TUNGKU BEACH, Tuesday, 30 July 2019 – The Commandant’s Challenge for OCS Intake 18 started at the Tungku Beach at around 0001 hours, 31 July 2019. The Challenge covered a total distance of about 22 kilometeres which stretched from the shoreline of the Tungku Beach area to the finishing line at firing field area in Berakas Camp. The Commandant’s Challenge was one of the prestigious Challenges for the Officer Cadet School after The CO’s Challenge which was held earlier and The Commander’s Challenge which will be held tentatively during the final term of the OCS course.
The event started with a safety briefing given by 823 Major (U) Muhammad Yusra bin Awg Jafar, the acting intake commander of OCS Intake 18 at the Officer Cadet School Mess Hall prior to departure. The OCS intake 18 were deployed to the location on 30 July 2019 at about 2030 hours. The event officially started on 31 July 2019, at 0001 hours and ended with the last group to arrive at the finishing line at about 1345 hours. The Commandant’s Challenge covered a total of 9 stands with different missions and challenging tasks for Officer Cadets to complete. Each stands were meant to test Officer Cadets ability to lead, command and control. Present to witness the event was the Commandant of Defence Academy as the Guest of Honor, Colonel Hj Muhd Haszaimi bin Bol Hassan. Also present was the Commanding Officer of OCS, Lieutenant Colonel Amirul Adly bin Haji Ali with other Senior Officers of the Defence Academy. The champion for the Challenge was from 1 Platoon 2 Section which clocked in at a total time of 5 hours 20 minutes. The event was concluded with the prize presentation by the Commandant to the first-place winner which was later then followed by a luncheon ceremony.
The objective of The Commandant’s Challenge was to assess and brush up the leadership skills, critical thinking, fitness level and teamwork coordination of the Officer Cadets. The aim is also to train Officer Cadets to lead decisively and think critically in a fatigue and exhausted conditions as well as to encourage intersections competitiveness. The Commandant’s Challenge was definitely physically and mentally demanding but was also meant to prepare Officer Cadets for the upcoming Commander’s Challenge which will be held towards the end of the course.
