Former rivals take top recruit title

Two former Hawke's Bay men have been jointly named New Zealand Army's Top Recruit.

Two former Hawke's Bay men, who used to compete against each other at school in clay pigeon shooting, were jointly named New Zealand Army's Top Recruit last week at their recruit course graduation.

Private Pete Hewitt, 28, and Private Vaughan Danks, 25, graduated last week in Waiouru from Cassino Company's All Arms Recruit Course 378, which had 81 recruits marching out.

The two had shot competitively against each other while at secondary school, Private Hewitt at Lindisfarne College in Hastings and Private Danks at Palmerston North Boys' High School. They went their separate ways after leaving school, but met again at the start of their Army training, along with another friend from school days.

"We all shot at school together. It was hard case to come and join the Army and then you've got three best mates here together, it's really cool," said Private Danks.

As well as being awarded top recruit, they finished first and second in the toughest physical challenge of their training - an exercise known as Warrior. Private Hewitt also won the award for top shot.

"I definitely wasn't expecting it. There are some pretty top shots here in the company, like Danks himself - he's a really good shot. To come away with it, I'm pretty stoked," Private Hewitt said.

Private Danks said being awarded Top Recruit was "pretty cool".

Completing the Warrior exercise had tested him physically and mentally, but the competition against others including Private Hewitt had spurred him to push himself harder.

"He got top Warrior and I got second. We've been competitive the whole way really," Private Danks said.

To win the award for top recruit, both men had to prove themselves across all disciplines during their training.

Private Hewitt was a stock agent before joining the Army while Private Danks had been a digger driver in the mines in Australia before returning to New Zealand. Both Hewitt and Danks have joined the infantry and will be based at Burnham Army Camp, near Christchurch.