Fall Biathlon & Hoodies

October 27 was a busy day for 3045 Army Cadet Corps.  The cadets competed in the annual fall biathlon competition.  The timed race would see cadets shooting plinker targets with pellets and running a 1km course outside.  Everyone would shoot three relays, but the senior cadets would run a third lap.  The junior cadets only had to do two laps.  We have to run the competition in timed relays because the corps only has three white plinker target boxes.  And it’s easier on the timekeepers & scorekeepers.

            

The cadets set up the range in Inuujaq School’s gym.  Three white plinker targets were placed at one end of the gym with sandbags weighing them down.  Wooden backboards stood behind the targets to stop missing pellets from hitting the walls.  A line of tables and chairs were placed at the other end of the gym.  Air rifles, pellets, shooting mats, and stop watches were also brought out.  I created & printed score cards for each participating cadet, thus making the administration’s work easier.

            

The cadets formed up when all the preparations were complete.  I gave them a short briefing on how the competition would proceed and how their performances would be marked.  Basically, there would be time penalties for missed targets and whoever was caught taking shortcuts while running would have to clean the entire gym at the end of the day.  There would be an MRE lunch break and I was expecting the competition to proceed into the afternoon.  The winners of each section would receive prizes of some sort.  The cadets then got into a circle and did stretches.

            

Frank fixes a rifle.

I was the main scorekeeper & timekeeper.  There were enough stop watches to individually time each cadet.  I wanted to avoid having to do time calculations.  I was grateful that I had Frank to help me out with the competition.  He would keep the waiting cadets busy & distracted while I ran the range.  He also had a few senior cadets at his disposal.  He placed a senior cadet in charge of reviewing air rifle & range procedures with the junior cadets.  Another senior cadet instructed the junior cadets how to unpack and prepare their own MRE lunch.

            

Once the competition began, a pattern quickly developed.  Cadets were either shooting, running, waiting, learning about the Daisy air rifle, and/or waxing biathlon skiis.  (The rifle shoots .177 calibre pellets at 495 feet per second.  In Canada, an object that fires a projectile at 500 feet per second or more is classified as a firearm).  Several cadets helped me refill the pellet bowls and reminded me who was returning to the gym after an arduous run.  The weather was sunny but there was a lot of snow on the ground.  I did caution the cadets to be careful when running outside.

            

Cadets eating lunch.

Cadets who completed their relays early were treated to hot chocolate and any remaining MRE rations.  At lunch time, the MRE meals were cooked outside using Coleman stoves.  The competition was done by 2:30pm.  I double checked all the scorecards before declaring the competition officially done.  Everyone took part in the cleanup.  Once the everything had been put away, the cadets were brought together for the debriefing.

            

Frank & I congratulated the cadets for taking part in the competition.  They were told that the results would be posted soon.  The original plan was to announce the winners on Wednesday, October 31 but cadets would be cancelled that day because of Halloween.  We also explained to the new cadets that the Fall Biathlon is a local event designed to build confidence and to get an idea of what it feels like to compete in the cadet program.

           

The cadets were dismissed to play a variety of sports for two hours in the gym.  At the end, Frank & I handed out corps t-shirts & hoodies.  Several photographs were taken of the cadets in their hoodies for promotional purposes.   

     

Operation Bonfire 18 & Parents Night

The cadets of 3045 returned to the beach behind the airport on October 13 to burn the large woodpile.  The wood is from discarded sealift crates and old, broken qamutiks (sleds).  In the early evening, everyone assembled at Inuujaq School’s gym for roll call and to collect the bonfire supplies.  These supplies included: Firestarter sticks, metal roasting sticks, shovel, hotdogs, marshmallows, condiments, juice boxes, flashlights, garbage bags, and toilet paper.  I was glad that we would have access to an ATV and trailer.  I would have brought my skidoo but the headlights weren’t working.

            

There was plenty of snow on the ground.  I insisted that everyone dress warmly and be prepared for wind.  Cold is only a problem when it’s blowing in your face.  We decided to use a large wooden box as our bonfire.  The cadets filled it with small & large pieces of wood.  A civilian volunteer added a newspaper and poured some naphtha inside.  We lit the Firestarter sticks and placed them inside. 

The fire slowly grew inside.  I think we were all expecting it to flourish quickly because the box was protecting the fire from the light wind.  Unfortunately, the box also prevented oxygen from feeding the fire from the sides.  It took about 20 minutes for the fire inside the box to reach “bonfire” status.  I kept the cadets distracted by bringing out the juice boxes and letting them pick their roasting sticks.

