Cadet of the Year 2024: Hamiltonian Oliver Evans recognised for ‘outstanding’ year

Warrant Officer Cadet Oliver Evans, from Hamilton, has been named Cadet of the Year 2024.

Warrant Officer Cadet Oliver Evans, 18, of Hamilton, has been named Cadet of the Year 2024.

His citation reads he had been recognised for his outstanding year of personal growth as a leader and his contribution to the growth of Sea Cadet Corps unit TS Waikato.

New Zealand Cadet Forces (NZCF) provides military-style leadership, personal development opportunities and adventure-based training to youths through its three branches – Sea Cadets, Army Cadets and Air Cadets.

It is operated in partnership with the New Zealand Defence Force and is the oldest youth organisation in the country.

Evans joined the Cadet Forces in February 2019, initially as a member of the Hamilton City Cadet Unit (HCCU).

“My dad is a unit commander and my brother was already in it, so it was something I was most likely to do,” Evans said.

“I was looking for something outside of school and a way to meet new people.”

Through his time within the unit, he worked his way up the ranks to his current position as unit company sergeant major/ship’s coxswain.

Evans has completed several NZCF courses, including the Junior Non-Commissioned Officers’, Senior Non-Commissioned Officers’ and Shooting Coaches courses.

He has also staffed SNCO’s and two Northern Area Cadet Corps Skills competition, one while an Army cadet and more recently as a Navy cadet.

He was a member of the HCCU skills team which won Northern Area Cadet Corps Skills competition in 2022 and placed third in the National Skills competition.

In 2023 and 2024, Evans was a member of the HCCU training team for skills, in which HCCU were national winners in 2023, and the Northern Area winners in 2024.

At the recent Northern Area Cadet Corps Skills competition, NZCF said Evans had supported and encouraged less experienced teams and motivated them before the competition began, then congratulated teams on their performance afterwards.

“Cadet Forces has given me a lot of life skills,” he said.

“It’s being able to take orders, and using your initiative.”

He said he liked how his Cadet Force experience and leadership has changed and grown every year.

“The best thing has been leading people. I don’t have a strict leadership style; I like to use humour in my leadership. The cadets enjoy their time with us. They’re all friends with each other and everyone knows each other.

“When you coach people, you see them go from low scores to badges, you see a smile on their faces and you feel really good about it.”

He spotted an opportunity this year to transfer from HCCU to TS Waikato. The Sea Cadets had no senior cadet as a leader, and if he moved over, it would allow TS Waikato to evolve and gel as a team.

Evans knew the two cadet Navy officers were of an age that meant they may retire soon, and he would look to move into the officer cadet role when he turned 19 next year.

This then led to an officer cadet role when he turned 19 and ultimately his commissioning as a sea cadet corps officer – another asset for TS Waikato.

Next year, he hopes to lead a TS Waikato team in next year’s Sea Cadet Corps Regional Regatta; it will be the first time in some years TS Waikato have been involved.

Evans is a former Hamilton Boys’ High School student and is now studying automotive engineering at Wintec.