Celebrating our Cadets

The aim of the Unit is to prepare young men and women for life well beyond the Mint Gates, equipping them with many essential skills and values, such as courage, teamwork, initiative and a deep sense of respect.

The Ceremonial Parade demonstrates the hard work, dedication and precision that our cadets strive to uphold. It also provides an opportunity for our cadets to celebrate the achievements of the Unit and exhibit the self-discipline required to perform in the parade.

This year, we were honoured to have Reviewing Officer, BRIG Benjamin Slaughter, Commander of Australian Army Cadets, review the Parade. In his address, he acknowledged the Barker College Cadet Unit and its long and proud history.

“The Barker Cadet Unit has demonstrated what it means to be an army cadet. This is what builds our nation and this is what builds the type of young people that will lead Australia into the future,” he said. The culmination of the formalities and celebration is the formal Dining-In Evening for our Year 12 cadets and their families. The evening held in the School’s Dining Hall, provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the graduating cadet cohort and reflect on the many memorable moments during their time as part of the Unit.

Justin Langley Commanding Officer of BCCU

Annual Field Exercise 2023

The BCCU’s Annual Field Exercise provides cadets and rank with the opportunity to apply all the field and leadership skills they have been developing throughout the year on Monday trainings and at Bivouacs. It is the largest self-contained activity run at Barker and was an absolute success, as each cadet was able to challenge themselves mentally and physically in a unique environment with so much support from rank and staff.

The Commanding Officer, Major Justin Langley, received an email from a cadet after AFX stating, “I never would have made it through my cadet journey without the unconditional help of the Company rank and staff, and I want to express my gratitude to them.” This is a testament to the quality of leadership training undertaken by every rank member.

This year the Unit, consisting of 400 cadets and rank, spent six days on Singleton Military Range. The advantage of using a Military Range is that all cadets from each company were able to visit the nearby School of Infantry (SOI). This is a basic training facility for infantry soldiers and officers. Cadets had the opportunity to take part in activities such as the Weapons Training Simulation System. There is a 10m abseil tower which was run by our own abseil qualified BCCU staff and Pioneer cadets and rank from the abseiling cell.

Along with the activities completed at SOI, cadets were able to enjoy activities at a company level. These were planned, organised and run by the senior and junior rank and included first aid medical activities and scenarios, a dam crossing, constructing bush shelters, bridge building, and attempting an obstacle course. Cadets also learned how to complete piquets, which are a shift-based night observation post. Additionally, senior rank created amazing tactical exercises, such as Bravo company’s continuous 13 phase, 48 hour activity which allowed cadets to complete a range of challenging but fun tasks to achieve their mission. Each company also completed a hike which required navigational skills, physical endurance and teamwork.

It was an honour to lead the Senior Command team who ran and organised this camp along with the assistance of the amazing cadet staff. This was the 2023 Year 12 cadets' last cadet camp, and the level of success can be completely attributed to their level of dedication, grit, and overall passion for cadets. The cadet year came to an end with the Annual Ceremonial Parade, held on May 19, where the unit presented awards to some outstanding cadets and gave a well-deserved farewell to all of the Year 12’s.

“AFX this year was a pleasure to be a part of. Watching recruits (many of whom were apprehensive or unenthused about camp on arrival) grow into the camp experience and engage in more and more activities throughout was very rewarding. As someone finishing my 4th and final year in the unit, this AFX was an endearing display of the work of our senior leadership team, and a fantastic culmination of my cadet experience at Barker.”

Echo Company Commander CUO Jeremy Davie

“Being part of AFX 2023 is an experience I will never forget. Being able to see the hard work and hours of commitment from all of the senior leadership team payoff was so rewarding. Through that, watching the cadets enjoy the camp and share the love of cadets that all the leaders have was a perfect way to conclude my final AFX.”

Bravo 2IC CUO Jonah Mills

“It was surreal to watch the younger cadets make the memories we senior rank look back on so fondly.”

RSM Zoe Samios

Elizabeth Moore Senior Under Officer CUO