Army life looks good to Act MP

Act MP Heather Roy in the Territorials uniform.

At 42 years of age, it was now or never.

Act MP Heather Roy leaves today for Waiouru and six weeks training in the Territorial Force.

Mrs Roy said she had been thinking about joining the Territorial Army for some time, but with five children growing up had felt she could not take time away from her family.

With her youngest child, Jack, now 10 the time was right.

"And to be honest, at 42, it's now or never really."

A long-time gym goer and keen tramper, she passed the required fitness test without a struggle.

"To get in I had to do a 2.4km run within 14 minutes and I did that in under 11 so that was all right."

She also had to do press-ups and sit-ups - the number is determined on a person's age and sex.

She had to do about eight press-ups but did 24. She easily passed the requirement for 40 sit-ups with the trainers stopping her once she had done 130.

"The fitness part wasn't hard, I didn't find, although the running I always struggle with. It's never quite as easy."

Mrs Roy had spoken to the Speaker about her six-week leave of absence from Parliament.

She chose to do her training at this time of year because it meant the least time away from Parliament.

Her parliamentary work is being covered by others and she cleared her wish to join the territorials with Act Leader Rodney Hide, Act's only other MP in Parliament.

Defence Minister Phil Goff also knows and "has wished me all the best and said 'you realise you're going to have to salute me"'.

Mrs Roy, who is Act's spokeswoman for national security, plans to give her Territorials' pay to charity.

One of the things Mrs Roy will learn is how to shoot. There will be confidence courses and field work.

She was looking forward to her training with equal amounts of "eager anticipation and trepidation".

When in uniform, she wants to be known as Private Roy.

Overseas deployments are possible for members of the Territorial Force.

"I don't think you can actually join up without giving at least passing thought to that. It certainly is a possibility. We've got commitments to peacekeeping activities around the world.

"It's part of it and I'm just really concentrating at the moment on getting through the next six weeks."

- NZPA