Sporting competitions are taking centre stage in the lead-up to the main 75th anniversary celebrations of the 1st Royal Pacific Islands Regiment (1RPIR), helping to build morale, teamwork and pride amongst troops.
The Diamond Jubilee celebrations are being observed over several weeks, with a range of activities organized to mark the milestone, culminating in the Trooping of Colors parade on March 11th.
Speaking to PNGHAUSBUNG, Media Liaison Officer Captain Roderick Kambual said sporting events are a long-standing tradition within the regiment and play an important role in the overall celebrations.
“Traditionally, the company that performs best across all sporting events and activities is recognized as the champion company and is given the honor of trooping the colors on the regiment’s birthday,” he said.
Trooping the colors is a ceremonial highlight, where soldiers carry the regimental and sovereign colors in a formal parade, symbolizing pride, unity and military heritage.
However, Captain Kambual explained that this year’s celebrations have been adjusted due to operational demands and limited troop numbers.
“With many of our troops currently deployed on operations, we are short in manpower. So instead of full companies competing, each company has provided sections to take part,” he said.
He said this means the competition will recognize a “champion section” rather than a full company, and the Trooping of Colors will be performed by a combined group drawn from across the battalion.
Captain Kambual also outlined the structure of the battalion, explaining that a section is made up of around 10 soldiers, with three sections forming a platoon and three platoons forming a company.
The battalion itself consists of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta companies, which are infantry units as well as Support and Admin companies, which include specialists such as medics, radio operators, drivers and other essential personnel.
Despite the adjustments, he said participation in the sporting events has been strong with troops showing enthusiasm and commitment throughout the three-week program.
“The response has been very positive. The troops have been excited and have really enjoyed the activities,” he said.
He added that beyond competition, the events are helping to strengthen relationships among soldiers.
“These activities promote teamwork and team bonding in a more relaxed and enjoyable environment which is different from our usual military routines. It brings soldiers closer together and builds that team spirit,” he said.
Finals for the sporting competitions were held today, with winners to be formally announced during a reaffirmation parade scheduled for next week Tuesday.
Captain Kambual also encouraged members of the public to attend the remaining activities and the main parade, saying it is a rare opportunity to engage with soldiers and learn more about the regiment.
