Passing out (military)

Last updated

Passing Out Parade of members of No.1 Officer Cadet Training Unit, RAF Jurby, January 1957. RAF Jurby Passing Out Parade.jpg
Passing Out Parade of members of No.1 Officer Cadet Training Unit, RAF Jurby, January 1957.

Passing out is the official graduation ceremony following the completion of a course by military or other uniformed service personnel at their respective training school, college, or military academy, largely in Commonwealth nations. [1] Soldiers, sailors, or airmen take part in a passing out military parade upon completion of a basic training course. [2] The military parade during the 'passing out' ceremony may also consist of military bands, and other displays of synchronisation discipline such as a flypast, which may also include acrobatics. [3]

Contents

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Trenchard inspecting apprentices during a passing out parade at Groves and Henderson Barracks at RAF Halton. Trenchard inspects apprentices at RAF Halton.gif
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Trenchard inspecting apprentices during a passing out parade at Groves and Henderson Barracks at RAF Halton.
Passing Out Parade, RAF Halton, in July 2006. Passing Out Parade, RAF Halton - geograph.org.uk - 654458.jpg
Passing Out Parade, RAF Halton, in July 2006.

Name

The parade may also be referred to as a 'Marching out' parade, as it is at the Army Recruit Training Centre at Kapooka in Australia. [4] It is also known as 'Pass off' parade, as in the case of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps and Passing out 'Ceremony' in the case of Warsash Maritime Academy of the British Merchant Navy. [5] [6] It is also known as 'Sovereign's Parade' at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, when inspected by a member of the British Royal Family or another royal. [7] Since 1964, the Fire and Rescue NSW conducts a passing out parade on course completion. [8]

Reviewing officer and guests

A reviewing officer during an Irish Defence Forces passing out in 2014. 2 AR 1st Rec Pln (24) (13455348893).jpg
A reviewing officer during an Irish Defence Forces passing out in 2014.

A 'reviewing officer', usually a senior officer, reviews the parade and hands out any medals to cadets who have excelled. [9] Militaries around the world usually allow civilian guests including parents and next of kin, to attend the passing out parade. [3] Dignitaries may also be present, as was the case at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2010, when the British Prime Minister David Cameron was present to witness the event. Other dignitaries at the event included relatives of graduating cadets such the President of Yemen and the Prime Minister of Bahrain. [10]

The chief guest at the military passing out parade of Napuka Secondary School, Cakaudrove, in August 2019, was the senior most female officer of the military forces of the Republic of Fiji. [11] In 2019, Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the graduation ceremony at the United States Military Academy, West Point. [12]

The National Military Academy of Afghanistan class of 2010 listens as Afghan President Hamid Karzai gives a speech during their graduation ceremony in 2010. President Hamid Karzai attends National Military Academy graduation (4442387909).jpg
The National Military Academy of Afghanistan class of 2010 listens as Afghan President Hamid Karzai gives a speech during their graduation ceremony in 2010.

In 2019, the reviewing officer for the 136th Passing out Parade (POP) at the Indian Military Academy (IMA) was Lieutenant General Cherish Mathson. Having such senior officers present is a morale booster for the cadets. [13] During the passing out parade, a dignitary may also make a speech, as was the case during the passing out parade in IMA in 2007, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed the cadets and guests. [14]

Traditions

Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

The passing out at Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, known as the Sovereign's Parade, is conducted three times a year. [15] One of the main ceremonies during the parade is Trooping the Colour. [16] Various awards and honours are presented to cadets who have excelled. This includes the Queen's Medal, the Overseas Sword, and the MacRobert Sword. [17] [18]

Sword of Honour

The passing out can also consist of traditions such as presentation of a 'Sword of Honour', as in the case of Sandhurst and Indian and Pakistan military academies. [19] [20] [21] In 2010, for the first time in the history of the Officers Training Academy, India, a female cadet, Divya Ajith Kumar, was presented the sword of honour. [22] [23]

Shipping of stripes

Friends and family pin rank during the commissioning ceremony after the United States Military Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremonies for the Class of 2013 at the Michie Stadium in West Point. Friends and family pin rank on U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Thul during his commissioning ceremony after the United States Military Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremonies for the Class of 2013 at the Michie 130525-M-KS211-029.jpg
Friends and family pin rank during the commissioning ceremony after the United States Military Academy Graduation and Commissioning Ceremonies for the Class of 2013 at the Michie Stadium in West Point.