We roasted hot dogs & marshmallows as soon as the flames leapt out of the box.  The flames lit up everything around us and radiated plenty of heat.  The bright lights of Arctic Bay glowed behind us.  There were enough roasting sticks for everyone to use.  There was no need to worry about planes landing at the airport because the last flight left at 6pm.  I was glad to see most of the food gone because that meant satisfied appetites and less stuff to bring back.

The wooden box finally broke apart and collapsed to the ground.  We let the remaining pieces burn until there were charred and/or small embers.  We extinguished the fire by throwing snow on it.  The cadets were escorted back to the airport by civilian volunteers and a parent.  I stayed behind to do a quick check of the area with a flashlight.  When I was satisfied that the fire was no more, I walked back to the airport.  The cadets were driven home. 

The first Parents Night Parade of the 2018-19 Training Year was Wednesday, October 17.  This would be the first time the new recruits would parade in uniform in front of their parents.  The senior cadets trained the new recruits in basic drill & deportment several weeks prior to the parade.  We kept it simple, not wanting to discourage & embarrass them at their first public event.  The program for the night called for the awarding of marksmanship & fitness badges, as well as announcing the formation of the corps’ biathlon team.  There would also be two public acknowledgements.  (More on that coming up).

            

The parade followed the standard procedures: arrival of the commanding officer & guest reviewing officer, the inspection of the cadets, and the March Past.  Photographs were handled by three new recruits who had yet to receive their uniforms.  The clothing orders had been placed, but delivery always takes longer because of the remoteness of Arctic Bay.

            

The corps gave out many marksmanship & fitness badges.  Marksmanship badges are structured by Levels 1 – 4, whereas fitness badges are organized from Bronze to Excellence.  We do shooting & fitness every weekend.  The cadets enjoy watching their commanding officer (me) tire himself out during the monthly physical fitness tests.  I barely did any shooting when I was in cadets.  I was primarily involved in the military marching band. 

            

MCpl Willie, L, pictured with the
ANAVETs Medal of Merit.

I called out cadet Master Corporal (MCpl) Willie, L, for the first public acknowledgement.  He completed a senior summer course in Whitehorse this past summer and was awarded the ANAVETs Medal of Merit.  ANAVET stands for Army, Navy, and Air Force Veterans.  The medal is annually awarded to the top senior cadet of their summer course, based on course marks, leadership skills, and physical fitness tests.  Only 31 army cadets across Canada receive this medal every summer.  (Air & sea cadets are also eligible for this award).  MCpl Willie was applauded for his achievement.

            

Sgt Pauloosie, S and
Challenge Coin
Collection.

I called out cadet Sergeant (Sgt) Pauloosie, S, for the second public acknowledgement.  Around the mid 1970s, the Canadian military began using challenge coins within its ranks.  Challenge coins go as far back as the Roman Era, but it was the American military that influenced their adoption in Canada.  So far, Sgt Pauloosie has received five challenge coins from various high-ranking military personnel.  The most recent is the Minister of National Defence coin, given to her by the Honourable Harjit Singh Sajjan, when he was touring the Nanisivik Naval Facility in August.  I briefly explained to the audience about the significance & usage of challenge coins in the military.  I’m unaware if cadet corps have challenge coins of their own.  In the meantime, 3045 will have to make due with their own fidget spinner!

            

The last big announcement was the formation of the Biathlon Team.  Eight cadets, four seniors & four juniors, were called up to the front to be recognized for their selection.  I paused before calling out each name, wanting to heighten the suspense.  The audience applauded after each name was called.  The team will be travelling to Whitehorse in early February to compete in the territorial biathlon competition.  That only gave them four & a half months to work on their skiing & shooting skills.  I would be their coach.

            

The corps assembled for a group photograph after the parade.  Everyone was dismissed to the reception.  I brought out a small table so that Sgt Pauloosie could display her coin collection for everyone to see.  The reception concluded after 30 minutes.  The cadets cleaned up the gym before heading home for the night.  

           

Early October (2018)

The vice-principal wasn’t embarrassed by the pink streaks in his hair.  He told me he already held a suspicion that the students would surpass the $900 fundraising goal when the challenge was announced.  His wife did the pink streaks.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have enough pink dye to do his whole head.  Regardless, everyone noticed and liked his new hairstyle.  The Terry Fox Foundation thanked Inuujaq School for participating in this year’s run and for the $1600 donation. 

