Trail Cadets Get a Taste of Army Life - explosions included
By Llora McTeer
On Saturday, October 19, 2019, cadets from 131 Kootenay Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps and 531 City of Trail Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron were invited to attend Exercise Sapper Crucible II, a Demolitions Exercise, with the 44th Engineer Squadron in Trail, and other members of the 39th Brigade from the Lower Mainland.
“One of the aims of the Canadian Cadet Movement is to foster an interest in the activities of the Canadian Armed Forces,” said Lieutenant Navy Llora McTeer, Commanding Officer of 131 RCSCC Kootenay, “What better way to accomplish this, than to allow the cadets to get up close and personal with the members themselves?”
The cadets watched the first demolition of the day, a small charge of dynamite set off at 100 yards. After the explosion, they were allowed to walk down and view the several small holes in the ground left behind.
AC Jordyn Boudreau, of 531 City of Trail RCACS, the youngest cadet in attendance, was invited by Major Nils French, Officer Commanding of the 44th Engineer Squadron in Trail, to initiate the first explosion of the day.
“It was pretty cool,” said Boudreau, “and a lot louder than I thought it would be!”
During their visit, the 24 cadets and three staff in attendance were provided a full safety briefing by Major Nils French, Officer Commanding of 44th ES prior to the beginning of the exercise. They were then given the opportunity to observe some of the demolitions, and provided tours of heavy equipment, a field ambulance, and the command post. Cadets also had the opportunity to speak with several of the CAF members, as well as eat lunch with them in the field.
The Cadet program, which include Sea, Army and Air Cadets, is the largest government-funded youth program in Canada with over 50,000 participants across Canada. The cadet program accepts youth between the ages of 12-18 who have a desire to learn more about the air element of the Canadian Forces, wish to develop the attributes of leadership and good citizenship and who wish to promote physical fitness. While the program is military based, there is no obligation for a cadet to join the Canadian Armed Forces.
For more information on Sea Cadets or Air Cadets, please contact Lieutenant Navy Llora McTeer at Llora.McTeer@cadets.gc.ca.
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