Oamaru fencer loving the standards in NZ Army Reserve Force

A physically demanding civilian job has meant he can easily focus on his core infantry skills while not worrying about the effects of a demanding weekend of training as part of 2/4 Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.

Private Parsons lives in Oamaru and travels to his Dunedin Reserve Force unit for training.

“My fitness level is pretty good, and my fencing skills even helped out on recruit training. When we set up the defensive fencing barrier on recruit training, it was fairly easy for me."

“In fact I was probably too particular. I went round straightening all the waratahs.”

Private Parson’s unit practices mine clearance and extraction of a casualty while on exercise in Invercargill

Oamaru’s Private Joel Parsons takes part in a night patrol while on exercise in Invercargill.

Since then, he’s attended a variety of training, and had the opportunity to assist on Operation Protect – the New Zealand Defence Force’s contribution to New Zealand’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic - for six weeks, giving him a slice of military life living at Burnham Military Camp.

“I was working with the Regular Force on a daily basis, and living on the camp gave me a sense of life in the Army.

“It was a great opportunity to get a taster. We worked with the NZ Police too which was really cool.”

Working for his father has given him the flexibility to attend training and pursue his interest in the military.

“It really fits with my lifestyle,” he said.

“It would be great to see more people from Oamaru come to training. I didn’t know anyone who served in the Army prior to joining but I did join with one of my mates from school.”

He also recently attended a weekend of training in Invercargill, where part of the instruction was mine clearance.

“I’d never done that before and found it really interesting.”

Private Joel Parsons takes part in a night patrol while on exercise in Invercargill

The training weekend had round robin stands with different lessons which were later put to the test during both a night and morning exercise.

Officer Commanding Otago Southland Company, Captain Dion Beker, says the exercise was designed to help train soldiers in tactical operations by both day and night.

“We had medics, drivers and engineers attend and the intention is to continue doing this with future exercises so we can share and build knowledge of each other’s capabilities”.

Each Reserve Force company has its own training programme in line with its battalion’s training focus. Company level training typically occurs one weekend a month with platoon level training occurring one night a week.