CPOY

CPOY 72 Domestic Picture Story Award of Excellence: Rextur

Each year around 450 young men and women roam around the woods in Gribskov, Denmark as part of their military service. Typically, a Danish soldier spends four months in the army. But in The Royal Guard each soldier spends eight months. The first half is called "green service," which is where everyone acquires basic soldier skills. After that the soldiers are transferred to "blue service," where their job is to guard the various sites belonging to The Royal Family. Being part of The Royal Guard is deemed attractive by young people keen to pursue a military career. The Royal Guard also attracts those who want to actually go to war, as rumour has it that this is the toughest part of the army and the chance of actually being sent into conflict is greater here than anywhere else.

Caption
Slide 1 of 7
October 26, 2016
In order to earn the title of “Royal Guard” each recruit will have to survive four days in the woods - the so-called “Rextur”. To any young man unaccustomed to such a challenge it is a rough introduction to life as an army soldier. Only those who make it through these four days of total exhaustion, hunger, and humiliation are given the highly sought-after emblem - the “Rex badge” which shows the world that they are not recruits anymore, but part of The Royal Guard. 1. company, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd platoon
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