Last Friday our family witnessed an event that was the proudest day of our lives so far!

Our Blake completed basic training at Kapooka (Wagga Wagga) and marched out as a Trooper on Friday 16.10.09. There were times when he thought he would never make it. Leaving home is a hard thing to do, let alone when you leave home to join the Army. The yelling and working 16-18 hours a day. The mental side as well as the physical side. Being told when you can and can't do everything. It was a gruelling course to undertake. My heart went out to him at every phone call home.

Now he has completed this he is now at Puckapunyal in Victoria completing his next phase of training.

The weather on the day was freezing and very windy. We were freezing and we were wearing jackets. These babies were out there on the parade ground with no jumpers on freezing their buts off. I say babies due to the fact that their were 52 recruits in his platoon and 48 of them were 19 and under. It all went off without a hitch. When we asked him if he was proud of himself his words were "Hell Yeah".

His day was made even more special due to the fact that so many family and friends came along to help him celebrate on this special day.

s492.photobucket.com/albums/rr288/simingtons/march%20out/

Ken and Lisa

OMG .. I feal so proud too !! congratulations ! proud MUM & Dad !! .... my friend's niece also turned out a few months back she said it was incredible to experience ... U were down more south!!?? . tis always colder ...

Lisa & Ken you must be so proud and rightly so.
Can I just say Gayle & I had the privelidge (& seems like) only a few years ago (the Tasmania Cruise) to look after all of our younger travellers one evening while the rest of the club went into Hobart for tea. Blake was a pleasure to be with and had a great sense of humour. I wont forget that particular cruise. Anyway what a great MAN he has turned out to be and not to mention all his other achievements he has gained!
Please pass on our congrats to him for us.

- Ray

WOW just saw the pics, Hasnt he grown AND I MEAN GROWN.
You sure he did bike racing! Penny Farthings would be the height....lol
Gayle was impressed with the pics.
How proud would've the Grand Parents been ah!

- Ray

Congrats to everyone - he looks so good in uniform. But I have to ask - did you plant him in cow s#!t for the last couple of years????? He's huge!

Yes his grandparents are very proud. He is now follwing in the Simington family tradition. Ken's grandfather was in the Lighthorse in WW1 and 2. The armoured corps are now called the Lighthorse Brigade.

And no Wendy we didn't plant him in anything. He certainly doesn't take after Ken's side of the family. As you can see in the pics they are all short. My dad is 6'7", so I guess he takes after my side.

Yes Ray, I remember that trip and the photo kids and their cars. He seemed so little back then.

Only another 2 and a bit years to go and our little girl will be going off as well.
She has decided that the Army is also her calling.
She is joing the Army cadets this week to start her training.

Can't wait until Christmas to se him again.

Not too many tears shed on the day, but I cried my eyes out when I had to let him go again. I hope this gets easier as time goes by.

Lisa

Congratulations to Blake on marching out from one of the hardest places in Oz. Would you believe that it is 33 degrees today? Not cold as it was last week.

Damn proud of the boy my back is still sore from the cold & I spend between
7 & 10 hours in the Ice Rink they just had there short sleeves & tee shirt & of coures long pants but in truth it had to be blowing of snow somewhere.

Yes it is a big day, still remember my passing out parade at CERBERUS some 30 years ago.

It may seem like a long time but in most cases it will be one of the best times to have looking back.

Good luck and enjoy what the service has to offer.

Mark

Wowee, congratualions to Blake & the whole family. Fantastic photos.

What is everyone talking about, Blake wasn't little in Tasmania! I guess it's all relative.

Looking at the pics ..... what happenend to your baby? There's a lovely young woman standing in her place!

You have every right to be proud (she says with a tear in her eye).

Thanks Lyn. Our baby Lyndl is growing up fast as well.
She has decided to join the Army when she school as well.
We have 2 years to toughen her up.
I am just extremely gratefull that Blake and Lyndl are great friends as well as brother and sister. Blake talks on the phone longer to Lyndl than he does mum and dad. She really misses him heaps.
It has given her something to work towards.

Lisa