More than 1200 cadets and over 250 staff came together for the 10-day event, which was the biggest defence tented activity since Vietnam.
Some 114 canvas tents, measuring 4.25m2, were put up by the 130 South Island cadets and officers in just one day.
Activities on offer were designed to test and challenge cadets, officers and staff, and to help them gain experience and learn.
Ashburton Cadet Unit commander Major Cezarne Rodgers, who spent most of her time running the casualty evacuation activity station at the event, said cadets chose from one of the four electives on offer.
The land option was about army skills, maritime about sailing and riding the navy’s RIB, aviation included tours around an air force base, a look at helicopters and planes and a scenic flight in a prop plane where they had a chance to fly it, and adventure included activities like abseiling down a dam and white water rafting.
As well as the selected activities, cadets were also randomly rotated through other activities such as paintball, archery, .22 shooting, escape rooms, casualty evacuations, mountain biking and electronic weapons system, with every cadet getting to shoot the army's MARSL rifles.
