Jacob follows in his family’s ADF footsteps

Since he was a child, Warnbro teenager Jacob Kiernan knew he wanted to follow his father’s lead and rise to the challenge of the Australian Defence Force.

The Warnbro Community High School student received an ADF Education Award on Wednesday the 14th of August in recognition of his outstanding achievement exhibited during the recruitment process for entry to the ADF Academy.

The education awards recognise the top 120 candidates for ADFA and offer applicants a placement, dependent on tertiary entrance results.

The 17-year-old said achieving the award was a tick off his long list of goals.

“I am pretty chuffed about it. It is a really good feeling. I feel like I have really achieved something because this has been a lifelong goal,” Jacob said.

Jacob said he was the fourth generation of men in his family to go on to serve in the ADF.

“My dad, granddad and my great granddad were all in the defence force,” he said.

“I have been in Cadets since I was about 12, and I am currently the Battalion Cadet Under Officer of 53, which is from Albany up to Rockingham, and I am the number one cadet in that region.”

Inspired by former General Peter Cosgrove, Jacob said he respected all aspects of the ADF and those who served.

“The way that he (Peter Cosgrove)

went through his life and achieved what he wanted to achieve, he has been a big inspiration to me as well as my father who was in the navy. He pushes me to get to where I want to be,” he said.

“My biggest goal from here is to graduate, become an officer, get commissioned and then become a battalion commander or higher.”

ADF Lieutenant Commander Katy Mouritz attended the school to present Jacob with the award.