On a perfect Northern Territory day, by the beat of a bass drum, a platoon of 18 soldiers marched onto the parade ground at Defence Establishment Berrimah to celebrate graduating an intensive 17-week course.
Friends and families seated in rows of chairs were eager to celebrate the achievement of their loved ones dressing off from the open-order march. VIPs waited patiently under the dais and the master of ceremonies adjusted his microphone.
The scene could easily have been from any military graduation in Australia.
This one, however, was a little bit different.
Instead of traditional rank slides, these candidates proudly sported blue-and-orange striped ones - the mark of the Australian Indigenous Development Program (AIDP) in Darwin.
Aboriginal soldiers have served important roles defending Australia as far back as there has been an Australian Army, particularly in the north, where the terrain is harsh and settlements are remote.
Indigenous Australians have been a part of Regional Force Surveillance Units since their inception, contributing to Operation Resolute and other surveillance activities, vigilantly watching and listening.
But joining the ADF, as any uniformed member will tell you, is a complicated and lengthy affair. For some First Nations Australians, particularly from remote communities, the barriers to joining are more pronounced.
The government's Closing the Gap initiatives aim to increase education, health and employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
In that spirit, the AIDP was created to bridge the recruitment shortfalls for First Nations candidates to commence general enlistment in the Army.
Open exclusively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the AIDP is an Army employment pathway that bridges enlistment criteria gaps, preparing Indigenous soldiers for ab initio training.
Held four times a year, AIDP soldiers are on full-time contracts for the duration of the course. Their daily schedule replicates other initial training courses: they start the day with morning routine and PT, before moving onto drill lessons or other training. The program pairs cultural learning and development with Defence values and behaviours.
Most candidates finish the course with a Certificate II in Skills for Work and Vocational Pathways and a provisional driver's licence.
Commander 1st Brigade Brigadier Doug Pashley, the graduation reviewing officer, said the new graduates should be proud of their accomplishments.
"I am exceptionally proud of these soldiers, and privileged to have reviewed the parade today," he said.
"It is an incredible feeling to see the growth and spirit - how far these soldiers have come in 17 short weeks. To see how, through this program, these young men and women now have agency to change their lives and become role models for success within their family and community."
After the advance in review order, soldiers were dismissed to their loved ones and, again, it looked a lot like any other graduation parade, with selfies and hugs.
Although not all the graduates will continue with their military careers, those who do will continue with the confidence and skills gained from the past 17 weeks. Those who choose to return to their communities will take with them the skills and accomplishment of the course, and the experience of camaraderie and bonds formed during challenging training.
It's a big win either way.
