Father and son come full circle with cadets

Two soldiers who participated in a recent cadet exercise took the ADF’s aim of fostering a family-like culture literally.

CAPTION: Private Riley Wakenshaw and his father Sergeant Paul Wakenshaw, who worked together on logistics at a cadet exercise. Story by Cadet Lance Corporal Elijah Dunks.

Sergeant Paul Wakenshaw and son Private Riley Wakenshaw were two key members of the logistics team behind Exercise Emu, the Australian Army Cadets – Victoria brigade’s annual field training exercise, at Puckapunyal Military Area.

The exercise, from September 13 to 28, brought together cadets from units and battalions across the state, to deliver leadership and skills training and development in relevant application environments.

Behind the scenes, the logistics teams worked to ensure smooth operations and relevant resources.

“We’ve been doing all of the driver support and logistics – we’ve picked up all the vehicles from JLUV [Joint Logistics Unit Victoria],” Sergeant Wakenshaw said during the exercise.

“[We’ve been] moving the field packs in the cadets’ field locations and supporting the cadets so they didn’t have to carry them significant distances, and making sure they have water – a lot of that logistics stuff in the background that just happens.

“We ran the inflatable obstacle course and helped set up the field one, and supported that from a safety point of view and from an organisational side of it.”

Working together on the exercise was part of a journey that has come full circle for the pair, now amicably referred to as ‘senior’ and ‘junior’ by those who have worked with them.

Private Wakenshaw, a former Australian Army Cadet and training sergeant at 301 Army Cadet Unit (ACU) Echuca, joined the Army at the beginning of 2023 and was posted as a driver to the 3rd Combat Service Support Battalion in Townsville. His father, Paul, has more than 38 years of experience as an Army reservist, including working with Riley a number of years ago as adult cadet staff at 301 ACU.

Remembering his time as a cadet, Private Wakenshaw said the lessons taught in the cadet program reflected the Army lifestyle.

“It’s very similar, where you’re always out field working with your team – for field exercises for cadets, you’re obviously all together. And then up in Townsville now, I’m in a small group working very close with the people around,” he said.

“It’s interesting – bit of a different work environment but it’s good fun. I loved it when I was here as a cadet, so I was more than happy to come back and support it, and it’s just a good experience to give back to it.

“Through initial training, it’s a lot of the same principles – teamwork and leadership and a lot of the same values. As you get into your specific trade, you’re learning different things but there’s still always that underlying teamwork and formation.”

Sergeant Wakenshaw shared his experiences as the parent of a child involved in the program, noting his son’s development in areas of responsibility and management.

“When Riley was 14, he was given the opportunity to run the Q-Store, so he was responsible for issuing the cadets’ uniforms and webbing and setting all that up. At that age, it was good to see him develop quickly,” he said.

“That was a good thing about the program – it makes you work as a team and think of other people apart from yourself. It gives you a good basis for life and you realise what’s important. You get to share and develop, and give back to others as well, which is great. It’s the basic foundations to build your career and values on.”

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