            

3045 Army Cadets recruited a large number of new cadets to its ranks in September.  With the arrival of October, the corps’ first Parents Night Parade of the 2018-19 training year was fast approaching.  The corps held a Boot Polishing Night on October 10 to give the new recruits extra time to polish their boots and work on their uniforms.  They also conquered the following challenges: ironing a uniform, forming a beret, and tying a tie.  I told all the new recruits that it was the cadet program that taught me how to tie a tie.  Uniforms had to be ironed indoors because the Department of National Defence isn’t onboard with extreme ironing . . . yet.

            

Winter officially arrived in Arctic Bay on October 11.  I’m not sure how much snow fell but it was a lot.  My skidoo & front porch were completely covered.  I’m glad my skidoo was covered by a tarp.  There had to be about a foot of snow on my porch because I had to spend about 30 minutes shovelling it all off.  A couple of vehicles got stuck in the snow before the snowplows came to the rescue.  Skidoo season is finally here!  I no longer have to walk to school every day.  I will have to restrict to driving in town because the bay doesn’t freeze until 2 – 3 weeks later.

            

Early October also means that midterms are just around the snow bank.  I couldn’t believe that the halfway point in the semester was really close.  The later half of 2018 is flying by really fast.  My Grade 10 English students were finishing their novel study of Farley Mowat’s Lost In The Barrens.  My Grade 10 Social Studies students were almost done learning about the four northern Inuit land claims agreements.  And my drummers were busy getting ready for their first concert on Halloween.  We will be playing three cadences as a group.  Several drummers and I will also be playing a solo each.  My drum students are getting more confident with their abilities.  Lucky for them, Halloween gives you permission to wear a mask, thus reducing feelings of stage fright. 

           

Several teachers and I came together to celebrate Thanksgiving.  The potluck event was organized by the literary coach.  She provided the place & turkey; we had to bring the side dishes.  I brought smoked salmon.  The get together was a nice way to take a break from routine.  We could have eaten at the local inn but that would cost $60 a plate.  And the menu is whatever they serve.  We were all stuffed at the end of the potluck.        

Gold Star Expedition (2018)

I was out of town escorting three senior cadets to the Gold Star Expedition being held in Nopiming Provincial Park, Manitoba.  The excursion occurred from September 20 to 25.  Gold Star refers to the fourth year of training in the cadet program.  You’re considered a senior cadet at this level.  Gold Star expeditions are held all over the country.  Think of them as region-wide field training exercises (FTXs) where senior cadets perfect their leadership & camping skills.  This was my second time attending the expedition.  There is no permanent location in my region to stage the expedition.  The officers in charge are given a budget by the military and allowed to book civilian locations, such as provincial parks, to run cadet activities.

            

Iqaluit Airport Terminal.

3045's Three Gold Star Expedition
Cadets.

Previous experiences have already taught me that flying down to Manitoba from Arctic Bay is an adventure all by itself.  Four days would be spent on travel because we had to overnight in Ottawa twice and once in Winnipeg.  We left on the morning of September 20, flying to Pond Inlet and then to Iqaluit.  We were allowed to travel in civilian clothing.  Upon arriving in Iqaluit, we found out that our flight to Ottawa was delayed by an hour.  Unfortunately, that delay stretched into several hours.  We finally boarded the First Air jet at 5:50pm.  (The flight usually lands in Ottawa at 4:50pm!).  The plane touched down in Ottawa at 8:50pm.

            

We collected our bags and hailed a taxi to our hotel.  Our hotel was close to airport on a map but a 6km drive by car.  It was late by the time we got there and checked into our rooms.  Our stay was short because we had to be up at 5:30am the next morning to catch a cab to the airport at 6:30am.  Rain greeted us as we stepped outside the hotel to get into the taxi.  We made it to the airport and through security on time.  Our flight to Winnipeg took off at 9am.

            

Waiting for the other cadets in Winnipeg.

Loading the canoes.

We were greeted by an officer at the Winnipeg Airport and driven to 17 Wing Base.  We waited until the other cadets arrived from Naujaat, Rankin Inlet, and Cross Lake.  All the cadets were shown how to load the canoes onto the trailers.  Canoeing is one of the main features of the expedition.  Once the canoes were secured to the trailers, we waited for the bus to arrive.  I was expecting a Greyhound bus, but instead the bus was smaller.  The drive to Nopiming Provincial Park took about two hours.  The actual campsite inside the park was located at Tulabi Falls.  The cadets were divided and assigned tents & sleeping bags.  I was lucky enough to get my own tent.  Everyone was tired after setting up camp at night.  It didn’t take us long to fall asleep.

