Australian Defence Force Academy Graduation Parade 2000
The Australian Defence Force Academy will hold its fifteenth graduation parade on Thursday 14 December 2000. This is one
of the largest military parades to be seen in Australia.
Nearly 1000 midshipmen and officer cadets will march before family, friends and dignitaries to farewell the 265 cadets
who make up the graduating class of 2000. The parade will be reviewed by Governor General Sir William Deane, AC, KBE.
Fourteen of the graduates are from Canberra, including Andrija Blums from Fisher in Weston Creek.
Officer Cadet Blums has had a busy three years as an Air Force cadet at ADFA. In the year 2000 she was captain of the
ADFA women’s AFL team which won the ACT premiership, and also held the ceremonial role of Banner Bearer on parade. Next
year, as an ADFA graduate and fully-fledged Air Force officer Andrija Blums will go to East Sale in Victoria to become
an Air Traffic Controller at the RAAF Base.
The ADFA cadet body work hard throughout the year, studying for degrees as well as maintaining their fitness, and
developing leadership and military qualities. While the rest of Australia’s University students have holidays, the ADFA
cadet body is away from ADFA on gruelling military exercises designed to test their teamwork, endurance and leadership
capacity.
But after three years all their hard work pays off. They go on to become officers in the Navy, Army or Air Force, as
well as gaining an academic degree in arts, science or engineering.
BRIG Gordon Jones who arrived at ADFA early this year says: “This is my first graduation parade as the Commandant of
ADFA, and I am very proud of the achievements of the graduating class. I am confident that they will make fine officers
and leaders in their future careers in the Navy, Army and Air Force.”
2000 has been a significant year for ADFA academically. During the year more than half the cadet body maintained a
credit or distinction average. And just this month Lieutenant James Watson, who graduated from ADFA last year was named
as ADFA’s first ever Rhodes Scholar. He will go to Oxford University next year to do his PhD. “This just emphasises the
level of academic success and personal qualities we encourage,” says Brigadier Gordon Jones.
The Parade begins at 9.30am and finishes at about 11.00am. Two RAAF FA/18 aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown in
Newcastle will honour the Graduating class with a fly-past at about 10.15.