The ambition to be a pilot has gained altitude for recent graduate Officer Cadet Kristian Veal.
Officer Cadet Veal graduated from the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA) alongside more than 270 Navy, Army and Air Force classmates.
He commenced study at ADFA in 2021 and has now completed three years of combined military training and university lectures to graduate with a Bachelor of Science (Chemistry and Aviation) from the University of NSW.
Born in Kialla in country Victoria, Officer Cadet Veal began his school years in his hometown and finished them in Goulburn.
He has always wanted to be a pilot in the Air Force, having had two great grandfathers in the Army, he recalls being interested in their service from a young age.
It was not all study and training at ADFA. Officer Cadet Veal found time to captain the ADFA Cougars cricket club team, play social mixed netball with the ADFA Mustangs, and was a member of the Camping, Boating and Fishing vocational extracurricular club.
Officer Cadet Veal also had the opportunity to be Cadet Captain in his ADFA division, a leadership role amongst peers. He said it helped him to develop his leadership skills and learn from the military staff who work with the trainee officers.
"It allowed me to practise some of the leadership skills we learn at ADFA and it was an awesome opportunity to work closely with the divisional staff," Officer Cadet Veal said.
"My time at ADFA, including the opportunities to improve leadership skills and take on additional responsibilities, has helped develop my character, and at the same time I've learnt a lot about how Defence actually works."
Officer Cadet Veal said he was keen to learn and didn't have any doubts about his decision to study at ADFA.
"I really loved my time at ADFA. And completing single-service training at RAAF Base East Sale has kept me keen to pursue my pilot career. I'm eager to get into the workforce," Officer Cadet Veal said.
A field excursion to learn about explosives at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney, as part of his chemistry studies, stands out for Officer Cadet Veal as an academic highlight and he has many other memories to take with him to his first posting after ADFA.
The friendships made through sharing events, activities is part of the ADFA culture, and developing lasting friendships stands out as a personal highlight.
"Making life-long friends and the close connection you forge with so many people has been amazing," Officer Cadet Veal said.
For anyone considering ADFA as the first step toward an interesting officer career in the ADF, Officer Cadet Veal said ADFA offers so many benefits, including learning with a close group of friends - and a degree that is paid for.
"The opportunities you have to learn and lead and the friends you make can't be matched elsewhere," he said.
Officer Cadet Veal will now return to East Sale for an interim posting before he commences formal pilot training, beginning his career as a RAAF pilot officer.