Another tradition that happens during the 'passing out' is the 'Shipping-of-Stripes', as in the case of the Indian Naval Academy. [3] During this ceremony, senior officers and the relatives of the passing out cadets 'ship' the epaulettes (commonly known as 'Stripes') on the uniform. This represents the graduation of the cadets into officers. [24]

Music

A common song that is played during the passing out, especially in Commonwealth countries, is Auld Lang Syne , a Robert Burns poem. [25] [26] The military parade during the 'passing out' may also consist of military bands. At the Indian Military Academy, before the cadets begin the passing out parade ceremony, the band plays a melody ( aarti ), allowing the cadets to pray to their respective god. [27]

Hat toss

The first recorded hat toss in the United States of America was in 1946 at United States Military Academy, West Point. After the hat toss, children are allowed to take one hat each. Cadets fill the hats with notes, snapshots, and even money for the children. [28] At some places such as the Indian Military Academy, 'flinging-of-cap' has been stopped. [29] The tradition of 'cap-flinging' during the passing out parade has a long past; the tradition starting well before India's Independence from British rule. [29] It was stopped in 2010 as some people found it disrespectful for the caps to touch the ground. [30]

Other

Other traditions include the adjutant leading the parade to crack a joke to lighten the atmosphere, as in the case of the Indian Military Academy passing out parade. [27] At the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, the parade finale includes the mounted adjutant riding up the steps of the Old College on his horse (the origin of this tradition is unknown). [31] At the Indian Military Academy, the finale is the 'antim path' (final step), where cadets take the last step into Chetwode Hall. [32]

The passing out parade is depicted in the 1980s book The Passing-out Parade: A Play by British writer Anne Valery. [33] In the 2004 Bollywood movie Lakshya , Hritik Roshan, upon completing his course at the Indian Military Academy, takes part in a passing out parade. [34]

Passing out around the world

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salute</span> Gesture or action used to display respect

A salute is usually a formal hand gesture or other action used to display respect in military situations. Salutes are primarily associated with the military and law enforcement, but many civilian organizations, such as Girl Guides, Boy Scouts and the Salvation Army use formal salutes. Ordinary civilians also salute informally to greet or acknowledge the presence of another person, such as a tip of the hat or a hand wave to a friend or neighbour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Military Academy Sandhurst</span> British Army officer initial training centre

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of Sandhurst, Berkshire, though its ceremonial entrance is in Camberley, Surrey, southwest of London. The academy's stated aim is to be "the national centre of excellence for leadership". All British Army officers, including late-entry officers who were previously Warrant Officers, as well as other men and women from overseas, are trained at the academy. Sandhurst is the British Army equivalent of the Britannia Royal Naval College and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Military College, Sandhurst</span> Military unit

The Royal Military College (RMC), founded in 1801 and established in 1802 at Great Marlow and High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, England, but moved in October 1812 to Sandhurst, Berkshire, was a British Army military academy for training infantry and cavalry officers of the British and Indian Armies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trooping the Colour</span> Military ceremony in the British Army and other Commonwealth militaries

Trooping the Colour is a ceremonial event performed every year on Horse Guards Parade in London, United Kingdom, by regiments of Household Division, to celebrate the official birthday of the British sovereign. It is also known as the Sovereign's Birthday Parade. Similar events are held in other countries of the Commonwealth. In the UK, it is, with the State Opening of Parliament, one of the biggest events of the ceremonial calendar, and watched by millions on TV and on the streets of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Military College, Duntroon</span> Australian Army training establishment

The Royal Military College, Duntroon, also known simply as Duntroon, is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence headquarters at Russell Hill. It is comparable to the United Kingdom's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and the United States Military Academy at West Point. Duntroon is adjacent to the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA), which is Australian Defence Force's tri-service military academy that provides military and tertiary academic education for junior officers of the Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Australian Navy.

A cadet is a student or trainee, and is typically used in military settings to denote an individual undergoing training to become commissioned officers. Several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime organisations, and police services, also designate their trainees as cadets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military parade</span> Procession of soldiers

A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the world. Massed parades may also hold a role for propaganda purposes, being used to exhibit the apparent military strength of a country.

Officer Cadet is a rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, University Officer Training Corps and University Air Squadron; however, these are not trainee officers with many not choosing a career in the armed forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Defence Academy (India)</span> Training institute of the Indian Armed Forces

The National Defence Academy (NDA) is the joint defence service training institute of the Indian Armed Forces, where cadets of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, and Indian Air Force train together before they go on to their respective service academy for further pre-commission training. The NDA is located in Khadakwasla, Pune, Maharashtra. It is the first tri-service academy in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rashtriya Indian Military College</span> Military college in India

The Rashtriya Indian Military College is a military school for boys and girls situated in Doon Valley, Dehradun in India. The RIMC is a feeder institution for the National Defence Academy, Indian Naval Academy and subsequently the Indian Armed Forces. Rimcollians, the name by which alumni of the RIMC are usually denoted, have gone on to hold the highest ranks in the Army, Navy and the Air Force of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Military Academy</span> Military academy in Dehradun, India

