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Trust, courage and loyalty
Army's newest officers prove they have the right stuff
4 December 2007
With the weight of command, leadership and responsibility encoded in two modest emblems on either shoulder, the New Zealand Army’s newest officers finished one life-changing journey last week - only to begin another.
Governor General the Honourable Anand Satyanand was guest of honour at the Officer Cadet School’s graduation ceremony last week and had the honour of presenting commissioning parchments to the 36 New Zealanders, two Australians, one Papua New Guinean and one Singaporean graduates.
One ancient gesture, the throwing of head dress high into the skies above, signalled the end of 11 months of physically and mentally demanding field exercises, psychological evaluation and academic work. These men and women had proved they have the right stuff to be leaders in New Zealand’s modern military.
Mr Satyanand addressed the graduates and their guests and said that, as Governor General and Commander-in-Chief, he appointed the Chief of Defence Force and commissioned other officers.
“In doing so, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen and your country, I place a formal trust in the Chief of Defence Force and in you.
“Each commission I sign places my ‘trust and confidence in your loyalty, courage and good conduct’ in carefully discharging your duties as an officer and maintaining the discipline of subordinate officers and ranks and following the orders and directions of your superiors.
“If so authorised, you may one day have to give orders for the men and women under your command to use deadly force against others. The reality of active military service is that men and women under your command may be injured or even killed in fulfilling their duties – duties that you may have ordered them to undertake. These are not powers and responsibilities that our society lightly gives to anyone. “But while your country places a formal trust in you, retaining that trust requires you to build the respect of your superiors, your colleagues and the men and women under your command.”
At midnight the ‘pinning of pips’ ceremony was held at the Waiouru Officers’ Mess where the shoulderworn rank is pinned on by those who supported each cadet throughout their training.
Sword of Honour, the prize awarded to the officer cadet who best displays the qualities of leadership, initiative, integrity, motivation, academic ability, physical fitness and is thought to have the most potential as a New Zealand Army officer went to Lieutenant Lee Pannett, aged 23, of Invercargill.
Next year the subalterns will undergo specialist training in their new corps.
This page was last reviewed on 11 December 2007 and is current.
