Students praise Waiouru boot camp

HARD WORK: Makoura College Services Academy students have returned from their 12-day military induction course at Waiouru a well-honed and united team that includes Alataua Wilson, 17 (left), Rheegin Anderson-McKenzie, 17, Hannah Smith, 16, and Jamie Murdoch-Dawson, 17. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

They woke up exhausted, went to bed hungry, and all of them at some time or another had wanted to go home. But 10 Makoura College Services Academy students are today fresh back in class after surviving and successfully passing a 12-day boot camp in Waiouru.

Four of the students talked to the Wairarapa Times-Age about the military induction course, to which their counterparts from six other services academies throughout the North Island also had travelled late last month.

Makoura College academy platoon sergeant Rheegin Anderson-McKenzie, 17, had been on a similar course last year and welcomed the opportunity during her second year at the academy to take a leadership role.

"It was a good, new experience and even though I was there last year this time it was different. It was physically and mentally exhausting and challenging."

Ms Anderson-McKenzie, who is aiming for a Navy career as a hydrographics surveying officer, said the academy students started each boot camp day at 5.30am and retired at 6pm, and each received strictly rationed food at meal breaks.

"Everyone got tired and hungry and everyone went through that stage of wanting to go home - even me - but the team support kept me and the others going and we all just carried on," she said.

"We were a lot more united as a group when we got back."

Alataua Wilson, 17, second in command, said he had joined the academy to improve his physical fitness and as a career boost toward studying physical education and owning and operating his own gymnasium.

Mr Wilson plays in the front row for the college 1st XV and the Marist Thirds club side, he said, and his fitness level had lifted since he started at the academy.

He said the most difficult element of the course for him had been the Longest Day, which was held on the 10th day of the boot camp, testing all that had been learned up to that point.

This included a Required Fitness Level test that comprised a 2.5km run, adventure-based learning tasks, teamwork, fieldcraft, fire drill and safety, and leadership skills.

Hannah Smith, 16, said she also was looking at a career in the Navy and had profited from the boot camp, especially the team events and tests.

"When we started working as a team, things got better because teamwork was essential otherwise you just start falling apart."

Jamie Murdoch-Dawson, 17, said a military career was a possibility for her and she had joined the academy to gain fitness and an introduction to the military.

She agreed with Mr Wilson that the Longest Day, and the exhaustion towards the end of that day, were the most difficult challenges on the course.

Rima Marurai, director of the Makoura College Services Academy, said there were a further four courses the students would attend throughout the year.