Last weekend, eight L6th cadets—Ted, Ollie, Ben, Daisy, Keira, Wang, Roan, and Lewis—embarked on an action-packed Military Skills weekend at Swynnerton Training Area.

Arriving at 1800 on Friday evening, the cadets were immediately put to the test with a thorough kit inspection. Every item on their kit list had to be accounted for, marking the first challenge of the weekend. While most performed well, a couple of cadets fell victim to a classic packing blunder—bringing two left shoelaces! :)

Following the spot check, they made their way to the designated sleeping area, ready to settle in for two nights under military-style conditions.

Saturday kicked off bright and early at 0530. The cadets were introduced to the 24-hour ration pack, learning essential field survival skills. The day was packed with training across eight different stands, including: PlanEx: Planning an exercise based on a given scenario, First Aid: Essential battlefield medical skills, TIBUA: Training in Built-Up Areas (urban warfare techniques) and much more!

On Saturday evening cadets finalized their PlanEx submissions, prepared their final ration pack meals, and wound down with a game of Uno by torchlight—proving that even in a military setting, a little fun goes a long way!

Sunday was another early start as the cadets took on a speed march. They pushed through as a team, completing the challenge with 90 seconds to spare. The weekend concluded with an exhilarating laser clay pigeon shoot, testing their accuracy and composure under pressure.

Throughout the 48 hours, all the cadets displayed our core forte values and worked effectively as a team. They showed remarkable resilience, stepping well outside their comfort zones while supporting each other. Morale remained high, fueled by their shared energy and enthusiasm.

One cadet summed up the weekend perfectly: "This is the best thing we have ever done in CCF!"

A truly memorable weekend, with each cadet representing themselves and the school outstandingly.

Well done, team!