C Company Report

DBar Paterson – I came to RLA in 2021 during a most special and exciting time for the Academy, the Fall Exercise. At the time, I had no grasp of the significance of the exercise or even what RLA is by itself. I had heard vague stories about the Academy from my father a couple of times and he couldn’t seem to remember a whole lot about RLA.

That is until the Headmaster, Lieutenant Colonel Smid, invited all alumni to come participate in the Fall Exercise. So, my father, James Paterson, took his two boys with him to see the Academy and Exercise firsthand.

For my father being invited back was a chance to reunite with the Academy; potentially see some familiar faces; and have a fun Fall Ex. For myself and my brother, all we knew was that we’re going to visit a military school.

Within the four days that my brother, father and I were at the Academy we got to have a great look at what RLA is like for the most part. My best memories from the visit were getting to see some discipline, eating great food, spending the last day of the Fall Ex with Captain Lee’s group and getting to see the RLA experience close up. That trip was a full factor, for myself and potentially my brother, to come to RLA.

Being the son of an alumni also contributes to me making the decision to come to the Academy. After, and during, the exercise I heard lots more stories about the Academy and it sparked curiosity and interest in RLA for me and it eventually drove me to decide that I wanted to be at the Academy for potentially the last of my high school career.

The stories I’ve heard and the questions I’ve asked to my dad about the Academy has given us a similar interest in this place and have in turn made us closer in a way and it also granted me some background knowledge of the Academy on intake day.

My first day was the beginning of my life at RLA, I knew mostly what to expect, and what to be ready for. Parts of the knowledge are also useful to me today at the Academy. All because of my dad.

I often get asked questions such as “what rank was your dad? What job did he have? Did he ever go on suspension? What was it like back in the day?”

All of these questions are fun to answer, and sometimes, it makes me proud that we went to school here. It’s cool to say “my dad went to RLA” as well. No, he wasn’t forced to go, but would probably have wondered how his parents found this place in the 90s. A friend of my grandfather had recommended RLA and my dad was on board with it, and eventually that led to my coming here.

Being the son of a former student also gives me a friendly sense of competition with my dad and makes me want to work hard to pass my dad in rank, do the same para and scuba courses that he did, and more. I do have yet to pass my father in rank as he was a Double Barman as a Barracks Warden, but I’ll get there sometime.

Being a student at the Academy and having my father as an alumni also grants me more opportunities to hear the stories and different experiences of some of the other alumni that visit the Academy, especially during the Fall Exercise. Those who have went to or are in RLA all share common, alike experiences that bring us together in a way that’s exclusive to RLA.

As a result of being at the Academy it physically separates me and my father but at the same time made us closer than we’ve been before. I could say that part of my success at the Academy is due to the knowledge and preparation my father has gifted to me before I came to RLA, and the advice he’s given me along the way.

The reason why I’m a student at the Academy in the first place has all been through my dad and I can’t thank him enough for it. RLA has been life-changing for the both of us and has given us a greater connection from father to son.

Editor’s Note: Since this article was written, DBar Paterson has been promoted to Lance Corporal – surpassing his dad’s rank.