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.
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