Two young female Officer Cadets have been awarded top honours on the Army Reserves Commissioning Course Short 233 (CCS 233) held at The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS).
Major General Sarah Johansen MBE Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence congratulates Officer Cadet Hoy on receiving her Sword of Honour.
Major General Sarah Johansen MBE Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence congratulate Officer Cadet Clarke who was awarded best intern from Winchester.
Officer Cadet Hoy meeting with Major General Sarah Johansen MBE Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence.
Officer Cadet Clarke meeting with Major General Sarah Johansen MBE Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence.
A cold, sunny Saturday morning (25 November 2023) welcomed families, loved ones and special guests to the magnificent Old College Army Officer training establishment in Berkshire, who gathered to see the Final Parade featuring those about to qualify.
The giant grandstands were full as British Army Band Colchester led over 100 Officer Cadets onto the parade square in the final act that sees an Officer Cadet become a leader of people and commission as a British Army Officer.
Inspecting Officer for the day, Major General Sarah Johansen MBE, Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence said:
“This is where I started my career 30 years ago. At that time, women were significantly underrepresented, probably about five to six percent of the Army."
“I'm absolutely thrilled to be coming back and seeing so many talented women on parade doing so well and going into such phenomenal careers not only in the regular service but also as reservists as well.”
I'm absolutely thrilled to be coming back and seeing so many talented women on parade doing so well and going into such phenomenal careers not only in the regular service but also as reservists as well.
And she added: “I think the opportunities for women have grown dramatically, which is fantastic to see. We're now seeing women serving on the frontline in the infantry."
“And indeed, the prize winners today are going to infantry battalions too. I would expect to see them do great things in the future and encourage other young women to follow on behind them.”
The world renowned RMAS has trained the Army’s officers since 1802 and for generations, its cadets have endeavoured to live up to the academy’s motto: ‘Serve to Lead.’
Officer Cadet Hoy (23), who in civilian life is a Project Manager within the Defence Sector and will shortly join 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment, was the recipient of the courses top honour, The MacRobert Reserve Officer Sword.
This is awarded to the Reserve Officer Cadet judged by the directing staff to be the best on the course and top overall cadet of CCS 233.
“I was completely shocked but absolutely honoured to receive this,” she said. “It wasn't my reason for being here, I was here to do my best. And to be awarded for that was just, you know, fantastic.”
And on receiving her commission and becoming a Second Lieutenant she added: “It's very exciting, and it's a poignant moment of my life. I'm ready to start a new chapter with the battalion and I'm looking forward to the journey ahead and the challenge it brings.”
And she looked back with fondness on her time spent at RMAS:
“Sandhurst is an amazing place. It was such an honour to be here. I found it a shock at the start when we had to march everywhere but I really enjoyed the culture here."
“There's a lot of camaraderie and everybody looks after one another. I have made such great friends which I'm hoping to stay in contact with afterwards. And the friends I've made are definitely friends for life.”
It's very exciting, and it's a poignant moment of my life. I'm ready to start a new chapter with the battalion and I'm looking forward to the journey ahead and the challenge it brings.
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is not just a training institution but also an embodiment of traditions, values, and the commitment to producing well-rounded and capable military leaders. Its long and illustrious history continues to shape the future of the British Army and the armed forces of its international partners.
The award for best Army Internship Student on CCS 233, considered by the directing staff to be the best on the course, was presented to Officer Cadet Clark from Winchester, who will shortly be heading to Cyprus and joining up with The 1st Battalion The Rifles Regiment.
“I had no previous military experience, so it took me a long time to find my feet here,” said the 19-year-old. “I had to get to grips with all the Army language and try to understand everything that was going on."
“At first it was a lot to take in. Once I got going, it was brilliant, I really enjoyed it. I found the lessons fascinating, and I especially loved the PT. It was nothing like I'd ever done before, it was great.”
At first it was a lot to take in. Once I got going, it was brilliant, I really enjoyed it. I found the lessons fascinating, and I especially loved the PT. It was nothing like I'd ever done before, it was great.
And on receiving her commission, Second Lieutenant Clark looked back at her time spent at RMAS:
“It’s been good fun; it's definitely been a challenge."
“It is an amazing place, you have such a variety of individuals here and that's great because you get much more of a spread of genders and that's just brilliant because it then influences how the course runs, you have a much larger dynamic."
“You've got a lot more females which means that there's more understanding of maybe differences in demands. And so, it was great. And I thought that was really, really, valuable to have.”
Today, RMAS remains an esteemed institution, attracting cadets from both the UK and numerous countries worldwide. It offers a range of courses, including the famous Commissioning Course, which prepares cadets for service as officers in the British Army.
The academy also provides specialised training programmes for international cadets and offers opportunities for professional development for military personnel throughout their careers.
The British Army is recruiting right now to fill 10,000 jobs across the UK with more than 200 roles to choose from, covering everything from frontline combat and cyber security to helicopter pilots, chefs and support roles.
If you’re aged 16 to 50, and if you want to find out more about a career in the Army, read more here.