CIC LETC

I’m finally back from the out-of-territory opportunity that took me to another part of Canada.  I was away on a military course related to the Canadian cadet program and it was a wonderful learning experience! 

I am a reserve officer in the Canadian Armed Forces working for COATS – Cadet Organizations Administration and Training Service.  It’s “a subcomponent of the Canadian Forces Reserve Force whose members have undertaken as their primary duty the supervision, administration and training of the members of the Canadian Cadet Organizations and Junior Canadian Rangers.”  Basically, I and 7,499 other personnel work with Canadian youth aged 12 – 18.  The officers in COATS are called Cadet Instructor Cadres (CIC).  We follow the same ranks structures of all three main military branches (army, air, navy), but we are not trained in combat.  Many CIC officers are former rank force and reserve soldiers.

The course I took was the Land Environmental Training Course (LETC).  It teaches army CIC officers how to behave, lead, plan, and teach cadets “out in the field.”  Air has AETC and navy has SETC – Sea Environmental Training Course.

I had a week to get ready after my civilian employer granted me permission to attend.  I prepared three weeks of lessons while School Administration found a substitute teacher to look after my classes.  The local cadet corps would be shut down for the duration of my absence.

Arctic Bay Airport - September 22, 2021.

Nanisivik Naval Facility.

I left Arctic Bay on September 22.  Frank gave me a lift to the airport.  The turboprop plane took off into the clear blue sky and did a sharp left turn.  I took several pictures of the airport until the plane leveled off and flew towards Pond Inlet.  I photographed the Nanisivik Naval Facility and later, a very large iceberg.  The plane landed in Pond Inlet, picked up more passengers, and continued to Iqaluit.

To make a long (travel) story short, I safely arrived at the city closest to the military base after several more stopovers.  It was very late and I was tired.  I stayed in a hotel next to the airport.  I checked out the next morning, bought lunch and snacks at the airport terminal, and waited for the military shuttle bus to arrive.  The bus driver checked my name on his list and let me board.  The other passenger boarded and we were on our way.

The drive to the military base took several hours.  A CIC captain was waiting for me when I stepped off the bus.  I thanked the driver for the lift and introduced myself to the captain.  The captain took me to the nearby mess hall so that I could eat dinner.  I was also given a meal card.  Without it, I would have to pay for every single meal.   

We drove to the part of the base where the course would be taking place.  It was actually a small cadet camp.  I was taken to the main office and introduced to the other captains who would be the instructors.  I was then shown my barracks and instructed to unpack.  Memories of spending many summers at a cadet camp in Ontario flooded my mind.

I had arrived a day early.  I spent my extra day helping the captains set up all the classrooms and organize their resources.  There would be an LETC and AETC happening simultaneously at the camp.

The remaining officer participants arrived the following day in the late afternoon.  A captain and I drove to the Canex store on base to pick them up.  We arrived in two large blue (military) vans.  I was allowed to drive because I hold a military driver’s license.  We brought the officers and their luggage back to camp.  The captain-in-charge welcomed everyone and gave a quick briefing on timings, how to behave on an active military base, and what to expect.  The people with military driver’s licenses would be the only people allowed to drive the blue vans to the mess hall and anywhere else on base.  I guess that made me and three others V.I.Cs. – Very Important Chauffeurs. 

The rule that stood out for everyone was we were not allowed to leave the base for the duration of our stay due to COVID-19 restrictions.  Being double vaccinated wasn’t enough.  However, if things were needed to be bought off base, arrangements could be made.

I was the only officer from Nunavut, the territories, and the North.  The other participants were from the western provinces.  I had to be on my best behaviour because I was representing 40% of Canada. 

The first two days were devoted to Standard First Aid & CPR, the same course that’s offered by St. John’s Ambulance and Canadian Red Cross.  When you’re training cadets in the field, it’s best to have all officers First Aid qualified.  I passed the course.

SAR Helicopter.

For a week and a half, we learned: writing operation orders, map & compass, geography, proper radio communication, how to operate a handheld GPS, dealing with wild bears, and packing for a day-hike & field training exercise.  Most of these lessons occurred in classrooms, but we were given time to practice out in the field.  These sessions were sometimes interrupted by loud roars of jet engines, and helicopter blades.

On September 30, we were granted permission to wear orange shirts underneath our CADPAT uniforms for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Every Child Matters.

We were given downtime in the evenings to relax and chat.  I found myself answering questions about Nunavut, Arctic Bay, and how cadets operate in the territories.  I also added stories about my time teaching and exploring the land around the community.  The information I provided fascinated the officers. 

I explained that some of the lessons in the cadet program need to be altered because they aren’t written for an Arctic setting.  Teaching cadets how to use a compass is impossible because compasses don’t work in Arctic Bay.  Making shelters from trees is not an option because we’re way above the tree line.  Renting civilian vehicles to transport equipment to a training area is out of the question because Nunavut does not have a territory-wide road network.  We use skidoos and qamutiks.  (There were a few times I explained these challenges and differences to the instructors).

Me in a lean-to shelter.

The most important part of the course was the four-day Field Training eXercise (FTX).  The only way to successfully teach cadets how to survive in the field is to go through it yourself.  We had to: put up a large military tent, set up small camping tents & wash areas, build lean-to shelters & hoochies, know basic knots, safely light Coleman stoves and lamps, chop wood, complete a night navigation, and do fire-picket (night guard duty).  And yes, we were required to spend at least one night sleeping in the lean-to shelter.  I’m glad we were each given two heavy duty sleeping bags.  The temperature got colder at night. 

Hoochies in the background.

Fire picket fire.

We lived on rations for those 4 days, but the instructors spoiled us on the third night by letting us eat boxed dinners prepared by the mess hall.  The main dish was roast beef!

Congratulatory group photos were taken at the end of the FTX.

I received my final course report on the last day of the course.  I passed LETC!  I happily signed the document.  I thanked the instructors for being my, um, instructors.  The CIC officers & I celebrated our final night with pizza and games.  We exchanged contact information and promised to keep in touch.

The journey home took two days.  I had to overnight in Ottawa and Iqaluit.  Frank was waiting for me when the plane touched down in Arctic Bay.  He asked me how the course went and I replied I passed.  He drove me home.

With LETC now complete, the next step in my CIC career is to wait for my promotion to Lieutenant!