Carrying the colours

Having already served as a signaller in the Australian Army for nine years, Staff Cadet Isaac Jarvinen would have to serve for another six decades or so if he’s to match the Queen’s current benchmark.

CAPTION: The Queen’s Colour is uncased for the Trooping of the Queen’s Colour at the Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra. Story by Captain Dean Benson. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

But instead of looking that far ahead, Staff Cadet Jarvinen was pinching himself in the ‘here and now’ of the Queen’s Birthday Parade on the grounds of the Royal Military College – Duntroon (RMC-D) on Saturday, June 11.

For Staff Cadet Jarvinen, of Kokoda Coy, the parade took on an added layer of personal significance as he was bestowed with the honour of being the Queen’s Colour Ensign during the trooping of the Queen’s Colour.

CAPTION: A Royal salute is accorded by the Corps of Staff Cadets for the Trooping of the Queen’s Colour at the Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

Being the Queen’s Colour Ensign in front of his loved ones, not to mention the Governor-General, capped off an exciting week for Staff Cadet Jarvinen after he also learned that he had been assigned to the Royal Australian Infantry Corps upon graduation and will be posted to 1st Battalion Royal Australian Regiment.

“I’ve been in the Army for nine years, but being here at the Royal Military College, I still feel really fresh. So to be the Queen’s Colour Ensign was a real honour for me, and I’m sure it is something I’ll look back on later in my career with fond memories,” Staff Cadet Jarvinen said.

CAPTION: The Queen’s Colour is trooped through the ranks of the Corps of Staff Cadets for the Trooping of the Queen’s Colour ceremony at the Royal Military College – Duntroon, Canberra. Photo by Corporal Madhur Chitnis.

Commanding Officer RMC-D, Lieutenant Colonel Tracy Allison, said the ceremony provided the ideal occasion for the College to congratulate and thank the Queen for 70 years’ of dedicated service to Australia and the Commonwealth.

“We have all taken an oath or affirmation to faithfully serve Her Majesty and today was the perfect occasion for the cadets and staff of RMC-D to reflect on the significance of that commitment,” Lieutenant Colonel Allison said.

“As Army’s next generation of leaders, I have no doubt the cadets will look to the service, dedication to duty and leadership Her Majesty has shown over the past 70 years as a fine example of what it means to lead and inspire others.”

Governor-General, General (retd) David Hurley who graduated from RMC-D in 1975, was the reviewing officer for the parade.

During his address to the parade, General Hurley recalled himself being a Staff Cadet for the Queen’s Emerald Jubilee celebrations and highlighted the personal honour it was being the reviewing officer for the Queen’s Platinum milestone half a century later.

The cadets of RMC-D won’t have to wait long for another parade with the Graduation of the Class of June 2022 set to take place on Tuesday, June 28.

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