremony we were invited to a very luxurious after party at the Beehive, where there was free drinks, finger foods, accompanied by a jazz pianist. I’ve got to say the party in itself was a new experience. Very much unlike the parties I’m used to!

Overall it was a very insightful experience that I enjoyed heaps and wish I could do again…

Up early and at Porirua RSA by 5.20am, the 6am dawn parade was well attended and thankfully dry.  The tri unit honour guard, complete with rifles, did a sterling job around the flag pole on the RSA front lawn.  With the service complete the Cadets filed inside to help serve breakfast to all the attendees.

From the RSA the Squadron relocated to Hagley Street for the civic service at the Porirua Peace Memorial.  Once formed up, the parade marched down Hagley Street, led by Porirua Brass Band, to the Peace Memorial.  The ceremony included readings of the names of the fallen from the Porirua basin by Cadets from the 3 cadet force units in Porirua. The weather held firm and again the service was well attended.

From Porirua a small contingent of Cadets and Officers made their way over to Pauatahanui for the service there, where unfortunately the heavens opened, while the remainder of the unit retired to TS Taupo to await the final parade of the day for the Squadron.

At 12 noon all the Cadets formed up once more for the relatively short parade at Whenu Tapu Cemetery.

Pictured: 1-3) Porirua Peace Memorial Honour Guard, 4) NZDF Firing party, 5) Porirua Parade, 6) Marching, 7-8) Reading the names of the fallen, 9) Formed up at Whenua Tapu, 10-13) Honour Guard at Whenua Tapu

Further images can be viewed here.