The Indian Military Academy (IMA) is one of the oldest military academies in India, and trains officers for the Indian Army. Located in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, it was established in 1932 following a recommendation by a military committee set up under the chairmanship of General Sir Philip Chetwode. From a class of 40 male cadets in 1932, IMA now has a sanctioned capacity of 1,650. Cadets undergo a training course varying between 3 and 16 months depending on entry criteria. On completion of the course at IMA cadets are permanently commissioned into the army as Lieutenants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Full dress uniform</span> Uniform for wear on formal occasions

Full dress uniform, also known as a ceremonial dress uniform or parade dress uniform, is the most formal type of uniforms used by military, police, fire and other public uniformed services for official parades, ceremonies, and receptions, including private ones such as marriages and funerals. Full dress uniforms typically include full-size orders and medals insignia. Styles tend to originate from 19th century uniforms, although the 20th century saw the adoption of mess dress-styled full-dress uniforms. Designs may depend on regiment or service branch. In Western dress codes, full dress uniform is a permitted supplementary alternative equivalent to the civilian white tie for evening wear or morning dress for day wear – sometimes collectively called full dress – although military uniforms are the same for day and evening wear. As such, full dress uniform is the most formal uniform, followed by the mess dress uniform.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakistan Military Academy</span> Training Academy for Pakistan Army Officers situated in Abbottabad, Pakistan

Pakistan Military Academy, also referred to by its acronym PMA, is an officers training centre located near Kakol village in the city and district of Abbottabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Established in October 1948, it is the sole service academy in Pakistan tasked with training cadets to serve as army officers. For educational training, the institution is accredited by National University of Sciences & Technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandhurst Competition</span>

The Sandhurst Military Skills Competition is a military skills competition at West Point that first began in 1967 with the presentation of a British officer's sword to the United States Corps of Cadets by the British Exchange Officer. 2010's event, dubbed SANCOM10, was a two-day event conducted at West Point, New York. The 2009 competition featured a record 49 teams and nearly 500 competitors. Besides the 36 squads from each of the West Point companies, visiting service academy teams included the Naval, Air Force and Coast Guard Academies, Britain's Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) teams "Red" and "Blue", Australia's Royal Military College Duntroon, Canada's Royal Military College (RMC), the National Military Academy of Afghanistan, and the Chilean Military School. That year saw eight ROTC squads: Texas A&M, BYU, East Carolina University, Iowa State University, Florida Tech, Georgetown, University of Hawaii, and Appalachian State.

The Sword of Honour is an honorary sword awarded to that "Gentleman Cadet", "Officer Cadet", "Aviation Cadet" or "Lady Cadet" who achieves an overall best performance during his or her entire training period at the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul, the Pakistan Air Force Academy at Risalpur, or the Pakistan Naval Academy at Karachi. The award of a Sword of Honour is regarded as a significant honour by the officers of the Armed Forces of Pakistan and many cadets aspire to win it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sri Lanka Military Academy</span> Academy of Sri Lanka Army in Diyatalawa, Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka Military Academy, commonly known simply as Diyatalawa, is the oldest military academy in Sri Lanka, and trains commissioned officers for the Sri Lanka Army. It is located in the garrison town of Diyatalawa in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It has capacity to train more than 300 cadets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Air Force College Cranwell</span> Royal Air Force training and education academy

The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and is responsible for all RAF recruiting along with officer and aircrew selection. Originally established as a naval aviation training centre during World War I, the College was established as the world's first air academy in 1919. During World War II, the College was closed and its facilities were used as a flying training school. Reopening after the War, the College absorbed the Royal Air Force Technical College in 1966.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Officers Training Academy</span> Governmental Academy for the training and commissioning of Indian Armys officers

The Officers Training Academy (OTA) is a training establishment of the Indian Army that trains officers for the Short Service Commission (SSC). The 49-week course at the OTA prepares graduates for all branches of the Army, except for the Army Medical Corps. Established in 1963, the first academy is located in Alandur, a southern neighbourhood of Chennai. OTA chennai has an impressive tally of gallantry award including 1 Param Vir Chakra, 8 Ashoka Chakra, 10 Maha Vir Chakra, 22 Kirti Chakra, 63 Vir Chakra, 119 Shaurya Chakra and 587 Sena Medal earned by the officers commissioned from this academy bears testimony to the Valour and dedication displayed by the Alumni. A new academy was set up at Gaya in 2011; but was given the go-ahead in December 2019 to be disbanded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian military bands</span>

The Indian military bands consists of musicians from the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. Indian military bands regularly participate in international festivals and take part in celebrations dedicated to various national events. These bands are permanent participants in the Delhi Republic Day parade on the Rajpath. Today, the Indian Armed Forces have more than 50 military brass bands and 400 pipe bands and corps of drums. A Tri-Services Band refers to a joint Indian Armed Forces military band that performs together as a unit. At the Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festival and Tattoo in Moscow, the band consisted of 7 officers and 55 musicians. The Military Music Wing of the Army Education Corps is the principal educational institution of the armed forces that provides instruction to musicians of all ranks. Instruction is also provided by the Military Music Training Center and the Indian Navy School of Music.

