Suffolk Cadet Magazine Dec 2003

A Walk on the Wildside
16-year old Cadet Tanya Richardson, from Ixworth Detachment, was one of 14 Cadets nationwide to be selected to undertake a 4-week expedition to South Africa.
Wilderness Challenge 2003, the 8th such annual event to be arranged for Army cadets, was designed to develop the Cadet’s cultural and ecological awareness, leadership skills and maintain already established links with young people of South Africa.
A gruelling schedule had been arranged and involved Tanya in training on a Game Ranger's Course, visiting the Anglo-Zulu war battlefields at Rorkes Drift, renewing already established friendships with staff and pupils at the Siyane High School and walking wilderness trails in the Drakensberg Range and the Umfolozi Game Reserve.
Organising sponsored events and the generosity of individuals and Companies raised the £3000 fee. The Grenadier Guards provided specialist survival equipment.
Tanya said she had been looking forward to this challenge of a lifetime and the expedition lived up to her expectations. As a result of a car accident two years age she suffers a condition akin to rheumatism of the soft tissue. She wanted to prove that the condition would not stop her from achieving anything, however physically demanding.
Tanya told us: ‘I am very grateful for the help that I have received to enable me to go on the ‘Wild Side’ and I recommend to other Cadets that they grab the opportunity to undertake this experience of a lifetime’.

Padre’s Thoughts
There is an ‘f’ word of 4 letters that is not often on the lips of members of the Suffolk Army Cadet Force. It is ‘fail’.
We should certainly always strive for success but the truth is also that we sometimes fail. What are we to do about that?
I want to suggest that a failure faced is a good thing and a failure ignored is not good and may even be a dangerous thing. When we work hard for success and it comes to us we are happy and have learned a lot about hard work and commitment. What we seldom do is ask ourselves honestly: ‘why did I succeed’? We take it for granted that it was down to hard work and perseverance, good planning, a tiny bit of luck and maybe some help from friends.
When we fail and face the failure we ask ”What went wrong”? Then we learn much more about ourselves and about the work we are doing. This might be in the cadet training programme, at school or even in our love life. Every time we face failure we learn something useful and so we are better equipped for the future.
If we don’t face up to failure and run away from it, we miss a valuable chance to progress. We just end up with a loss of self respect which doesn’t help anyone.
When we look at the hero of the Christian faith, Jesus, he certainly appears to have failed. He is captured by his enemies, condemned to death by an unfair court, and cruelly killed. Yet two thousand years later we remember him still and only recall the successful Roman Governor and Chief Priest because of Jesus’ failure.
Failure can be something out of which we can create something much better. Jesus’ life, death and rising again certainly tell us that.
Don’t be afraid of the ‘f’ word and you’ll be the stronger for it.
Padre Michael Woods
Afternote Jan 05 by Webmaster: Did You Know that our Padre is a Church of England Canon, based at the largest parish church in England, at Great Yarmouth. The splendid medal he is wearing in the photograph above is the Territorial Decoration, awarded for 12 years of Commissioned TA service. He was also President of The Rotary Club of Great Yarmouth Haven 2004-5. He served in the 1960s with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) in Sumatra - thankfully unaffected by the 2004 Tsunami - a year after the Webmaster did a VSO tour in the Solomon Islands 1961-62 and 4 years after the Webmaster was President of the Rotary Club of Watton and District. Small world!

Suffolk Cadets in Texas USA
On 10 Jul 2003, a group of 7 British Cadets and Adults arrived in Baytown, Texas, for 3 weeks with cadets from the US Marine Corps at Ross S Sterling High School.

The program is designed to let cadets understand how their counterparts work , train and live.

It started for the English cadets when they arrived at Houston Intercontinental Airport, after their 10 hour flight from London Gatwick. After 2 hours getting through customs they were greeted by their host cadet, the Texas HEAT and mosquitoes.

