As the Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka celebrated its 70th anniversary, a graduation parade for 60 of Australia’s newest soldiers was held on November 12.
One of them was Private Dominic Burke of Narara, who is on his way to becoming a Royal Australian Corps of Transport soldier.
“Ever since I can remember I have wanted to join the services,” Burke, 23, said.
“As a little boy I was fascinated by the army and that built as I was growing up.
“Enlisting is a move I contemplated for a long time and when a job came up as a specialist driver I joined up.”
Burke said the job involved a lot of moving goods and personnel and off-road exercises, with the possibility of overseas postings very real.
“I’m excited at the thought of that,” he said.
“I am the first in my family to join the armed services and I think my parents are pretty proud.”
Burke’s 80-day training at Kapooka involved learning basic soldiering skills such as fieldcraft, navigation and communication.
He has now moved on to employment training where he will learn everything to do with vehicles and driving before embarking on his specialist driver course in February next year.
“After that I will get posted to a unit and that could take me anywhere in Australia,” he said.
“That thought is also exciting.”
A Coastie born and bred, Burke attended Our Lady of the Rosary, Gosford Public School and Narara Valley High School.
“My friends are all pretty upset I’ll be leaving the area but they’ve been very supportive,” he said.
Around 350,000 Australians have now passed through the training centre.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, Andrew Gee, said the quality of our soldiers and the international regard in which they are held was testament to the training received at Kapooka.
“The standards of training, mentoring and leadership shown by the staff at Kapooka over the last 70 years has ensured our nation has been protected by soldiers of the highest calibre,” Gee said.
“Generations of graduate soldiers from Kapooka have proven their worth in every conflict and emergency the nation has faced since the Korean War.
“The ‘home of the soldier’ is a uniquely Australian asset that contributes to both our national security and our national character, through the standards and loyalty instilled into every recruit.”
Soldier training at Kapooka includes fitness, weapons handling, combat skills, first aid, teamwork and self-organisation skills.
Terry Collins