The Commandant of the Indian Military Academy is a post created in 1932 for the purpose of leading the Indian Military Academy in its education of "gentleman cadets". The Commandant must hold a rank of lieutenant general or above. There is no minimum nor maximum term of service in this position though in practice commandants have served anywhere from a few months to 4 years in the position.

References

  1. ↑ "Extraordinary security arrangements for IMA passing out parade". hindustantimes.com. Hindustan Times. 12 December 2008. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  2. ↑ "iPrepNS | Passing out parade". Iprep.ns.sg. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 "Naval passing out parade: It's about valour and determination". Rediff. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  4. ↑ "March Out parade information". Australian Army . Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  5. ↑ Bogdanovic, Nikolai (14 December 2017). Fit to Fight: A History of the Royal Army Physical Training Corps 1860–2015. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN   9781472824233.
  6. ↑ "Officer cadet passing out ceremonies at Warsash Maritime Academy". Warsash Maritime Academy. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  7. ↑ Banks, Charlotte (11 August 2017). "King of Jordan inspects Sovereign's Parade at Sandhurst". Forces.net. Forces Network. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  8. ↑ "Passing out parades and national medal presentations". New South Wales State Archives and Records. 17 November 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  9. ↑ "Passing Out Parade at INS Chilka". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy . Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  10. ↑ "Cameron inspects Sandhurst cadets". British Broadcasting Corporation. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  11. ↑ Chand, Shalveen (9 August 2019). "Military discipline shines in students at passing-out parade". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  12. ↑ Marco, Tony (27 May 2019). "West Point is about to graduate its largest class of black women". CNN. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  13. ↑ Jha, Prashant (31 May 2019). "Lt Gen Cherish Mathson to be reviewing officer of POP". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  14. ↑ "PM's address at the Indian Military Academy Passing Out Prade : Speeches : Prime Minister of India – Dr. Manmohan Singh". Prime Minister's Office Archive. 10 December 2007. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  15. ↑ Sovereign's Parade Programme. RMA Sandhurst. April 2012.[ ISBN missing ]
  16. ↑ "The Sovereign's Parade, April 1985". YouTube. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021.
  17. ↑ "178th Sovereign's Parade". British Army . Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "London Officer Cadet tops course at RMA Sandhurst". The Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association for Greater London. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  19. ↑ "Prince Harry presents award to top officer cadet at Sandhurst". Express.co.uk. Daily Express. 15 December 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  20. ↑ "Swords of Honour by Alamgirians". Military College Jhelum . Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  21. ↑ Budhwar, Yeshika (11 December 2016). "Odisha boy gets Sword of Honour | Dehradun News". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  22. ↑ Nurullah, Abdullah (26 February 2016). "She is an officer and a woman". The Times of India. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  23. ↑ "Chennai cadet creates history at OTA passing-out parade". The Hindu. 19 September 2010. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  24. ↑ "Passing out Parade held at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala". Press Information Bureau, Government of India, Ministry of Defence. 22 November 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  25. ↑ "Passing Out Parade – Spring Term 2019 Held at Indian Naval Academy, Ezhimala". Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Defence. 25 May 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  26. ↑ "Sandhurst passing out parade | AP Archive". www.aparchive.com. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
  27. 1 2 Jha, Prashant (8 June 2019). "IMA POP: A few beliefs and traditions | Dehradun News". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  28. ↑ Berman, Mark (28 May 2014). "A brief history of the West Point hat toss". Washington Post. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  29. 1 2 Basu, Indranil (9 December 2012). "IMA's cap-flinging tradition bites dust". The Times of India. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  30. ↑ "No caps tossed this time". The Tribune, Chandigarh. 11 December 2010. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  31. ↑ "In pictures: Officer cadets' passing out ceremony at Sandhurst". The Times . 10 August 2018. ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  32. ↑ "UP tops list as 487 officers graduate from Indian Military Academy". The Statesman. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  33. ↑ Valery, Anne (1980). The Passing-out Parade: A Play. S. French. ISBN   9780573130038 – via Google Books.
  34. ↑ Gupta, Rinku (2 July 2004). "The Hindu Business Line : 'The toughest role of my career'". Hindu Business Line. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.