Next day they had an invitation from the Mayor of town Mr Alfaro, who officially welcomed them to the City of Baytown.

The next day saw the group of Suffolk cadets and US Marine cadets off to San Antonio for a tour of the city and to the schlitterbahn to cool off.

Then it was to Astro World and Galveston. On the following day a visit to the Baytown Police Dept, to run the Obstacle course (now, that is an Obstacle course!) followed by a look at the weapons that the local Police use, and yes we did get the fire them.

On 21 Jul they went to the USS Lexington aircraft carrier - now permanently berthed at Corpus Christi, Texas. The group was inducted into the Navy upon arrival and became 'shipmates' for the next 24hours, as Lexington shipmates, they traded in familiar language foe one that translated 'floors' into 'decks, 'walls' 'into bulkheads' and restrooms into heads, the young shipmates and their sponsors were given a sampling of shipboard life as they took their turn in 'chow' lines, slept in racks instead of beds and endeavoured to remember which side of the ship is starboard and which is port. The next day included a flag ceremony with patriotic music and an evening tour of the aircraft carrier.

The next visit was to the Naval Air station 'Corpus Christi' where they participated in 'damage control formulary drills' visited air squadrons and control towers, receiving instruction on ' air operations and air control procedures'. Then onto Kingsville Naval air station, where they visited the flight lines, the air operations unit, where they were given a an explanation of a pilot’s rigorous training schedule, then off to the pilot’s 'ready room' where they tried on many pieces of clothing and equipment required for a flight. After three days of fast pace schedule, the cadets ended the trip with a visit to the station post exchange (NAAFI) and boarded their bus back to Baytown.

On return to Baytown the cadets joined up with Baytown Civil air patrol members at the Baytown National Guard HQ.

The names of the Cadets and Adults are wanted ! Please send to Suffolk ACF Webmaster Major JL Raybould TD your rank, first name and surname.

Click here for photographs of the visit to UK in Jul 04 of Baytown Cadets

Quartermaster’s Column
I would like to congratulate all officers, sergeants and cadets for a good March Out from Annual Camp. We seem to have escaped with a small bill on the handover. This keeps the cost of camp down so there are winners all round.

Combat Soldier 95 uniform is slowly coming in. Adults will be the first to get it, then it will filter down to cadets. Adults should now give their CAAs their size requirements.

HQ Land are at this moment doing a review on ACF holdings of equipment and clothing. While this is taking place issues of No 2 suit for new adults has been suspended.

Capt John Catt

Wathgill Camp D of E Expedition Yorkshire Dales 2003
As part of Wathgill Annual Camp 2003 a group of cadets were selected to complete their practice expedition as part of their Silver and Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

Thanks to the support of ‘C’ Coy in supplying all the participants we embarked on the expedition of 50 miles in 4 days beginning in the village of Irelet.

It was here that Sgts Norris and Sutton, Cadets Hinds, Fosdike, Roper, Berrington and Southgate left the comfort of their minibus and embarked on their practice expedition. Over the next four days they pushed themselves to the limit (and beyond!) and carrying all their food, water and tents they walked over the lovely scenic Yorkshire Dales.

The expedition would see them walk up two of the highest hills in Yorkshire, Ingleborough and Pen Y Ghent, and camp in sight of the viaduct at Ribblehead. At the end of the 4 days they all knew they had walked 50 miles but they also knew they had earned their practice expedition and they would remember it for many years to come.

Remember the award scheme is open to all cadets in the ACF and goes a long way to impressing future employers who want people that have achieved something in their life. Details are available from your DC or the Adventure Training Staff at County HQ.

Looking real good, don’t you wish you had gone on the D of E expedition now, just looking at them?

Make sure you are on the next one - the date is on the county training program. All you have to do is let your detachment commander know, and they will inform Lt Steve Rhind.

But you must be on the award, so if you are not, get your Detachment Commander to get you onto it NOW.