Just Another Parade Night at 9 Platoon, Caversham...
Thursday 30 April looked, on paper at least, like just another parade night for the cadets of 9 Platoon, Caversham. It turned out to be anything but.
Welcoming Captain Powell and Lance Corporal Cunningham from 871 Transport Squadron, 151 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, the evening offered cadets a fascinating insight into life in the Army Reserve, the people behind the uniform and some of the opportunities that exist beyond their cadet journey.
You Can Read About It… Or You Can Wear It
There’s a big difference between reading that body armour is heavy and actually trying to stand up wearing it.
Captain Powell and Lance Corporal Cunningham arrived with a selection of military equipment, turning the evening into a hands-on experience rather than a presentation.
Cadets explored bergens, webbing, combat helmets and body armour before taking turns using night vision goggles, which proved every bit as popular as you might imagine.
The result? Plenty of questions, plenty of laughter and the inevitable realisation that military kit is considerably heavier than it looks on television.
Every piece of equipment became a conversation starter. Why is it designed that way? When would it be used? How much does it weigh? And what exactly do soldiers carry in a bergen?
You Don’t Have to Know Yet
One of the nice things about being a cadet is that nobody expects you to have your future mapped out at fourteen.
What evenings like this do is widen the horizon a little.
They give cadets the opportunity to hear first-hand experiences, ask honest questions and discover possibilities they may never have considered before.
Captain Powell explained the role of 151 Regiment Royal Logistic Corps, whose soldiers provide the logistics that keep military operations moving. Ensuring the right support reaches the right place at the right time.
Having previously served as a Regular soldier before joining the Army Reserve, he also spoke about the challenge, purpose and camaraderie that continue to make Reserve service such a rewarding experience.
Everyone Has Their Own Story
One of the most engaging parts of the evening came from hearing that no two journeys look the same.
Lance Corporal Cunningham joined the Army Reserve in 2021 with no previous military experience. Simply wanting to challenge herself and give something back.
Since then, she has gained her C+E driving licence, qualified to drive the Army’s MAN SV 6-tonne vehicles, trained as a Team Medic and instructor, learnt to sail and ski, and been promoted to Lance Corporal.
For the cadets, it wasn’t just the qualifications that stood out. It was seeing how one opportunity had led to another and how saying “yes” to new experiences had opened doors he never expected.
The Best Part? The Questions.
Once the kit had been unpacked, the evening almost ran itself.
Questions came thick and fast about Reserve training, balancing military service with civilian careers, adventurous training, first aid, qualifications, deployments and what day-to-day life in the Army Reserve is really like.
The discussion also explored the opportunities to learn new skills available through the Army Reserves. How many of the qualities developed through the Army Cadet Force – teamwork, resilience, leadership and communication – continue to be valuable wherever life takes you.
A Credit to 9 Platoon
Reflecting on the visit, Captain Powell said:
I thoroughly enjoyed the session. The cadets were highly engaged, inquisitive and clearly motivated. Their enthusiasm, particularly when interacting with the equipment such as body armour and night vision devices, was both encouraging and a credit to the detachment.
Lance Corporal Cunningham was equally complimentary:
I absolutely loved meeting my local cadets. I was so impressed at how resourceful everyone was and how the experienced cadets instructed and coached the less experienced cadets. I really enjoyed our informal chats and questions throughout the evening and was impressed with how inquisitive and polite everyone was. I’d love to come back another time.
More Than Just Another Parade Night
Some of the best parade nights aren’t the busiest.
They’re the ones that leave people thinking.
By the end of the evening, the kit had been packed away, the questions had finally run out and more than a few cadets had discovered that carrying body armour is far harder than it looks.
More importantly, they had gained a greater understanding of another part of the Armed Forces family, heard genuine experiences from serving Reservists and left with a broader appreciation of where their own cadet journey could one day lead.
Our sincere thanks go to Captain Powell and Lance Corporal Cunningham for giving up their time to spend the evening with our cadets.
Finally, thank you to SSgt Holly Tucker and everyone at 9 Platoon for hosting such an engaging evening and creating an environment where curiosity was encouraged, questions were welcomed and learning happened almost without anyone noticing.
After all, “just another parade night” can sometimes turn out to be anything but.
If you think every parade night is the same, we’d love to prove you wrong
9 Platoon welcomes young people aged 12–18 who are looking for adventure, challenge, friendship and the chance to develop skills and confidence in a fun, supportive environment.
Why not come along and discover what your own “just another parade night” could look like?
HAGA CLIC EN CUALQUIER IMAGEN PARA AMPLIARLA