            

Reveille was at 7am on Saturday, September 22.  Rain had fallen during the night, making the tents and the ground wet.  We were all glad that our clothes were still dry.  There were still overcast clouds in the sky and the temperature had gotten colder.  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner would consist of American-made MREs.  Canadian-made IMPs are reserved for the military.

            

Cadets wearing PFDs.

We went canoeing in Tulabi Lake in the afternoon.  The overcast weather, unfortunately, had not changed.  Everyone wore personal flotation devices (PFDs).  The cadets also had backpacks filled with supplies to simulate they were going on an overnight canoe trip.  (We were actually just going to paddle around the lake for the day).  Sudden strong gusts of wind began as we were launching the canoes in the water.  The officers & I hoped no one would tip over.  Two people paddled in each canoe.  I paddled with a captain.

            

We paddled for some time before coming back ashore.  The water was getting rough because of the wind.  The cadets were given two choices: wait until the weather calmed or go hiking on a nearby trail.  I and another officer were instructed to supervise the cadets that wanted to go hiking.  The trail we hiked was not clearly marked in some sections.  Thankfully, the forest wasn’t dense.  I was able to take some great pictures of the cadets canoeing further out in the lake.  I also took a photograph of Tulabi Falls in the early evening.  The falls look more like a small collection of rapids.  Several small inuksuks sit on a large rock next to the falls.

            

The weather improved on Sunday: less clouds and more blue skies.  All the tents were broken down and packed after breakfast.  All the tents, sleeping bags, and mattresses were returned to the large Ryder truck that was rented for the expedition.  Our personal belongings were also packed into the truck in case it rained.

            

An officer portaging by himself.

More canoeing was planned for the day, except we would paddling Bird Lake.  The officers in charge decided to make everyone portage to Bird Lake by road.  Portaging is the act of carrying a water craft over land.  In our case, it would be walking and carrying a canoe over our heads.  I think I portaged once before but can’t remember.   The cadets were shown how to properly lift the canoes over their heads, how to hold them, and how to carry them as a pair.

            

It took about 45 minutes to portage all the canoes over to Bird Lake.  Some cadets needed help because the canoes were too heavy to carry.  The same preparation procedures were followed before the canoes were launched into the lake.  This time I was treated “like royalty” by sitting in the middle of a canoe while two others paddled.  I was free to photograph and film the two activities we would do on the lake.

            

Rafting

Tulabi Falls.

Bald eagle.

The first activity we did was rafting: bringing all canoes together to form a large craft.  The canoes are held together by human hands.  Cadets took turns walking from one end to the other and switching places.  Breaking apart is easy; you just let go and paddle away.  The second activity was paddling to Tulabi Falls and back.  The activity was a nice way for the cadets to get used to paddling canoes and to enjoy the scenery.  I was able to shoot a bald eagle with my camera during this time.  The canoes were brought out of the lake in the early afternoon and secured to the trailers.

            

Tree PFD.

Debriefing.

A debriefing was held an hour later.  The captain in charge reviewed with the cadets what they learned and what was expected of them to do with these newly acquired skills – pass them on to the cadets at their local corps.  Several cadets were publicly recognized for their top performance and leadership skills.  The bus picked us up at 3:15pm.  We were back in Winnipeg at 5:30pm.

            

Getting on the bus to Winnipeg.

Downtown Ottawa.

My cadets and I stayed overnight in Winnipeg rather than travel Sunday evening.  On previous trips we had to fly to Ottawa on Sunday.  The additional night gave us the chance to rest.  We flew to Ottawa on Monday afternoon.  We arrived in the early evening.  There were several events happening in the city which prevented the military from booking us a hotel close to the airport.  Instead, we had to overnight in Ottawa in Hull, Quebec.  I was glad that I would be reimbursed for taxi expenditures.

            

Cadets waiting for their flight to Iqaluit.

We had to wake up really early on Tuesday, September 25 to catch a taxi to the airport.  The ride took about 25 minutes.  We made it to the flight on time and flew to Iqaluit without any trouble.  We hopped on the next flight to Arctic Bay and were back in the community at 6pm.  With the three senior cadets safely home, I now had to think about school, and editing all the photographs & videos of the trip.  Overall, though, it was a good trip.