Week 7 - Getting Division Intake 268
18 May 2009This week Getting Division continued with their busy outside instruction schedule with Ararat, Armidale and Bataan all continuing weapons training, Broome and Bundaberg have been down at Survival at Sea and Corrosion Control, while this week, it was Bataan and Bathurst’s turn to experience life at sea.
On 21 May 2009, Getting Division was visited by the Second Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, VADM Massey, RN. Getting was especially pleased to have been selected to have the Admiral visit their division.
Ararat Class, in between carrying out weapons training have been busily practicing and being tested on their parade drill progress as well as spending some time with the Chaplain undergoing character formation. The drill progress test went quite well with Ararat achieving a pleasing result.
Armidale Class has spent the majority of the week also undergoing weapon training, they are all progressing quite well and have really enjoyed going to the range and having the chance to throw rounds down range. They have finally recovered from rigors of spending time out at sea on the MV Seahorse Spirit. Armidale time on the Seahorse Spirit was a mini adventure. The meals onboard were wonderful. The chef onboard was a naval Able Seaman and he showed off his culinary skills. Whilst under steam, the seas were a little lumpy with a few of our class members feeding the fish. It did take a couple of days for us to lose their ‘sea legs’.
Bataan Class started the week with weapon training before being taken out to meet the Seahorse Spirit and get their first taste of life at sea with the Royal Australian Navy. The weather has been beautiful so a nice smooth ride is expected. Before going out sea, the class also participated in Commanding Officers parade, in which they did quite well. As the only class that was representing Getting Division, they made a good example of the standards of drill that Getting Division now possesses. The Divisional Officer gave us a Bravo Zulu (navy speak for well done) after the parade.
Bathurst Class spent the first part of the week out sea, they had an enjoyable time amalgamating knowledge and skills into practice. The second half of the week was taken up mainly by static and marching drill, they are quickly gaining the standards required for a precise graduation parade.
Broome Class completed their Survival at Sea and Corrosion Control, feedback from the instructors shows that they did remarkably well during the survival at sea exam, achieving an extremely high percentage of perfect theory exam results. Well done Broome Class. Bundaberg Class has also completed the Survival at Sea and Corrosion Control components of Recruit School this week. They have set and maintained high standards and morale during the course of their training. They have now completed all mandatory requirements before proceeding out sea early next week.
With only four weeks of training left until graduation, Getting Division is well on their way to being proud, disciplined sailors who are ready to step out of Recruit School and meet their coming challenges head on. The vast majority of Getting Division are now at a high standard. Even the Divisional Officer has said we should be proud of ourselves and our achievements. He even comments on how our friends and relatives will not recognise us on Graduation Day.
Jack Speak
Slush – Originally, this was a term for the fat skimmed off by the cook from his cauldrons of boiled meat. This was compacted, and sold to the purser for making candles. The monies made from this process constituted the very first ‘slush fund’, a term now in widespread use.
Recruit Comment
"Going to the WTTS was amazing, I thought using a rifle would be scary but it wasn’t.";RCTGX Georgia Patterson, 18 years from Nowra, NSW.
