''I thought, why has Cath [Perriman] got these chairs out there, hmmm ...''
And he was right.
In addition to the usual cadet promotions, usually awarded with slightly less fanfare, his cadet leader colleague had organised for Capt Weir to be presented with the cadet force medal, recognising his 12 years of service to the New Zealand Cadet Forces and the Dunedin community.
It was a great surprise, Capt Weir (56) said, and he was proud to have been awarded the medal, which was pinned on by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull.
He had enjoyed his years with the cadets, and a standout moment had been representing the New Zealand Cadet Forces at ceremonies around the return of the Unknown Warrior to Wellington in 2004.
''To me, what that meant to be there was just incredible.''
Capt Weir, a cadet himself with the Air Training Corps in the 1970s, joined the City of Dunedin Cadet Unit as an adult leader in 2002 and ascended through the ranks, becoming the unit's commander in 2007.
A citation said he had been a reliable, loyal and dedicated officer and had put significant effort into the successful operation of his cadet unit, actively promoting inter-unit activities with other cadet units in Dunedin, including Exercise Cadet 150 as part of the 150th anniversary this year of the New Zealand cadet movement.
The City of Dunedin Cadet Unit has 60 cadet members and is one of four military cadet units in the city.
