Wagga Wagga's Mayor officiated as the Reviewing Officer of a March Out parade at the 1st Recruit Training Battalion at Kapooka on Friday (1 April).
Councillor Dallas Tout was invited to be the guest of honour at the March Out of 31 and 32 Platoons, Delta Company, by the Commandant of the 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Colonel Andrew Deacon.
The March Out parade marked the culmination of 83 days of recruit training, which establishes a foundation of skills, knowledge and attitudes required for progression to initial employment training.
As part of his ceremonial duties as Reviewing Officer, the Mayor received formal salutes from the troops on parade, handed out awards to high achieving recruits, and gave a keynote address.
"It was an honour and a privilege to have been invited to 'The Home of the Soldier' to take part in this important occasion marking the first great milestone in the careers of Australia's newest soldiers," Cr Tout said.
"I was very impressed by their high standard of presentation and drill on parade and was pleased to be able to congratulate the prize winners on their achievements.
"It was also wonderful to see the family and friends who made the trip to Wagga Wagga to watch their loved ones on the parade ground."
March Out parades at Kapooka always feature a Reviewing Officer, usually a senior military officer.
Civilians, usually Ministers of the Department of Defence or Veterans' Affairs have acted as reviewing officers, but the Mayor of Wagga Wagga has not acted in this role in the memory of current Kapooka staff.
Inviting the Mayor to act as reviewing officer is an important symbolic gesture that illustrates the partnership between Council and Defence.
The city has strong and long-standing ties to the Australian Defence Force.
The 1st Recruit Training Battalion was established at Kapooka in November 1951, while the Royal Australian Air Force base at Forest Hill opened in July 1940.
"The staff – both civilian and military – of these two bases are part of the Wagga Wagga community, while the recruits and trainees who go through the courses provide major economic benefits to our retail and hospitality sectors," Cr Tout said.
